Tenkou looked up at the sound of the door opening.  "Okay, thank you 
very much for the ride," Ethan called from the entryway, and then the door closed.
	"Ethan?" she called, setting down her English book and walking out into 
the empty entryway.  She noticed a strawberry blond head vanishing on the other 
side of the stairs.  "Hey, wait, Ethan, there's something we need to talk about."
	The small boy froze in his steps and very slowly turned around.  "I didn't 
do it," he blurted out.
	"Didn't do what?" Tenkou asked, giving him a puzzled look.  "I just 
wanted to let you know that we're going to go out for Chinese food tonight."
	"I--" Ethan shook his head.  "I'm very tired, Miss.  I think I should just go 
to sleep."
	"Aw, come on," Tenkou encouraged.  "The place downtown is quite good-
- they're probably the only restaurant in  town that has decent egg rolls.  Plus, if 
you like sushi, you can have some there.  I'll even let you have my fortune cookie 
if it changes your mind about coming."
	"Fortune cookie?"  A strange look passed over Ethan's face.  He was still 
for a moment, as if debating something and then a very sly smile stole across his 
face.  "Oh yes, miss," he nodded, "I'd like that very much."

*
Darkness: Children of the Phoenix
Three: Evening Interludes
by: Chandra Rooney
darkness@cloak-and-dagger.co.uk
*

	Lady Avalon was back at her place within the Temple when the winged 
figure found her.  Hurrying in, he knelt before the dais she was weaving at.  She 
looked up briefly at his soft silvery hair and red-gold eyes.  The feathered wings 
upon his back were the wispy colour of smoke, but their frames were deep red and 
demonic-looking.  The figure was dressed in a light grey cloak.  "You're late," she 
remarked, her knitting needles flashing.  "Did you have problems, Grandson?"
	"No, Grandmother," the figure assured her.  "I am sorry."
	"Do not be sorry, Grandson," she replied, placing the scarf she was 
knitting aside.  "Did you find your place?
	The figure nodded.  "All was as you said it would be, Grandmother."
	Lady Avalon sighed and stood.  "This is a time of darkness," she said, 
softly.  "The Candidate for Judgement is no more.  If something is not done, the 
Earth shall fall into Dawn's blood-stained hands."  Crossing down to where he 
knelt, Lady Avalon placed her hand upon him.  "This must not happen, my 
grandson.  I have trained you, instructed you and prepared you to be my heir.  You 
were not my first choice--"
	"Grandmother," the boy interrupted, "have I not proven myself to be as 
dedicated as any women, if not more?"
	"Hush, child," she told him, squeezing his shoulder.  "As I was saying, you 
were not my first choice, but I see now that you are the best choice."  She patted 
his shoulder.  "It is time for you to begin your duties as the head of the only 
remaining Temple of Judgement."
	"...now?" the boy asked, sounding uncertain.  "Grandmother, what of the 
Fortune assignment?"
	"Your brother will learn that he is capable of negotiating Fortune's little 
outbursts when necessity drives him to do so," Lady Avalon replied.  "Come, 
Ezekiel, you were meant for things other than babysitting Fortune.  Judgement 
hand-picked you to attend Him."
	"Yes, Grandmother," Ezekiel sighed.  "It's just that this is much sooner 
than we expected.  Why is He asking for His blades already?  Has He abandoned 
His plans and decided to simply take Dawn down now?"
	Lady Avalon sighed.  "I have served Judgement faithfully for over two 
thousand years," she remarked, "He calls me His most-trusted, but even I do not 
understand how His mind works.  He keeps His secrets-- sometimes even from 
Himself."  She shook her head.  "I was visited earlier.  He asked for you to bring 
Him the remaining sacred blade."
Ezekiel looked troubled.  "Is this sort of task not something usually asked 
of my father?"
	She was silent for a few moments.  "You were the one asked for, Ezekiel," 
she replied, finally.  Standing, she went back to the altar and removed an ornate 
box.  Lady Avalon presented the box to him.  "I know you are more than capable 
of running this simple errand, Grandson," she remarked.  "What causes this 
hesitation?"
	"I have never faced Dawn," Ezekiel reminded her, as he accepted the box.  
"Nor his brother, Reims.  My arrival on Earth with this relic is certain to draw 
their attention to me."
	The priestess placed her hand on his shoulder.  "You are an Avalon," she 
told him.  "Our lineage can trace its loyalty to the Sacred Flame back to the end of 
the Dragon Wars.  He has blessed you, Ezekiel, as your father before you and as 
he has blessed me."  She paused.  "When Reims hears your name, he will be 
reminded of your reputation, and then he will be the one who is afraid."  She 
kissed his forehead.  "Now, go, Grandson.  Earth holds much activity for allies of 
the Thread and Flame tonight."


*

	Ethan shut the door to his room, clamping his hand over his mouth.  He 
leaned his forehead against the door.  That was twice now.  Twice the voice had 
spoken instead of him.  He'd thought it had gone away for good after Hikaru had 
put them all in the car, since the voice didn't speak once the entire ride home, but 
it looked like his bad luck hadn't gone anywhere.
	 repeated the voice, sounding amused.  
	"You have to go away," Ethan whimpered.  "It's not a good thing to hear 
voices.  It's even worse when other people start hearing them."
	  A sigh.  
	Ethan crawled over to the bed and sat down.  The room reflected back to 
him a mirror, but he wasn't on the bed.  Someone else was.  Ethan squeaked, eyes 
widening with fright.
	 the not-Ethan in the mirror snorted.  
Ethan stared at the other figure.  He looked older than Ethan and much 
taller.  His green eyes were a deep, dark vicious emerald.  His hair was a vivid 
dark violet, except for the long white fringe around his face.  Between the figure's 
violet brows was a golden spiral accented by four s-shaped lines.  It looked a bit 
like a sun to Ethan.  
 the not-Ethan replied.  
	"Who are you?" Ethan asked.
            The other gave him a look.  
	"I'm Ethan Rook," Ethan replied.  "You must be Ethanael."
	 'Ethanael' began.  
	"Do you know Valentine?" Ethan asked.  "Because he thought I was you 
and he was very upset that I didn't know him.  I thought he was just crazy, but 
maybe he was trying to find you."  He paused.  "Now, how is Valentine going to 
get into my mirror?"
	Ethanael twitched.  
	"Maybe if I ask him tomorrow he can come here," Ethan continued.  "But 
I'll have to tell him to be very quiet and not yell because Miss Tenkou and 
Professor Stone would think it was very strange if they found out that you live in 
the mirror in the spare bedroom.  They might even be afraid.  I was afraid too, 
when I heard you but couldn't see you.  But now we know each other so maybe it's 
not so scary and--"  
	Ethan stopped as the world went a little fuzzy.  He tried to blink, but it 
didn't seem to make any difference.  The world seemed foggy and distant looking-
- as if he was seeing it through a dirty gglass.
	"Or the underside of a mirror," Ethanael said, aloud.  "In a way you are.  I 
put you where I usually am."
	Ethan squeaked.   he demanded.
	"Relax, it's just for a minute," Ethanael waved his hand.  "Now that I've 
got your attention, maybe you'll listen to what I have to say."
	 Ethan wailed.  
	"Easy, easy," Ethanael soothed.  "You're not in any danger.  Don't you get 
it?  We're the same person, so why would I hurt you?"
	 Ethan protested.  
	"You're not listening to me--" Ethanael began.
	 Ethan exclaimed, loudly.   
"--way!" he finished loudly, and looked around to see the world had 
returned to normal.
	A very angry Ethanael stared at him from behind the mirror.   he 
said, coldly and folded his arms.    Ethanael turned his 
back to Ethan.
	Ethan dropped down to the floor, beneath the view of the mirror.  Gasping, 
he wrapped his arms around his knees and shook.
	"Ethan?" Tenkou asked, knocking softly on the door.  "Are you all right in 
there?"  The doorknob began to turn.
	Ethan kicked out his foot and blocked the door from opening.  "Y-yes!" he 
called.  "I'm fine!"
	"Are you sure?" Tenkou asked.  "I thought I heard voices in there."
	Ethan's eyes widened.  "I was... um... I was reading out loud," he lied.  
"I'm sorry, I'll be quieter."
	"Oh," Tenkou said after a moment.  "I just wanted to tell you that my dad 
called, and we'll be going for supper in about an hour."
	"Okay," Ethan replied.
	"Is there anyone you wanted to have come with us?"
	"No, Miss," Ethan shook his head.
	"All right, well, I just thought I'd ask."  Tenkou sounded like she was 
stepping back from the door.  "I'll let you finish reading."  She paused.  "It's really 
interesting how you change your voice for the other characters."
	"Thank you, Miss," Ethan replied.  Ethanael snorted.  Ethan ignored him.

*

	Valentine opened the door to his rented flat to find Prometheus waiting 
inside.  The tall dark red-haired man was leaning against the bar of the kitchen, 
reading a book.
	"You didn't say anything about Ethanael being involved in this," Valentine 
snapped, as he shut the door and stormed across the few feet that separated him 
from Prometheus.  "I don't know what you did to him, but when he comes to his 
senses he's going to be mighty pissed off."
	"I didn't do anything to him," Prometheus replied, casually turning a page.  
"You're worrying needlessly."
	"You only think you know what happens when he gets pissed off," 
Valentine continued.  "You've never been there to see it firsthand.  All the hells 
break loose."
	Prometheus folded the book over his finger and looked at Valentine.  
"You're right," he agreed.  "I have never experienced one of Ethanael's tantrums 
personally, but I have borne the knowledge that they were going to happen and 
what was going to be the resulting consequences."
	"Knowledge," Valentine snorted.  "Knowing what happens isn't the same 
as experiencing it.  You have something like Valen happen to you and then you 
come and talk to me about 'understanding' the results."
	"So Ethanael may have something to do with Valen finding you," 
Prometheus admitted.  "You must understand how incredibly lucky you are to 
have not been pushed out by Valen.  That is also Ethanael's doing."
	"You should have never let Valen get in to start with," Valentine snapped, 
angrily.  "It's something you could have had them prevent."
	"I do not 'let' anything in the cut-off happen, just as they do not prevent 
things.  The cut-offs are always left to the control of their own Powers."  He 
paused.  "They have an agreement.  They don't get involved in other's business."
	"They made an exception for you," Valentine reminded him.  "And you 
could have made an exception for me.  Face it, the only reason you decided to pull 
me out this time is because you think that you can keep Ethanael happy if his 'best 
friend' is around."  He jabbed an accusing finger in Prometheus' chest.  "Well, I 
have news for you.  He's not real big on the whole 'friends' thing.  He doesn't have 
friends; he just has people that he is occasionally less of a bastard to.  I guess he's 
like you in that way."
	Prometheus scowled.  "I pulled you out so you wouldn't get killed when all 
hell breaks loose," he told Valentine, firmly.  "Do you have any idea what's about 
to happen there?"
	"I find it hard to believe," Valentine fumed, "that you would give a damn 
about what happens to me."  He grabbed Prometheus by the vest and slammed 
him against the apartment's wall.  "If you did care about me, you'd tell me how to 
find my mother," he snapped.
	Prometheus' scowl deepened.  "Why does everything come back to this?" 
he asked.  "She knows about you Valentine, she just doesn't want to come 
forward."
	"And that's your fault," Valentine retorted, letting go of Prometheus and 
stepping back.  He unfurled wings with black skeletal frames, the joints barbed by 
sharp obsidian talons.  Like Prometheus' own wings, Valentine's had feathers 
covering the frames.  Only his were a red the colour of freshly spilled blood.  
"These are the reason," he indicated the demonic frames of his wings, "that she 
doesn't want anything to do with me, aren't they?  They remind her that I'm just 
one of her 'mistakes'."
	"Your mother doesn't think things through," Prometheus said, carefully, 
the anger draining from his face.  "You're not a mistake, Valentine.  You know 
that."
	"Then why did she abandon us?" Valentine asked.  "Why did she leave her 
sons on the steps of some church?"
	Prometheus sighed.  "She was frightened of the repercussions," he 
explained, stepping forward and placing his hands on Valentine's shoulders.  "She 
was scared."  He squeezed Valentine's shoulders.  "Now she's afraid of what you 
might think if she does try to get in contact."
	Valentine's head hung.  "She's my mother," he said, quietly, "she's the 
thing that's been missing from my life.  Why would she be afraid of me?"
	"She's worried that you've inherited your father's stubbornness."
	Valentine managed a weak smile.  "Well, we all know that you can hold a 
grudge forever," he remarked.
	Prometheus chuckled.  "If you really don't want to be here," he began, after 
a moment, "then I'll take you back home.  I could call in some favours with the 
people I know there.  Have them keep you somewhere safe."
	"There isn't anywhere safe back there," Valentine replied.
	"No, there isn't," Prometheus agreed, letting go of Valentine.  "Their force 
of destruction is running rampant through those cutoff worlds."
	"Why doesn't He do something about it?" Valentine demanded.  "Doesn't 
He care?"
	"Of course he cares," Prometheus said, quickly.  "He feels the pain of each 
world, but he can't help the ones in the cutoff."
	"Just because some idiots four thousand years ago decided that they didn't 
need Him--"
	"He agreed to their terms.  He signed their contract."  Prometheus paused.  
"Judgement is many things, Valentine, but above all he is honourable.  He will not 
go back on his word."
	"So until they snap out of it and ask for His help, He won't offer it?" 
Valentine asked, looking shocked.  "He can't make exceptions, either?"
	"This is not a situation where he is able to," Prometheus replied.  "The 
politics of the creation of the cutoff are very complicated, Valentine."  He paused.  
"Besides, most of those in the cutoff worlds have forgotten that anything beyond 
them exist."  He shook his head.  "It doesn't matter right now.  You don't need to 
worry about Ethanael.  Young Ethan is a mask he's thrown up around himself.  
Something he'll wear until it no longer serves its purpose, and then the identity 
will be discarded.  Don't grow attached to the child," he advised.  "Remember 
always that this is Ethanael and you'll spare yourself a lot of grief."
	Valentine was quiet for a moment.  His father sounded even more bitter 
than usual.  Where had this stuff about not growing attached to the 'mask' come 
from?  "So... it's something he did willingly," Valentine ventured after a moment.  
Probably best to just ignore the whole bloody situation.  Ethanael wouldn't 
remember it the next time he saw him, anyway.  The cracked bastard had the 
attention span of a two-year-old.
	"There was little choice," Prometheus was saying.  "When Hope came into 
being, it caused a disturbance in the power balance.  That wouldn't have been a 
great problem, but Ethanael unexpectedly returned from the cutoff around the 
same time."
	Valentine snorted.  "So once again my 'old friend' has thrown a wrench in 
your plans."
	Prometheus chuckled again.  "Contrary to what you may believe, 
Valentine," he remarked, "I have never disliked Ethanael.  He makes things much 
more interesting."  He sombered.  "But his return came at a bad time.  Hope's 
awakening caused Ethanael to temporarily lose control of his power.  Then 
Ethanael's lapse caused Hope to segregate his power and his personality."
	Valentine whistled.  "I'm not quite sure what that means," he admitted, 
"but that doesn't mean I can't recognize bad news when I hear it."
	"There's a lot going on," Prometheus replied.  "That's why I need you here, 
Valentine.  You're the only one I trust to watch over Ethan while we try to sort 
Hope out."
	Valentine folded his wings behind him and they vanished.  "You know that 
looking after Ethanael-- even if he's not really acting like Ethanael, is not going to 
be an easily task."  He rubbed at the red marking that ran from his hairline down 
his cheekbone.  "I guess there's nobody else crazy enough to get themselves 
tangled up with Fortune," he remarked.  "Besides, he's gonna be mighty confused 
by this Earth when he finally does come back to himself." he shrugged.  "What the 
hell.  Someone's gotta do it, so I guess I'm still in."
	"Glad to hear it," Prometheus smiled.  He slapped Valentine on the back.  
"Now, what do you say about you and I finding something to eat?"
		
*
	"Ambushed?" Dawn repeated, sceptically raising an eyebrow.
	Reims pressed the bag of ice against his forehead.  "Yes," he said.  "I was 
ambushed by that horrid Mattaeo--"
	Now both of Dawn's eyebrows raised.  "By Matteao."  He folded his arms, 
looking rather unimpressed.  "You come and criticise me about failure, brother, 
when it is you than cannot even defend yourself from Mattaeo--"
	"He took me by surprise," Reims snapped, sitting up.  "He's such a 
wretchedly tricky creature, always pretending to be so kind and gentle so he can 
catch you off-guard."
	"If Mattaeo is here, then it means Hope has already been awakened," 
Dawn concluded, frowning.  "Twilight would not leave his grandson's side unless 
it was safe for him to do so."  Dawn's frown became an ugly scowl.  "No sign of 
Gevura; one of the top agents from Japan injured in a foolish fistfight; Hope 
already threatening to return to Earth," he shook his head angrily.  "Can no one 
give me any _good_ news today?"
	"I found Fortune," Reims related, smugly.  "Of course I will need a few 
days to secure him, but I know exactly where he is-- and who is hiding as."
	"Tell me," Dawn replied.
	"Her name is Katherine Coope," Reims began, "and she is one of the 
exchange students at your little school."
	Dawn's eye twitched.  "Brother," he began, after a moment, "that is the 
name of the little artist that Daylight sponsored.  Her father was a late friend of 
Hihane.  You're obviously mistaken."
	"Perhaps that's who you sponsored, but that's not who you have," Reims 
replied, simply.  "I saw Fortune's flames upon her.  Explain that."
	"I cannot," Dawn admitted.  He was silent for a moment.  "I suppose it is 
possible that Fortune killed the real Katherine Coope and took her place.  It 
sounds like the sort of strange incomprehensible thing that he would do."  He 
paused.  "And she did arrive here shortly after Fortune was discovered missing."
	"Exactly," Reims replied, looking pleased with himself.
	"Or you could just be an idiot."  Dawn turned to his desk and lifted the 
phone receiver.  "We'll test your theory, brother," he announced.  "If Fortune is 
pretending to be the girl, then we'll force him to show himself, and if he is not..." 
Dawn shrugged.  "Ah, well, what does it matter?  It's but one human life.  There 
are six billion more on the planet."

*

	"Where's Yamato?"
	Mattaeo turned from the balcony to see Hikaru standing in the doorway.  
"Ethan and Valentine are home safely?" Mattaeo asked.
	"Yes, and Mei Ling has also been tucked away for the night," Hikaru 
replied.
	"Hope went out for a walk," Mattaeo replied.  "It may not have been the 
wisest move, but he's trying to get his bearings back."
	"I know where he is," Hikaru replied, patiently.  "He's on my radar all the 
time."  He paused.  "When is Yamato coming back?"
	"Yamato is dead," Mattaeo replied, softly.  "He's never coming back."
	Hikaru pressed his forehead against the hand on the edge of the sliding 
door.  "Not even if Hope--"
	"Even if whatever is missing in Hope's memory clicks back into place," 
Mattaeo continued, "he still won't be the same man that he was."  He paused.  
"You aren't the Hikaru you were the first time, either."
	"We sacrifice a great deal to be what we are," Hikaru replied, in a 
melancholy tone.  "People can delude themselves into believing they are many 
things, but we can't ever forget that we're different.  That no matter how much we 
want to believe that we fit in somewhere, part of us will always be untouchable by 
those we love."
Mattaeo stepped back from the balcony.  "Only if we choose to keep it 
locked away," he said quietly.  "You shouldn't worry about Yamato so much.  
He's going to surprise even you with what he's capable of."  He stepped past 
Hikaru into the flat, only to have his knees buckle beneath him.
	Hikaru grabbed Mattaeo's arm, preventing his father from falling.  "This is 
how it begins," Hikaru began, quietly, "isn't it?"
	Mattaeo groaned softly, rubbing the spot between his brows where his tazo 
seemed to burn with a light of its own.  "I'm not going anywhere," he assured 
Hikaru, through clenched teeth.  "At least not until we've finished what we started.  
There isn't anything that can change that."
	"You can't fight it off forever," Hikaru whispered, as he helped Mattaeo to 
the couch.  "Sooner or later, you'll have to go away.  What happens then?"
	Mattaeo smiled gently as he slipped from Hikaru's shoulder to the couch.  
"All things come to an end, Hikaru," he told him, simply.  "It's not healthy for 
them to go on forever."
	Hikaru bit his lip, kneeling on the floor.  "I-- I don't know if I can do this 
without you, Dad," he said, finally.  "You think Prometheus has it bad?  How do 
you think Ethanael and I feel?  What if-- what are we supposed to do if-- when 
you and Nathanael forget us?"
	"Hikaru, I won't forget about you," Mattaeo promised.  "I can't.  You're 
part of me."
	"You will forget," Hikaru replied, bitterly.  "You'll see me and not know 
me."  He looked down at the floor.  "You won't even know yourself."
	"Hikaru--"
	"No," Hikaru looked up, eyes flashing.  "Listen to me.  I am Truth.  I'm 
part of you, but I'm not with you anymore.  You can and will be deceived.  You'll 
be tricked.  You'll forget me.  You'll forget your brother.  You'll forget yourself.  
You'll be lost and Dawn will wind his rope around your neck and you'll beg him 
for more."
	A dark look began to form on Mattaeo's face.  "That's enough, Hikaru," he 
said, coldly, in a voice that wasn't quite his own.
	"It will be Diana all over again," Hikaru pressed on.  "Because you'll 
ignore me just as she did.  And Chio-- Chio will try to warn you as well, but you'll 
push him away.  It will separate the two of you, put you on opposite sides.  Dawn 
will finally have what he's always wanted, the very power of Twilight himse--"
	"I said that's enough!" Mattaeo snapped, standing abruptly and knocking 
Hikaru to the side in the process.  "Do you think you're helping?"
	Hikaru stared up at him, his eyes wide and face pale.  "Dad... I--" he 
began.  "I didn't-- I'm sorry!  It just-- all came out and I couldn't stop--"
	Mattaeo inhaled and exhaled a few times, breathing very deeply before the 
cold fire in his eyes faded.  "No," he said, his voice again his own, "I'm sorry.  
We're all under a lot of stress right now, Hikaru.  Yelling at each other isn't going 
to help matters."  He reached a hand towards Hikaru.  "Are you all right?  I didn't 
hurt you, did I?"
	Hikaru pulled himself to his feet.  "No," he said, "you didn't."  But he 
didn't accept the hand.
	Mattaeo let the offered palm drop to his side.  "I'm sorry," he repeated.  
"There's just so much going on right now.  I've got a lot on my mind."
	"I know," Hikaru replied.  "I'll go and find Hope.  Things could turn messy 
if he happens to run into someone who knows-- knew Yamato."
	Mattaeo nodded.  "That's probably a good idea," he said, softly, and 
returned to sitting on the couch.
	Hikaru looked at him for a moment, and then he nodded once and turned 
away.  He left the flat without saying goodbye.	
	
*

	The Oriental Gardens was busy that night.  It was a good thing that 
Professor Stone had made reservations, or the three of them may have still been 
waiting for a table.  As it was, they had been seated closer to the kitchen at the 
back of the restaurant away from the line of people awaiting to get in.
	"It's too bad your friend Rekki couldn't make it for dinner," Stone 
remarked, as Tenkou played idly with her napkin.
	"Yeah," Tenkou replied.  "Rekki works almost every night, Dad."
	Stone nodded.  Another few moments passed in silence.  Tenkou took a sip 
of iced tea and then looked back down at her lap.  "How was class today?" he 
asked.
	"Good," Tenkou replied, looking up.  "We were given the guidelines for 
the research paper."
	There, that was something they could talk about.  "Ah.  Any idea what 
your topic is going to be?" he asked.  The trick was to keep her talking.  Since the 
Gala Tenkou had been quiet, withdrawn, and avoided speaking to him more than 
she had to.  Of course she was upset with him about what had happened, but he 
had to put his foot down, didn't he?  This Zellar-- Yamato-- whatever his name 
was, he wasn't any good.  Binah had spelled that out to Stone, plain and clear.  
Tenkou would come to realize it was all for the best, she just needed a little time.
	"I haven't really thought about it yet, Dad," Tenkou was saying.  "I didn't 
really care for most of the things we've read in class."
	"Perhaps, a more general thematic study then?" Stone suggested.  That was 
it, get her mind on something else.  Something more productive.  There was a 
future for her with a good post-secondary education, and she couldn't just throw 
that away on some boy, especially some boy that wasn't even human.
	"I suppose that's a possibility," Tenkou admitted.  "I know the professor 
likes it when we can bring more than one work we've studied into something."
	Stone leaned in closer.  This was the longest conversation the two of them 
had had all day.  If luck held out maybe she would actually open up and tell him 
what was--
	"May I go look at the fish pond?" Ethan asked, interrupting Stone's inner 
monologue.  Stone turned, looking at the exchange student.  Ethan looked back at 
him with innocent green eyes.  "The goldfish in it are really big," Ethan told him.  
"They're the biggest goldfish I've ever seen.  Not the biggest fish, though, because 
this one time I think I saw a whale and it was really, really, really big.  It wouldn't 
have fit in the fishpond.  It would be all flopping out and--"
	"Yes, yes," Stone cut him off.  "Why don't you go and have a look at the 
fishpond then?  I'm sure it will be more interesting than sitting here waiting for the 
food to arrive."
	"Okei!" Ethan replied, pushing back his chair and hoping up.  "Thanks!  
I'll try not to get lost."  He bounded off towards the doors.
	"Lost?" Tenkou repeated, as she watched him leave.  "He's not even going 
to be out of eyesight of the table."
	"He's a... different sort, isn't he?" Stone asked, hesitantly.
	"Yes," Tenkou agreed.  "But he seems to get awfully hyper."
	"Perhaps he has an undiagnosed attention deficit disorder," Stone replied.  
"He is rather flighty."
	"But he is a sweet kid.  I think he's pretty harmless."
	"Mr. Zellar seemed harmless as well," Stone began.  Tenkou started, 
turning back and giving her father a cold look.  "Don't glare at me, young lady," 
Stone told her, lowering his voice.  "You and I are going to sit down and have a 
long talk about this when we get home.  There are a few things that I think you 
should know about him.  He's not who you think he is."
	"He's not who you think he is, either," Tenkou told him.  She turned away, 
trying to fight back the tears hanging at the edge of her vision.
	Focusing her attention on the people near the fishpond, she blinked and 
then frowned.  Where was Ethan?  Sure, he was pretty small and there was a good 
crowd of people, but Ethan was hard to miss in his yellow and light orange 
hoodie.  There, disappearing out the door of the restaurant.  Tenkou pushed back 
her chair and stood.
	"Where are you going?" Stone asked, making the motions to stand as well.
	"Ethan," she said, clearing her throat and then continuing.  "Ethan just 
wandered out the door.  I'm going to go get him."  Before her father could object 
further, she turned and hurried towards the door.

*

	A car raced by the young man in the yellow and light orange hoodie, 
hurrying through the yellow light at the end of the block.  The night air was cool 
and crisp, and slush from the melting snow of the day was starting to harden.  The 
young man pushed at the long blond streaks in his strawberry blond hair and gave 
'downtown' a curious look.  Across the wide street was a Hotel with a Casino 
attached to it.  A Cineplex movie theatre and some shops lay across the street from 
the parking lot of the hotel.  On his side of the street there was a pub, and if he 
turned and looked towards where the car had been going, there was an older 
movie theatre.  Across the street from this movie theatre was what appeared to be 
an art gallery or maybe a public library.  Kitty-corner from the older movie theatre 
was a coffee shop.
	The red light turned green and the cars began to move up and down the 
street again.  The young man looked around at the people milling from their cars 
to the coffee shop, and past the darkened library to the movie theatre.
	"This would be a good place for a fight," he decided, a knowing glint in 
his deep emerald eyes.  "Wide street, buildings to take cover behind, and an 
abundance of glass to throw people through."
	 Ethan whimpered, inside his head.  
	"I got bored," Ethanael replied, yawning.  "Seriously.  If I had to listen to 
that old fool ramble on about how pleased he was his daughter was to tell him 
about the mundane ordeals of her life when all she really wants to tell him to get 
out of her personal affairs--  I was about to snap.  Honestly, who does the old man 
think he is?  She doesn't need his approval over whose tongue is being stuck down 
her throat."
	 Ethan protested.
	"No, he was thinking it."  Ethanael made a face.  "Humans, always 
clouding up the universe with their noisy irrelevant thoughts.  We really should 
just kill the lot of them, kid.  It would save me a bundle on Tylenol.  Not to 
mention it would just be really fun to set off the big bright explosion."
	 Ethan wailed.
	"Not when it makes the more important people happy."  Ethanael watched 
as a couple pulled open the doors of the casino.  "Love me now, hate me later.  
Always the same.  Praise me, curse me, call me, spurn me.  Show me one of their 
miserable lot who doesn't inconsistently consistently address me."
	 Ethan pondered.  
	Ethanael snorted.  "We do not like humans, kid.  We despise them.  
Remember that."
	 Ethan said quietly.  
	"She's only half-human," Ethanael replied.  "So she can be half-forgiven."
	
	"Tenkou," Ethanael cut him off, "is a problem.  Everything says she's 
human, but she's got the Sight and humans don't ever have that unless there's been 
something not-quite-human in their lineage."  He paused.  "She's dangerous, kid, 
and very bad news for us.  Anyone who can turn Dad's head as easily as she did 
cannot be healthy to be around."
	"Who are you talking to?" Ethanael turned to see Tenkou standing behind, 
rubbing her arms.  "Brrr, Ethan," she said, giving him a little smile, "it's pretty 
cold out here."
	"You're not getting my shirt," Ethanael replied abruptly.  "Tell the 
screaming fangirls that I am on to them.  They can try all they like, but there shall 
be no naked pictures of me for them to pass along to their friends on ICQ.  I have 
my warped moral code to follow."
	Tenkou stared at him.  "Are you all right, Ethan?" she asked, taking a step 
closer to him.  "Come on," she coaxed, "let's go back to the restaurant.  Aren't you 
getting hungry?"
	"I've had my fill of polite conversation for tonight," Ethanael told her.
	"Ethan," Tenkou sighed.  "Look, my father and I are just not on the best of 
terms right now.  He doesn't approve of my boy-- friends.  That's all."
	"He's right," Ethanael told her.  "You shouldn't have boyfriends.  You 
should only have one boyfriend.  Having more than one is being selfish and 
inconsiderate to the single girls."
	"I don't have a boyfriend," Tenkou told him.  "My father doesn't approve 
of my friends."
	"Does he think you should play with the other humans?"
	"Yes, he--" Tenkou stopped.  "What do you mean 'play with the other 
humans'?"  
Ethanael gave her an innocent look-- although it appeared to convey 
confusion better than any other emotion.  "I'm not supposed to play with humans," 
he told her, cutely.  "They always end up broken.  Actually, the other things end 
up broken anyway, too.  I think I'm not supposed to play with humans because 
they always end up broken faster than anything else."  Tenkou gave him a dirty 
look.  "No," he shook his head, "this is the part where you should probably start 
running.  I'm the one who gets to give the nasty looks."
	"No," she said, darkly, "this is the part where you decide it's probably not a 
good idea to piss me off."
	"Hey, that's what I'm supposed to say!" he protested.  "You're very bad at 
this game, Miss Tenkou.  You've got the rules all turned around."
	"I'm not interested in playing," she told him.
	Ethanael pouted.  "But it'll be fun," he told her.  "Pleeeeeeeeeease?  We 
can't have a slumber party without playing truth or dare."
	"Truth or Dare?" Tenkou repeated, sounding doubtful.
	"Truth, since I don't trust you to give any really fun dares," he replied.
	"Who are you?"
	"Ha!  See?  I told you that you wanted to play."  He smiled.  "I'm Ethanael 
Hihane.  Now, it's your turn.  Truth or Dare?"
	"I'm guessing you're somehow related to Hikaru then."
	"Hikaru it is!" Ethanael declared.  He bit his lip.  "What color is your 
underwear today?"  Tenkou slapped him.	  "Oi!  What was that for?" Ethanael 
asked, rubbing his cheek.
	"You need to pick your fights better, Ethanael," a familiar voice said.
	Tenkou froze.  The fluttery sick happiness in her stomach told her that she 
didn't need to turn around to know who that voice belonged to.  "Yamato," she 
whispered.  The brown-haired boy stepped forward, his fringe obscuring his eyes 
from her.  "Yamato," she repeated, louder, half-reaching for his arm.  "Where 
have you been?  We're been worried sick about you!"  
	"For someone with Sight, you're fooled awfully easily," Ethanael 
remarked.  "Ne, ne, Dad?"
	"Dad?" Tenkou repeated, giving Ethanael a cold look.  "That's not funny, 
Ethan."
	"You're telling me," he replied.
	Nathanael put a hand to his forehead.  "Lovely," he said, sounding weary.  
"This is going to get messy."
	"What?" Tenkou repeated.  "Yamato, what's going on?"
	"Don't yell at me," Ethanael said, quickly.  "You're the one who got 
yourself into this mess in the first place."
	"Yamato--"
	"Lay low, Ethanael," Nathanael sighed.  "Stay out of trouble, Ethanael.  
Don't go causing scenes that will alert Reims to where you are, Ethanael.  Does 
any of that ring a bell?"
	"Ding, yes," Ethanael nodded.  "You're the one who's going to cause a 
scene.  I'm just playing around--"
	"Back in the restaurant," Nathanael told Ethanael in a very authoritative 
voice.  "You go sit at that table and act like a human being.  No scenes, no games, 
no playing around.  Understood?"
	"Ding," Ethanael repeated, dully, and after kicking at the sidewalk, he 
made his way back to the restaurant.
	"What was that all about?" Tenkou demanded.  "Why didn't you tell me 
you had a son, Yamato?"
	"Why do you keep calling me that?" Nathanael asked her, sounding 
exasperated.  
	Tenkou stopped, seeing the look of frustration in his deep violet eyes and 
released her hold on his arm.  "Na--Nathanael," she swallowed.  "I-- I'm sorry. I 
thought you were Yamato."
	"Well, I'm not."  He folded his arms, painting a smirk across his lips.  
"You should know that."
	Tenkou clenched her fist.  "I see where your son gets his attitude from," 
she told him, hotly.  "Stop being a jerk!"  She shoved him.  "I can't believe you.  
You should have said something.  What kind of moron walks around looking like 
someone else and then gets mad when people don't recognize him?"
	"What are you talking about?" Nathanael demanded, as he side stepped 
another shove.
	"You pretending to be Yamato," Tenkou snapped.  "What a cruel thing to 
do!"
	Nathanael stared her.  "Have you lost your bloody mind, girl?" he asked.  
"I'm not pretending to be anyone."
	"Yes, you were!" Tenkou snapped, angrily.  "It's not funny, so stop it.  Is 
this how you get your kicks, by playing mind games with people?"  He looked 
completely baffled.  Tenkou paused.  "You... you aren't trying to look like 
Yamato?" she asked, quietly.
	"No," Nathanael gave her a funny look.  "That seems like an unusually 
cruel thing to do to you, even for me."
	Tenkou took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.  "If you aren't trying to 
look like Yamato," she began, "then why do you?"
	He still looked genuinely puzzled.  "Family resemblance?"
	Tenkou took him by the arm and pulled him towards a shop window.  
"Look," she pointed to his reflection in the glass and turned to him.  "Don't you 
see Yamato?"
	"No," replied Nathanael.  "Do you?"
	Tenkou blinked, looking back at the glass.  The figure standing beside her 
in the reflection had short almost messy black hair and deep violet-blue eyes, and 
he did look an awful lot like Yamato, but he was too young and his eyes were 
slightly tilted.  Tenkou looked from the reflection to the brown-haired man in his 
mid-twenties standing next to her.  "What?" she blinked.  "But you-- I swear 
before, you looked like--"  She sighed, sitting down on the outer ledge of the shop 
window and putting her head in her hands.  "I'm losing my mind.  Seeing things."
	"Heh?" Nathanael eloquently replied.  After blinking a couple more times, 
his brain managed to sort out the bits and pieces of the conversation leading up to 
that point.  He gave his reflection a very quizzical look and then dropped down on 
the ledge beside her.  "Damn," he muttered.  "Things are happening even faster 
than we thought.  We're running out of time-- Dawn must have stepped up his 
schedule."
	Tenkou wasn't listening.  "Nathanael," she said, finally, "where is 
Yamato?"
	He sighed.  "He's... um..."
	She lifted her head and looked at him.  "He's dead, isn't he?"
	Nathanael looked down at his hands.  "Yeah, kinda."
	"How can you be kinda dead?" Tenkou asked, giving him a confused look.
	"It's complicated-- actually, no, it's quite simple.  It'll just seem 
complicated if I try to explain it to you."
	"Because I have such trouble understanding Yamato," she rolled her eyes.  
"You could at least try to explain."
	"Here he is."  Tenkou looked up to see a feather-covered humanoid form 
standing before them.  The beast had a beak like a bird's, and it took her a moment 
to place why it seemed familiar.
	"Is that a tengu?" she asked, finally.
	The tengu bowed to her.  "Do not be alarmed," he told her in heavily 
accented English.  "You are not in danger."
	"We have travelled far across the ocean to speak to you," the lovely 
woman in the kimono was saying to Nathanael, as she bowed low before him.  
Her furry fox tail poked out as her robes resettled once she had straightened.
	"And a kitsune?" Tenkou looked at Nathanael.  Then she stood and looked 
around at the darkened, empty street.  "Where did all the people go?  Where are 
we?"
	"A place where our conversation wouldn't draw so much attention," 
Nathanael replied, standing.  "Didn't you think it odd that not a single person on a 
busy street would stop to see what you and Ethanael were arguing about?"
	Tenkou had to admit he had a point.  "You can't just 'move' people--" she 
began.
	Nathanael put a finger against her lips.  "At the risk of becoming more of a 
senseless jerk in your eyes, I'll have to ask that we wait and continue this in a 
moment."  He stepped away from the shop window and approached the two 
figures before them.  "All right," he looked from the tengu to the kitsune, "I'm 
guessing from your manner of approach that you aren't looking for a fight."
	The tengu cleared his throat.  "Star of Darkness--" he began.
	"Not a Star," Nathanael told him flatly.  "If you insist on that title, then just 
'Darkness' will suffice."
	"Darkness," he corrected, "my name is Mayonaka, and this is my associate 
Amai.  We are here on behalf on the Council of Families.  The death of the late 
Queen Yasha has had devastating effects.  Our world-- the world of those that 
dwell in the shadows and hunt during the night-- is falling apart because of what 
you have done."
"Civil war among the demon families," Nathanael concluded.  "Tell me 
why I should care what your kind do?  You said long ago that I had no place in 
your hierarchy of authority."
	"Yes," Mayonaka agreed, his head bobbing in a nod.  "Queen Yasha united 
our kind under her rule.  There was no threat of war because she would kill 
anyone who dared to oppose her rule."
	"Now, the stronger families are vying for her throne," Amai added.  "There 
is no one left to enforce the laws and the Council has disintegrated."
	Mayonaka bobbed his head again.  "If the threat of the Star of Darkness 
returned," he began, "the council could regain power over the arguing factions."
	"I left Japan so that you could learn to fight your own battles," Nathanael 
began, coolly.  "It seems hardly fair to ask me to take Yasha's place.  I have no 
desire to rule over anything."
	"We ask," Amai began, bowing again, "that you return to serve as the 
judge over those who break the laws, as you have always."
	Nathanael considered it.  "I had hoped that your people were ready to rule 
over themselves without my intervention."
	"Even we who are called demons and monsters by the humans are in need 
of the Divine Forces," she replied, bowing.  "Please, Darkness, we humbly beg of 
you-- ask your patron to allow you to return to Japan.  Please, come back to the 
place that still believes in us-- and in Him."  She lowered her head.  Behind her, 
Mayonaka also dropped to the ground.
	Nathanael knelt down, lifting Amai's chin up with his fingertips.  "Never 
let it be said that I-- my patron is not a fair man," he told her, gently.  "He knows 
that your request is honest and does come from the majority of your people."
	Amai looked up at him, her tail swishing.  "Then you will return with us, 
Darkness?" she asked.
	Nathanael's eyelids lowered, half-veiling his eyes.  "I cannot," he 
whispered.  "I am needed here."
	"We need you as well," Mayonaka began, clearing his throat.  It did little 
to smooth his raspy voice.  "Do you desire us to beg?" he asked.  "If that is what 
we must do..."
	"No."  Nathanael stood.  "Begging does not change the circumstances.  I 
cannot return to Japan with you at this time."  He paused.  "But I give you my 
word that Hope shall return to Japan at the beginning of the next year.  You 
simply have to hold down the fort until then."
	"Why will you not come?" the tengu persisted.  "Do you no longer care for 
the land that has been your home?"
	"I will be dead before the first day of the first month," Nathanael told him 
frankly.  "When this year ends, so will I.  That, Mayonaka-san, is why I cannot 
and will not return to Japan with you at this point."  He gave the tengu a very cold 
look.  "Hope will return to you early next year.  It is all I can give."
	Mayonaka looked ready to argue, but Amai stopped him.  "Your patron is 
most generous," she said, smoothly.  "We will find some way to persevere until 
your named champion is delivered to us."  She stood and began to back away.  
"We shall leave you, Darkness," she replied, indicating that, much to Mayonaka's 
disappointment, the meeting was over.  "Thank you."
	Mayonaka managed a small and very forced bow before hurrying after the 
kitsune.  Tenkou thought she could hear them arguing in low voices as they 
vanished into the creeping shadows of the empty world.
	Nathanael pushed at his hair, brushed his hands together and then turned 
back to her.  "Now," he began, "you were saying?"
	Tenkou stared at him for a moment.  Even in the strange atmosphere of the 
elsewhere street, standing before the two magical beings he had been so calm and 
confident.  Now, looking at her, she could see the traces of nervousness in his 
stance and the awkward, shy manner that had prompted him to bury his hands in 
his jean pockets.
	"How much," she began, speaking the words before the thought had even 
fully formed in her mind.  "How much of him are you?"
	Nathanael blinked.  "Come again?" he shook his head.  "I don't follow 
you."
	"Is Yamato 'kinda dead' because he doesn't have you with him anymore?" 
Tenkou continued, not sure if the words made any more sense aloud than they did 
in her head.  "Are you what made him Yamato?  If he's dead-- are you still the 
same or did a part of you die with him?"
	"Tenkou...." he trailed off, and then just frowned and shook his head.  "I-- 
I honestly don't understand what you're trying to say."
	Tenkou took a deep breath.  "I'm not sure I do, either," she admitted.  "I 
think what I'm trying to ask is--" she broke off, her face reddening.  "I mean, are 
you--"
	"Tenkou," he said, quietly, looking at her with his deep violet eyes.  "Do 
you-- I mean, are you worried that you like me better?"  Then he turned bright red, 
coughed and promptly looked away.
	Tenkou started, mouth opening and closing for a few seconds.  How could 
he ask such a thing?  She closed her mouth, looking down at her feet.  Yes, of 
course that was her concern.  Just then, as he'd looked at her with that gentle 
expression, he'd looked different and there hadn't been a trace of the cold, 
detached manner she expected.  The haughty arrogance and vicious destructive 
nature that she accredited to him was missing.  He seemed softer, less self-assured 
and cocky.  He seemed... _young_.
	Hesitantly, she quickly raised her eyes.  He was looking at her shoes as she 
had been the moment before, biting his lip with a very self-conscious expression 
on his face.  He looked like the boy who'd just asked the girl his best friend liked 
to go to the dance with him instead.
	"This is not a good thing," he said, quietly.
	"What isn't?" she asked.
	He looked up, meeting her eyes.  "That it's taking you this long to say 
'no'."
	"Nathanael, I--"
	"You can't like me," he told her.  "It ruins everything.   I'm not supposed 
to--  It's just wrong.  We can't."
	"I--" she swallowed.  "I know."  She sighed.  "I know.  But knowing that 
doesn't stop me from having these feelings for you."  She stopped.  Had she just 
confessed?  She frowned and then looked up at him.  Well, that was it wasn't it?  
"I think I do like you better," she found herself saying, not sure why but knowing 
that it was true.  "Because you're the only Yamato I know."

*
8.33 pm  1.8.02
---
Mayonaka: Midnight
Amai: Sweet

This was short, but for some reason I feel like ending it with Tenkou's line.  It 
could be because there is a lot of stuff that I have to set up, and it's probably best 
to have a smaller part to break between longer ones.  Of course all Hell is going to 
have to finally break loose in the next chapter.  It's time for some long overdue 
fight scenes.

    Source: geocities.com/tokyo/harbor/1197