The Adventures of the SOL

 "I’m ready!"

 "I’m not!"

 "What else is new??"

 "Just a moment!"

 "If you take another hour I will scream!"

 Rei Wallace sat at the bottom on the stairs calling up to Lita.  Lita had been applying greasy substances to her face otherwise known as makeup.  It was enough to make Rei gag.

 "How do you wear that stuff anyway?"

 "It’s very beautiful!" Lita called down to her, wiping lipstick over her lips in one fluid motion, "You should try it sometime!"

 "Me?" Rei smiled and folded her arms, "Who needs to be pretty when you own an entire kingdom?"

 "It’s good for your image!" Lita called to her, "Besides, it never hurt to be beautiful.  Even if you own kingdom or not."

"Did it ever occur to you that it shouldn’t matter?" Rei called up to her, sounding annoyed, "If someone’s going to look at me and not like me because I’m not pretty, then I didn’t want to know that person anyway."

 "Admit it," Lita cried, "Everyone, nice or no, judges off of appearance.  It’s not something that can be helped.  It's the only thing we have to judge from."

 "I won’t admit it," Rei said, stubbornly, "There are people out there who don’t judge on looks.  There are those out there who wait for a show of personality."  She looked over at a nearby clock and sighed again.  How long did it take?

 "But most people don’t rely on what a person seems to be on the inside," Lita pointed out, coming down the stairs, "Because sometimes people can be two faced and it’s hard to see the real personality."

 "And appearances are deceiving," Rei told her.

 "True, but more reliable than personality," Lita smiled and threw her hair over her shoulder, "you'd be surprised what you can tell from someone just by looking at them."

 "Whatever," Rei said, "Let’s go shopping already.  You don’t have to have a great appearance to do that, that’s for sure."

 "Prepared for anything, right?" Lita wink and put on a pair of sunglasses.

 Spring wasn’t quite there, but it already felt like it.  The snow was long gone and the grass was turning green.  Rei smiled at Lizerton as they walked through it.

"Beautiful," Lita commented, looking at the blossoming flowers, "See, Lizerton carries a good appearance, and people like it."

"The land reflects the personalities of those who live in it," Rei explained, snatching a rose off of a bush as she walked by.

 "Which ones?" Lita smiled.

 "All of them," Rei said and inhaled.  She stared at the purple flower with a smile on her face.  Lita watched her a moment and laughed.

 "You really believe that don’t you?" Lita asked her.

 "I do," Rei just smiled, "For every good hearted person on this land there is another flower, and for every kindness there is a butterfly.  My father told me that once when I was little.  It's one of the very few memories I have left of him."

 "I wish the others could see you like this," Lita said as they continued, "There’s a better side to you than just your Princess side.  They should see you as just another girl."

 Rei sighed.  "I wish."

 "You do?" Lita asked, looking genuinely surprised.

 "Your only a Princess of a small forest village, and you aren’t the ruler," Rei explained, "I'm not so lucky.  I'm in charge here, it's my responsibility.  Not to mention I'm known throughout the continent.  Sometimes all you want to do when your famous is fade away and become no one.  Just another face in the crowd."

 "I thought you liked all of the attention," Lita blinked.

 "It’s not the attention or the authority that makes it all worthwhile Lita," she looked around herself, "It’s being able to look out your window in the morning and say to yourself that you did it.  You are what’s holding this place together and you're still doing it.  It’s seeing people smiling because you might have just made their lives a little easier."

 "Rei…"

 "But sometimes you just want it to be someone else’s job," Rei sighed, "Sometimes you need to get away on your own and never be heard from again."

 "But you don’t?" Lita asked.

 "Never.  I couldn’t," Rei shook her head.

 "Somehow I am not surprised that this is how the daughter of Lawrence Wallace turned out.  She's like her father, she only knows how to give."

 Lita turned around.

 At the side of the road, there was a man.  He looked about forty years old with a beard and blue eyes that crinkled in the corners.  His skin was dark brown and he was smiling over at them.

 Rei blinked and stared at him hard, a look of recognition crossing her face.  Suddenly she broke out into a wide smile.

 "Daunus?"

 "Hey there," he smiled at Rei, "How’s my little raven?"

 "Daunus!" Rei cried and ran past Lita, standing right in front of him, having to look up into his face. "What are you doing here?"

 "Later," he smiled warmly at her, "What have you been up to?  It’s been several years hasn’t it?  When was the last time you and I met?"

 Rei nodded.  "Not since…"

 "Sometime before your father's funeral.  I always regretted that I could not attend," Daunus nodded, "But I’ve heard a lot in the way of Lizerton.  I love what you’ve done with this place."

 Rei blushed.

 "Um, Rei?"  Lita stood behind her looking utterly confused.

  "Oh, Lita.  Here, let’s all go back to the castle and I’ll explain."

 "Hey Rei," Mina greeted her as Rei walked in to the lounge.  Everybody was inside.  Mina, Serena and Amy were playing old maid.

 "We were gonna go down town and have a picnic in the forest, today," Amy told her, laying down a pair of cards as she sat across from Serena, "Wanna come?"

 "Uh, not right today.  I have a visitor that I must keep company," Rei explained.  They looked up and saw a very tall man behind her.

 "Everyone, meet Daunus Silverblade," Rei introduced him to the entire group.  Everyone stopped what they were doing to look.

 "Who?" Serena asked.

 Rei smiled up at him.  "He and my father used to work together.  You know, protecting the peace and all.  They were partners."

 "How very nice to meet you," Mina bowed.

 "You worked with Lawrence the Good?" Rais has been slouching on one of the couches, watching the girls play their card game, but now he leaned forward with interest, "So you must be an excellent swordsman!" Rais imitated a few moves.

 Daunus laughed.  "Slow down, son," he said, "Maybe I’ll show you a few moves while I stay.  I've still got it despite what I'm told."

 "Awesome!" Rais cried.

 "So you did work with Lawrence the Good?" Mina asked him curiously, "Interesting, I don’t remember hearing about you in any of the books."

"I humbly accept that Lawrence got most of the publicity," Daunus replied modestly, "but I was there through most of his career."

 "What brings you all the way down here?" Hotaru asked.

 Daunus’s face darkened.  "I heard some news about Creton, so I made my way down here as fast as I could.  No one could have seen that he would resurface.  To be honest, we thought him dead when he never returned.  I thought it best to come and protect the old home base."

 "That’s real nice of you," Rais said politely, but the cockiness in his voice came through, "But we’re all doing a pretty good job."

 "I heard that too," Daunus smiled, "Lawrence didn’t raise any weaklings, did he."  He ruffled Rei's hair and she smiled.

 "We did some of the work too," Hotaru muttered to Amy, who was pulling a card from Serena's deck.

 "Why does she get all the credit?" Amy agreed and made a face when she saw she had pulled the joker.  With a sighed she let Mina chose from her cards.

 "No he didn’t raise any weaklings, sir," Mina said quickly, not wanting their guest to be insulted.  Amy watched hopefully as Mina chose from Amy's last two cards.  If she chose the joker Amy won, but if she chose the ace, Amy lost.  Without even looking Mina reached forward and grabbed the ace.  Amy sighed.

"Well, Rei, we’re going to go out to that picnic.  You sure you don’t wanna come?"

 "Yeah, I’ll stay here, if that’s okay with you guys," she said, waving them off, "I'll be fine her by myself.  But I hope you have fun."

 "Okay," Serena waved goodbye and they all exited, Mina grabbing a basket already packed..  Rais lingered for a second, but Hotaru pulled him along, knowing Rei would want a moment alone with her old friend.

 "So where have you been all this time?" Rei asked, sitting down and offering him a seat next to her.  He walked over and sat down.

 "Keeping the peace in other kingdoms," he shrugged, "Still on the job, believe it or not.  I never retired like your father did.  Unlike him, I don’t feel like I’ve done enough yet."

 "My father retired very old though," Rei told him, "Maybe when you reach the age he did, you’ll retire too."  An unreadable look crossed over his face but he just smiled.

 "True," he replied, "I see your memory isn’t that faded."

 "Excuse me?" Rei asked him a little startled.

 Daunus seemed uncomfortable for a moment.  "I hear that your memory has been a little muffled for some time now," he explained, "You’re having trouble remembering things from the past when your father was alive."

 "I wonder how that got around," Rei leaned against the arm of the sofa, "Well, yes it’s true, I have been having trouble with my memory.  I remember things like you and my father being partners, and spending time with Charlie, but I can’t remember things that seem important."

 "Like what?" he asked her.

 "If I knew I wouldn’t be so worried now would I?" Rei teased.  She stared at the floor a moment, thinking.  Pensively, she asked, "Do you think you could help me remember some of these things Daunus?  You were around quite a bit when I was younger weren’t you?"

 "Well, yes, but isn't that more of a job for..."

 "You have to help me," Rei started suddenly, "I have to know.  It’s important, I know it.  I know it will help me in my quest to protect Lizerton.  If I could just remember something about when my father was still fighting Creton, than maybe I could stop him."

 "If you say so," Daunus blinked.  He paused.  "How is Charlie?"

 "Charlie?" Rei asked, and shook her head, looking at the ground, "I wish I knew.  He was here at the beginning of winter, and then he just up and left.  I don’t know where he went."

 "He always went his own way," Daunus smiled at her, trying to be reassuring, "I’m sure he’ll turn up when he gets lonely."

 "He always is, though," Rei sighed, "He’s never happy where he is.  There’s always something missing for him, and he can’t figure out what it is."

 "Your powers work best when he’s around, don’t they?" Daunus asked her, "They always go off of the emotion you feel for him."

 "True," Rei smiled, "So what about it Daunus?  Please help me with my memory?  I think you could help me, I really do."

 "I’ll try," he replied.

 "Wow, the sun got really warm," Lita smiled as she pulled a sandwich out of a whicker basket.  They had found a nice grassy clearing fairly deep in the forest and spread out a large blanket.

 "Yeah, winter seems to have quit for the year," Amy smiled, looking up into the sky.  Sady was curled up next to her, looking up and wondering what she was looking at.

 "I hope so," Serena frowned, grabbing her second sandwich, "I don’t like frosty weather.  It's just too... You know... cold."

 "What do you make of that Daunus guy?" Mina asked.

 "What about him?" Rais asked, "He seems like a nice guy.  Especially since he worked with Lawrence the Good.  What I wouldn’t give to learn that guy’s sword technique…"

 "I just thought that Rei had memory trouble," Mina shrugged, "I mean, how would she recognize him?"  Everyone paused.  Once again Mina had caught something that everyone else missed.

 "Good question," Hotaru swallowed a large bit of a ham and cheese sandwich, "My guess is that she just happens to remember him.  She remembers some stuff you know."

 "Wait," Lita looked at all of them suspiciously, "Who told you guys about her memory trouble?  That was between me, her, and…"

They all pointed at Serena who looked at each of them.  "I didn’t know it was a secret," she said, holding up a sandwich to protect herself.

 "Oh nevermind," Lita shook her head and took a bite.

 "He seems nice," Amy told Mina, "What are you worried about?"

 "Nothing," Mina replied slowly, "He just showed up so unexpectedly.  If he heard about Creton, why didn’t he come sooner?"

 "Maybe he was held up or something," Serena shrugged.

 "Who knows," Rais put in suddenly, "Don’t ask questions that don’t have answers."

 "You mean like what’s going on between you and Rei?" Lita asked.  She leaned in with a grin on her face.  He backed away.

 "No, that has an answer and the answer is nothing," he frowned and started to scoot across the blanket, away from Lita's overly wide grin.

 There was a pause as everyone ate.  Everyone was in deep thought until Rais finally spoke up.  "Is it just me or has Rei been acting strangely?"

 "In what way?" Lita asked him, "I mean, I think I know what you’re talking about, but I’m not sure what it was.  I thought it was my imagination."

 "Well, it’s like she’s just... stressed out of something.  She's constantly worried but she never says anything," Rais explained, "But I don’t know why she worried about anything.  She’s winning this battle with Creton, and she’s as strong as ever."

 "I think it’s all those dreams," Amy nodded, "She’s been having them awhile and she’s really sure something bad is going to happen.  What…  Well, she doesn’t even have a clue or else she would have taken steps to prevent it."

 "Psychics are a danger to existence," Hotaru said suddenly and quite frankly, "They know things about the future that could change an entire course if revealed ahead of time.  Sometimes bad things happen so good things can happen."

 "But why not just avoid the bad stuff and avoid the pain it takes to reach the good stuff?" Serena asked, "After all, we wouldn’t know the difference."

 "But such shifts are dangerous," Rais told her, "Some things are just meant to be.  If you change around that course…"

 "So you mean you believe in destiny?" Amy asked.

 "Don’t you?"

 "I believe you make your own," Amy scratched behind Sady's ear, "I don’t think things are meant to be.  That’s just a way to excuse the actions you take.  It’s much easier to believe that you are responsible for yourself.  There’s not some guy up there holding your strings."

 Rais looked down.  "It’s better to believe that your mistakes are a result of fate rather than live with the fact that you actually were dumb enough to make them," he said quietly.

 "That’s why mistakes can be corrected," Amy smiled warmly at him, "If you make a mistake in a math problem, it’s okay.  As long as you can fix it, it’s not lost."

 "Good analogy," Hotaru nodded, her mouth full, "But this is a little deep for me."  Everyone one else rolled her eyes.  Hotaru really knew how to spoil the moment.

 Serena just looked at each of them with confusion on her face.

 "Well, what about you Hotaru?" Mina asked slyly, "You almost never engage in deep thoughts, so tell us, is it our decision or is it just meant to be?"

 "I haven’t really thought about it," Hotaru waved her away, "If life wanted you to find the answers, it wouldn’t have given you so many questions."

 "I believe in both," Lita spoke up suddenly, "I think the big stuff rests on a fate.  But I think that fate changes constantly."

 "Have you guys read Bertrude?" Serena asked.

 "Yes," Amy nodded.

 "No," everyone else said.

 "It was required reading in school," Amy explained to them, "He believed the same thing Lita does, that fate constantly changes.  He also has a theory that time is separated in layers.  Each layer represents one second in time, forward or back.  We all know that other worlds exist beyond our own, right?  Well he thinks that those different world are the different layers."

 "But they're so different from us."

 "True, that's where his destiny theory comes in.  He thinks that each layer started the same, but the decisions made by the life-forms changed the course of the planet.  So after hundred and thousands and even millions of years, the fate of each layer has changed so drastically that each world is completely different."

 Everyone was silent.

 "That’s a good theory," Mina nodded.

 "So what?  Every second the world starts over again and then ends up different?" Rais asked, "Because of decisions that the life-forms make?"

 "Not just the life-forms," Serena added, "Everything.  If a rock breaks apart that wasn’t suppose to in millions of years it effects the whole future."

 Everyone was really quiet.  They all digested that information and their food.  Serena finished her sixth sandwich and lay back contently.

 "So I guess Psychics are dangerous to existence," Lita said, "If a breaking rock changes an entire world, then Psychics have the power to prevent some of those life altering changes to happen.  They could make our world end sooner, or make it last longer.  They could cause great destruction or bring along great peace."

 "The possibilities are endless," Hotaru smiled, standing up, "And when you think about them long enough you end up with a big headache.  Settle for the world as what it is and live with it.  A butterfly sneezing could bring about the end of the world under those circumstances, so psychics aren’t that dangerous."

 Mina laughed.  "I guess that’s true," she said, "but sometimes you start to wonder at how big everything is and how we fit into it."

 "Pretty well I say," Hotaru yawned.

 "You know what I mean," Mina snapped.

 "Yeah, I know what you mean," Hotaru sighed, "What is the meaning of life?  That question that has no real answer.  Accept that the impossible happens.  We’re here and there isn’t much anyone can do about it now."

 "So what do you guys wanna do?" Rais interrupted, "I’m tired of talking about time and space and the meaning of life."

 "I guess we should head back," Amy started to put some things back in the basket, "See what Rei and Daunus are up to."

 Rais stood up and looked towards Lizerton.  They had gone to a pretty deep area of the forest.  He couldn’t even see the kingdom from there.  He looked back around.

 "Come on," Lita said, stuffing whatever was left in the basket and grabbing it.  Serena asked to be helped up and they all left.

 They began to walk, Amy and Hotaru chatting and gossiping about news around Lizerton. Rais looked up and down, then stopped.

 "What’s up Rais?" Serena asked as she saw him fall behind.

 He pulled out his sword.  "Ever have the feeling that you’re being watched?"

 "By…?" Mina asked.

 "I’m not sure," Rais put a finger to his lips in warning, "Shh."

 There was complete silence as the girls all listened for whatever Rais thought he heard.  They didn’t hear anything, but the more time the silence reigned, the more Rais seemed agitated.

 Suddenly, Lita’s ears picked up a sound.  She bit her lip as she listened very hard.  It was the sound of someone... Or was it someones?

 "What is it?" Lita asked Rais.

 "I’m not sure," Rais said, "It’s not normal.  So you feel it too?"

 "No," Lita listened for the source of the sound, "But I can hear it, and it is coming this way fast.  It doesn't sound... normal."

 "What doesn’t sound normal?" Serena asked.

 "Shh!"

 They paused for a moment longer.  Lita listened hard.  She made out the sound clearer.  It was footsteps.  A lot of footsteps.  They came closer and closer until suddenly they stopped.

 "Agh!" she cried as she felt arms slip around her neck.  In a leap she jumped over her attacker's head and kicked forwards, knocking him onto his front.

 "Reptopian soldiers?" Mina asked, then pulled the stone from her neck.  TK appeared from it and whipped his tail around as he looked at all of the soldiers that surrounded the group.

 "An ambush!" Amy told them and opened her bag, where Sady had been sleeping.  Sady now saw the danger and leapt out.  "Don’t grow Sady, you’ll crush us."

 Sady began to fire small shots of energy at the soldiers but her powers were limited in her smaller form.  TK pounced on one of the other soldiers.  They came from out of the forest and it seemed like there were hundreds of them.

 "They're everywhere!" Serena cried and held out a hand, where her scepter appeared, "Annihilation!" she cried and knocked away two soldiers.

 Hotaru changed into a bear and attacked another soldier.  She stared past the soldier she had knocked down and saw the forest swarming with them, like an angry ant mound.  She knocked two of them away.

 Rais knocked away one and looked beyond all of the Reptopian soldiers.  Behind them were some tall dark shapes.  He took a startled step back.

 "Have you guys ever heard me talk about the Evilopolis soldiers?" Rais asked, and attacked an advancing guard.

 "Yes, once before I think," a distressed Lita said as she high kicked another soldier.  "These guys just keep coming!"

 "You’re about to find out what I’m talking about."  She paused and looked at him, then looked deeper into the forest.  She recognized the sound she had heard before, the abnormal one.

 As the darker shapes advanced, the Reptopians drew back.  For a moment the group froze, not sure what was going on.  They were surrounded by large men wearing heavy black armor.  They're faces could not be seen, only small pinpoints which must have been their eyes.  They were all huge and towering.

 Rais let out a cry and sliced at the nearest one, who pulled a sword out to block his blow.  Rais growled and swung again.

 He felt a hit from behind.  He fell to the ground, but flipped over just as a battle-ax hit very close to his head.   He got up quickly and turned to face the others.

 Lita backed away, then hit at one of the soldiers.  When she hit it’s black armor she felt the concussion ride through her hand.  She bit her lower lip in pain then flipped backwards to recover.

 Serena fired at one of the soldiers, but it blocked with its shield and the attack broke apart.  "What are we suppose to do, we can’t touch these guys!" Serena cried.

 Suddenly, Hotaru as a bear flew across the circle that the soldiers had formed around them.  Mina lost her concentration on TK and he was distracted also.  A soldier hit him from the side and the panther flew to Mina’s feet.

 "TK!" she cried.

 As Rais fought against another soldier he heard someone speaking.  It was a single word but it meant more than one might have thought.  "Transport!"

 "What?" he said and suddenly everything turned a bright blinding white.  Everyone covered their eyes.  Rais saw the world disappear and he cried out but it was too late.

 Mina held onto TK, and the white light made even the sparkling white panther seem brown.

 All of them felt the ground leave from beneath their feet, then the world shift.  Hotaru felt her powers drain and she shifted back into her human form.

 Consciousness drifted from all them and they knew no more.

 "What do you remember about your childhood?" Daunus asked Rei, placing a cup of tea in front of her and holding his own.  He sat down across from her.

"Just the basics," Rei shrugged, "I remember school, I remember you and Daddy and Charlie, but some of the things that happened outside of my everyday life… It just won’t come."

 "Such as…?"

 "Well, I know when I was young, I was used as bait in a fight between Creton and my father, but I don’t remember how it all came to be.  I think it was a year or two before Daddy died, but I can’t remember what happened."

 "I remember that," Daunus said, taking a sip of tea, "I have never seen your father so distressed as he was when you were kidnapped.  Have you considered asking your brother or your sisters about some of this?"

 "Them?" Rei asked and shook her head hard, "No.  Lacy wasn’t born very long before Daddy died so she wouldn’t know, and Lynda and Luke are never around when you need them."

 "Why are you so suddenly interested in your past?" he asked.

 "I told you, it has connections with what’s going on now," Rei said, and took a sip of her tea, "I can sense it.  It would help to know."

 "What if it doesn’t?" Daunus asked.

 "Then, I guess it won’t," Rei yawned, "But it’s worth a shot to see if I can figure it out.  Besides, maybe it’s time that such memories were brought up again."

 "If you’re sure," Daunus said, "But some of these memories are ones you may not enjoy remembering.  I don’t feel it’s my place to tell you some of these things.  It would be better if you talked to Lynda.  She’s the oldest and she’s quite the storyteller.  And she’s your sister."

 "But you are here, now," Rei told him firmly, "I need to know now.  Please Daunus, don’t hold out on me.  I need your help."

 "I’m not," Daunus shook his head.

 Rei slumped down on the couch and rubbed her forehead.  She suddenly felt very tired.

 "I’m so sick of wondering if I hold the answer to Creton’s destruction in my own subconscious, but not able to access it," Rei admitted, "There’s something important in there that will explain something, I’m so sure of it."

 "I’m not quite sure what that thing would be," Daunus shifted uncomfortably, watching her expectantly, "There was nothing in a past like yours that could answer such questions."

 "I’m so sure though," Rei said, and felt her eyelids sliding down.

 "Are you okay, Rei?" he asked, getting up.
 
 "I feel so… tired," she said.

 She stood up, stumbled, then collapsed.  She fell asleep before she could even hit the ground.

 "Daddy!"

 "Hold on Rei!"

 "Daddy, help!"

 Rei felt herself in the safety of her father’s arms.  But he was hurt.  She could see the signs of battle over his face.  He was staring past Rei angrily.  His black hair cascaded over his eyes, which were filled with electricity.

 "Stay here, Rei," he said.

 "Daddy?"

 "Stay here!"

 He let go off her and he moved forward towards the place he was looking.  Rei turned to watch.  She gasped.  She could see Creton, but he wasn’t wearing a mask.  She tried to see his face, but the shadows seemed to cover it.

 "How Creton!?" Lawrence yelled, "You’ve gone through all this trouble, tell me how you got to my daughter at least."

 "How?" Creton laughed, "How about I show you?"

 Rei watched and saw a dark figure in the background.  She stared but she couldn’t see it.  She squinted but the figure remained in the shadows.

 "No…"

 "Daddy?" Rei asked uncertainly as he stepped back at the sight of the shadowy figure.  She started to crawl forward but her Daddy had asked her to stay.

 "How is that possible?  How could you?  What happened to you?"  Lawrence balled his hands into fists, "How could you do this to Rei!"

 "Sometimes, the table turns against you," a familiar voice whispered, "So you have to turn with it sometimes, if you want to be on the right side."

 "You’re my partner!" Lawrence cried.

 Then it struck Rei with violent suddenness.  She remembered now.  She remembered why and how.  She edged backwards.  All at once, she remembered.

 "Daunus, my daughter? How could you try to hurt my daughter?" Lawrence asked the shadowy figure.  He was angry but there was pain in his eyes.

 The figure took a step out of the forest.  It was Daunus Silverblade.

 "Join with me, Lawrence," he suggested, "Join the fight.  You don’t stand a chance on the side your on now.  Fight with me."

 "For what cost?" Lawrence spat, "To use small children as a token to capture my enemies?  To stoop to low means of destroying just to destroy?  What are you doing Daunus?"

 "Think of your children," Daunus insisted, "Think of Lynda, and Luke, and Rei.  And don’t you have another one on the way?  Think of them."

 "I am," Lawrence cried, "I am thinking of my children.  More than you’ll ever be able to understand, Daunus.  More than you’ll ever know."

 "What are you going to do Lawrence?" Creton asked, "You can’t fight both of us with your daughter right there.  You never know when one of us might go after her."

 "Rei…"

 "Daddy…"

 "Transport!" he cried suddenly, looking at Rei.  Rei gasped as she began to fade away.  She reached for her father but he was leaving.  Again.  The ground left from her feet and the battle faded.

 "Daddy!  DADDY!"

 She was her proper age.  "All the time!" she cried, her hands over her ears as though they were bleeding, "The whole time!  I’ve been talking with a traitor!  The whole time, like he was my ally!  How could I have forgotten?!  Why did I have to forget Daddy?!"

 "Rei…"

 "Daddy?"

 She was surrounded by black, but she could see her father’s image in front of her.  She looked up.  She felt so strange when she stood up.  She was so much taller than the last time she had been next to him, but even so, he was still a few inches taller.

 "Hey, Little Raven."

 "Daddy." She smiled.  It had been so long since she had heard him use her old nickname.

 "Don’t give up," he said, suddenly sounding stern, "Don’t you dare give up.  I’m sorry I’m not there to help you.  I’m sorry I couldn’t stay and make sure you were safe, but don’t give up."

 "I won’t," she shook her head, "Never.  And don’t be sorry.  I wouldn’t be happy if I was any different than I was now.  I wish you were here though.  If you were here, I’d trade everything."

 "Even your friends?" he asked.

 "Well…" she said, and realized she wouldn’t.

 "Good," Lawrence smiled, his eyes filled with tears that did not fall, "Very good.  You have very true friends.  Take care of them."

 "Always," Rei nodded.

 "Be strong," Lawrence told her, and touched her cheek, "Nothing can happen that you can’t handle.  And try to remember."

 "Are you really here?  Or is this just an illusion?" Rei asked.

 "I’m really talking to you.  But only this once," he smiled, "I’m very proud of you Rei.  You resisted temptation without a second thought.  You fought evil without a thought to your own life.  I’m very proud of you."

 Rei grabbed his hand and held it to her cheek.  "Don’t go.  Please Daddy…  Don’t leave me alone again!"

 "You aren’t alone," Lawrence smiled broader, "You will never be alone again.  Just stay the way you are and you will never be alone."

 "Daddy!  Wait!  DADDY!"

 Rei groaned and sat up.  She found that her hands were tightly bound behind her back and her head hurt.  She looked around and realized that the room was dark.  It was nighttime.  She had to have been unconscious for some time.

 "Well, it’s about time.  Don't think of casting a spell.  You were out long enough that I placed a magical barrier over you.  It'll be a few hours before you can cast anything."

 "You!" she hissed and turned to see Daunus on a chair nearby.

 "You fell right into my hands," Daunus smiled, "You didn’t remember my decision to serve Creton.  I felt almost lucky."

 "I remember now," Rei glared, "I remember now.  You tried to get my father to join with you.  For the sake of his children.  You asked him to for the sake of his children!"

 "So you do remember," Daunus smiled.  The shadows played off of his face, "You were there, sitting on the ground, watching as I revealed my intentions to him.

 "I know," Rei nodded, "When you betrayed him."

 Daunus’s face grew dark and he stood up.  Rei was on the couch, her hands behind her back.  She couldn’t untie her hands mentally because she couldn’t see them, and she couldn’t cast any kind of spell with the barrier up.  Right now she was helpless.  She didn’t like it.  She had never been so helpless before.

 "I did not betray your father, he betrayed himself, and you," Daunus growled, "He didn’t see what was the best for himself.  He didn’t see what was important for his children and his wife."
"He knew better," Rei hissed, "The only thing he did wrong was trust you!"

 Rei didn’t even see his fist.  He hit her across the mouth and she spit.  Her face stung and she could taste blood but she turned to look at him again.

 "Don’t ever say that!  I tried to help him!" Daunus shouted, "I tried to place him on the winning side.  I tried to give him the run he needed.  I’m surprise he managed to die of old age.  He was on the losing side."
 "And yet, you lost," Rei smiled suddenly, "Yeah, remember?  You lost.  Creton just only resurfaced.  My father stopped him once, and I will now.  Because your kind can’t win, no matter what edge you have."

 Daunus grabbed her by the shirt and pulled her very close to his face.  "I always told Creton that you would once be a problem.  I told him that we should get rid of you behind Lawrence’s back.  He never listened to me.  Apparently I was right."

 "I may not like Creton, but I know he’s not a coward like you," Rei growled, "He wasn’t about to pick off some scrawny little kid.  He may not fight fair, but he also isn’t a coward.  He wanted to beat Father by beating him, not killing those close to him."

 "I’m not a coward!" he yelled, shaking her, "I knew the truth about you.  You were strong even for a psychic.  I heard about that little expedition you went on at age twelve.  You brought down a sorcerer.  I always knew that your name brought trouble for my lord."

 "You are a coward because you serve a lord," Rei growled.  She had never been so full of rage before.  It blanketed every other emotion, even fear. "You hide behind his name because his name brings power.  But how long can you hide behind that name?"

 "As long as I need to Princess," he smiled, pulling her closer, "I am, next to his son, one of his most faithful servants."

 "Don’t you ever think about what you did to my father?" Rei yelled, "You were suppose to be his friend.  You were supposed to be his PARTNER!  You were suppose to be the person he could rely on when he couldn’t trust the world and you turned your back on him!  You betrayed him!  You fought against him to save your own skin.  Well, good job.  You are now a lackey for Creton.  You don’t even have the will to make your own choices unless Creton bids it.  How does it feel?"

 "Shutup," he hissed, and threw her to the ground, "You don’t understand.  You can’t understand the need to get out of Lawrence’s shadow.  All the time, I did half of the work and he took the credit.  I was there and the only name anyone could speak was his."

 "Then your intentions were never true," Rei replied, "You didn’t want to help people, you wanted to have your own name up on a wall with your picture.  You wanted popularity."

 "That is what everyone wants," Daunus insisted, "They deny it.  They say out of the goodness of their hearts and to be kind, but all they want is the credit.  All they want is praise."

 "Not everyone is as twisted as you!" Rei yelled, "Not everyone can lack a conscience!"

 "Enough!" he shouted and hit her across her head.  She felt starbursts of pain in her neck, and saw them in front of her eyes.  Her eyes rolled back in her head and she now slept dreamlessly.

 "Wh-where am I?"

 Mina sat up and rubbed her head, looking around confused.  It was black.  She barely saw Serena next to her, unconscious.  She moved over next to her and saw she was breathing.
 "Serena!" Mina hissed, nudging her, but Serena didn’t awake.

 On the other side of her TK was sitting.  He was awake and keeping a watchful eye out for any danger.  Mina petted him and looked around.  Where ever they were at, it was dark.  She could feel cold stone under her hands.  She could see the things nearby but not anything else.  Everything was pitch black.  She wasn't sure what to do.  She could hardly see Serena.

 "Serena!  Get up French-fry," Mina hissed.  Serena groaned but didn’t wake up.  Mina paused and sighed.  "Look Serena, a double fudge candy bar."

 "Where?" Serena asked, shooting up, "Wait where am I?"

 "I wish I could tell you," Mina replied, helping her sit up all the way, "You're the scout school scholar, what happened?"

 "We were shot out of there by a real intense transport spell," Serena shivered, looking into the dark, "They must of moved us pretty far if it was that intense."  She gulped.

 "So where does that leave us?" Mina asked.

 "In a very bad spot," Serena replied, "No matter where we ended up.  Those were Evilopolis soldiers so…  Maybe we’re there…"

 "Where’s there?" Mina asked disturbed.

 "In Evilopolis," Serena said, looking up at her, trying to make out her face, "I mean, if not, than I don’t know where else.  Even the Reptopian dungeon has more light than this."

 "Where’s everyone else?" Mina asked.

 "Dunno," Serena shook her head, and held her hand forward.  She concentrated for a moment but nothing happened. "Hold on… What?!"

 "What?" Mina asked, thinking something had happened.

 "My scepter, it’s gone," Serena said, looking and feeling across the floor, "I don’t know how.  Anything with the slightest bit of dark energy gets blasted just by touching it."

 "I’m sure a strong magician could contain it," Mina shrugged, "They probably had their ways."  She sat down with a groan.

 "This sucks," Serena griped, "Good thing TK’s here, right?"

 "Right," Mina nodded.

 "Amy?  Lita?  Hotaru?  Rais?" Serena called, "Is anyone out there?"  There was no answer.  "HEY EVERYONE!!!"

 Mina listened and heard a soft groan.

 "I think someone is here," Mina and pressed her ear against a wall, "Hey!  Which one of you is that!  Hello?  Guys!  If you’re there please say something!"

The groan grew louder. "It’s me, Amy.  Where are we?"

 "We were hoping you’d know," Serena called back, "Is there anyone with you?  In here it's just me, Mina and TK."

 "Yeah, Lita and Hotaru are in here with me," Amy replied, "But they aren’t moving.  Were we all unconscious?"

 "I think so," Mina said, "That spell definitely took it out of us."

 "Is Rais in there?" Serena called back to Amy.  Amy stood up and looked around the entire cell.  She felt around, trying not to trip.

 "No, I don’t see him anywhere," Amy called, "Where is he?  Do you think he’s okay?  What happens to Rei now that we’re gone?"

 "Good questions," Mina rubbed her temples, trying to make the dull throb in her head go away, "I’m sure she can hold up the castle without us, as long as she’s not too surprised."

 "What about Rais?" Serena asked, "Why isn’t he here with us?"

 "I’m not sure," Mina said, becoming worried, "You don't think that maybe he’s…"

 "Don’t say that!" Amy hissed from the other side of the wall, "I’m sure he’s okay.  Give him some time, maybe they put him in another cell and he can't hear us because he's unconscious."

 "What’s going on?"

 "Lita," Amy said and saw Lita sit up.  She moved over next to her to make sure she was okay.  Lita made a whining sound.

 "It’s dirty in here," Lita complained.  "Um, where is here anyway?"

 "I’m not sure," Amy shook her head, "What about Hotaru?"

 "Hey, ‘Taru!" Lita shook her a little, "Wake up, babe.  This is no time to be sleeping.  Hotaru?  Hello?  Time to wake up."

 Hotaru sat up slowly, rubbing her head.  "Now what?

 "I think we might have a little trouble," Mina told them, "We aren’t sure where we are.  Unless either of you ladies know?"

 "Nuh uh," Lita said, "Is that you Mina? Where are you?"

 "In here with Serena and TK," Mina said, "On the other side of the wall.  We're in different cells.  I can hardly hear you."

 "Where’s Sady?" Amy asked, a little panic stricken.  Then she remembered.  Just before the spell overtook her she put Sady in her stone.  She breathed a sigh of relief.

 But where was her bag?

 She realized it was nowhere nearby.

 "Serena, do you have your scepter?" Amy asked.

 "Nope," Serena called, "I think they took it, whoever they is.  Do you have your dragons?  That might come in handy right now."

 "No," Amy frowned, "But what about you Hotaru?  Can you shapeshift into something big and get us out of here?"

 "Or small," Lita frowned, "After all we don’t want the whole world to know we’ve just escaped.  Just sneak out ‘Taru then get us out."

 "I can’t," she said.

 "Why not?" everyone asked at once.

Hotaru flinched at the sound of the insistent voices.  She frowned and continued.  "I can’t because there must be some shield preventing me from morphing.  Some kind of anti-magic shield I guess.  As long as it’s there, I can’t do a thing."

 "So what does that leave us?" Serena asked.

 "Absolutely nothing," Mina shook her head, "Absolutely nothing."

 "Oh, great," Rais said to himself as he sat up.  She recognized a room in the Evilopolis castle.  But the door was locked and the room was dark.  It must have been nighttime in Evilopolis.

 Or if he remembered right, Evilopolis was always dark.

 He sighed and sat down.  One of the first things he noticed about himself was that his sword was now gone.  He needed that sword.  He also noticed that there was an anti-magic shield around the room.  It was stronger than necessary to hold him, but Rais guessed Creton wasn’t risking a mistake.

 "Great, great, great," Rais shook his head.

 He wondered where the girls were.  Did they go with him when he had been transported to the castle?  Or were they back in the forest?  He was pretty sure he would have noticed if they were there with him.

 And what about Rei?  She was now alone and it was a perfect time to attack Lizerton.  Would she be able to hold up without them?  Surely those soldiers would over run her without some help from the rest of SOL.

 Of course that was probably the plan.

 Well, she would have Daunus there with her.  Maybe he could protect her.  From what Rais understood, to fight beside Lawrence the Good, he had to be pretty strong.

 He stood up and tried to see what was around him, but it was too dark and he couldn’t cast a light spell under the shield.

 Rais walked over to the door, almost tripping over a chair.  He slammed it with his fist.  "Open!" he shouted at it, "Open up!  How long do I have to stay here?"

 "Try staying here as long as I have."

 Rais stopped when he heard the voice behind him.  He walked in that direction.  He ran his hand along a wall, walking cautiously.  He had no clue who it was in there with him.

 He felt a torch along one of the walls.  He snatched it and shoved up a small lever on it's side.  A flint on the inside of it struck up a light.  He held it forward and was surprised to see someone right in front of him.

 "Would you mind not holding that thing so close to me?"

 Rais’s mouth fell open.  His eyes widened and he took a deep intake of breath.

 "Charlie?"

Chapter 12