Elizabeth had been walking around the gym. She was watching the other people dancing, talking and generaly having a good time. Elizabeth then suddenly stopped when she realized something. There was one person she could ask to dance. "I will ask Lucas," she said with a smile. "Now where did he go?" she asked herself. Jonas's eyes glinted dangerously. "You want to know my past? Then fine you'll get the chance to now know. " He cleared his throat. "Everybody listen up!!!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "Jay here wants to know about my past after he just told me all about his," he breathed in deep. "You are looking at a person who was held hostage in a bank robbery when he was only fifteen years old, and watched his parents get shot and murdered right before his very eyes!" Jonas really hoped everyone was listening because he sure as hell wasn't saying it all again. "So I was fending for my self from the age of fifteen! lets all have a good laugh about it now!!" With that he turned and walked out of the hall. He had to get out of this school for a few hours at least. He didn't want anyone to see how badly shaken he was, or the fact that tears were now coursing down his face. Jay looked at the retreating Jonas. For some reason it calmed him down. "Idiot. You should of let that out years ago." He turned to Dura. "It's alright, you can let go. You'd better go and look after him, before he does something even more stupid than usual." Maestro was blushing about a joke Jakurin had just told him when a voice shouted over the din. Even the DJ stopped and turned the music down as the crowd hushed, paused. When the student teacher did finish his speech, the duo were left blinking. Maestro, wondering what it was that made a teacher snap, and Jakurin wondering what it was to make the Peace Knight... well, raise a ruckus. Jakurin glanced over at Michiru, who had been talking to Jeremy. The two caught each other's stare, and Jakurin shrugged. ~Not my Knight, not my problem,~ she thought glibly, turning her attention back to her date. Michiru was shocked, but her eyes steeled over as she caught sight of Jonas leaving, with Dura firmly having Jay in her grasp. She knew the two Knights rarely got along, even when they were in combat. Leave it to the younger man to push the more sensitive one to the edge. Excusing herself impolitely from Jeremy, she began wheeling across the dance floor to get to Dura and Jay, hoping she wouldn't rip up anyone's dress with her rubber tires. Jeremy let out a quiet, hidden sigh of frustration. It would seem whatever plans he had to try and keep Michiru from having her night ruined would have to wait. Quietly he moved through the shadows towards the two knights, knowing Jay could erupt with a temper easy enough. Dura looked to Jonas leaving, very sorry for him. She had two guys that obviously needed more help than she could easily give. She said the first thing that came into her mind to Jay: "HIM do something stupid? How do I know you won't try to poison the punch again?" Then she saw Michiru roll up. Relief seeped up to Dura: backup help at last. But she wondered if her leader could corral Jay away from any other stupid stunts. Over Michiru's head, she saw another student volunteer put canned drinks onto the table where the punchbowl was. At least THAT was covered. "Hey, Michi?" she asked. "Do you want me to tend after this joker, or go after Jonas?" Jay sighed. "I'm not really in the mood for any kind of jokes now. And the stuff wasn't poisoned. Just made it taste wierd. Both of you should go. He like and respects the both of you. For some reason I seem to know the overgrown idiot better than most." In the back of his mind something whispered, 'kill them all'. He threw back, 'shut the hell up. I'm busy.' The voice continued whispering thoughts of how much fun it would be to kill everyone. Jay knew it was him, or part of him. Didn't make it any fun though trying to hold it down. He had the damned thing going nearly twenty four/seven recently, since his little trip to the past. It shut up when some of the Senshi were around, like Dura, Michiru and Jakurin. As long as Jay stayed happy... Jonas stared at the obstacle infront of him. It was a wall about 6 foot high, not too far away from the school. He wouldn't go back, it would be too humiliating. Jonas put his hands on the top of the wall and pulled himself up. It had been years since h had last climbed a wall. He grimaced. how dull his life must be. Scrambling his toes against the wall, he managed to get himself into a sitting position. Jonas paused to wipe at his face, brushing away the last of his tears. He hated all this, it made him so weak, and he'd also ruined the Prom. Jonas lay back, so he was now lying flat out on the top of the wall, staring at the sky. The memory of his parents was almost like a curse to him, and Jay was right in one sense that he should have let it out. Jonas chewed at his lip thoughtfully. To do that he'd have to return to Germany, to his home town. Maybe someday he would go back, he conceeded. For now he was happy where has was, as long as Jay wasn't making snide remarks all the time. Before Michiru could answer, Dura felt something she wished she hadn't. Or didn't feel something she wish she did, rather: her grip on Jay's wrist slipped. Jay turned and looked at Dura. "The look on your face suggests you are starting to understand? or are you just upset I got loose? Oh well. Since you two want to sit here, I'm going to find Jonas. Maybe I can some kind of Peace." With that he turned and ran before he could be caught. he saw Jonas' head over the top of a wall, and Jay was a much better climber than he was. "So where you going now Jonas? Your friends are all waiting for you back at the school." Jay was sitting on top of the wall Jonas had just climbed. Jonas pursed his lips and was about to make some smart ass answer when a suddent thought stuck him. Where was he going? Jonas thought about it some more; finally giving up with a simple answer. I don't know. Jonas's violet eyes studied Jay. Something in Jay's eyes made a cold shiver run up his spine. There was something definately not right with Jay. Jonas narrowed his eyes. "Do the voices in your head tell you where to go, Jay?" Lucas turned his head to the sound of voices. He knew it was two other knights and it didn't sound like a very friendly conversation. A part of his wanted to go and help resolve their conflict, but then again he didn't want to leave Ruby alone. Michiru looked at Dura and sighed. "Those two are going to kill each other if we leave them alone! I don't know what their problem is, but this is getting too tedious to handle." she said and wheeled herself towards the door. Jay sighed. "Sometimes they point me at the nearest gun shop, but they tell me to kill things most of the time. About twenty four/seven roughly. Oh well, we aren't here to discuss my problems. Care to talk, or just hit me?" Jonas shrugged. "Seems like we've said everything that needs to be said. i have issues with my past, you have issues with your head. End of Story." He grinned and gave the younger Knight a playful shove, but to his dismay watched as Jay toppled slightly and fell head first into some bushes. Jonas peered over the side of the wall. "Gomen!!! Are you still alive???" OOC_have permission off jonathan to do that. (OOC: Yup) Jay muttered under his breath, then said, "Yes, I'll live... next time don't send me into a rose bush, theres a good fellow." He rolled out of the bush, scratches all over him. "Damn... down to three suits now. Feel better?" Dura zipped behind Michiru and pushed her like she was whirling her to the emergency room. "You try talking them down," she said, "and I'll try too. I don't wanna get physical, but I guess I'm the only one for the job." She sighed. The main guys interested in her had more issues than a newsstand. And she thought all her calls to combat were gone with her fuku. Jonas jumped of off the wall and knelt down next to Jay, grinning. "Like I really aimed." The grin faded. "need a hand up?" (ooc-sorry no inspiration. It's 7am bleh.) Jay reached a hand up. "Damn, what are the others gonna think when they turn up? I look like I was in the wrong end of a fight with a rose bush. Wait, I was in the wrong end of a fight with a rose bush." Michiru crossed her arms across her chest and just stared at the two before her. "You know, this is really getting old. Why can't you two just put your differences aside and get along? We don't need fighting among the group right now. That's what they would want. To divide our forces." she said still looking very upset. She wanted to hit something, hard! But she was stuck at the moment. Lucas turned his head again to hear Michiru chwing out the other two knights. "Why don't we go somewhere a bit quieter?" he suggested to Ruby. Nephrite pondered in the corner what had just happened. The wheels in his head started to turn as a smile lifted onto his face. *A young man with great anger and passion. I could use his anger to turn him into an agent for the Dark Kingdom. It worked for that loser Darien, it could work for him too. I'll have to wait until he's alone and his friends are done with him.* he thought as he watched Michiru wheel herself after Jonas. Jay looked a little sheepish. "Well, we more or less sorted it out. We understand each other now, and Jonas managed to get a little anger out. And I wrecked my suit..." Jonas managed to keep a staight face. "Anger, if I was angry you'd be in hospital by now." Jonas gave Michiru an assessing look. "Jay and myself may not get on, but we wouldn't do anything to compromise a situation, would we Jay?" Elizabeth was starting to wonder where Lucas was now. She didn't see him anywhere in the gym and was wondering if he left already. She wanted to ask him to dance with her. *Maybe he went outside for some air. I guess I can go look there,* she thought and went outside. Jeremy kept his eye focused on the group from the shadows. His body, mind, and reflexes were ready for trouble, but for now he would let Michiru play her hand. Dura stood behing Michiru's chair, not sure what to say. More or less sorted out? Closer to less, she thought. Jay was egging everyone on, and was either quite mentally ill, or got his jollies out of making everyone think so (which wasn't too healthy either, in her book). And Jonas... her heart went out to him. And now they were trying to veneer over the whole thing. She sighed. *My enemies, I can handle,* she thought. *Kami protect me from my friends. Whoever said that was right on the money.* Out back, Guarutonu poured the punchbowl clean. He was quite sorry that all that punch had to go to waste, but at least nobody'd get sick. But before he went back in, he noticed Lucas and Ruby together. He glanced on inconspicuously. *I'm not spying or being nosy,* he reminded himself. *I'm just chaperoning.* Ruby smiled, "Yes I believe I would like that." She smiled to him and started to walk towards the stairs leading to a garden down below. She smiled up at him, "I wonder what is going on in there?" Lucas smiled back to Ruby and shrugged his shoulders. "I truly don't know. But that's really not important right now is it?" he asked approaching a bench in the center of the moonlight. Michiru didn't relax her angry look on her face. "More or less? And just tell me what did you two resolve in this shotr period of time? Huh? That you will both keep your big traps shut! I swear every time I turn around your at each other's throats. I want to know why?" she asked still fuming. Jonas blinked before racking his brain for an answer. He didn't know why the insults bugged him, but now at least he knew why Jay came out with them all the time. Jonas looked back at Michiru, looking her in the eye before answering. "Larger things have been resolved in shorter a time. Jay and myself had a quiet little chat, and we've agreed to make some sort of truce." Jonas tried not to cringe at his lie; but what could he tell them? That Jay had a little voice in his head telling him to kill them all? And the truce part? They hadn't agreed to anything, he just wanted to make Jay sweat a bit. Jonas tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear before giving a sheepish grin. "Everyone will be wondering why the party is outside. Lets go back inside," *before I crack under all this pressure*, he silently added. Elizabeth noticed the Michiru was talking to Jonas and Jay. She could hear the anger in Michiru's voice. *I wonder what is going on?* she thought. She wondered if they knew where Lucas had gone to. *Why I can't I find him?* she wondered. Ruby smiled at Lucas, "Yes,that is true." She saw the bench ahead and also headed for it, "It is really beautiful out here tonight," she said while looking up at the moon. "So tell me Lucas, what are your plans after high school?" Michiru's face softened slightly. "We can't afford to get our forces divided, Jonas. If any member of the Dark Kingdom knew that there was a weakness in our group, they would grab onto it and take advantage of it any way possible. I don't want to lose to them. I won't!" she said determined. "Are you two absolutely sure that this... truce... you made will not interfere with what we are really here for? Are you sure that in the heat of battle your emotions won't cloud your better judgement?" she asked. "Sh, but the moon pales to the beauty I see before me." Lucas said smiling. "I had though about college for a while. I've even applied to a few and gotten in." he said. *But that was before I became a knight.* he thought to himself. "I want to teach one day. English and literature mainly, but I guess if I have to teach other subjects I can do that as well. What about you? Any plans?" he asked smiling. (OOC: Am I a sap or what?) Jay shrugged. "When we were fighting it never interfered with our battles. Don't see why a truce would make any difference. Besides, it's not like we can really fight anyway." Michiru's face almost went to a bright beat red. "Just because you don't have any superhuman powers doesn't mean you have the right to just give up!" she nearly shouted. "We are the only hope this place has. You can do a hell of a lot more than I can right now, Jonas, or have you forgotten that already!" Ruby looked around her, "You must mean the flowers, huh?" She smiled at him as she sat down on the bench, she then looked down at the ground, "I will probably go on to college, and become a doctor. But my dream is to become a world class ballerina....." Her head stayed focused on the floor, "I guess I have kinda given that up." She smiled up at him sadly. *Don't forget why you are here, fool.* Mark stopped cold in the middle of the mosh pit. They were playing "Chick Magnet" by MxPx, and he finally remembered where he knew Ruby from, and what happened that night. He ducked under someone's hands, and carefully moved out towards the door, looking for Lucas. *I wonder if she's dangerous or not..* (OOC: Let more poo go flyin' through the knee high doo in the schoo'...he he, SupaFlyDopeHomeieSmackFooBuzzFlexmasta D in the hizyaoooooooouse, y'all... YES, I'M BORED AND KIND OF LONELY, so don't ask.... :| ) Jonas tried not to snap back at Michiru, but why should he get it in the neck for something that Jay had said? He shook himself mentally before heading towards the door to the Gym. Jonas tunred to look at Michiru, and then Dura. "Dura, would you be so kind as to wheel Michiru into the Gym please? It's getting cold outside here." Jonas wouldn't mention the fact that what Michiru had said hurt, so he'd ignore it, for now. Wincing at 'wheeled' Jay looked at Jonas. "Point I guess... I need warmth. Anyone feel like giving me a hug? Other than Jonas or another male?" Dura stood quietly. "That's her call. And as for leaving, she can head in herself if she likes. I'm just here for moral support." To be honest, she was feeling pretty pessemistic herself. Losing her powers, she'd dealt with that. But she didn't look forward to the Dark Kingdom jumping her or her friends anyway. Dura grew angry. What sort of Queen Serenity, or whoever she was, would leave her warriors high and dry like this? She felt like David sent to fight Goliath WITHOUT a slingshot. And looking at Jonas, she honestly wondered if the team she was on was actually the good guys. She recalled someone, Umino maybe, saying their battle was really just one pack of snakes fighting the other. Silently, she quietly mulled over whether she should still wear that comm crystal, or whether she should just sell it for jewelry. Lucas shook his head. "No, I wasn't speaking about the flowers." he said with a small laugh. "I believe that if you can truly see yourself doing something that you absolutly love then you can accomplish anything." he said holding her hand and squeezing it tightly. (OOC: Baka Lucas! Forgot to write for Michiru!) Michiru sat back, her eyes were filled with pain as she looked up at her knight. "You're right, it did just get cold out here." she said, turning away from the group and wheeling herself towards the parking lot. Jakurin came in on the tail-end of the conversation, Jonas walking briskly past her as she nimbly hopped to the side. "I lost Maestro in the mosh pit... What's going on out here? All the action's inside, guys. For some of you, it's your last dance! Doesn't that count for anything? Come on!" she said, giving a grin and thumbing behind her. Mark couldn't find Lucas inside, so he went outside. And looked everywhere he could think of two people that wanted to be alone would be. He wandered around to the courtyard and saw Lucas, squeezing Ruby's hand, across the entire yard. For a few seconds Mark became jealous... extremely jealous...*Hey, she hit on me first, mooch...* But then remembered why he was so emphatic about finding his friend, and he was afraid of what might happen if he went over there and dragged him away. So he stared at the sky, willing Lucas to come ask him what was going on, and hoping he wasn't in any real danger... because it would really suck if that girl was evil or something... Jonas turned at the frosty remark and noticed his senshi wheel herself towards the parking lot. Muttering a curse and rolling his eyes upwards, Jonas ran after Michiru, easily catching up. "okay Okay I'm sorry, but why should I get it in the neck for something Jay said?why do you have to constantly remind me that i wasn't there when you were injured?" "Don't you worry I haven't finished with Jay yet either! I'm just really hurt that...." she said frustrated. Tears started streaming out of her eyes, splashing on her dress. "It just seems everyone else has given up. I'm trying to be strong, but I can't. I can't do it anymore. Not without help from all of you." she said sobbing. "Just let me go. I probably look like an idiot now." (OOC: Crosses...crosses...gotta love the crosses!) Ruby smiled at Lucas, "Thank you for the compliment." She looked down at her small feet and back up to him, "I have been dancing since I was 4. I moved to toe when I was 11." She smiled at him, "It is something I have truly enjoyed doing since I was a little girl and one of the few talents I actually have." She looked up at him, "I don't really know why I stopped. It just wasn't the same anymore." She scooted closer to him and leaned against his shoulder. Jonas gave a morbid kind of grin before wiping the tears from Michiru's face. "Come on, do you want to go back inside? I'll be your escort for the night, you say where you want to go, and I'll take you there, just say the word." he desperately needed Michiru to cheer up or he'd be in tears soon. Dura walked forward, wondering what to say next. She didn't want Lucas down, and wished she had the magic words to make everything all right. "Say, Michiru?" she said? "My mom showed me a few dance moves that can be done from the wheelchair. Maybe I can show them to you?" Jay looked as everyone was wandering around. Oh well. "Might as well go join them al-" Jay blinked as a bolt of pain blasted through his skull. The voice, that had been a whisper, had cranked up the volume and then some. His face distorted and he dropped to his knees. The only good thing was the others couldn't share in the fun... Lucas took a hold of Ruby's shoulders and turned her to face him. He gently lifted her chin with his hand so that she could look him right in the eye. "It's your passion. I can see it in you. The way you walk and talk about dancing. Its in your blood. Something that you need to do." he smiled as he gently spoke to her. "If it is something you truly love, then you don't need a reason or an excuse to do it. Just do it." Michiru slowly nodded her head to Jonas. "All right, lets go back." she muttered. She didn't respond to Dura. It hurt everytime she thought about the wheelchair. She knew her friend was trying to help, so she offered her a small smile of thanks. Her eyes fell on Jay past everyone else. "IS he...alright?" she asked slowly. Mark glanced back over towards Lucas, and he tensed up. Partially out of Jealousy. "C'mon, jerk...get over here." He stomped once or twice and coughed kind of quietly to himself as he stared up at the stars again, inching very very slowly away from the trees that were partially shadowing him. Jeremy kept himself unmoving and melted with the shadows as he watched the Senshi. *They're all becoming frustrated, pushing on the few threads they had connecting one another to their breaking point. Some are ready though and soon they'll be ready to take the next step. All that must be done now is to show them the way, but that in itself will be tricky* He focused on Jay, keeping his body loose and prepared and waited. There was still things to play out for the night, things that he could have no part of. Jennifer glanced around the gym as she walked back to the cheerleaders' table after the dance. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themnselves to the fullest, they all seemed so happy. Letting out a sigh she flopped back down in her seat, sometimes she wished she could be that happy. Jonas wheeled Michiru back towards the gym, thinking over the question about Jay. Finally he shook his head slowly. "No, I don't think he'll ever be all right, we can't help him with his problem, only he can help himself. It's best we don't antgagonise him either or it will only make it worse..." Dura smacked herself in the forehead. Stupid! She reminded Michiru of her handicap! She trucked on behind, hoping somehow she'd recover from this world-class faupax before prom next year. Sure, she had two more years to go, but she didn't want to dread this for twelve months straight. Jakurin just blinked and held the door open for Jonas and Michiru to pass through, wondering what had happened to put all her buddies in dull, sore moods. Well, with the exception of Jonas, of course. If her parents had been brutally murdered... As it was, she had no parents. Well, unless you counted the American ones she ran away from. Jakurin blinked. Since she was now adopted into the Sennyo family, she hadn't given them a second thought. She wondered briefly if the "mother" was still chasing her down, or she had given up looking altogether. Hopefully the latter. She looked over her shoulder and said, "Jay? Dura? Daijobu??" Jay rose up, clutching his head. "WHY WON'T YOU SHUT UP!!" Throwing his head back he began to repeatedly hit it off the wall next to him. "Get out of my head, you bastard! I won't hurt them!" Jonas turned at the sound of shouting, pausing half way through the door Jakurin had opened for them. Was the Dark Kingdom attacking? He narrowed his eyes, noticing it was Jay who was shouting. "Jay...?" Jonas let go of Michiru's wheel chair and ran over to the younger student, horrified at the sight he had come upon. "JAY!" Jonas acted fast for someone so tall, running over to Jay and grabbing him. he pinned Jay's arms to his sides, and dragged Jay away from the wall, lifting him a few inches off the floor to do so.