Of course, such unparalleled peace was not to last. “Okay, I hate to break up the touching reunion….” Anna cut in, “but would someone mind filling in a few blanks? The only thing I’ve heard explained was how Hasaré kidnapped Evelyn from her home and, apparently, brainwashed her into her service.” She folded her arms. “Not exactly unusual for Hasaré, but if you don’t mind, I’d still like details.”

Normally, Phoenix Archer expected Brianna to step in and correct Anna’s rudeness, but when glanced at the other two, she realized they agreed. Well… if it had been a few days, that was an understandable feeling. Besides… “I’d like to know a few things myself.” She admitted. Glancing at the mysterious Mr. Davis, she continued, “For instance, how do you fit into all this? No offense, but I’ve never seen you before.”

“I’ve been trying to figure that out, too.” Evelyn scanned him carefully, taking in every detail. “I thought you were just one of her men, but… even before you saved us, I thought there was something… different about you….” Suddenly, Evelyn gasped and her eyes flew wide. “Kevin… Kevin, it’s you!”

“Kevin” smiled dryly. “Hello, Evelyn. I was wondering if you’d ever remember.” He stepped up to her bed, and into her waiting arms. As the hug continued, Evelyn’s broad smile remained, but Kevin’s expression fell. “But… to be honest, I almost wish you didn’t.” He turned away and admitted, “I was hoping no one else would remember what I did.”

Even Mariana seemed surprised by that, but Evelyn understood. She turned his head back, and forced him to look in her eyes as she stated, “I don’t know if you mean before or after my capture, but either way, you’re guilty of nothing more than being deceived. We all fell for Hasaré’s tricks; even Phoenix Archer did.” Suddenly, Evelyn seemed to realize what she was saying—out loud—and quickly turned to her “roommate”. “Err… no offense.”

Phoenix Archer smiled lopsidedly. “None taken; I have to agree.” The girls had been right; walking into that ambush was a bad idea. She was lucky—blessed—things turned out all right in the end.

Mariana wasn’t so casual. “What you did? What do you mean, Kevin?” Suddenly, her arms started to fold across her chest. “Come to think of it, I haven’t heard much explanation from you at all. If you found Evelyn first, then why didn’t you come back a lot sooner?”

“Mariana?” The older girl seemed surprised at the interruption, but listened to Evelyn anyways. “I can explain, but first… I think it’s only fair we make sure everyone’s on the same page.” Smiling dryly and glancing at the phoenixes and archer, she pointed out, “I’d prefer to only go through this once.”

Mariana nodded; that made sense. No objections were raised, so Evelyn began, “Well, first off, I’m going to assume Mariana told you that we’re sisters.” The others nodded. “Okay, I thought so. So, now for the complicated part: did she tell you that Kevin is our cousin?”

A few surprised expressions later, Diana shook her head and commented, “Nope, that’s new by us.”

“And that’s not all.” She glanced at Kevin, almost as if looking for confirmation… and, after a moment or two, she received it. “You see, his mother is our father’s sister, an Empath. His father is a normal human. He’s an Empath, but his abilities are… significantly weaker than ours.”

Phoenix Archer gave a small nod. “I’m familiar with the concept.” Slight understatement.

“You see… the reason I’m telling you this is….” Evelyn sighed quietly. “For the most part, my people have a pretty good idea of who we can trust, and who we can’t. For a non-telepath to lie to us, and for us to not immediately detect it… it’s unthinkable.” She grimaced as she admitted, “That’s why we were so easily fooled by the so-called ‘Natalie Caron’.”

Phoenix Archer nodded. “Believe me, Hasaré knows how to evade telepathy; anything short of a deep scan. It probably took every trick in her arsenal, but I can believe she could fool you.” Dryly, she realized it was her turn to pass the phrase around again: “No offense.”

“Yes, I’m sure she did.” Kevin agreed, but his tone was much less… amused. “But there was one final step she took: she made sure to spend most of her time with someone who had almost no chance of discovering her ruse.” Kevin looked away and sullenly admitted, “Someone who, she realized, was fascinated with the outside human world… and who was willing to believe she was just a curious world traveler, and had all kinds of amazing stories to tell.”

He let out a quiet breath. “She took full advantage of my human side. Convinced me she was a friend—a good friend. A few of us were suspicious of her—I thought they were just paranoid, and couldn’t understand humans. Not like I did.” He buried his face in his hand. “That’s why I didn’t think twice about inviting ‘Natalie’ to a town meeting, to find out more about our way of life. She told me she couldn’t come; she was getting ready to leave. I wish.”

Evelyn took it up from there: “She knew that almost everyone in the village would be there… except me. I thought it was incredibly boring and convinced my parents to let me stay home. The next thing I knew, there were three men in my house, and they dragged me off to ‘Natalie’. I found out the truth shortly after that.”

Phoenix Archer spent a moment thinking it over. “So… did Hasaré target you, specifically, or were you just in the wrong place at the wrong time?”

Evelyn shrugged. “I don’t know for sure. I… I think there was some reason she singled me out, but….” She shook her head. “I don’t remember. My memories after that are… muddled.”

Kevin nodded. “She never told me, either… and I wasn’t in a position to ask.”

“Yeah, that reminds me,” Anna piped up, “how did you end up here? Mariana didn’t mention you at all, so I assume you didn’t come with her, and… I got the impression Hasaré’s men—and what’s-her-face—knew you.”

Kevin nodded glumly. “They did. I was working with Hasaré for a little while.” No, that wasn’t a shock or anything…. “I knew it was her right away, so I went after her. I… I don’t know what I was thinking. I didn’t want to tell anyone what I’d done, and… I was hoping I could reason with her, and if not, I’d expose her.” He shook his head. “I really should’ve known better. Her response? She ‘needed a good teacher for Evelyn’. So, if I stayed and helped Hasaré with her plans, she’d take good care of Evelyn. If I ever left to get help, she’d kill her.” He hung his head in shame. “I guess she planned to do that either way.”

“Kevin, I said it before and I’ll say it again: Hasaré used you.” Evelyn repeated. “Yeah, maybe you should’ve told someone the truth, but… I mean, otherwise, you did the right thing. You can’t blame yourself for all this.”

Mariana set her hand on his shoulder. “She’s right, Kevin. The only ones to blame are Hasaré and her cohorts.”

“And believe me, she will answer for what she’s done.” Phoenix Archer slowly started pulling herself up, and set one foot on the ground. “And she’s going to start by giving me some answers.”

Well, that certainly inspired some action. Brianna stepped forward and cautioned, “Wait a minute, you’re in no con—”

“Mariana just said I’m fine mentally, I’ve been resting for days so I’m clearly physically all right, and if it’s that big a concern, you can find me a ride to the jail. I’m just going to talk to her.”

Kevin shot her an incredulous look. “No one at the Sheriff’s office has gotten a word out of her yet. No offense, but why do you expect her to talk to you?”

“Trust me, she’ll start singing like a bird. Let’s just say I know ways to make her talk.” With that, Phoenix Archer stood, collected her weapons and cape, and walked out of the room. For a moment, it looked like some might follow, but they eventually came to the same conclusion: this was something she had to do alone.

Part 1 of 3. Summaries will appear at the end of the segments.

Phoenix Archer let out a deep sigh as the wind flew past her face. Even if she was unconscious for most of it, she really felt like she had been bedridden for days. But now that she was flying again, bit by bit, that all seemed to wear away, and the stiffness faded. It was just what the doctor ordered… well, except for the fact that her doctor probably wouldn’t approve.

After a few minutes, though, her wings started to remind her that they weren’t in the best shape to support her weight for so long. They started to ache badly, and Phoenix Archer was just beginning to think about landing. Thankfully, the Ditto Town Jail slid into view just before she began to regret this.

She landed, wrapping her wings around her shoulders, and started adjusting her weapons. She wasn’t entirely sure why she brought them at all; maybe just because she was comfortable with them, or… maybe because they made her feel less vulnerable. Not that what she feared was a physical threat. Phoenix Archer reached to pull up her cloak’s hood, but stopped as soon as she felt the cloth. ‘Why bother?’ She decided. ‘There’s no need to hide. I don’t have to play by her rules.’ She stepped towards the door, took one last calming breath, and opened the door.

When she arrived, Phoenix Archer discovered Hasaré was already settled into her isolated cell. Ironically, Ryana noted, it was the same one where she had questioned “Max”—back when this whole mess began. Things had changed since then. As soon as she rounded the corner, Hasaré glanced up… and upon seeing her, her eyes widened in intrigued surprise. Ryana slid into the seat, keeping a steady eye on Hasaré through the glass. Of course, she returned the favor. For a moment or two, neither said a word.

Finally, Hasaré broke the silence: “So, you did survive, after all. I was beginning to think otherwise. Or, maybe you just didn’t want to see me.” With a sadistic smile, she commented, “I wonder why that might be….”

“Your ‘cure’ was a little more effective than you thought.” Ryana pointed out. She was fighting her sharp tongue, but at least it wasn’t showing. “That, with a little help from Mariana, was enough to cure us both.”

At the name, Hasaré spat something venomous under her breath. “Meddlesome brat. I was hoping she would contract the illness and finally get out of my way.”

“She did. Blindness wasn’t enough to stop her, just slow her down. She’s capable of one thing you’ll never understand.” Ryana doubted she’d ever experienced that kind of love before, and she knew she couldn’t feel it. But this was a distraction; she shook it off. “Look, I’m not here for another verbal sparring match. I’m here for answers, and you’re going to give them to me.”

Hasaré cocked an eyebrow at that. “Oh, I am?” She must’ve noticed Ryana’s sudden cold glare, unless she was planning to do this all along. “Well, I suppose I owe you that much. I wouldn’t want to put your mind under too much pressure trying to figure it out.” Ryana was glad her mask disguised the smirk; oh yes, typical Hasaré. Did she hope the low blow would catch her off guard? She was sadly mistaken. Either way, the blonde rested her elbows on the table, and her chin in her folded hands. “So, what do you want to know?”

Ryana had already long-since decided the most important question: “Why did you pick Evelyn? Why did you do all this?”

“It’s quite simple, really; with all the telepaths running amok, especially in this town—and especially you—I wanted a contingency plan. I was hoping to find allies among the Empaths, but took on an alias just in case.” She barely contained her scoff. “It was a wise decision. They couldn’t be bothered with our cause; had they known, I imagine I would’ve been driven out long before then.”

“I wouldn’t be surprised. It was hard enough for you to convince a phoenix your cause was noble.” Hasaré fixed her in a subdued glare, but she ignored it. “So it didn’t work out. Why did you keep trying, then? Why maintain the charade?”

“Because of Mr. Davis.” Now, she settled back into her strangely confident exterior, with a smirk to match. “I’m sure he’s told you the whole story by now. Oh, he was so gullible, and just made things so easy.” Even she couldn’t contain a dark chuckle at that. “He was so intrigued by a human visitor—and it wasn’t hard to get him talking. His description of the potential applications of his people’s Empathy….” She just shook her head and smiled all the more wickedly. “In the right hands, it could be made to do any number of things, including getting some needed information… or making it a little easier to persuade a stubborn warrior that I have the right idea.”

Ryana restrained herself from taking the bait. “But why Evelyn? Why did you single her out?

“For one thing, she was the most… accessible, shall we say. Especially for an Empath, she was a little bit of a loner, in a lot of respects… not unlike someone else I know. But the other reason, quite simply, was because of her training. She had just enough to have manageable powers… but unlike her sister, and half the other people in that village, she was still a little… flexible. I could still make her do what I wanted.

“From there, I though the hard part would be to capture Evelyn without raising the alarm. Actually, that was quite simple, compared to trying to hold her.” For once, her half-amused exterior actually cracked, and Ryana thought she saw…well, whatever Hasaré remembered, it wasn’t pleasant. “But an angry Empath, who has no reservations about what she does to her guards…can cause problems.”

“Let me guess: psychological warfare is a little easier when you can manipulate your opponent’s emotions… literally. So, she gave you a taste of your own medicine.” Ryana promised herself she’d refrain from too many ripostes, but considering how long she’d dealt with this woman… it felt good to get a couple zingers out.

Hasaré actually smiled, if only barely, at that. “I suppose I should have expected that. I suppose my previous experiences with telepaths left me… ill-prepared for this.”

Part 2 of 3. Summaries will appear at the end of the segments.

“Fine, I understand that much. But if she gave you so much trouble… then how did you get her to work for you? And where did that bond come from?”

“I’m glad you asked those questions together; believe it or not, they’re related.” Ryana’s glare made it clear she wanted a straight answer, not Hasaré’s commentary. “I don’t know what you know about Empathy, so I’ll start at the beginning. Empaths have to learn to… detach themselves from their subconscious mind, as well as their own emotions, to use their abilities properly; after all, it’d be hard to focus on another’s feelings if you’re distracted by your own.” All right, that made sense so far; Mariana said something similar, when she was describing her blindness. “Kevin described this to me in one of our conversations, and it intrigued me. If Evelyn was able to separate her conscious thoughts from the rest of her mind… could I access her subconscious?”

It kind of scared Ryana, but she actually had an idea where this was going…. “Her subconscious… including her memories?”

Hasaré seemed almost impressed by her deduction. “Exactly. It took several tries, as well as just about every telepath and scientist working for me, but we managed to do it. From there, it was just a matter of removing the right memories, altering a few more… and suddenly, she wouldn’t think twice about serving me completely.”

“And what does that have to do with the bond?”

“Ryana, were you listening? Removing the right memories. It’s nigh impossible to actually remove a memory, especially from a telepath. The only thing I could hope to do was block her access to them, but without risking her powers eventually uncovering the real ones.” She gave an all-too-casual shrug. “I needed, essentially, to store them somewhere. Somewhere with its own defenses against telepathy. Somewhere… like, perhaps, another telepath’s mind; one strong enough to hold her own barriers, but weak enough not to realize a foreign presence.” With an almost gleeful smile, she locked eyes with Ryana, just as the latter began to realize what she meant. “Someone who, conveniently, was already my captive, and who needed a little motivation to cooperate.”

Ryana was standing before she realized she’d moved. “You did WHAT to my mind?!”

Hasaré seemed to pretend she didn’t hear her. “You know, quite honestly, I prefer the analogy one of my scientists offered. After we gave you a sedative—one strong enough to knock down even your telepathic barriers—we left you, alone, with Evelyn. When we triggered the procedure, there was nowhere else for Evelyn to direct her powers—just you. Without your… ‘firewalls’, so to speak, your mind had no problem downloading all that information and storing it away somewhere. But after you woke up again, your barriers re-engaged, preventing Evelyn’s powers from merely undoing the whole thing with a thought.” She nodded. “Yes, I do prefer the computer analogy; it makes things so much—”

“So, that’s what you did before you let me go? You used me as a… a… a vault?” Ryana really couldn’t think of a better word to describe it. As it was, she could hardly believe what she was hearing. She tried to think of a controlled response, but ended up blurting out, “And then you just let me go?!” Not quite the incensed response she wanted to give, but that bit of illogic did stand out….

“I was still hoping you’d lead me to the crystals. I knew your barriers were far weaker than Evelyn’s powers; eventually, she’d find you, and be able to get the information, with or without your help. When things went too far, then I planned to pull the plug… but until then,” She shrugged, “I was hoping to find that out first. Even if you were working for me, that didn’t necessarily mean you’d tell me where they were.”

Ryana couldn’t take it anymore; she was so casual, so… apathetic! All of this agony, over a couple of crystals and… and a petty feud…! She turned away, trying so hard not to scream… but otherwise, she didn’t care what she did. She was just too infuriated to try.

Finally, after a few would-be calming breaths (which turned into frantic gasps), she found the composure to speak again. Slowly, she turned around again, and tried to understand: “Why? Why have you spent half your life hunting me? Why… why do you do all of this just for me?”

Hasaré scoffed. “How much are you assuming I did to find you? Finding you in Ditto Town was an accident; you just happened to be here. But, to be honest, it really wasn’t that hard to figure out.” She scoffed again, and her voice bordered on incredulous. “‘Phoenix Archer’? Really? ‘Ryana’, a romanticized variant of ‘Archer’, and ‘Armaya’, the feminine form for ‘phoenix’? What kind of ‘secret identity’ is your real name?” Ryana had to admit… there was no excuse for that. Apparently, that kind of tribute to her real identity… not exactly the wisest choice she’d ever made.

Part 3 of 3. Summaries will appear at the end of the segments.

Hasaré saw her audience wasn’t going to defend herself, so she let her tone calm down, and continued, “But… as much as my search for you was a… byproduct of my real goals, I’d long-since promised myself I’d convert you if I could. Call it a hobby, if you really must. After all, your turning would be of invaluable—”

“Surely you could’ve found a better weapon,” Ryana half-hissed, “certainly better than someone who will never, ever willingly participate in the genocide of another species. In case you haven’t noticed in your travels, not all vampires are like the ones we have back home… and even if they were, you still haven’t convinced me it’d ever be right. This is not self-defense; it’s cold-blooded murder.”

Hasaré waited patiently, though not exactly amusedly, for her to stop. “I know, Ryana; I’ve given up trying to convince you on that front. After all, vampire hunting is far from my only goal nowadays.” That, Ryana had to admit, was news; startled, she actually turned to face her head-on, and started listening again. “But even so, that’s not what I was going to say. I was going to say… your turning would be of invaluable worth to Mother.”

That… was a shock. Phoenix Archer half-slid, half-fell back into her seat. “To be honest, after we found out we couldn’t clone you, your value to our cause lessened considerably. You would’ve been very helpful, yes, but not on the scale we originally thought.” Hasaré shook her head. “But that wasn’t the point. She wanted you, Ryana; she was incomplete without you.”

Ryana had finally regained her composure…and no small portion of her anger. “And that, somehow, justifies this? That you’re doing this in her name? Hasaré, everything I hate about you, you learned from Tharos.”

Hasaré sighed in irritation. “Could you at least call her by her real name?”

“That is her real name. She gave up the right to any other name a long time ago.”

“‘A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.’” One glare told her that the quip was not appreciated, so Hasaré threw up her hands in defeat. “All right, fine, call her what you want. But I still say you’re wrong.” She folded her arms across her chest and pointed out, “I think I can safely assume one of those things you ‘hate about me’ is the fact that I, quite honestly, don’t care.” She shrugged nonchalantly. “I have my own ambitions, and whoever happens to come in the way… well, that’s just business. There’s no need to justify it when I don’t care what’s right or wrong.”

“Well, for once, I think we can agree on something.”

“But… deny it all you want, but you know I didn’t inherit that from my mother. I thought she was wasting her time, but she was determined only to take ‘necessary’ measures.” She scoffed slightly. “I know you think I’m incapable of receiving or understanding love, let alone feeling it, but you forget that she was my mother. She’s the one person in the world I know loved me.”

Hasaré must’ve seen Ryana’s eyes roll slightly; she was losing her audience. “And she’s the only person in this world I care about. And for her sake, Ryana, please believe me… just this once.” Surprisingly, Phoenix Archer couldn’t doubt… her sincerity. She nodded, acknowledging that she was listening. “Whatever her original intentions for marrying your father, it wasn’t all just a calculated risk. And it wasn’t all a lie.” Oh no… it was really going there. The one place Phoenix Archer wasn’t prepared to go. She tried, but… she couldn’t look Hasaré in the eye, and slowly turned away. Regardless, the other woman finished her statement: “You know that, right? From the moment you were born… she really did love you.”

Phoenix Archer barely, just barely, let out a soft sigh. Slowly, she opened her eyes. “I know.” That...was all there was to say. Despite what she wanted to say, or believe, she knew Hasaré had probably spoken the one good thing she still could.

Ryana turned back towards Hasaré, as she rose to her feet. “But I think visiting hours are up. I’m sure the Sheriff can take care of this from here….” Sardonically, she added, “Unless there’s another little town that owes you a fair trial.”

“Oh, I’m sure. I’m also sure you have things to take care of, so just do me one favor?” Phoenix Archer stopped; she was listening. Hasaré leaned back, head resting in one hand, as she evenly requested, “When you see Evelyn, or whoever else you’ll see… be sure to tell her it was nothing personal. Just business.”

“I’m sure.” Phoenix Archer turned and headed towards the door. Just as she reached the corner, however, she stopped. She glanced over her shoulder, barely catching Hasaré in her peripheral vision. “Wait. There's...just one more thing.” Despite herself, Ryana knew there was no hiding her feelings now. She let out a quiet sigh, then just said it: “Where… is she now?”

Hasaré shook her head. “I don’t know; we’ve been separated for years. The last I heard from her….” She shook her head again. “She might be dead.” A satisfying answer? No… but, at the same time, yes. For the first time in years, Phoenix Archer actually cared where she was… and not in an effort to stay far, far away. Maybe something good came from this mess after all. Phoenix Archer continued forward, leaving Hasaré behind.

Phoenix Archer stepped out the front door, back into the sweet Dittopian air. She unfurled her wings and felt the wind for a good updraft. Just as her thoughts turned to flight, however, she realized something… there was one last thing she wanted to do. At first, she hesitated, but… the more she thought about it, the more she decided she liked the idea. She reached behind her neck, untied her mask, and let it fall into her hand. It felt so strange at first, but it only took a moment for her to smile instead. “There’s no need to hide any more.”

This time, Ryana’s flight was far different than it had been any other time in Ditto Town. She felt an exhilaration far beyond anything she’d experienced before. She took the time to spin around, race as high as she could go, and enjoy all of the tricks and excitements most humans only dream of. And, most importantly of all, she absolutely did not care who saw her, mask or no mask. For the first time, everyone—including her—would see her true colors.

Ryana had never felt so free.

Portia stared at the man she was apparently supposed to call “Bernie”, nonplussed. “The ‘Network’? Could you get any vaguer?”

Bernie laughed. “Believe it or not, it’s been done. I think we’re about on par with most other covert…organizations around here.” He chuckled into his mug as he said it, as if at an inside joke.

“Covert in what way?” Portia leaned forward. How deep was this rabbit hole, and what part did Sarah play in all of this?

Bernie looked at her seriously, though his eyes were twinkling. “Covert in *every* way, Miss Rizzo.”

**

A week later, on a windy and rainy night, an old Triumph Herald rolled into and through Ditto Town, passing up all the warm golden lights for the dark and dripping forest road. It came to a stop at the end of the gravel near the gates of the Compound, windshield wipers squeaking as they struggled in vain to make the night more transparent.

A female figure in a long coat and a broad-brimmed fedora alighted, and pounded on the gate with her fist. A crack of light appeared, and the woman cried out, then composed herself, and stepped inside.

Portia squinted at the floodlights illuminating the courtyard and making the raindrops sparkle. Then she squinted back at the person who had opened the door. He was unmistakably a gnome, and he was walking determinedly away to find “the Boss”- the person she’d been told to ask for.

She stared, blinked, and stared again, but the gnome waved a hand and said “Come on, then.”

Why this boss would even be here this late at night was beyond her. What kind of place was this?

Portia followed the gnome inside, and walked along a corridor until she was opposite the windows of a brightly lit cleanroom. A person was standing inside, shrouded in a white paper suit that made whoever it was look like a snowman. The gnome knocked, and the person turned around, eyes widening in surprise and apparent pleasure when he? She? It? There was a gnome, how could you be sure of anything? saw Portia.

This was nothing, however, compared to the surprise Portia had when the figure went behind a screen for a few minutes, and came out the other side of the airlock as Sarah!

“Portia!” Sarah came quickly over and wrapped her in a hug. “It’s been too long.”

To her great surprise, Portia found her eyes welling up. “I…it’s so great to see you too, Sarah,” she said into her friend’s shoulder. It was an overwhelming relief just to see a familiar face. Between the interviews, meetings, and near-outright interrogations, the last few days had been arduous, and she had so few answers. Seeing Sarah’s face, seeing that she hadn’t been forgotten, gave Portia hope.

“Oh yes. Sarah. Right. Um…there’s a lot we should discuss. Why don’t you come home with me tonight? I’ve had enough for one evening. This thing is being more trouble than I expected.”

“Oh, yeah, sure. Do you have an extra bed?”

“Yes, of course. By the way, that is a fantastic hat.”

“Thanks! So…hey, are you still doing engineering?” The question was a polite nothing. Why else had Sarah been in a cleanroom?

“Yes, actually…yourself?”

“Well, I was…but that’s sort of a long story.”

“It’s probably shorter than you think,” Sarah said, then turned to the gnome. “Thanks Twiddlethumbs. I’m done here for the night. Can you have Jerome on duty in here tonight?”

The gnome nodded, ducked into a small hole in the wall, and disappeared.

As Sarah led her away, Portia glanced back over her shoulder. “So what was that you were working on?”

“An EMP device. I have…some bug problems.”

As it turns out, it was a good thing Ryana gave up her secret identity. After she went home, she decided to test the full extent of her... mental scarring, it really was. To her surprise, she discovered a casualty: her telepathic abilities. Apparently, it'd just been too much of a strain fighting Evelyn's... well, whatever you would call it. Obviously, they'd failed a couple of times before--they'd decided this was why Ryana had her mood swings, and Evelyn her memory lapses--but not enough to spare them. She would have to experiment to find the full extent of her telepathy, but for now, she could assume they were mostly gone.

And, to make a long story short, that meant Vanessa was, effectively, gone. Her disguise had always been a telepathic illusion, and now, she could only maintain it for a few minutes, at best. Unless she walked around in full disguise at all times--or got a wig and contacts--she couldn't pretend to be Vanessa any longer. It looked like this was good--maybe even providential--timing. Besides, she had a feeling a certain someone already knew her alter ego. The newest edition of the Dittopian Thread came out awfully quickly, considering her identity had only been public for a few minutes or so. (One of these days, Ryana was going to find this "Emily"--and she was going to find out how she figured these things out.)

However, that was far from her only concerns. The next day, the business with Hasaré came up again: this time, the authorities wanted to ask her what to do about it. Other than arranging to have the bank robbed, Hasaré's main crimes were against Ryana herself--and, given what they knew of her, her more heinous crimes were probably committed elsewhere. In the end, they came to an agreement: they would (informally) extradite Hasaré to her home town, to face justice there. All parties found it fair and their best course of action.

Just one problem: who would take Hasaré to face her trial? Their home was far, far away; Ryana couldn't name an exact distance, but the trip could easily take weeks or months. For the most part, whoever went wouldn't come back any time soon.

And that's when Brianna approached her with the news.

~*~*~

Ryana stared at her in shock. "What?!"

Brianna nodded. "It was when I turned 18. I... don't know if it was there, or if I was just drawn to it, but when the time came... there it was. A portal that lead almost directly to the phoenix enclave. I spent that week at home."

Brianna looked down, her face starting to go red with shame. "Two reasons, actually. First of all... well, I told you at the time that I'm not really supposed to talk about what happened. I wasn't sure if that was part of it or not. And the other thing is...." She hesitated. "Well... the portal is still active--I've been checking up on it--but... it's not always open. It's only ever open for a week at a time, and I have no idea how long it'll be between openings. It's... erratic, at best." She shook her head. "It's better than walking, but it still means either a one-way, or a short trip."

She shook her head. "No, that's exactly what I was; don't try to contradict me. It wasn't intentional, but by dragging you away from home for so long, just because I couldn't find any other companions in my travels... that's exactly what I was. And I wish I realized it sooner." She shook her head again, but this time, to dispel that subject. "But whatever may have been, I can honestly say... I don't need you the same way I used to. I've found a place to call home." She looked back into Brianna's eyes, a smile forming. "And now, you three are free to make your own decisions. And your own decision is the only thing I'll accept."

She folded her arms. "So, Brianna, you and the others have a choice... do you want to go home, or stay in Ditto Town?"

~*~*~

Ryana's only regret was having so little time to say goodbye. In the end, all three of her girls decided to go home. To her surprise, for almost an hour, she thought Anna might decide to stay. Ironic... the one who argued with her the most, the one who defiantly disobeyed her... was the most hesitant to leave her. Ryana had a bittersweet smile as she remembered the tearful hug with the girl who could be her sister. It tore her heart, but she was comforted, knowing that they would see each other again.

Things had been so quiet since the girls left. Surprisingly, Ryana found herself starved for company, and ended up going into town a lot more than normal. She was glad for the time alone, just her and her thoughts... but at times, it was just too lonely. These changes would take a while to get used to.

Sighing, Ryana shook off the last of her memories. As much as they were primarily happy, she'd been stewing in them for days--occasionally, she needed to let go. Ryana lifted her wings from their rest and wrapped them around her shoulders. She was going out for a walk--into town, through the woods...wherever. Just somewhere away from these thoughts, just a break.

As she stepped out the front door, she muttered to herself, "Maybe I should just get a dog or something...."

A little Joe production...

"Stardate, Unknown, the USS United is floating through unknown space in a Galaxy that does not resemble the Milky Way at all, we were sucked here by a Wormhole in Sector 1030, we had gotten word of the Sectors plead for help and came to save them, unfortunately, we fell victims of the wormhole ourselves.

A resupply that will now never come. However on the edge of our scanners a small Planet, with a suitable atmosphere, is our one life line. If we can restock there we may have a chance of getting out of the galaxy."

Kyle clicked off the recording device "Lexi, get me a life form reading from that planet" Kyle said as the pulled out of hyperspace above Dittotopia "It crawling with life forms, various levels of intelligence, sir" Lexi replied "And a "Tec report?" Lexi looked at her computer screen before saying "Off the charts, sir"

Kyle nodded "Thank you, Cole, Lexi, come with us, we may need a translator, Cole I'm not sure why I need you, but I like you" he said standing up. He pushed his comunicator button and said "Jimmie, ready the transporter, Varner, you are coming to"

"I hoped you would say that, sir" Varner replied, Kyle and the group walked out of the bridge, in a few minutes they were at the transporter. Kyle walked onto the platform, followed by the other "Beaming you down" Jimmie said as he activated the machine.

A few second later they landed around the fountain, Cole, on top the fountain "I hate this job"

His heart nearly stalled as he reached down to pick up his wife. To him, it was obvious that she had been suffering through another debilitating headache, but this...! This was beyond anything they'd done to her before. He felt his own powerlessness to ease her pain deeply. But he could not afford to dwell on it; he must simply do what he could. With tender care, Gwanuig tucked her into his arms and stepped into the forest. He had turned for home as soon as he had felt her call and it almost broke his heart to be so far away.

Somewhat winded by the time they reached the edge of the woods, Gwanuig stopped and set Katherine down and tried to wake her, but could hear nothing, not even a groan in response. Fear started nibbling at the edges of his heart, and in the rising panic he decided to leave her in hopes of finding Lianna. But as he pulled away, he felt her stir. His breath caught and he looked downward again. She grabbed a hold of his tunic and gently moaned.

“Alright then, I won’t leave you,” he whispered softly, caressed and kissed her forehead, and then picked her up. The only thought marching through his head was "Must find Lianna". Anything more, and the fear might derail him. As he was unwilling to sling her on the saddle like so many potatoes, his horse followed him as he carried Katherine to her cousin’s store. Unfortunately, when they arrived, the building was dark. Gwanuig's heart, borne up by a single hope, fell, and he gently laid Katherine on the ground, trying to come up with an alternate plan. Thankfully, he didn't have to think long.

"Hey! Is everything ok over there?" A voice called to him from down the street, and a figure came trotting over.

"No! I need help! Please!" His voice was raspy, but he thought he recognized hers.

“Prince Gwanuig! Katherine! What's happened?" Aria stopped, surprised, as soon as she reached the pool of light from the streetlamp, then walked over quickly. "Is it the nanites?"

"Yes, the headaches are caused by the nanites- this is the worst I've ever seen it! But it's a long story. I was hoping to find Lia- we can't leave her out here."

"No, of course not. Can you carry her farther, or do you need help?"

"How far?" he felt exhausted, but the confidence in the engineer's voice was rousing.

She pointed to a building two doors down. "Just there."

"I can do that...but it's dark inside, are you sure anyone's there?"

"Don't worry. In this town, the Doctor is always in." She gave him a mischevious grin, which he returned not even halfheartedly, as he bent his knees and once again lifted Katherine's limp form in his arms.

"I'm sorry, Prince. I should be more serious at a time like this. But it's true. Dr. Ivanos doesn't actually sleep."

As he followed her into the doctor's office, he was once again overwhelmingly grateful for the weirdness of Ditto Town.
Aria knocked as she swung the door open. “Doctor? You around?”

Dr. Ivanos materialized in front of his visitors. Gwanuig was grateful that he had seen Hugh do the same enough times not to be startled; he feared dropping his precious burden. “May I set her down somewhere?”

“What happened?”

Gwanuig bit his lip and looked at Aria. She looked at him, puzzled at his hesitation. "The nanites, Gwanuig, tell him," she prompted.

He gave a sigh of resignation. “There are nanites in her body. We do not know how long they have been there, but we have reason to believe they have been in her system for some time. She suffered from severe headaches a couple of years ago and they seem to have returned. I was returning to town when I found her. This is the most intense pain I have seen her in to date.” He sidestepped the fact he had felt her pain through their intangible bond. “We don't know how, but we think someone is deliberately triggering the nanites to produce these headaches- of course, the source and mechanism are unknown.”

The doctor hummed and nodded at the appropriate moments as he ran several scans at the same time Gwanuig was talking. It amused the elf as it was a very human response to multi-task when handed a challenge.

“Let me give her something for the pain and see if we can bring her around,” Dr. Ivanos said. Preparing a syringe, he exchanged glances with Aria before turning back to the elf. “Do you know where her family is?”

“They don’t know, Doctor. In fact, I didn't even want to tell you. Aria found out...I'm not sure how-”

"Erik told me because he thought I might be able to help. I've started working on some possible treatments," she offered. "Was he not supposed to?"

“Gwanuig, Katherine's family must be told. Medical protocol…” The doctor started in on a spiel, but Gwanuig cut him off with a wave of his hand. Ivanos paused, consternation written on his photonic features.

“What I am about to say will go no further than this room, am I understood?” Gwanuig paused only long enough to level a steely glare and receive bewildered assent in return. “My wife has chosen to keep this information a secret lest her enemies discover this and take advantage of her weakness. As well, her abilities are no more. Something has happened to cause a disruption in the timeline.” His New York accent faded completely and the elf Prince was standing there ready to exercise his full authority as a husband and as a prince.

Aria interjected after letting out a small squeal at the word ‘wife’. "The enemies part, I completely understand. But don't you think Katherine would tell Ryder at least?"

“Katherine can speak for herself,” came a soft voice from the cot. Dark green eyes flickered open and Katherine accepted a hand from her husband as she shifted into a sitting position.

“Welcome back,” he whispered in Sindarin, kissing her forehead and wrapping an arm about her shoulders.

Katherine leaned her head back and gave him a look that caused him to aim for her lips for one additional kiss, then gave him a reassuring smile, before turning her attention to the other two figures in the room. “What did your scans show?”

“The scans confirmed the Prince—your husband’s story. I think, based on the interference my systems are registering, that I can also confirm that the trigger is remote- and that the signal is radio-based. The nanites are concentrated in the nerves at the end of your spinal cord. My theory is that when activated, they attack the nerve endings and that’s what triggers your headaches.”

“Any idea how to stop it?”

“I'm working on it, as I said- Alexsei, you'll provide medical support, I assume?"

"Of course, Aria."

“Thanks, you guys." This was from Katherine, whose weary face now held a spark of hope.

"Oh!" Aria slapped her forehead. "By the way- welcome back!" She wrapped Katherine in a tight hug. "I'd almost forgotten in all this craziness."

Katherine laughed. "Oh, that's ok."

"And also congratulations!" Aria added, stepping back and grabbing Katherine's hand to admire the rings. "Gorgeous. I want to see pictures and hear all about it!"

Katherine couldn't help grinning. "Of course! But maybe not tonight."

"Oh, no, that's ok. We'll have a ladies' night soon." Aria winked conspiratorially, and then a worried look flitted across her face for the briefest of seconds.

Katherine nodded, then turned to Gwanuig once more. "Thank you for bringing me here, sweetheart...do you know if anyone noticed I was missing?"

Gwanuig shook his head. “No, love. The others may have assumed that you went after me or were just getting caught up around town.”

“Now it’s my turn to cut you off,” the doctor interrupted with a patient but firm smile. “She needs her rest. You are welcome to stay, Prince, but Aria...”

"Of course. I'll see you in the morning, Alexsei." Then Aria hugged the newlyweds and congratulated them once more before slipping off into the night.

"Aaaaabbbbbbby, I’m home!”

The jade green gargoyle looked up from her work upon hearing the pleasant deep voice from the foyer. It wasn’t long before its owner came through the doorway; a smile on his face for his loved ones.

Molly’s playpen was near the door, and her face lit up in recognition of her daddy. Erik picked her up gently and planted a little kiss on her forehead. Then he turned and embraced his beloved, careful not only of the hatchling in his arms but the project spread out in front of her.

“Wow, it’s really coming along,” he observed. “It’s lovely.”

“Thanks. Do you think they’ll like it?”

“Like it? They’re going to love it! I’m just a little surprised that you’re so domestic all of a sudden.” The last came with gentle teasing.

“Look who’s talking,” came Abby’s reply. “I’m sure her first word is going to be ‘Daddy.’”

“Sounds good to me,” he winked. “Isn’t it a little early to be working on it, though? Eliana isn’t due for a few months yet.”

“It may take me that long to get this right,” Abby chuckled.

During their recent visit to Manhattan, the couple had picked up souvenirs for friends back in Ditto Town, doing their best to find unique or unusual gifts for the children in town. For example, they’d picked up DVD sets of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy for both Varnafinde and the Banks family, figuring they might get a kick out of the movie adaptation of their world’s signature historical event.

But they had wanted something extra-special for the DeHonds and their soon-to-arrive baby. An idea had come to Abby during Katherine and Gwanuig’s tour of Castle Wyvern, and upon their return to Ditto Town they’d converted one of the Emporium’s spare rooms into a den for her project.

Erik’s eyes roamed over the work spread out in front of his mate, stopping on the prominently-placed central image. Its silvergreen leaves brought back memories of a moonlit walk through the forest. It’s been far too long, came the guilty thought, along with a vow to change that soon.

But then he caught the image of baby Molly, and next to her, a gargoyle egg. He had a passing thought about another hatchling.

“I heard that,” Abby smiled. “But I think we should wait until Molly’s a little older before giving her a little brother or sister.”

He blushed and nodded his agreement. He shuffled his daughter in his arms and, with a talon, indicated the center image again. “Full Moon is in a couple of nights,” he smiled.

“It has been a while,” she agreed, immediately knowing his thoughts.

“Too long, for sure. Are you up for a moonlit walk in the woods?”

“What about Molly?”

Erik hoisted his daughter so he could look into her eyes. “You’ll be good, won’t you, sweetheart?” She giggled in reply.

“Daddy’s girl indeed,” Abby winked.

Meanwhile, unnoticed by its master or his family, the Emporium’s instrument array dutifully but silently recorded the electromagnetic signatures of the arrival of the USS United away team.

Part 1 of a two-part Day-In-The-Life segment

Eliana panted as she finished sweeping the dining room floor. She loved being a wife, and being a mother... Eliana rubbed her growing belly. She sighed contentedly, a little out of breath. This whole being pregnant thing was wearing her down!

"Five months" she muttered, looking at her calendar. "A long five months, with four more to go." She stepped into the kitchen, pursed her lips, sighed, and shook her head. "Just can't seem to do it anymore. Terrible, my mother always said that cooking food made her nauseous when she was pregnant, but I didn't believe her. Poo! Time to order take-out from the C&P."

"Atlantis," she said to the house computer, "I need to you to pick up dinner from Hugh."

"Certainly, Eliana," Atlantis replied. "What's the menu?"

Eliana sank onto the couch. "Oh, make it the fried painter deer special, and I'll take an extra helping of mashed potatoes."

"Excuse me, Eliana, but eating so many carbs is not good for you. According to my database, an over-consumption of carbohydr-"

Eliana cleared her throat to interrupt the over-zealous computer. "I am eating for two, mind you. Sometimes it even feels like for three! Thank you for your help, Atlantis."

"No problem, mistress."

"Oh, don’t forget Cameron, and don't you dare cross out that extra helping of mashed potatoes!"

"Um... OK. Dinner at five?"

Eliana nodded drowsily. "Yes..." and she fell asleep on the couch, serenaded by Jack, her canary.

In her dreams, she was walking through a field, 12 again. The sun shone down on Eliana McBride, warming her face. She picked a bouquet of daisies, and ran back home to present them to her mother.

Loren stopped laughing, but his eyes looked mischievous. "Eliana, I have a present for you."

Eliana woke up. There was Loren, standing over her as she lay on the couch. "Oh. Loren, I just had another wonderful memory dream," she said as she sat up.

Part 2 of a two-part Day-In-The-Life segment
A Little Joe / Sonny Production

Loren sat down next to Eliana. "Was I in your dream?" He kissed her cheek.

Eliana blushed and smiled. "Yes. Remember the day we went to the Castle Oak tree house and I showed you Atlantis the computer?"

Loren chuckled. "Yeah, you told me how you got stuck up there when you modified the voice-recognition algorithm."

Eliana blushed deeper. "Uh, yeah. I had just gotten to the part where you said you had a pres-- Wait. That was your 29-year-old voice, not your 14-year-old voice."

Loren grinned mischievously. "Was it now? Yes, I had just said, 'Eliana, I have a present for you' when you woke up." He pulled a little box out from behind his back and handed it to Eliana.

Just as she was about to open it, they were interrupted by Timaeus the Android at the front door, and Cameron at the door which separated his apartment from the main house. Cameron stopped, embarrassed at evidentially invading an intimate scene, stammered an apology, and was gone back into his apartment before either of the DeHonds could say anything. Timaeus, on the other hand rolled right in, oblivious of the situation. "Dinner is ready, Miss Eliana," he said.

"Thank you, Tim," said Loren, as he removed the packaged meal from Timaeus's cargo bay. "Please get Cameron. Dinner is almost ready."

"I suppose the gift can wait?" asked Eliana as she got up and began to set the table.

Loren nodded, grinning. "Tonight will be fine," he said, as Tim and Cameron came into the room.

When the table was set, the three of them, Loren, Eliana, and Cameron, sat down to the delicious aroma of fried painter deer, mashed potatoes with Hugh's special gravy, green beans smothered in a rich garlic sauce, cottage cheese, and Loren's favorite garlic bread.

After the prayer, Cameron unfolded his hands and put a piece of the garlic bread into his mouth. When he finished chewing, Cameron started up the conversation. "I'd like to thank you two again for letting me stay with you," he said before picking up a piece of deer meat with his fork and putting it into his mouth.

"No problem," Loren responded. "You know, I kinda miss my brothers, so it's good to have a little brother in the house again," he teased.

"Besides," added Eliana as she piled mashed potatoes on her plate, "we built the guest apartment on the back of the house for a reason."

"Yeah, so my mother could visit," said Loren.

"Oh, shush! It was for any guests, and you know it. Seriously, Cameron, we are glad you have you here."

If Cameron wasn't as tan as he was, the two of them would have seen him blushing "By the way Eliana, the food is amazing," he said, quickly changing the subject.

Eliana looked embarrassed. "Actually, it's from the Cup and Platter. I sent Timaeus over to fetch it. Hugh does such a great job."

Cameron laughed and replied, "Well then, cozy slippers to the hologram," and proceeded to dump some gravy unto his plate.

Loren chuckled. "I'm sure we'll pass on the greeting. So, tell me about your time here in Ditto Town. I take it you've spent some time here."

"Ay, when I was younger," Cameron said. "Ever since, oh, I was sixteen last time I was here," he continued.

"So that was... how many years ago? I'm sorry; I don't remember how old you are." Loren made a face. "Sometimes at 29 I feel ancient."

"Reeeeally ancient," agreed Eliana as she took another bit of mashed potatoes. "But he has always been really forgetful, so that doesn't amount to much."

"Um, that would have been, five years ago. My dad brought me here to sell some of the furs we had captured over the winter," Cameron added. "I moved up north when I was twelve."

Eliana looked thoughtful. "So, I'm confused. You moved north when you were 12, so were you here before then? And you came back before you finally left at 16?"

"Yeah, basically, I lived in Ditto Town till I was twelve, when we moved up north; then I came back to Ditto Town at sixteen to make some money selling furs, then we went back up after that until now, when I decided to come back," Cameron replied.

"Wow, that's neat. So this really is home to you," commented Loren.

"Yeah, you can say that," Cameron replied, shrugging. "Over the years I've grown used to the woods, so coming back to Ditto Town, and people in general, is a bit unnerving for me."

"Well, you can be sure we'll do anything to make you comfortable," assured Loren.

"Within reason, of course," teased Eliana.

"Oh what? No two thousand credit dry cleaning?" Cameron joked right back at her, then proceeded to chomp down on his venison.

The three of them chuckled, then sat in companionable silence, enjoying the meal. After a couple minutes, Loren looked up, his eyes sparkling. "Hey, guys, I almost forgot. I found something really interesting today."

Abby bustled about the Emporium, making sure everything was perfect before her guests arrived. It was a pleasant late-spring afternoon with ideal temperatures, yet Erik had good-naturedly insisted upon a small fire in the hearth, pointing out that “It adds ambience.” Fortunately, thought Abby, this particular fireplace was gas-operated and thus that “ambience” didn’t require chopping wood or the frequent tending of a wood fire.

Satisfied that all was ready, she took a deep breath of the lilac bouquet that graced the main room. When first introduced to the human custom of bringing flowers indoors, she’d been puzzled, but after doing it once she’d been hooked. It was like bringing a bit of spring into her home. And with the large garden out in back of the Emporium, there was rarely a shortage of flowers – including familiar varieties similar to those at home, such as roses, lilacs, gladiolus, and daisies, but also some local plants that had no clear equivalents in their home world. “Maybe Eliana or Loren know about them,” Abby mused, making a note to ask them the next time they got together.

She admired the blooms whose color approximated her mate’s skin color so well, and then chuckled to herself, “It won’t be long before a certain someone will be trying to stuff these in her mouth.”

Right now that “certain someone” was off with her father: Erik had taken Molly with him to get the treats for tonight’s festivities. The Cup & Platter wasn’t far away but the couple had allowed extra time, since it was no secret the proud father loved to show off his daughter to most anyone he met along the way.

Abby confirmed that the appropriate DVD box sets were by the television in the main room. During their last visit to Manhattan the couple had picked up copies of the movie adaptations of The Lord of the Rings, which would be tonight’s main attraction. But the most amazing thing was that their guests – Varnafinde and the Banks family – were natives of the real Middle-earth. The gargoyles were curious about how accurate the films really were, and how those really “in the know” might respond to them. The couple had read Tolkien’s work back in their own world, long before stumbling into Ditto Town; they’d never imagined then that it was anything more than a very imaginative work of fiction.

Invitations had been sent out and accepted, and Abby had offered to care for the Banks’ twins, Tom and Maidenberry, so that their parents could enjoy the movies undistracted. “Too bad Molly’s a little too young to play with them,” Abby thought, “though if they’re like the kids at home they’ll still be fascinated by her.” But the best surprise of all would come at the end of the evening, when the gargoyles would present their friends with their very own copies of the movies.

This probably wasn’t a good idea, Ryana knew. It was rash, impulsive, and just about everything that got her in trouble in the past. Well… okay, it wasn’t entirely impulsive. The idea had been bugging her for days—probably the only reason she’d come this far. If she was perfectly honest, she was almost hoping someone along the way would talk her out of it… or she could talk herself out of it. So far, neither one came to her “rescue”.

Finally, she stood outside the door. This was her last chance; after she went in, there was no turning back. With a deep breath, she pushed the door open and stepped through. Inside, two dozen different sounds assailed her ears. She quickly shut them all out, half-wincing as she remembered this was what she was getting into…. She looked around for a few moments, trying to find the one thing in the room not making noise.

Ah, there he was. A young man suddenly appeared from behind a set of boxes, then smiled widely. “Hi, welcome to the Dittopets Pet Shop! My name’s Jake.”

Ryana smiled politely, but… well, she could only hope it looked more convincing than it felt. “Hi. I’m… Ryana.” It felt strange to be so informal with a stranger, let alone use her real name, but really… that’s all she was to him. Even if he did recognize her, she was just another customer now. Normal life was weird.

“Well, nice to meet you.” He extended his hand, which she instinctually accepted. Once that was done, he asked, “So, what brings you here? Anything I can help you with?”

Ryana nodded slowly. “Actually, yes. You see, I’m here because… I’m looking for a dog.” She cringed at that; it was to-the-point, sure, but it was just so… weak. Quickly, she amended, “You know, a… companion. Someone to keep me company at home.” ‘Something to make a little noise in my silent house.’ She added, mentally.

Despite her poor delivery, Jake seemed to understand. He nodded throughout, and when she was done, he told her, “Well, we’ve got a few that’ll probably suit your interests, then.” He gestured towards a particular row, and as they walked, he started asking a few questions. “So, what kind of dog were you thinking of?”

‘Well… a normal one, of course.’ Somehow, Ryana sensed that wouldn’t really hold water. She shrugged her shoulders. “I… don’t have a particular preference, really. Whatever you have, I guess.”

She noticed a slight change in his expression—partly amused, and partly… something like an eye-roll. Wait, what did she say wrong? “Uh-huh, I see. All right, then… how old were you thinking?”

Oh. She wasn’t. Ryana scrambled to do the thinking she should’ve done at home…. “Definitely not a puppy. I’d prefer one more… mature than that, if you know what I mean.”

Jake nodded. “Yeah, I understand. Do you want one with training, then?”

Ryana nodded. “Yes, for sure.” She didn’t have the knowledge or patience required to do it herself.

He smiled. “That’s fine; most of the dogs are either trained or on their way.” Just then, they reached their destination. The row was framed on either side with kennels, all of them with dogs of various ages, sizes, and breeds. Ryana was suddenly glad for the line of questioning; it proved that at least one of them knew what he was doing…. Jake turned back to her and said, “Here, I’ll show you some of our older dogs—well, non-puppies, anyways. I think we’ve got a few that are what you’re looking for. But, I think I’ll let you….” Jake stopped as he realized his customer was no longer paying attention. At least, not to him. Instead of saying something, though, he turned to see what she was staring at so intently.

Ryana, apparently, had already found one that caught her interest. A large dog, white with a large strip of black running from his ears to his tail (maybe it was the other way around), stared at her, an expression she mirrored almost perfectly. Without saying a word, she went down on one knee, to eye-level with him. There was only one thing she could think to say: “Who’s this one?”

Jake smiled. “Well, if you’re looking for a name, he doesn’t have one yet. I prefer to leave that to the customer.” He thought for a minute, and came up with all the relevant information he could: “He’s a Siberian husky. About two years old, though I’ve only had him for one.” He glanced at her as he added, “Like most dogs of this breed, he’s really playful.”

“I thought as much.” This, of course, had very little to do with Ryana’s… “extensive” knowledge of dogs. (Especially considering she’d never heard of a “Siberian husky” before.) No, it had more to do with those eyes, those ice-blue eyes. The exact same shade as Diana’s, with the same smile she always seemed to have. At the same time, though, she saw the slightest mischievous glint, the one she saw all-too-often when Anna was planning something. Even farther back, though, she saw the same kind of thoughtfulness so characteristic of Brianna. Maybe she was just lonely, maybe it was just that she’d spent so many years with those girls… but that didn’t change what she felt. She knew that this was the dog for her.

Jake must’ve noticed, too, because his voice suddenly took a cautious turn. “I should warn you, he’s going to need a lot of looking after. He’ll need to be taken for a run—not a walk, a run—at least once a day. And… well, let’s just say you might want to dog-proof your house a bit.”

Ryana shook her head. “That won’t be a problem. I take walks all the time.” Well… okay, so maybe “walks” wasn’t accurate. Half the time, they turned into flights half-way through, but… well, that should just help her to keep up, right? She turned to Jake and asked, “How much for him?”

Jake shrugged. “Why don’t we discuss price later? Right now, I think we should talk about what you’ll need for him.”

Ryana nodded; that made sense. “All right. Is it… all right if I pick up some things now, and come back for him in a few days?”

Jake nodded. “Oh, absolutely. Whatever works best for you.”

Author's notes: One of my favorite things about NaNo is its timing – the season inspires chapters about Thanksgiving and Christmas. This little stand-alone snippet is an adaptation of a chapter from this year’s NaNo story, and caught me in a particularly nostalgic mood. This doesn’t fit into the current story line (it's the wrong time of year), but from Erik’s family to yours, Merry Christmas.

It was a dark and starry night.

In the low hills about half a day’s easy walk from Ditto Town, a patch of light suddenly shimmered for a few seconds, followed by the apparently instantaneous appearance of three winged creatures. They stepped away and the portal vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

Erik paused a moment to look up at the wonders spread above. The winter constellations – the bright Unicorn and dimmer Dragon – burned brightly, and he couldn’t stop a contented sigh from escaping his lips.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Abby said, pleased as always to see her beloved enjoying one of his favorite things. She took his hand and together they walked to the nearby rise Erik and Thundershadow had long ago dubbed the “stargazing hill.”

Setting Molly’s little carrier down between them, they relaxed and enjoyed the celestial splendors in companionable silence. When Erik next spoke, his comment wasn’t quite what Abby expected.

“I’m not used to looking at winter stars when it’s so warm,” he chuckled.

It was true. Christmas was upon Ditto Town but for some reason it felt much more like autumn.

“There sure was plenty of snow in Manhattan,” was her amused reply.

“That storm shut down the city for days,” Erik concurred, “and yet David’s family was able to provide his usual wonderful Solstice Feast for everyone.” He rubbed his belly, remembering the culinary delights that evening, just days before, had held.

“He certainly has his connections. The Yule log was one of the biggest I’ve seen. But I think a lot of the credit for the food goes to your father.”

“Too bad I didn’t inherit that talent from him.” Erik laughed softly. “I just can’t make my roast turkey and stuffing taste like his does.”

They chatted a few more moments, about their friends and clan back in the big city, and how excited they were to be in Ditto Town for this year’s Christmas celebration. Suddenly Abby’s eyes grew wide and she leaned over to whisper in her mate’s ear.

“That’s a great idea!” he exclaimed when she was finished. “Let’s go!”

They picked up Molly and made their way to the nearby town.

The Square was quiet and seemingly deserted, except for the cheerily-lit windows and sounds of conversation emanating from the Cup & Platter. The pair sat down next to the Fountain.

“Are you ready?” Abby’s whisper held a mischievous tone.

“After you,” he nodded. He loved to sing, almost as much as he loved to tell stories, but had no illusions as to his musical skill. Abby had the talent, and he was content to let her lead.

Her eyes shone in the night and he was filled with joy as her words rang out over the empty Square:

“O holy night, the stars are brightly shining…”

He joined in, a baritone to her soprano, and Molly cooed along. As they finished a splash in the Fountain caught their attention, and they turned to see Bob Saget the Platypus swimming behind them. “Just like old times,” Erik grinned.

Abby knew all his favorites, and he wasn’t surprised when she began again:

"Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Alles schläft; einsam wacht…"

They knew only the first verse in the original German, and they immediately switched over to the English. As they finished, Erik noticed a tiny creature bounding toward them. With a flutter of wings, it landed on his lap, within sight – but not reach – of the curious hatchling he held. It seemed to preen its wings, and the musical quality of the sound caught their attention.

“Abraham Lincoln?” the adults burst out at the same time.

The cricket seemed to bow in acknowledgement for just an instant, then his wings moved again, producing another beloved melody of the season. Erik and Abby began again, this time with their friend’s remarkable sweet accompaniment:

“O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie…”

“Lass, your cousin is on her way over.” The doctor greeted Katherine as he entered her room the next morning.

“What!?” Katherine reacted by sitting up quickly and swinging her legs over the edge of the bed.

“She comes every few days for a discussion on herbs and other medications. It is quite the learning experience for us both! I enjoy it tremendously.”

“I have to get out of here!” Katherine reached for her clothes and went to the bathroom to get ready to leave. “I do not want her to know I was here!” she hollered through the door at the doctor.

“My lips are sealed,” the doctor said with a sigh. He puttered around the room until she returned and shoved a pill bottle into her hands. “Take this. Your cousin and I have been working on a pain killer that is natural and is more potent than ibuprophen.”

“Thanks Doc.” Katherine opened a window and slipped out just as Lianna’s voice floated in from the front room.

She made it to the safety of the forest before nearly running into a heavily cloaked figure. “Sorry sir,” she said as she looked up into the man’s eyes. Her jaw dropped and her knees almost gave out as she looked into eyes she had not seen in a very long time.

The cloaked man reached out and steadied her, leaned forward and hissed, “If you want to stop your headaches and learn who is behind all of this, meet me a week from today at these coordinates.” A piece of paper was shoved into the young woman’s hands and the man turned on his heel and disappeared into the trees.

Katherine stared in shock at the spot where the figure had disappeared.

I thought I would never see him again. Where did he come from? What does this mean?