FCGS - Chapter 31

Chibi stood in the Training Room breaking Dead Branches and killing the spawns they produce. Her mind occupied on fighting and nothing else. Lack stood at the door watching her with Phenomenon, Tadakono and Syaoran.

"I've never seen her like this before," Tadakono said softly. "It's like she's possessed."

"I wouldn't say possessed," Lack replied watching Chibi stab a Gibbet and move on to a new Branch without stopping. "I'd say she's trying to escape from something." He looked at the three of them. "You remember? She was shaking so badly last night and refused to say anything. Also with Hel saying 'your days are numbered'. I'm pretty sure that's related too."

"You think Hel did something to her?" Phenomenon asked quietly.

Lack nodded and noticed Chibi pick up a Bloody Branch. "Chibi! Not that one!" Lack darted into the room as an Incantation Samurai appeared. Chibi blinked and spread Bombs all over the place catching the Tengu and Shinobi slaves. Coating her armor and sword, she darted at the Incantation Samurai. Lack skidded to a stop just short of the field of fire.

"If that was anything but an Incant," Phenomenon said watching Chibi cut the Incantation Samurai down. "Chibi would have been dead before you reached her."

"Who would have been dead?" Chibi asked, the Incantation Samurai falling. She turned to look at them. Her cheeks wet with tears.

Lack walked towards her frustrated. Grabbing her wrist, he knocked her to the ground, pinning both her wrist under his hands. "Enough!" Lack's voice low and angry. "Tell us. Holding it in is going to hurt you much more!"

Chibi shook, her eyes holding more fear than Lack had expected. "Want to know why Hel is the Goddess of the Underworld?" Chibi said repeating automatically what Hel had said to her. "Because she takes pleasure in torturing humans to death."

"Torturing…" Lack let Chibi go and looked at her with softer eyes. "What did she do?"

Chibi sat up, her shaking starting again. "She cut my life thread short." She stared at Lack directly. "You know what that means? I won't be back. Resurrect won't work. There's no way out either. I asked Eir and she has no idea what to do." She closed her eyes and moved forwards til her head rested against his chest. "Lack…" He could hear the sadness in her voice. "I don't want to die." Lack hugged her unsure what to say.

A gust of wind blew into the room. Hel walked towards them with a smile on her face. Phenomenon, Tadakono and Syaoran stood in front of Lack and Chibi prepared to fight. Hel laughed at them. "I'm not here to fight. I'm here to congratulate Chibi on finally acknowledging it."

"It's not going to change what you did!" Chibi cried getting up with her sword in her hand. "Why are you here now? To taunt me? Or to try and find out who else might have the information you seek."

"I'm here to cut a deal with you," Hel said with an evil smile. She looked at the boys and then back to Chibi. "I'll assume you've told them the first deal I made. So here's what I propose. If you give me the information, I will restore your life thread to what it was before I cut it."

"How do I have any guarantee that you'll actually do that," Chibi asked slightly tempted. "You didn't say that you'd shorten my life thread if I refused you the first time. Yet you did it." Lack placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned to meet clear serious eyes.

"She doesn't need to give you the information," Lack said to Hel, his aura physically sparking all over the place. "So unless you have any other business here I want you to leave."

"You've just given her a death sentence," Hel said with a smile as Chibi fell to her knees at Lack's words. Hel began to fade away with the biggest smile on her face. "I'll come again before you die... Chibi."

Chibi began punching Lack hard. "What was that?! You want me to die?" Lack caught her wrists and held her still. His eyes still clear. "You have a plan…" Chibi stared at him incredulously.

"Call Eir for me," Lack said calmly. "Also, you'd of given all of us a death sentence if you give her the information. That's why she's trying so hard to get it out of you. It's possible she has no way of defeating us without the information she wants from you."

~~~

Hel stormed angrily into her room. Contra stood upright and away from a Lunatics cage quickly. "She's not giving me the information."

"I didn't expect Chibi would," Contra replied with a sigh. "She's the High Seat of the Alchemist Society. It's expected she'd hold to the Code more strongly than any other Alchemist."

"She wasn't the one who refused me this time," Hel said feeding a Lunatic a carrot with blood from the three mediators. "Lack did."

"That's a surprise," Contra replied a little shocked. "I heard that Lack would do anything to protect the lives of his guildsmen. I thought she'd be high on his list being 2nd in Command."

"I guess not." Hel replied with a shrug.

~~~

"Possible," Eir said listening to Lack's idea. "But that shortens your life thread as well. I've been looking into things after Chibi told me and there is a way. But it's dangerous." Chibi gave Lack a punch on the head for suggesting his idea. Eir coughed and continued. "It involves you re-attaining the Seed of Life."

"Forseti will murder me," Chibi cried. "Not to mention Kashy will put a stronger binding on me." Chibi paused before the deeper problem to the plan emerged. "I can't see the Seed of Life anymore."

"Does all that matter?" Eir asked her. "Aside from not seeing the seed, does the other two really matter?" Chibi thought about it carefully. "It doesn't but if I'm able to get the seed and Kashy slaps an even more difficult binding on me or Forseti murders me, it'd all be for nothing."

"I'll handle Forseti," Eir replied satisfied with Chibi's answer. "And I'm sure Lack can get BlackRose to take him to see Kashy. Under the circumstances, Kashy can't blame you because of Hel."

Chibi glanced at Lack, who nodded at her, before continuing. "Then I'll call you once I have it. Yet I'm still not sure how I'm going to see it. But I'll work out how once I get to Yggdrasil." She turned to Tadakono and Phenomenon. "If Lack's going to talk to Kashy, would you two accompany me?" She winked at Syaoran and added. "I need you to keep Lack out of trouble."

"Not funny," Lack grumbled. "Come by my room before you go. I want to give you something." Chibi jumped and hid behind Tadakono. Lack gave her a dirty look before adding "Not what you're thinking."

~~~

Lack stood outside in the night sky. Pressing the medallion, he waited. "You wanted to see me?" BlackRose asked setting down near him.

"I wasn't sure if you'd come," Lack replied tucking the medallion back into his pocket. "I haven't used this medallion in a long time." BlackRose waited listening to the wind. "Can you take me to see Kashy?"

BlackRose looked at his gloves and then asked "It's about Chibi isn't it?"

"How'd you know?" Lack said in surprise. BlackRose placed an arm around his waist and flapped her wings to fly up towards the Cloud Castle.

"Because you have one insignia glove one normal glove," BlackRose replied. "I assumed Chibi would have the other because you have no way of knowing if she's alright from the distance she's going."

"Then Kashy already knows," Lack said strained from the pressure of the wind from the speed BlackRose was flying at. "About what happened to Chibi."

"He knows that Hel needs information from Chibi and that she cut Chibi's life thread to attain it," BlackRose replied setting down onto the walkway leading to the castle. "He doesn't know what you need to talk about with him now."

"But you do?" Lack walked with her to the castle. "How do you know but he doesn't?"

"You're not the only one who has a special link to Chibi…"

~~~

Chibi pulled on the insignia glove Lack gave her onto her right hand. "This is why I hate leaving Lack behind," she murmured to Tadakono and Phenomenon. "He gets all over-protective then gives me one of his gloves to make sure I'm ok."

"If I remember correctly," Tadakono said giving her a small poke. "You took it once."

"That was to fight my shadow," Chibi snapped back. "And I guess in a small way to let him know if I needed him as soon as possible." I hope nothing happens to Lack while I'm gone. I'll murder BlackRose if she breaks her promise. "Shall we get going? Warpra doesn't have a function to warp to the base of Yggdrasil. We need to go to Niflheim and make our way from there."

~~~

Lack sat with Kashy in his tower with a cup of tea nestled in his hands. "So explain to me again why Chibi needs to get the Seed of Life a second time?" Kashy asked with his fingers pressed to his forehead. "Because I want to understand this fully before I decide overlook her going for the Seed."

"Chibi told me that Hel wants the blood combinations that can create Valkyries," Lack said slowly for the third time. "Chibi asked my advice and I told her to refuse because it would be like the doppelgangers all over again only worse. Hel decided to try another way and cut Chibi's life short in the hope that it might get her desperate enough to tell her the information she wants." Kashy nodded and Lack continued on. "Eir told us there was a way but Chibi has to attain the Seed of Life again in order to have a chance."

"And that is why you want me to overlook her entering Yggdrasil to get the Seed of Life a second time," Kashy said pacing the floor. "Under the circumstances I would overlook this instance but…" He looked at Lack. "There is the small matter of Forseti."

"Eir said that she'd talk to Forseti about it," Lack replied taking a sip of the tea. Strawberry Milk Tea… Chibi… "You'll probably hear from at least Forseti soon."

"Has Chibi already gone?" Kashy asked as he looked down from his tower to the three Mediators below.

"She would of left for Niflheim this morning with Tadakono and Phenomenon," Lack confirmed watching Kashy. "Something is bothering me though. How was Contra able to break out of the Hidden Gods binding?"

~~~

"You're going to be absent for a while?" Shadow cried watching BlackRose brush her hair. "Did you really need to make that promise?"

"You know how we three were created right?" BlackRose asked putting down her brush and picking up her cup of tea. Sensing them shake their heads, she continued. "We aren't human like Kashy, Novus and Palidor. We lack memories from the time before we became Mediators."

"But…" Shadow touched her chest knowing it was true. "What are we really?"

"Alchemical creations made by Kashy aren't we?" Balos said softly looking up and noticed Kashy watching them. "He created us with the blood from various strong people. Much like what Hel is trying to do now."

"Correct," BlackRose closed her eyes. "Normally that knowledge isn't accessible to us. But I know where the blood that created me came from, because I've been so close to them all this time. Been hard not to notice."

"Chibi and Lack?" Shadow asked a little surprised. "I guess that's true since you do possess qualities from both."

"While you and Balos must have the same blood but in differing amounts," BlackRose added. "Because you both look very similar. Like siblings almost. And you're very much in sync with each other, even when I first met you."

"I guess so…" Shadow said glancing at Balos. "I wonder who's blood we were created from."

"I'm going to be absent because I'm going to be taking Chibi's place for a while," She stood and used Disguise. Wind sprang up around her, hiding her from view. When it died, a small blue Creator stood in her place. "I spoke to Kashy about it already. I'm going to be taking on Chibi's aura and appearance in the hopes to fool Hel and find out her true plans."

"Does Lack know this?" Shadow asked getting up and looking over every inch of BlackRose's disguise. "He does mock battles with Chibi often."

"As far as I know," BlackRose replied sitting down with a sigh. "Kashy hasn't said anything to Lack. But he probably will…" She looked up to see Kashy and Lack approaching them. With a smile, she got up and did a small bow, an almost perfect impression of Chibi.

"Good but not quite," Kashy said with a smothered laugh. "And Chibi wouldn't bow to me. She likes to joke around more than anything else. She'd probably only bow to Odin and Eir."

"You look so much like her," Lack said surprised. "But even I can spot the difference." He came up and gave BlackRose a slap on the back causing her to lean slightly forward. "Chibi usually looks relaxed but she has a slight slouch in her posture. She straightens if she's worried about something or deep in thought." He leaned back looking at her up and down with a satisfied nod. "Much better."

"But still not quite," Kashy added glancing at Lack. "There's no way that BlackRose will be able to perfectly emulate Chibi's personality."

"We'll see…"

FCGS - Chapter 30

Contra stared at a row of glass vials filled with red liquid. "So how is this suppose to work?"

Hel placed a drop of liquid from each vial onto a Lunatic in a glass cage. "According to what I learn by listening to Chibi when she spoke to Father, blood of those exceptionally strong can be manipulated into objects. This manipulation can either allow or deny. Like a Guardian in a castle. To be used in a doppelganger, blood can create an almost perfect fighter known as a Valkyrie. But the chances of creating an actual Valkyrie are slim so you get hybrids. The look of them are the same but there can be imperfections such as low stamina or small wings. It's the roll of the dice what imperfection is created from mixing different bloods."

"I understood none of that," Contra said feeling dizzy. "Do I need to understand?"

"Not really," Hel replied watching the Lunatic sprout dark wings. "All you need to know is that I'll create a formidable force to trample everyone in our path."

"I'm not enough?" he asked. The Lunatic grew sharp fangs. Contra shivered at it's transformation.

"You're not enough," Hel confirmed stroking the Lunatics still soft fur. "Not with your current strength anyway. Even with a brand from myself and Father, you aren't strong enough."

"Then what do you want me to do?" he asked watching her repeat the experiment on the numerous cages of Lunatics that lined the walls.

"Finish what I told you to do," Hel replied. "Bring me Lack's head for my collection."

~~~

Chibi sat in her room. Her chest still stinging from her previous battle with Lack. I always get caught with Palm Strike. She touched her chest and sighed. He really didn't need to lock me in here. She flopped onto her side and closed her eyes. Nothing to do but actually rest.

Sitting bolt upright again, her ears pricked hearing a distant sound. Getting up, she pulled at the door trying to force it open. I hope that sound isn't what I think it is.

~~~

Phenomenon swung his Mjolnir causing a Lunatic to fly way from him. "What the heck are these?" The Lunatic bounced off the wall and flew at him again.

Lack ducked and threw spheres and one attacking him. "Whatever they are they're annoying!"

Tadakono cast Storm Gust over the entire room catching numerous Lunatics and freezing them on the spot. "They look like Lunatics but aren't."

"You can say that again," Syaoran called slicing one in half. "Last I remember, Lunatics don't have fangs and wings." He spun and caught another with the flat part of the blade and sent it flying.

Tadakono shook, his anger rising. "I've had enough." He cast Lord of Vermillion multiple times bringing a rain of fire and lightning down on the entire room. With barely any time to react, Syaoran, Lack and Phenomenon ran out of the room.

"I think he's lost it," Phenomenon said peeking in at the door and watching the Lunatics being burned to a crisp."Didn't think he had that much power either."

"Anger brings out powers deeper than you know consciously," Lack mused with amazement. "He must have been still hurt from getting a royal beating from me." Tadakono sat heavily onto the ground out of breath. "I think it's safe now."

"You almost burnt us to a crisp too!" Syaoran cried giving Tadakono a slap on the back. "What got you so fired up?"

"I got tired of little furry things trying to bite me," Tadakono replied with a sigh. His ears twitched. "Did you hear that?" They all fell quiet and listened carefully. A scream sounded from down the hall. Tadakono's eyes widened and they ran together towards the scream.

~~~

"Go… A-way!" Kakaxi screamed casting Meteor Assault to force the Lunatics away from herself. FerrariSin spun using himself like a human shuriken to slice through Lunatics that were flying at him. Furama cast Lord of Vermillion to burn those near him.

"It's an invasion…" Lack said stunned as he and the others reached the room. He took a closer look at the Lunatics in the room. "They look different…"

Tadakono ran to help Furama. They stood back to back casting Storm Gust and Lord of Vermillion. Syaoran and Phenomenon darted in as well to take care of more Lunatics. Lack just stared feeling weird. Lunatics… Why hybridize Lunatics? A Lunatic with giant claws leapt at him. He brought his Mjolnir down and crushed it. I'm going loony from just watching all this… He turned into a Stalker and waited. Lunatics leapt at him, latching onto his clothing. That's it, come to me… More gathered clawing and scratching at him. Lack raised his daggers to his chest and cast Sightless Raid.

"You're the one who lost it now," Phenomenon said with a laugh. Lack let out a sigh and changed back to a Champion to cast Heal on himself. "I wonder if there's more around."

~~~

Chibi sat on the floor of her room listening to the sound. I heard a scream a while ago. I wonder if they found it. Looking around the room she wondered how she could get out. I'm going to murder Lack next time we spar. "He knows how to keep me locked up well."

"But not perfectly," a voice said near her. Chibi looked around. "You can't see me. I've only come for a greeting. When you see me, we'll battle."

"Who are you?" she called laying back until she was lying down.

"You know me well," the voice said sounding closer to her ear. "We met at Father's castle."

"Why did you come to greet me then… Hel," Chibi said knowing she was in a very vulnerable position with nothing to protect herself with. "We both know that talking to me won't give you any new information."

"Which is why I want to strike a deal with you," Hel replied her voice full of false cheer. "I want to know the possible combinations to create a Valkyrie."

"And what do I get in return," Chibi replied entertaining the idea hoping that Lack came to get her soon. "It better be something really good because the information you want is something I discovered myself. I'd be breaking the Alchemist Code not to mention my own moral code."

"I will spare Fight Club and it's allies from being destroyed by Contra," Hel replied. Chibi's ears twitched. "I'll also make certain that Lack will survive…"

Shit. Chibi laid still not giving away her thoughts. She knows… "And if I refuse?"

"I'll make sure that Fight Club is first to die off starting with Lack and those you hold dear." Hel replied. "Ah! And if you tell me false combinations will have the same effect as well."

"Do I have time to think about this?" Chibi asked closing her eyes and hoping for footsteps to come near to her room. "It's a very big decision to make."

"You have until sunset tomorrow," Hel replied her voice fading. "You cannot tell anyone what we just spoke about. Or I will void this deal."

Chibi laid waiting to hear her voice again. I'm in deep trouble now… Lack…

~~~

"They're like vampires now!" Lack called as a Lunatic bit into his arm drawing blood. Something in his chest twinges painfully. Chibi? He threw spheres at the Lunatics near him and snapped to Phenomenon. "Would you all be alright here?"

"They're vampire Lunatics," Phenomenon replied. "We should be alright for now." Noticing Lack's concerned expression, he added "Go. It'll be alright."

Lack nodded and snapped down the hall towards Chibi's room. A strong breeze blew past him much like Eir had at the Alchemist Society. Unlocking Chibi's door, he looked in. "You alright?" he asked seeing her lying on the floor.

"If you had to make a decision," Chibi said not looking at him. "Where you had little choice in what you had to choose, and you can't trust the person who is making you choose, what would you do?" Lack sat down next to her and saw her cheeks were wet. "I'll tell you now that I can't tell you what I'm going on about. So you'll have to bare with my abstractness."

Lack blinked and sighed. "You're question is difficult to answer without knowing specifics. I guess if you have little choice then you go for the choice you have to make." He glanced at Chibi, who still wasn't making eye contact with him. "It isn't as simple as that is it?" Chibi nodded. Lack looked worriedly at her. "Then I suppose you've been given a do this or they die choice. Saying that you don’t' trust the person means that if you don't do it that they might break the deal anyway after getting the information they want…" It's got to be Hel. Who else could try and get information from Chibi while she's in a locked room. "I'd refuse. Basically it comes down to how much you trust the person making you choose. And if you can't trust them, then you can't trust them to keep their end of the deal."

Chibi touched his hand. Lack felt faint, falling mentally into his own Spiritual Power. Standing on the circle of light, he noticed Chibi lying in the same position in the centre of the circle. "Hel can't read minds. When I stalled for time and entertained her idea, she didn't seem to know I was only stalling."

Lack sat down near her, his eyes narrowed. "You forced me into my Spiritual Power. This is serious isn't it?"

"Hel asked me for the combinations of creating Valkyries from blood," Chibi said knowing he didn't understand a word she was saying. "Because I'm the only one who knows this information, she wanted to make a deal. Either I give the information and everyone but our guild and our allies die. Or I refuse and everyone dies starting from you. If she finds out that I've told you, it's the same as me refusing her." She began to cry. "I have until sunset tomorrow to decide. I don't know how she plans on trying to kill you but she was confident when she said it."

Lack sat her up and gave her a hug. "Refuse her. Don't worry about me. If we all pool together, there's nothing Hel can throw at us."

"I hope so," Chibi sensed someone sit her physical body up. "Someone's in my room."

Lack nodded and they pulled out into their physical bodies. Lack was first to open his eyes. Tadakono was shaking him gently. "Nothing to worry about. I was assessing her Spiritual Power."

Tadakono got the hint and asked "How is she?"

"Tired," Lack got up and pulled back the blankets on Chibi's bed so Phenomenon and Syaoran could put her there. Chibi pretended to be asleep, keeping up with Lack's lie. "I'll leave her door unlocked." He leaned down and whispered to her. "Your sword and pouch are in my room. When you're ready, go get them."

~~~

Chibi sat on her bed waiting for Hel. "I can feel you here." Chibi called, her sword sitting on her lap. "You won't get the information you seek from me." A breeze blew around her room pushing her until Hel appeared before her.

"No matter what?" Hel asked with a nasty smile playing on her face. "No matter what I say or do, you won't change your mind?"

"No matter what." Chibi replied standing, her sword ready in her hand. Hel leaped at her, Chibi dodged, Hel's sword sliced into Chibi's blankets.

Chibi ran down the hall with Hel directly behind her. I need to get to the Dining Room. Hel grabbed a hold of Chibi's cape and pulled her back. Spinning, Chibi brought her sword out to block Hel's before she fell onto her back. Lack… Chibi kicked upwards catching Hel in the stomach and darted off again.

"Come back here," Hel called angrily. She flew and grabbed Chibi's arm. Dropping her sword, she closed her hand around Chibi's neck and lifted her off the ground. "Want to know why I'm the Goddess of the Underworld?" Chibi's eyes watered in pain. "Because I take pleasure in torturing humans to death." She moved her hand off Chibi's arm and pressed it against Chibi's chest.

Chibi cried out as her whole body became burning hot. No… She kicked out at Hel again forcing her back towards the opposite wall. Chibi crouched down coughing, trying to catch her breath before Hel recovered. Looking up, she saw Hel smiling. No!

"It's not possible that you don't know what I just did," Hel said with a laugh. "Yet you still fight. Most in your position would of cried, run away in fear, deny they're going to die." She leaned down and took a hold of Chibi's neck again. "But you… You fight. I wonder why." Chibi brought her sword across Hel's chest before her hand around her neck could tighten.

Lack… Chibi took off down the hall and ran as fast as she could towards the Dining Room door. Fear gripping her tightly as the knowledge of what Hel had done took hold. Deal with fear later. Get to the Dining Room.

~~~

Lack, Tadakono, Phenomenon and Syaoran sat in the Dining Room. Chibi's chair remained empty. Lack glanced at it before looking over the room at the rest of the guild. It's sunset… Chibi will tell me her answer soon. A twinge in his chest told him something was wrong. He touched his chest wondering what to do. If I go to Chibi's room, Hel will know she told me. But if she's refused Hel…

The door to the Dining Room flew open and Chibi leaped in and stood near Lack's chair. Hel stepped into the room with a smile on her face. "How long are you going to be able to move like that?" She looked around the Dining Room noticing everyone had their weapons out and ready. Looking back to Chibi, she added before disappearing. "Your days are numbered."

Chibi fell to her knees then sat onto the ground. Lack turned around in his chair. "What did she mean 'your days are numbered'?" Chibi didn't look up at him, her body shaking from battling Hel. "Chibi?"

"Nothing to worry about," Chibi said looking up with a forced smile. "Nothing to worry about right? All choices come with their problems." Lack could see her shaking. "Nothing to worry about…."

FCGS - Chapter 29

Lack paced the floor of his room with a report written by Chibi in his hand. So Mike is now free. Just leaves Kchan and Izual. But how are we going to find out if they're alright? Foxi hasn't said anything. But it could be possible that they are like the guildsmen in Velvet Touch of Enishi and think that the two are just in a bad mood or something.

Chibi poked her head into his room breaking into his thoughts. "Dinner is in an hour," Noticing his stressed expression, she added "Kashy has also asked if he could speak to you. He left this with me for you." She handed him a scroll that had a golden sunburst seal on it. "Don't stress so much. We'll get through it. We got through the doppelgangers and Loki alright didn't we?"

"When did Kashy come by?" Lack asked a little confused. "I didn't know he did errands personally." Chibi took his hand and led him out of the room and down the hall towards the Dining Room.

"A Hyegun gave it to me," Chibi replied with a smile, satisfied that he was following her without question. "You know, one of Kashy's trained pets. I knew it was from Kashy because of the seal on the scroll." She pulled him into the Training Room near the Dining Room. "I want to spar with you."

Lack was taken aback. "You sure?" Chibi's back was facing him. He moved and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"But with a few rules," Chibi said causing him to relax. "No Asura. You can prepare it but you can't use it. I also would like you to use Mjolnir." Her eyes darkened and in her mind's eye she saw herself and Lack being the only ones left standing against Contra. I'm not strong enough to support you against Contra. Not when it took you and three Hidden Gods to take him down the first time. "You understand where I'm going with this?"

Lack could hear a barely noticeable note of fear in her voice. She saw something. If she wants to get stronger… "Right now?"

"Right now…" Chibi said drawing her sword and turning to point it at him. "I'm not letting you get away."

~~~

Tadakono, Phenomenon and Syaoran looked at the two empty chairs between them. "They aren't here yet," Tadakono said with a sigh and looked around the room as people milled around chatting to friends and finding places to sit. As if on cue, Lack carried a very worn out Chibi and dropped her into her chair. "What happened to you two?" he asked noticing the slices in Lack's clothing across his back.

"Sparring," Lack said casting Heal on Chibi until her wounds disappeared. "You sure you want me to do this?"

"Better I get stronger fighting you than anyone else," Chibi said with her eyes closed. "Can we do it again later? A few hours from now?" Lack nodded and settled in his own chair.

"Why the need to get stronger all of a sudden?" Syaoran asked them. "You're strong as it is already."

"Contra…" The single word caused the noise in the room to die out in their ears. "Hel and Contra."

"But you have all of us as well," Phenomenon said with a strangled sigh. "I still don't understand."

"As it is," Chibi said glancing at Trelawney then closing her eyes again. "I understand the premonition Tre had and keeps having. The Dark Messenger is Contra. As it stands, the only person in our guild that has even a slight chance of defeating Contra is Lack." Lack noticed her eyes darken, blood trickled from one eye. "I've over used my ability today. But what I keep seeing scares me. I need to be stronger."

Lack leaned over and wiped the blood away. "What did you see?"

"A battle," Chibi replied pulling her legs up and resting her head on her knees. "A very bloody battle between our guild and Contra. People kept falling around us." Lack noticed she was shaking. "Resurrect wasn't working. It got to the point that we were the only ones left standing." She looked at Lack with tears in her eyes.

"Did you see us die?" Lack asked her quietly. Phenomenon stroked her back gently. Tadakono and Syaoran leaned closer to listen to the conversation between Lack and Chibi.

"I didn't," Chibi replied blinking away tears. "That's why I want to get stronger. If there's a chance to change what I see then I'm going to take it even if I'm going to be completely worn out every day leading up to the battle."

"Then let's work on everyone stronger to increase the odds," Lack said softly giving Chibi a pat on the head. "That could work too right?" Chibi nodded. Lack quivered inside from what he heard. I didn't expect that. He stood, the single gesture drawing the attention of the guild to himself, and took a deep breath.

~~~

Jemini and Kagura sat within Velvet Touch of Enishi. Their differences in opinion clashing with each other as visibly as locked swords. "She's calling to us." Jemini said softly. "I guess she'll call to us if no one else can hear her." Kagura nodded and looked up at MikeRex who was sitting with them.

"Then I'll come with you and set her free," he replied kindly. "I'll bring a High Wizard and a Professor from my guild as well." He smiled and gave Jemini a hug. "If we're lucky, we'll be able to free Izual at the same time too."

"Kc would of liked that," Kagura added with a smile. She stood and bowed. "I need to go back to Prontera. Would I be able to leave it in your hands?"

MikeRex nodded and Jemini looked away from Kagura. "Don't refer to her in the past tense."

"Kchan doesn't like me," Kagura said walking towards the door. "Whenever she speaks about me, it's always in the past tense."

~~~

Lack leaned against Chibi's closed bedroom door. He could hear her crying inside. I can't go and comfort her. What am I suppose to say when she knows that anything I could say to make her feel better is a lie. Looking at the scroll he still carried, he decided it was best to see Kashy.

Walking towards the Foyer, he broke the seal on the scroll. Colors whirled around him. "So you finally decide to show your face here." a voice said behind him. Lack turned to see the entrance to the Cloud Castle. Standing at the entrance was Kashy.

"You sent for me?" Lack asked holding out the scroll in his hand. "Because it's a difficult time to be holding long meetings."

~~~

Tadakono cast Storm Gust pushing Phenomenon and Syaoran away from him. "While I don't mind trying to get stronger," Tadakono said alternating to Lord of Vermillion. "Will it make a lot of difference?"

Syaoran cast Endure and swiped his sword at Tadakono. "At least we're doing something." Tadakono stepped backwards away from the sword like as if he was floating. "It's better than resigning myself to thinking that Contra will kill me."

Phenomenon threw spheres at the both of them. "That's the last thing I want to think about." He had remembered when he had almost died permanently by Contra's sword. "It's not a pleasant experience."

"Dying never is," Chibi leaned on the door frame watching the three of them. "I have a proposition. If you can defeat my newest creation then you're probably as strong as Lack." A light blue creature stood near Chibi. She placed a hand on its shoulder. "This is Kiseki. He's a doppelganger hybrid. I took the information I received from Momo and turned it into a training device. Only problem is that it won't let me fight it, which is why I asked Lack to spar with me."

Kiseki stepped into the room flexing its fingers. Tadakono looked at it a little confused. "Is it suppose to look like Lack?" he asked noticing the Champion like clothing on it.

"To be technical," Chibi said tapping the doppelganger causing it to change it's appearance to look like Contra. "It changes to whomever you feel you want to be able to defeat. It takes your memories of that person and spars with you using those memories. It's not possible to fake memories to make it easier."

Tadakono tapped the doppelganger and it turned back to looking like Lack. "I'm curious now." He cast Waterball at Kiseki, who dodged and snapped fast towards Tadakono. "He really is like Lack." Tadakono got serious and cast Storm Gust followed by Lord of Vermillion. Kiseki threw spheres hitting Tadakono three out of five.

"You're going to have to do better than that to defeat Lack," Chibi said as Lack himself appeared at the door and raised an eyebrow. Chibi looked back at him with a smile. "They're playing with my hybrid doppelganger…. Training I mean."

"So why does it look like me?" he asked her accusingly. "And why can't you train with it instead of with me?"

"Because Tadakono wants to be able to be either stronger or as strong as you," Chibi replied her eyes looking at him innocently. "It obeys my commands. So if I start feeling like it's too much or that I'm too tired, it won't attack me anymore. Which is why it's better to train with you than with Kiseki." She poked him in the side with a little mock upset expression. "You don't want to train with me anymore?"

"That's not what I mean," Lack said with a sigh. Good. She seems to be back to her old self. "Was curious why you created something like this and can't use it." Tadakono flew back and hit the wall in punctuation to Lack's sentence.

"That's enough Kiseki," Chibi said crouching down near Tadakono. "You alright?"

"My memories of Lack make him out to be incredibly strong," Tadakono said dazed. Chibi dropped a few potions on him and asked slyly. "Want to try the real thing? Because I can tell you now, your memories are incomplete. The Lack is much more stronger and scarier than Kiseki."

"Thankyou," Lack said behind her. "I think…" He looked at Tadakono and smiled. "Want to try?" He cracked his knuckles then moved his head from side to side cracking the bones in his neck. "I can promise you, your memories of my abilities will be complete after sparring with me once."

Tadakono gave a slight shiver before standing and nodding. "Don't hold back on me Lack." Chibi sat down onto the floor and leaned against the wall. Kiseki, Phenomenon and Syaoran joined her. Tadakono and Lack moved to the centre of the room.

"Why do I get the feeling Lack is going to murder Tadakono perfectly?" Phenomenon asked Chibi in a whisper.

"Because he will," Chibi replied using her Azoth to manipulate the hidden controls in Kiseki. "Lack always starts slow then builds up, toying with his prey, if he knows he'll win easily, until finally," A bang announced Lack's finalized preparation of Asura Strike. "He flattens them." She patted Kiseki and said. "Kiseki, record this and store it as Lack in Champion form. Stop after he uses Asura Strike."

Syaoran watched Lack fight Tadakono. He could tell already that Lack was far more superior not just in strength but in knowledge as well. There's no way to defeat him unless you spring something unexpected on him. Lack leapt up and cast Asura Strike knocking Tadakono down.

Lack immediately crouched down and cast Heal. Chibi got up and dropped some potions onto Tadakono's still form as well. "Well?" she asked him. "Scary no?"

"Very," Tadakono replied sitting up. "How is it that you can fight Lack and still be fine afterwards?"

"You fought him no rules," Chibi said helping him to where she was sitting. "We agree upon rules and stick with them." She poked Kiseki and whispered. "Record until we stop fighting." Pulling back, she gave Tadakono a wink. "Want to see?"

Lack sighed and stretched. "Come on Chibi. Enough talk."

Chibi drew her sword and practically flew at him, striking hard and fast. Syaoran's eyes widened. This battle is different. It's not as one-sided as it was with Tadakono. It's a little more even but Lack still has the upper hand. Chibi thrust her sword at Lack causing him to step back away from her. He hasn't prepared Asura Strike. Now that I think about it… Chibi hasn't used her potions yet either.

Chibi stepped skillfully away from Lack's spheres and threw a Bomb at him. Her eyes wild, she scattered Bombs all over the room. Flames sprang up forcing Lack to move further away from her. Chibi coated her armor and sword. She moved through her flames unaffected. A small smile played on her face. Lack ignored the fire licking at his clothes and skin, he darted at her throwing spheres constantly.

Syaoran leaned back from another explosion. This is weird. I never though of Chibi being this strong. But I've never fought her before. Lack's the only one who has ever had to fight her for any reason. He watched Lack bring his palm up and push Chibi in the chest hard. She skidded backwards and fell to one knee trying to catch her breath. It's over.

Lack advanced upon her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Enough?" Chibi nodded and coughed, her chest stinging with every breath. Lack cast Heal on her. "You always get caught with that."

"You're fast when you want to be," Chibi said a little strained. "I think this time you broke something. It hurts so much."

Lack knelt down and touched Chibi's chest pressing hard on each rib until she jumped in pain. "Yeah I broke one…" He held her still and continued to press until he tested them all. "Just one."

Tadakono, Syaoran and Phenomenon stared at them incredulously. "You both went so far as breaking bones…" Phenomenon said stunned. "You really want to get stronger that desperately?"

"If…" Chibi said glancing at Lack, causing him to feel a bit suspicious. "If you knew that you were going to lose someone close to you no matter what you did what would you do?"

"I'd get stronger," Phenomenon replied without thinking. Lack poked her broken rib causing her to jump again. Phenomenon gave him a confused expression . "But even so… Lack went so far as breaking your rib."

"It's how we spar," Lack replied pressing two fingers on the rib and casting Heal intensively. "She'll be alright again in a few hours." He stared at Chibi. "Provided she actually rests."

FCGS - Chapter 28

Contra walked through the ice cavern looking at the blocks of ice. "Feels good to be free again doesn't it?" A female voice reverberated around the room. "I had a hard time getting past the bindings that the Hidden Gods had put in place."

"Hel," Contra said calmly. "Why freeze them? And where's Lack? I thought we froze him as well."

"As expected," Hel said sitting on the remains of the ice that held Lack. "He was able to summon his Guild Members here to free him." She looked at Chibi. "What I don't understand is that they didn't free her either. They know she's alive because her homunculus is no longer here." Summoning a red bullet of fire, she shot it into the ice. It burrowed deep disappearing into Chibi's chest. "She's smart. Be careful around her when they defrost her."

"But why frozen?" Contra asked again watching blood drip out of the hole Hel made. "Why not just kill them?"

"Because the Gods will come after me next if they notice a lot of the High Seats and powerful Guilds disappearing at once," Hel replied breaking off a spike of frozen blood. "I'm not like my father. I'll do things properly in his stead."

~~~

Flyte fell to the ground trembling. Lack crouched down and turned her over. "Mistress…" Flyte murmured as Tadakono, Phenomenon and Syaoran approached the stage to pick up where Lack left off. The Guild's murmurs could be heard clearly by Lack.

"You're all dismissed," he said in an angry tone. "I'll call you to meet again later. After my desire to kill all of you has gone." All talking froze at his words. A mad scramble, everyone disappeared out of the room before Lack had a chance to look up at them. Kakaxi, FerrariSin, Furama, brighteyes, Minna and illusions join Lack.

"Mistress is hurt," Flyte said when Lack picked her up. "Mistress says that you need to get there now. Repairing an angry guild can wait. She says there won't be anything left if you don't get there."

~~~

Hel fired another bullet into the ice holding Izual. "This blood will serve the purpose my father had intended it for."

"Which was?" Contra asked breaking a frozen shard of blood from Kchan. "And what good will it do if you don't have Lack's blood as well?"

"There's time for that," She took the shard from Contra and fired bullets into MikeRex and the three Mediators. "But we need to do this quickly." Contra retrieved the shards from Izual and MikeRex while Hel took the shards from the Mediators. "Let's go." Contra took a hold of Hel's hand and they disappeared in a whirl of snow.

Moments later, Lack and his entourage from the Meeting Room appeared through a Warp Portal. Pressing his hand on the ice holding Chibi he closed his eyes. His mind fell through a dark space to land onto a white circle of light. "Chibi?" Outside, his body froze with a light icy aura.

Tadakono and Phenomenon placed a hand on Lack's shoulder's worriedly. "Lack… Come on." Tadakono also froze. Phenomenon pulled away quickly noticing that it was contagious. "What is going on?"

Tadakono stood next to Lack on the circle of light. "Where are we?" he asked noticing a shadow on the outskirts of the circle. "What was that?"

"You touched me outside didn't you," Lack replied sensing Tadakono nod. "I fell into my own Spiritual Power. You must have been drawn in as well." He extended his hand out towards the shadow. "Why not come closer?"

"And kill myself?" A familiar voice said. "Your power is Holy remember. Unless you want me dead before you set me free, I'll stay here."

"Chibi?" Tadakono said in surprise. "But how?"

"It's a secret that I don't want you to tell anyone else," Lack said sharply. "It's not something I believe is going to be good for anyone knowing. " He looked at the shadow which flickered in response, then turned to Tadakono. "The day Chibi warped Azoth, Eir visited me. She asked me if I wanted to become Chibi's anchor to the human world. She told me some of what Chibi had done and how she had healed her. I knew that Chibi would become something different if I said no. There are benefits… I can use her power as physical strength and she can enter my Spiritual Power to talk to me directly."

"I felt bad though for making Eir need to ask him," Chibi said softly. "I asked her to seal the memory away in Lack so it would just be that we're close friends. When we were frozen in the ice, I felt it was time to remind Lack about the deal he made with Eir. I lent him my power which in turn gave him enough strength to call Kakaxi, FerrariSin and Furama here."

"Then… " Tadakono's eyes widened. "You asked Lack to free your Lif and it became a link that allowed you to talk to Lack and tell him what was happening here." Feeling something jar his physical body he added "If we don't pull out of here soon, Lack, they're going to find this secret out."

"Can I free you now?" Lack asked Chibi quickly letting Tadakono go first. "Is there a reason you saw why you should stay here?" Chibi shook her head. "Then I'll get them to defrost you. Have you been able to contact the others or assess them in any way?"

"I'm only connected to you in this way Lack," Chibi replied her voice letting him know she wasn't amused. "I can't contact them even if I burst an artery trying." Hearing people call out Lack's name, she added "Go."

~~~

"Lack!" Tadakono gave Lack a shake that looked harder than it was. "Snap out of it!"

"What happened?" Phenomenon asked Tadakono.

Internally, Tadakono cringed. He hated lying to one of his friends. "The ice. Because Lack has been frozen by it before, the spell tried to take him again when he touched it. I was pulled in when I touched him, so I managed to burn away the connections before they could take serious hold. He should be coming out of it soon."

Lack moved his hand away, his ears catching the last of Tadakono's lie. He pretended to wobble and sat hard onto the ground. Looking up at Tadakono he said "Thanks."

"No problem," Tadakono replied casting fireball and holding it near Lack to warm him up. Furama did the same. "We should free Chibi before she gets more injured from being here." Lack nodded.

Brighteyes, FerrariSin and illusions broke away the ice with their jurs until it was a thin outline around Chibi. Furama stood and melted the remaining ice. Chibi fell forwards. Furama caught her and held her close. Minna cast Heal and Furama focused his attention to destroying all the spell tags in her body with Spell Break.

"Don't… Heal… Me…" Chibi said shivering. "I know I'm hurt… But don't heal me." Minna continued on and looked at Chibi shocked. Lack held up his hand to stop Minna. Flyte floated over and healed Chibi instead. "Lack…"

"I know," he said softly. "It's alright. Nothing to worry about. Lets get you home." He looked around the cavern. Neither JohnFlora nor Foxi had contacted him about their Guild Masters. Let's see where this goes.

~~~

Lack sat on his chair in the Dining Room. On his immediate left, the chair remained empty and then next to that sat Phenomenon. On his right Tadakono and Syaoran sat. "She's skipping a meal again." Lack murmured to no one in particular. Flyte came and sat in Chibi's chair, her eyes over bright. "You're hiding something too."

"Not really," Flyte replied. Lack felt a small tug in his power like someone was pulling his shirt gently to get his attention. Flyte noticed his expression. "Mistress says don't follow. She sent me here so you know if anything happens to her. She says you need to focus on getting the Guild to understand what is happening."

"You better tell me if something might happen before it does," he growled angrily. "Just where did she go anyway?"

"The Alchemist Society in Al de Baran."

~~~

Chibi landed in a crouch after dodging a Bomb from her copy. Yukiko and Mazenda pitched potions to her. Strapped to her right wrist in place of her glove was one of Lack's insignia gloves. She threw Acid bottles at her copy in quick succession.

"What's wrong?" her copy said with a smile. "We're equally matched. There's no way you can defeat yourself." It spun and sliced through all the bottles before they hit her. "We're the strongest in this Society. You've never had to fight an alchemist class stronger than yourself before."

Chibi didn't answer and drew her sword and swung it in a downward arc. Her copy locked swords with her. Chibi pulled back her right arm and punched hard before bringing her sword around and slicing it across the chest. It can't see Lack's glove. She brought herself close and brought her right fist up hard into her copy's chest. The copy gasped breathless and thrust her sword at Chibi. I can't rely on it. She's as good with the sword as I am. Chibi threw out a bomb at her copy forcing both of them to go flying.

~~~

Flyte cringed and shook slightly. "It's nothing," she whispered knowing Lack just looked at her. "Mistress is battling her copy." A clatter of cutlery told her Lack had dropped what he was holding. "She has your insignia glove. You'll know before I do if she needs you."

"She nicked it from my room didn't she," Lack said surprised at his own calmness. He felt the tug again and sighed. "How will I know?" Flyte waited and Lack suddenly felt like he was going to be pulled inside out.

"She needs you," Flyte replied once the feeling had disappeared. "Now…"

~~~

Chibi stood and leaned on her sword. Her copy stood on the other end of the room watching her. Chibi straightened shakily and noticed Lack's glove. Aiya! He's going to come now. The glove had been cut like it had been half way through a shredder. I better try to finish this before he comes.

Yukiko and Mazenda retreated to the doorway and pitched potions at her again to heal her. Chibi leapt at her copy and they fought furiously. Chibi could feel her Lif coming closer and closer to the building. Her copy noticed her slight distraction and threw a bomb at Chibi.

Chibi noticed the Bomb only seconds before impact. She flew backwards and hit the wall near the door hard before falling forwards onto the floor. Yukiko came forwards and poured white potions all over her. "Chibi…" she said shaking her. "Chibi." Looking up, she saw the copy coming towards them. "Chibi! Wake up!"

Chibi opened her eyes and took Yukiko's hand. "Whatever happens. Don't let Lack into this room." She took off the insignia glove and gave it to Yukiko. "He's coming because he could sense this was damaged. I can feel Flyte entering the building." Chibi stood up and staggered forwards pulling on her own glove. "Don't let them enter this room."

Yukiko nodded and watched Chibi leapt at her copy again. She retreated back to Mazenda. "If you were told to do something, even if it's against your better judgment, even if you know that person is going to get hurt, would you do what you're told or do what you think is right?"

"This is about Chibi isn't it," Mazenda replied. Yukiko nodded. "If Lack is coming," She glanced down at the shredded glove. "Then she probably told you to not let him in there. While I agree that it'll be dangerous to let him defeat her copy, it's more dangerous to let her die by her copy's hand. The copy become reality if that's the case." The room rocked. They could both feel Flyte moving up the hallway towards them.

"Lack," Yukiko said softly as Mazenda darted in to pitch potions at Chibi. "There's something you should know before you decide whether to go in there or not." She held up his glove to him.

"And that is?" He asked watching Flyte also fly in to aid Chibi. He took the glove and placed it into his pocket without looking at it.

"If you are the one to defeat Chibi's copy," Yukiko said softly. "Then Chibi herself is in danger. But if she is killed by her copy, the copy becomes reality. If you must help her, become her support." Mazenda slid back to the doorway out of breath.

~~~

Kashy floated down to the ice cavern with Novus. "So here's where you three have been," he said softly. "I've been worried about you." Giving Novus a sharp look he added "Don't tell them I was worried." Novus lifted his hands in response. "Rena's report to you was right about their location."

Kashy summoned numerous fireballs to dance around the bodies of the three Mediators melting the ice. Novus checked the three over and cast Spell Break to remove all the spell tags. Shadow opened her eyes first and tested all her joints and wings. Balos and Blackrose moved opening their eyes and stretching.

"Morning Kashy," Shadow said with a smile. Kashy gave her an angry glare. "Before you say anything, Loki was the one who froze us here. We couldn't of broken out even if we wanted to."

"Let's talk at the castle," Kashy replied noticing each had a similar wound in their chests. "I assume you can fly there." BlackRose flapped her wings hard and hovered off the ground.

"Well," BlackRose said with a smile similar to Shadow's. "We can fly at least." Kashy gave her a thump on the head in response. "You did ask…" BlackRose added painfully holding her head.

"Let's just get going," Novus intervened. "Palidor is waiting for us up at the castle. We need to hold an meeting to discuss the recent events that have taken place." Kashy nodded in agreement.

~~~

Chibi knelt on the ground breathing hard. Her copy seemed be getting stronger and stronger. Flyte hovered close to her ear. "Mistress… The pieces…"

"I know," Chibi replied struggling to her feet. Her copy laughed hard at her struggle.

"But that means that you could be supported properly now," Flyte said worriedly look at the cuts and bruises all over Chibi's body. "I can't keep up in healing you."

A rush of power enveloped Chibi healing her completely. Chibi looked around. Lack gave her a wink. "I can," he pulled his gloves tight but stayed in a normal standing position. "I'll support you but on one condition." Chibi narrowed her eyes at him. "If you become too badly injured then I'm going to kill it for you."

"If you say so…" Chibi murmured standing and straightening her skirt. Flyte cast Emergency Avoid on Chibi and she darted in to attack her copy. It seems stronger now. Were the pieces adding to my strength before? Chibi locked swords with it, drew Azoth and slashed it across the chest and waist.

"She seems weaker now," Lack said to Flyte. He cast Heal, Blessing and Agility on Chibi. "It doesn't make sense."

"It does," a voice whispered in his ear. Lack smiled knowing well who the voice belonged to. "Her pieces are now gone. Being left in the ice a bit longer than you gave her Spiritual Power a chance to heal without interference. What I want to know is, do you want me to leave the connection between you two in place?"

"Other than being convenient," Lack asked watching Flyte cast Emergency Avoid to increase Chibi's attack speed. "Is there any other purpose it's serving?"

"You mean current or potential?" Lack moved aside to let a Bomb aimed at him go flying past. "It has no current purpose but you know Chibi loves to experiment… So it does have a potential to keep her as a human if anything like Azoth was to happen again."

"Then leave it," Lack replied catching Chibi as she flew backwards from the impact of a Bomb. "You're getting yourself beaten up out there."

"I can't seem to muster my strength anymore," she cried. Lack could see tears in her eyes. "It's getting difficult and I really don't know why."

They both heard a sigh. "You're use to using the strength from the pieces," Chibi's ears twitched in response. "Your actual strength hasn't been used in a very long time. It needs work to get back to the way it was."

"Eir," Chibi said angrily. "You're saying I have no way of defeating my copy."

"Correct," she replied, her voice relaying a degree of cheerfulness.

Chibi pulled out of Lack's arms and stalked towards her copy thoroughly angry. Lack smothered a laugh. "You did that on purpose."

"What I said is true," Eir replied. "But it's also true that when she's angry she gets stronger and can tap into that strength faster." A gust of wind blew near him. "I'll come by Fight Club later."

Lack smiled and Healed Chibi when he caught her the second time. "Want me to defeat it for you?" he asked with mock concern in his voice. Adding fuel to the fire.

"Just stay as support," Chibi snapped and darted back catching her copy by surprise and cutting into its arms and finally thrusting her sword deep into it's chest. She stood and pulled her sword out. Her copy fell to the floor and began to melt away. "I under estimated myself."

~~~

Tadakono, Syaoran and Phenomenon sat listening to the concerns of various guildsmen. "There isn't much we can do. Until Lack and Chibi tie up loose ends from their copies, you can't expect them to drop everything incase it effects the guild itself."

"But it's like they're neglecting us," A Sniper said pulling on her pigtails. "How are we suppose to feel?"

"Patience," Syaoran replied with a sigh. His ears twitched hearing a sound in the distance. "They'll be here soon."

~~~

Lack stepped into the foyer. With a deep breath he walked off towards the Dining Room. Chibi watched him leave the room before sitting down hard on the spot. Flyte floated near her. "Mistress…"

"Enough Flyte," Chibi said, her voice a little strained. "Stay with Lack." A voice called out to her in her head. "Once I've rested I have to head off somewhere. If Lack asks where I am, tell him I'm resting and I don't want to be disturbed. Nothing else… Understand?" Flyte nodded and flew off after Lack. The voice called out to her again. I know. I'll be there soon… I'm talking to myself in my head. She sighed and leaned back against the door.

~~~

"Mistress is resting," Flyte answered Lack. "That aside…" She motioned to the Fight Club guildsmen entering the Meeting Room and taking their places. Phenomenon and Syaoran went up and stood with Lack.

"Where's Tadakono?" Lack asked looking over the congregation before him. "And Furama."

"Tada said he had something he needed to do," Syaoran replied watching the last trickle into the room. "I don't know about Furama."

"I'll ask Kakaxi later about it." Lack said motioning Phenomenon to take their places at the long table. "Now then…"

~~~

Chibi walked through the ice cave with Tadakono and Furama. "I'm sorry for pulling you away from the Guild Meeting," Chibi said quietly to them. "But this isn't something I can do alone. Lack is better able to correct dissention in the guild better than I can. And with Hel and Contra possibly attacking us soon, I want to free those I'm sure that can be freed."

"But freeing Mike?" Tadakono said as they neared the cavern. "Are you sure?"

"I don't know how," Chibi replied as the voice called out to her. "But I can hear him." Chibi pressed her hand against the ice. "I just need one more piece of proof. You can hear me can't you." A voice answered in her head. "You've done it before. My tattoo." She removed her glove from her right hand. It flickered before becoming bright then dulling to it's original faded colour.

Tadakono and Furama stared at her. "We'll set him free Chibs." They moved her gently aside and set to work. "How is he able to still control your tattoo? I thought that once you change guilds, the guild master can't contact you via it."

"He did it before," Chibi replied replacing the glove on her hand. "We went to see him remember?" Tadakono nodded. Chibi smoothed her glove to remove the wrinkles and continued. "I have some theories on how he does it but none seem really reliable."

MikeRex sat shivering violently. His armor ice cold against his skin. "I can do it only if Chibi has Azoth on her. At least that's what Loki told me while I was under his control."

"Azoth is in my bedroom at Headquarters," Chibi replied. "And I didn't have Azoth on me that day we came to visit you. So as usual, Loki lied. That was one of my theories but the second point and now this right here disproved that theory."

"I'm out of ideas as well," MikeRex said getting up and hopping from one foot to the other attempting to warm up. Noticing Chibi's distant expression, he asked. "Anything I should know?"

"You probably have a copy," Chibi replied focusing her eyes back on him. "It's probably why they haven't heard your call. They assume it's your copy being mean. Your copy is your opposite. You need to defeat it yourself. If anyone else kills it… Let's just say it doesn't have pleasant effects. If you happen to be killed by your copy, it becomes reality… So keep that in mind as well." She held out her hand to him.

"If I have a copy and I turn up," MikeRex said suddenly. He took her hand and she helped him up. "They'll think I'm the copy!"

"That's why we're coming with you," Chibi replied. Tadakono and Furama's eyes opened wide hearing that for the first time. "I'm not in the mood to be destroyed by Contra and Hel. So the less copies and the more people we can gather to fight is best. But with your copy leading Velvet Touch of Enishi, we'll have enemies instead of allies." A faint tone of hurt flowed through her words.

~~~

Lack flopped down into his chair watching a finally satisfied guild leave the Meeting Room. "Chibi never came. She didn't really need to rest that long." He got up and walked out the door towards her room.

Flyte flew in front of him and spread her arms wide. "She said she didn't want to be disturbed." Lack looked at her with narrowed eyes. "She doesn't want to be disturbed."

"Where did Chibi go this time?" Lack asked his voice low and angry. "Where did she go and not tell me."

Flyte tilted her head to one side as if to hear something that Lack couldn't. "Mistress says it's alright. She's safe with Tadakono and Furama…" Flyte trailed off just as Chibi had to her.

"And," Lack said his voice low. "She's with someone else as well."

"She says don't worry," Flyte replied again. "She says she'll call on you if she needs your help. But she doesn't expect she'll need it yet. She says you need to worry more on getting the guild stronger because the likelihood of Contra or Hel… Or both… Attacking is high."

"Nothing you can do," Phenomenon said giving Lack a pat on the back. "If Chibi is doing what she needs to do then you need to ensure that you keep the guild safe too. Syao and I will give you a hand."

~~~

Chibi walked through the familiar halls of Velvet Touch of Enishi. Nostalgia playing on her mind. Pressing a hand on JohnFlora's room, she paused before knocking softly. "Come in," a voice called from inside. Chibi opened the door and was confronted with a very surprised JohnFlora. "How?"

"Mike gave me permission to enter for his sake," Chibi replied closing the door behind her. "You've noticed it haven't you? Mike's unusual behavior?" JohnFlora looked at her curiously and sat on his bed patting next to him inviting Chibi to sit also. "The Mike that's been here since returning from Nameless Island is a copy of himself. If I was to guess correctly, he would be the opposite to the Mike you know… Cruel, bloodthirsty, uncaring… Am I hitting the nail on the head so far?"

"But what do you propose I do?" JohnFlora asked looking closely at Chibi. If what she says is true then there's a possibility that this isn't really Chibi either since she went through the same doorway as Mike.

"The real Mike is outside," Chibi replied knowing full well what JohnFlora was thinking. "Go ask the copy if he gave me permission to walk the halls. If he says no then you have your answer. If he says yes, then you'll have to come back here to kill me. Sounds reasonable?"

"How can I guarantee that you aren't going to run off while I do that?" JohnFlora asked watching her carefully and weighing his options on defeating her if she proved to be a doppelganger or some other evil being.

"You know the answer to that already," Chibi replied taking off her glove to reveal her faded butterfly tattoo. "You have more power in this building than I do. You can easily manipulate the door to hold me in."

JohnFlora got up and pressed his hand to his bedroom door. His butterfly tattoo shone brightly leaving a seal on the outside of the door. "I'll be back." He opened the door and closed it behind him, the wood of the door and frames entwining with each other to form a solid seal. What am I going to do? If she's real then I can't let her be harmed or both Lack and Mike will kill me. If she's fake I can't take her on myself. He walked towards MikeRex's and Jemini's bedroom. Opening the door, he looked in briefly. Where could he be? The sound of crying brought his attention to the corner of the room. "Jemini?"

"John!" Jemini burst into fresh tears. "Mike… Mike said he doesn't want me around anymore!" JohnFlora's eyes widened. Jemini held onto him tightly and continued to cry.

"Where did he go Jemini?" he asked gently stroking her hair. "I have a sneaking suspicion that the Mike we have here is a fake. I'm going to find out if I'm right." Jemini stopped crying and looked up at him with renewed hope.

"He went to the Training Room I think," she said with a hiccup. "I hope you're right." She got up and pulled herself together. "I'm coming too."

They walked down towards the Training Room. Sounds of metal ringing out loudly. JohnFlora and Jemini looked in to find MikeRex bearing down on Caya in a very one-sided battle. JohnFlora ran and supported Caya. MikeRex growled angrily and brought his spear hard down onto the two of them. It's true. I don't need to ask him. Chibi was right. He and Caya moved around the room evading MikeRex's attack.

When they neared the door, John called out to Jemini. "Go to my room and release the person in there. She'll help you work out what needs to be done," JohnFlora watched her run off out of the corner of her eye. Hurry Jemini.

~~~

Chibi's ears twitched hearing quick footsteps approaching the door. She moved away and sat at JohnFlora's desk. Jemini burst in and froze. "Chibi…"

"I take it John got his answer," Chibi got up and took her hand. "We don't have much time. Come with me." She dragged the stunned Jemini down the hall and out the door to where Furama, Tadakono and MikeRex stood waiting. "John and Caya are fighting your shadow."

Jemini pulled out of Chibi's grasp and stood away from MikeRex. "How did you know that?"

"I guess that was the case when you came to free me from John's room," Chibi replied not looking at Jemini. "Assuming that John can't fight his brother alone, Mike's copy must of gone into the Training Room after he spoke to you and attacked Caya… Who's almost always in there anyway."

"How did you know he spoke to me?"

"I must have had good timing," Chibi looked at Jemini. "Considering your face is still damp. You had been crying. The copy must of said or done something really mean to cause you to cry. Because you don't look physically hurt, that leaves that he said something to you." She looked back to MikeRex and added "You better go rescue the two of them before they either die from your copy or kill your copy." She glanced back and Jemini and walked over to pull one of Jemini's ribbons out of her hair.

"What are you doing?!" she cried trying to grab the ribbon back.

Chibi stepped away from Jemini's hands and came over to MikeRex. "Bring the point down." She said to him with a slight commanding tone in her voice. MikeRex raised an eyebrow then lowered his spear. Chibi wrapped the ribbon around the shaft of the spear, ending with a bow. She brought out two coating bottles and coated his armor and spear. "So we can tell you apart from your copy." MikeRex nodded and motioned for them to go inside.

~~~

This is bad. JohnFlora cast Kyrie Elision on himself and Caya. The butterfly tattoo on himself and Caya glowed brightly. Mike? "Caya," he said quickly as Caya cast Sightless Raid. "We're going to fall back to the door." Caya nodded and they moved back.

"Mike?" Caya said in surprise as he moved back through the door frame. Noticing a smaller blue figure at his side, his eyes widened in surprise. "Chibi…"

"Anything else I need to know?" MikeRex asked her quickly. JohnFlora cast defensive spells over everyone. "Anything you've left out."

"Your copy is you," Chibi replied throwing bombs to surround the doorway to buy them some time. "You need to think of ways to defeat yourself. It'll be a very difficult battle but your weaknesses you know of are the same for the copy. If you can catch your copy in a weakness then it's a sure win for you. The same goes for it, so be careful."

MikeRex and JohnFlora leapt over the flames and into the room. Chibi kept the flames up as a barrier between those with her and the battle ahead. Caya leaned against her with a smile. "I haven't seen you in a long time. You and Mike seem to be civil to each other now."

"Not completely," Chibi replied watching MikeRex throw his copy across the room. "There are still some things between us that keeps us from being friends but as comrades, that's a different story all together."

"Isn't that the same thing?" Tadakono asked cutting Caya off. He looked apologetically at Caya and continued "Comrades and friends are the same aren't they?"

"The idea is but the actual structure isn't," Chibi replied throwing out more bombs. "Friends are two or more people who can sit and talk, hang out and basically have fun in each others company. Comrades, on the other hand, are different. If you're in a battle, you'd look for the person you can trust to watch your back and know they trust you to watch theirs. Arguments, friendships, fun… They don't enter that equation. In a battle, your main instinct is to survive and if there's someone who can help you reach that goal then you go for it even if that person is your worst enemy." Her eyes darkened and flickered as if looking at something moving near her fast.

"Chibi?" Furama and Tadakono gave her a small shake. "Chibi, the flames are dying down…"

Chibi watched the scene in her head. I don't remember activating my ability. She could sense Tadakono and Furama move away from her to stand in front and cast Storm Gust and Lord of Vermilion respectively as a barrier against the battle. Caya and Jemini took over shaking her. She couldn't respond or snap out of her vision. You activated it didn't you Eir. Without warning me. She focused onto the vision. This isn't good. I'm going to have to intervene. Chibi snapped out of her vision and darted through Tadakono's Storm Gust towards MikeRex's copy.

Time slowed as Chibi approached. She drew four Acid bottles and threw them at MikeRex's copy before circling back behind MikeRex and JohnFlora to the door. For a second, her eyes caught MikeRex's. MikeRex nodded and brought his spear through the four bottles causing the contents to spill over the copy. The Acid began to eat away at the metal on the copy's body and spear. MikeRex brought his spear up and impaled his copy through the heart. Chibi returned and ran directly into Tadakono's arms.

"Why did you do that?" he whispered as everyone cheered with excitement at MikeRex's victory. "You didn't respond to us then you just move so quickly like you were the one on fire."

"I saw Mike's death," Chibi said quietly. "My ability from Eir was activated. I'm pretty sure it was Eir herself who did it because I didn't do it. So I made it easier for him to defeat his copy."