The Devil's Ball

[Elric Vlarintos]

Elric looked to his Mistress with the blue smoke trailing off of her in much the same way that the shadows were coiling around in the light. Why couldn't they just wrap him up and swallow him whole? To think that you were safe in the darkness was a fallacy, but it had always been true in Elric's experience. In the dark the cold could not reach his bones. In the dark no one could find him, except for those who knew where to look. In the dark there was a calming sense of nothing. He considered these things and slowly he started to feel a calm descend upon him, even if he were not embraced by the darkness.

He hardly looked forward to killing Kristopher. The cold and harsh truth of the matter was that in a fight based purely on combat capabilities that Kristopher would die quickly against him. Elric doubted that Kristopher had the same background that he did. Even if Kristopher had anything resembling Elric's credentials he was still very sick. Kristopher had said he would get better. Elric would not be able to soothe his guilty conscience later if he did kill Kristopher.

"The lady is red is her." Elric admitted to his Mistress. The response had been automatic. He barely had time to even let his mind register that there had been a question. It felt like he was watching somebody else control his body with only a vague idea of what he wanted. "She won't want to have more words with me, and I doubt she will come willingly to you." His words felt so quiet, but they held a firm tone which only those close to the two would be able to hear.

She was asking him in case he died in the cage. The idea should have unsettled him, but it did not. "Ma'am, my question for the night. What would you have me do?"

[Anolean Ezel]

From Naelona's shadow emerged her dear twin brother and within his right hand he held "Kristopher" by the back of his neck. He was not harming the boy but merely keeping a good grip on him for the time being. The eldest by only a few seconds chuckled as he arrived right after Naelona had finished her talk with the older Roberts boy. He could guess what this was all about. Poor elder brother, maybe Anolean should give him more time of day.

But that would be at a later date, right now more important events where taking place. "Naelona." said her brother as he remained where he was, holding Kristopher in place. "Delivery." He then released the blond and took a step around him to stand by his sibling. "Both are now here, shall we hand over their weapons?" He eyed Kyle for a moment as he spoke. If he did not leave, Anolean would make him in the most...entertaining of ways.

Taking the cane from his sister, he flipped it about in his hands, eying Elric carefully. "Come here." His thumb rubbed against his cane, a sign that he wanted the boy to move quickly and to encourage him more, the slight shank sound echoed lightly as the cane popped open a hair to reveal its true purpose.

Stepping away from Naelona, giving her time to her slave, he held out the cane towards Elric. "This will be your weapon, you may use both sheath and blade or one or the other. Either way, it carries a single purpose that I am sure you can understand boy." A sick smirk came across his features, one that would remind Elric of a pissed of Naelona. "You best handle this weapon with care or it will find itself a new sheath." In other words, it would fit perfectly in the small of Elric Vlarintos back like a glove.

"Also, I wish you the best of humanly luck in defeat the---" He paused to look over his shoulder at Kristopher. "---Survivor. As my sister calls him." He mused.

"But of course, you ask her the question of what you should do." He chuckled this time. "Naelona, Sisiter, what is it you will have your half of the slave do? Take a hit from your Survivor to make it fair?" Ah yes, the rivalry was coming.

[Naelona Ezel]

For as much importance as Anolean held to her, there were times she wanted to indent his bratty little skull and this was one of them. Looking to Kristopher, her expression softened if at least a little, and maybe a little more than usual given most of her face was well hidden behind a mask. "Naelona. Delivery." Nae resisted rolling her eyes and shook her head instead. "Hush, Anolean." she murmured to him, drawing the poor blond to herself. Around the four shadow drifted like smoke, swirling about in the air like snow in a snow globe.

"Kristopher.." Naelona spoke in a hushed tone, resting a hand lightly upon the side of his chin and neck, tilting his head so she could see his mis-matched eyes. Undoubtedly, she'd find them full of fear and worry. Kris was often uneasy when it came to bets, he always was, especially the more risky kind. The thicker swirling shadows, not to mention net of thorns about the arena wasn't helping him either. Briefly, under a shade, her palm sank to feel his heart while drawing the child near, the boogie leaning in by his ear.

"Calm yourself, Kristopher." Her hand tensed lightly upon his shoulder, she knew - logically - the boy had no chance. Regardless as she leaned close, a tanto appeared from one of her deep pockets, to which she pressed the handle firmly into his hands. "You've always been a survivor." Tugging as a lock of his golden hair, her lips quirked in a small, weak smile before stepping away from the boy, but not too far. He wouldn't bolt, not her Kristopher. Not now.

"Naelona, Sisiter, what is it you will have your half of the slave do? Take a hit from your Survivor to make it fair?" The proud Ezel visibly flinched from her brother's words. "I know where you sleep at night, Anolean." She knew it was only to get under her skin - which Anolean tended to excel at - but she shot him a hard glare anyway.

Seeing Elric there with her brother's cane, undoubtedly Anolean had shared it item's little secret. A handy contraption, and her own item she had given to Kris wasn't a fair match, but so were the bets to be played. "No, I would not." she answered her brother, before looking fully upon his slave. "I would have you choose your words more wisely." Would and want were two different things. Would fell under 'should do', propriety, and expectation. Want was something else. Searching Elric's face, there seemed to be something different about him already. She was aware of that look, a bit of despair of the unavoidable, if she wasn't mistaken. Perhaps he could at least still hear. She would give him no words of advice of what she would have him do, save for one. "I have faith in you."

"Your attentions, once more!" Stepping away from the boys, Naelona used light and shadow to once more bring attention from the betting undoubtedly going on about them, to the floor once more. "The slaves have arrived and been prepared, so if you will~" Turning she motioned to the door, a conjured mask for entertainment and theatrics upon her face, the trailing tone more of a nudge for the slaves of which she was sure Anolean would gladly oblige. "Once they enter the arena, let it begin!"

[Elric Vlarintos]

If he entered that arena without his mind cleared of distractions he might just let Kristopher kill him. Anolean's presence hardly was helping, but Elric retained the calm exterior he normally held. Externally he stood resolute and ready for the challenge before him. On the inside there was still some turmoil left unsolved. His heart was not going to be in this no matter how hard he tried.

He wondered if Kristopher knew about the potential for rebel movement tonight. It might be possible to delay the battle long enough for intervention, but Elric really wondered how long he would be able to do so. Kristopher was hardly in a condition to fight and all the other odds seemed to be stacked majorly against him. It would be obvious that Elric was stalling for time. Unless the rebels made their move just before he got into the cage.

Anolean required his attention and Elric made sure to take a step forward. The clicking sound of the catch unlocking did not warrant any response from Elric save for the shutting of his eyes for a moment. He knew that sound and the secret of his Master's cane very well. Both implements had been used on Elric before--entertainment more than punishment. Certainly Anolean must have seen this as some kind of ironic twist that the tool that caused him agony in the past in his Master's hands would now cause him agony in his own hands. There was little more to say or do than to just accept the weapon and acknowledge that the weapon would be well tended.

Naelona seemed very pleased to see Kristopher, though he wondered if she were saying goodbye in her own special way. When she turned her attention to Elric he saw only that she took a very different attitude towards him. Was it because he might kill her favored slave? The words she had for him were very few. "I would have you choose your words more wisely. I have faith in you."

Under different circumstances Elric might have gathered some deeper meaning from Naelona's words. In truth, he had figured out that doing so was the only way to ever gain anything from Naelona's answers to his questions. If you were not wise enough to see the answers on your own, then you were hardly deserving of the answer at all. That she had 'faith' in him did strike him as a little peculiar. What did that mean? Faith that he would die? Faith that he would live? Faith that he would make the right decision? At some level, did she think that the both of them would be coming out of that cage alive?

Regardless of what she thought, it was time to move into the cage and she announced that fact to everyone in the room. Elric would not run away from this moment. Every step forward he was surrendering another part of himself to the void. By the time he reached the entrance his mind was clear. The thorny mess of vines moved aside and allowed him to hop into the cage. It always did smell of blood in the ballroom.

He crossed the small arena and stood on the other side. Each step passed in a manner that was simultaneously far too quick and too slow for his comfort. At the other side he stood there, and then he drew the sword from the cane and took a stance all but forgotten over the years. He had to adjust it slightly for the presence of the rest of the cane in his other hand.

After all these years he could still tell if a sword felt properly balanced in his hand.

[Zeke Suzushima]

Being swallowed in shadows might not have bothered Zeke before, since the boy was never afraid of the unknown. But now that he knew what was waiting him at the other end, the boy was terrified. This hadn't been part of their game. Sacrifice was always a threat...but now it was a promise. "Kris" was tonight's victim. But Kris wasn't the one in Anolean had grabbed on the balcony. Zeke barley moved as the shadows sinked away, the hand that had grabbed his feet now secured on the back of his neck.

His breathing harsh and fast, the blond slave noticed Kyle. A last bargain. Zeke couldn't help the lost expression on his face. "Ky-cha--"

Naelona pulled her "Kris" to herself, so Zeke couldn't finish his sentence, the small smile fading and replaced with the terror again. She was comforting him, in her way. No, she's comforting Kris. Even if this is going to kill me...I can't drop the act again. It will get Kris killed for real. The knife that was offered to his felt odd in his hands. He'd used knives before, but in comparison to the sword Elric now held, the odds began to weigh on him more that the weapon. False eyes looked from the knife, to Elric, then back to Naelona with the smallest smile on his pale face.

"Thank you, madam."

On one hand, Zeke still felt the terrible, disgusting feeling of blame. Not to him, but to his twin for getting him into this situation. He didn't want to accuse Kris...there was no way he could have known tonight might be his last...but the feeling was still there. On the other hand, Kris couldn't fight to save his life. Zeke, again on the other hand, was not sickly or weak. He was in no way strong as Elric, but he was fast as hell in dire circumstances. He at least had a chance of catching Elric off-guard.

Since, like all the others, Elric thought he was fighting sickly little Kris.

[Jasmine Krisp]

Jasmine hadn't said anything since Anolean had arrived at the table. She hadn't noticed Luther petting the dog, or how the blond slave was being probed. All the little Boogie could notice, or rather stare at, had been the large black cat. Jasmine had an intangible fear of cats, big ones especially, so she even failed to notice how her words caused Kyle to blush like a cherry. She did, however notice when Luther's hand got right in her line of vision to offer the envelope to Naelona. Manners are nice. I may be small, but I'm a thousand times his age...Jazz grumbled in irritation.

She watched as Naelona and her brother left for the cage, which hadn't really caught her gold eyes before. She'd seen this thing rise for four thousand years. Nothing new, except for the roses. When did Kazn put those in? They weren't just for decoration, that was for sure. Perhaps it was an added precaution, there to keep the humans in and the rebels out. Or something like that.

"Kristopher Roberts, and Elric Vlarintos."

That explains the roses, was the only thing Jasmine thought to herself before her gaze snapped from Naelona's well-placed theatrics to the boy she was suddenly most concerned for. It wasn't Kris. Jasmine watched with pain-riled eyes as Kyle tried to reach his brother, only to be consumed in his shadow, then as he ran toward his mistress and the cage. Jasmine cried out before she hiked up her dress, running after him. "Kyle! Wait!!"

You can't do anything for him.

By the time her little legs had reached the floor, Kyle was being reprimand by Nae for speaking up. No doubt trying to exchange himself for his little brother. Jazz could understand that. Family was a haven in this twisted world...and to have one up as the sacrificial lamb was torture beyond anything Boogies were capable of. She approached him as he knelt, Naelona moving to--to Jasmine's surprise--comfort her slave? Her heart quivered.

Not as cold as I thought...but she...to Kris...

Her small hand rested on the oldest Robert's shoulder, not just for comfort, but to hold the boy back in necessary. Her little nails dug into the fabric of the leather shirt. "Do not fret. Everything will be okay...fate shines on the meek. Perhaps...Kris will survive...?"

Deepest concern in empty words.

[Piper Wren]

Once Zarek had left Piper’s side she sighed, although she had a weapon in hand now she didn’t feel much safer. Turning to face the outer side of the balcony she hid the Kris in the only place she could in this ridiculous get up, down the front of the bodice. At least it was within easy reach if she needed it but the young woman really hoped she wouldn’t. The voice of Kazn Ezel was enough to bring Piper back to her senses, they must be announcing who was going to fight eachother…She rushed back into the main ballroom to stand in amongst the crowd of humans and boogies alike, a sick feeling of dread was coursing it’s way through her. It seemed he had handed the job over to Naelona to call out the two names, no human wanted to hear their own or those of their friends called.

‘Augusta, where are you? Don’t make me deal with this on my own…’

"Tonight! Here, two slaves shall duel to the death. So mind your wits...and your bets. For our duel shall be between...Kristopher Roberts, and Elric Vlarintos."

Piper’s heart sank like a stone to the pit of her stomach, she felt suddenly cold and panicky. The young woman was dying to damn it all and rush out between them, but what good would it do? She saw Kyle’s attempt to save his brother was meaningless. What happened to making a difference tonight? Individuals couldn’t do it, they needed the backing of the group! How could the rest just stand here and do nothing or leave just relieved that it wasn’t them?! Piper’s hands clenched into fists at her sides, her knuckles stark white through her already pale skin. What was she going to do? Someone was going to get hurt or worse! Fighting down the urge to be sick, glad that nerves had prevented her from eating much today.

‘Please, don’t let them hurt eachother. I don’t know what I can do!'

[Kristopher Roberts]

Oh hell, this shouldn't be happening. Never in all his years of living in Wonderland had his name been called, obviously. But now, suddenly it had been and he wasn't in the ring, his twin was! Kristopher stood their in shock as Zeke had been taken by the shadow that only Anolean could control, he didn't even notice his own brother brushing past him. His heart sank to his feet, would Zeke die? Would it be his fault? Was he guilty of sending a man to his grave that wasn't his?

This couldn't be happening, he never wanted Zeke to go and fight for him, let alone pretend to be him in this kind of situation! Frightened, Kristopher as Zeke ran down the stairs two at a time much like his brother had done moments ago. He pushed and shoved his way through the crowd. Surely, Zeke would speak up and say he wasn't Kristopher, surely he wouldn't play this dangerous game anymore! Kristopher wouldn't care if the other blond turned him in right now and no longer spoke to him, he couldn't blame him at all!

"Oh god, don't let him fight." He muttered under his breath as he neared the stage, stopping so suddenly he almost tripped over his own feet. Before him, not more then twenty feet away, his worst fear came out from the ground it seemed. Vines, tons and tons of vines with roses on them. Kristopher paled instantly and looked as if he was about to get sick, much like the real Zeke did.

"Come on, Zeke. Tell Naelona you aren't me. Tell them! Don't cover my ass in this!" The blond yelled at his twin mentally as he stared at him, frightened and unable to get any closer to the thing that tormented him for months.

His hands formed into fustrated fist, knuckles growing white as his heart pounded in his chest. He watched as Naelona vanished in shadows as she spoke to Zeke as if he was Kristopher himself. This wasn't right! Naelona...Naelona should know! But she didn't, she couldn't tell the difference between them.

A sudden, horrifying thought came to his mind then. If they did notice that wasn't him...would both he and Zeke be killed? It was a serious possibility. That though alone kept him from crying out to his twin. Thankfully, he never saw his brother beg for Kristopher to be spared, that would of killed his heart.

But now, Kris was far more helpless then he had ever been in his whole life.

"Zeke, I am so sorry! I never meant for this to happen, forgive me. I didn't make it to you in time." The blond lowered his head, fustrated and fearful for the his twin and for Elric.

[Zeke Suzushima]

For Zeke, he couldn't think of any better way to go. Not that he was planning on dying in this fight. But if he did, it was pretty good way...he was going to keep his twin alive, even if he lost his arm or something in the process. But he did have to wonder, if he died, what would happen to Serenity? She was his love, the one he choose over anything. And when he was dead, Kris wouldn't be able to just take off the disguise and be himself again. Would he be stuck in his shoes for the rest of his life?

False eyes looked one last time around the room from the threshold of the shadow door. A flash of blue caught the red and green.

Oh.

Kris was there. He was right there. Wearing his costume as his disguise. He was so close, if he called out to him, the other blond would undoubtedly hear him. Close enough to see him in the crowd...to point him out...Zeke mentally shook his head. No way. I'm not letting him die. "Kris" smiled just right so only "Zeke" would see, chuckling to himself. I can't loose you. I won't. You're my twin brother, even if we're not in blood...right? With that smile, Zeke slid into the doors to the cage.

He blinked at the massive cage, even more so at the seemingly thousands of roses all around him. Zeke liked flowers, he did. But he wasn't Zeke right now, was he? And even the Suzushima boy had heard of how Kristopher had lost that eye of his. Bloody red roses. Immediately, wide-eyed terror appeared in the boy's expression, face seeming to pale and hands shaking.

"Kris" was going to keep this up, even if...when it killed him.

[Kyle Roberts]

Kneeling there on the ballroom floor before his mistress, he vainly tried to think of a way in which he might be able to save his brother if his current attempt failed. His mind raced over every reaction he could think of, every possible scenario. In the end he decided that it simply didn't matter. If his mistress refused him, if she spurned his request and sent Kris to die regardless.....he didn't know if he'd even be able to move. It'd taken everything he had to bring himself to the point he was at now; if it all proved for naught then.....he didn't think he had anything left to give.

When the moment came, he knew he'd been right. As soon as he felt the soft skin of his hand pressing into his jaw, he knew that everything had been for nothing. Her words were like acid eating away at him, burning through his last hope as if it were nothing. She jerked him to his feet and he didn't resist a bit, barely even realized what was happening. All he was aware of was that he'd failed his brother, one of the only two family member he had left. And because of that failure, Kris was going to die.

When she jabbed him in the chest with her pipe and told him to go he didn't listen, barely felt the cold metal against shirt. Somehow he thought that if he could just reach Kris then he could take him away from all of this, run through the crowd of boogies before they knew what was happening and hide him away somewhere. But although the thoughts crawled through his heads, his body wouldn't respond to them. He simply stood there, a limp statue in the center of the floor.

As he felt the tiny hand on his shoulder, everything gradually began to fall away from him. All thoughts of attempting to save Kris vanished, the realization of their futility sinking in. Even if he could reach his brother, it wouldn't matter. Both of them would be dead before they ever even made it out of the circle around them. He was helpless, there was nothing he could do. As for Jasmine's words, he never heard those, or if he did then they never registered in his stricken mind. And when he turned towards her, it was to look upon her face with haunted, empty eyes.

"Ky-cha--"

It took a while for those few word to register, and when they had it took even longer for him to realize what they meant. When he did, everything changed within him. He remained staring at Jasmine, but the deadness in his eyes was replaced by a sudden spark, that spark quickly growing into a flame. The cold that had been seeping through his body did a complete 180 until it felt like his entire body was ablaze. Quickly he turned toward where 'Kris' was standing, but the boy had already entered the cage. There was nothing he could do for him right now.

So instead he turned away from the arena, from the two young men who were about to meet their deaths at the other's hands. He ripped his shoulder out of Jasmine's grasp, staggering a bit from the force of the effort; the fabric of his shirt shredded and the skin beneath bleeding. Scanning the crowd before him his eyes soon found the speck of blond he'd been looking for. Purposefully he moved back across the open space of the floor, roughly grabbing 'Zeke' by the arm and dragging him through the crowd.

He pushed his way through the mass of boogies until the stood in a clear space at the back, unseen by the masses of people that had pushed to the center of the room in order to get a better view of the proceedings. As he jerked the boy around in front of him, staring into those bright blue eyes, his own face was a curious mask of relief and fury. For a minute or two he just stared at him, dark brown eyes searching the sapphire orbs before him. Finally he let out a low growl, squeezing the slender arm before him tightly. "You.... You force me to.... and then you..." He broke off, trying to compose himself through the anger. It took several moment, and when he was done he gave him a rough little shake, his voice low and dangerous. "Do you think this is a game...? How can you send him to die in your place, and then just stand there and watch....?" The jig was up, and Kyle didn't like it one bit.

[Shaehern Azhrarn]

This was a peculiar turn of events that Shaehern was watching unfold. If he had not known better, he would say it was the result of someone's foul play. Namely, it sounded like the type of thing he would do. Miss Serendipity certainly knew how to deal the most interesting hands on occasion. Shaehern's only regret was that making a bet on this arrangement would not net him much in the way of earnings. Also, it might be perceived as a little heartless given the circumstances.

Naelona would not have minded.

Shaehern watched as so many people filtered out of the balcony in such a hurry. Apparently more people than Shaehern realized had something riding on this arrangement. Kristopher Roberts was Naelona's slave, but Elric was partly owned by Naelona as well. The other boy, Kyle, was Kristopher's brother. Anolean would no doubt want Elric to win and Kyle to lose. Naelona was going to lose unless something happened to intervene in the event. If the rebels were going to act tonight would have been the night to do it, but would they really do it here?

The most good and harm stood to be done here. If the rebels were the type to do some gambling, then Shaehern imagined it would be here. What of the other people down there, though? Jasmine had run down as well, and Shaehern did not much like the idea of staying up here alone with the good doctor. "Dr. Nationis, I will bid you adieu and leave you to your privacy. I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening." He eyed the feline for a moment before turning away warily.

Shaehern sauntered away with only a slight twinge of regret that he would not be able to seek out his Zarek while he investigated what was bothering Jasmine. The things you gave up for new friendships.

Words had already transpired by the time Shaehern reached the floor. He stood near Jasmine and gazed curiously at her. He had caught the very end of her words. "Kris will survive."

"A foolish bet, but Fortune favors drunks, children and fools." Jasmine was holding the boy, but only for a moment before he broke and went to the other blond that Shaehern had met earlier this evening. The one Shae would have loved to own if he had the chance.

"That one has a hot temper," he murmured, but his forehead did crease with genuine concern. It was a harsh reality and a bad hand for some.

[Kristopher Roberts]

That idiot, that stupid idiot! How could he just walk into that stupid cage without a second thought! God, what was he going to do? What could he do now? Nothing, there was nothing he could do about it and he hated that feeling of being helpless. "Zeke" chewed on his bottom lip out of fear and fustration.

Kristopher was about to turn and try to find another way to get Zeke out of this position, somehow to distract everyone. He wasn't going to let Zeke die because of him, but any thoughts he might of had was instantly dashed away when he was jerked to a stop and dragged through the crowd roughly. Fearing the worst, the fake Zeke let out of a cry that no one would hear or even pay much attention too.

He didn't even notice it was Kyle until he was spun about to see his brother. Blue eyes looked up at his sibling with mixed emotions. Kyle might of noticed the young blond shaking if he hadn't been squeezing his arms so hard till the bruised. "You're hurting me!" He called out and tried to jerk away from his brother however that did nothing but hurt his arm even worse.

"You.... You force me to.... and then you...Do you think this is a game...? How can you send him to die in your place, and then just stand there and watch....?"

"I DIDN'T ask him to do this! It was an accident!" The blond cried out through the loud mob of people. "We just switched for a little bit and then I was trying to get back to him! I tried! You have no fucking idea, but it was too late!" The blond was breaking down with each sentence. Zeke didn't deserve to be in that cage, Kristopher did and he knew it.

"He won't call me out. I want him too but he won't do it, Kyle..." His voice grew softer then in a scared whisper. "I didn't want this, we thought it was going to be alright..." He paused then, looking at Zeke with frightened eyes and recalling his soft smile.

"I don't want him there. I don't know what to do!"

[Elric Vlarintos]

The blond was here. Kristopher stood across the way from Elric, and Elric stood ready to fight. If he considered who his opponent was for a moment he would certainly want to let up and to take it easily on Kristopher. However, in his heart of hearts he knew that was a much more cruel fate than to simply end the conflict quickly. If properly executed Elric might even be able to kill Kristopher in such a way that he only suffered for a moment. Yet, no matter which way Elric conceived of it, a moment of suffering still seemed far too long for the poor boy to deal with. Short of a perfect decapitation--utterly impossible--there was no quick way to bring death in these circumstances.

Yet Elric remembered Piper's words and that Piper had spoken of the rebels acting tonight. It was a gambit that risked his and Kristopher's lives, but putting off the conclusion of the fight just might let the pair of them survive.

His mind was working again, which was a bad thing to be doing when going into a fight. Then again, Elric wasn't intending to win the fight any longer. Naelona had said she had faith that he'd do the right thing. Did she know about the rebels? Suddenly, the large Boogie took on a much more sinister meaning.

Someone was going to die tonight. That seemed inevitable.

Elric looked over at Kristopher and it was only just now that he realized how horrible this must be for him. The cage was covered in roses. Would Kristopher even be able to focus on the fight enough to make it look good for a little while?

He cleared his throat slightly and let down his stance for a moment. Elric tried not to talk too loudly, and hoped that no one else would hear. "Kris. I'm sorry and I'm sure you want to do this even less than I do. How long can you make it look good?" Elric bobbed his head in a peculiar way, as though he were trying to provoke his opponent to charging at him while his stance was down. Had to make this a show, after all.

[Kyle Roberts]

Kris had no sooner cried out in pain that Kyle's vision began to blur. The room faded first, then Kris' body, then his face and finally his eyes. In the end all he saw was a mesh of colors that soon faded into a swirl of darkness so black that there was no light to be found anywhere. He closed his eyes against the blackness, trying to shut it out, trying to shut out the sounds that were beginning to fill his mind. But he found that he couldn't block it out when it was in his own mind.

Kyle opened his eyes and stared around the ratty little room. Across from him sat the moth eaten couch that his momma was passed out on. She'd come home hours earlier, staggering through the door and collapsing before she'd made it halfway to the couch. Kyle had helped her up onto to it, and had only been hit a few times for his troubles. The little t.v. in the corner was blaring static, no one seemed to realize that they could turn it off with the buttons on the front.

That was why his daddy had thrown the bottle at him and gone into the kitchen yelling, he couldn't find the remote. Kyle could see it though, sitting on top of the t.v. plain as day, but it wasn't on the table where his daddy had left it and so the man had simply assumed it was lost. Kyle hoped that there was still some of that stuff daddy liked in the fridge; if there was then maybe he'd drink enough of it that he'd just go to sleep like momma had. Then maybe he'd have the chance to go and visit with his little brother a bit before he went to make sure Sarah was still tucked in.

Unfortunately, judging from the sound of glass breaking against the wall, he'd already drank all of it before leaving for work. Sure enough, he came out a moment later tossed another bottle at Kyle's head, this one only half empty though. The little boy ducked and so the bottle missed him, but he still got covered in the bad smelling stuff as it hit the wall and exploded. hesitantly looking up, he saw that the man was making his way down the hall, to Kris room.

Kyle followed after him, and stopped just outside the door as his daddy went in and grabbed the tiny blond by the arm, dragging him out of the bed and shaking him as he yelled. Already kyle could see the finger shaped bruises forming on the boy's pale skin, even as he heard him cry out in pain. But he couldn't stand there and watch, and so as usual he went to do something about it. Quietly running back into the living room he pushed the button on the front of the t.v. that made it go off so that it wasn't making noise. He then picked up a discarded bottle and slammed it against the edge of the table, cutting his hand as it loudly shattered. Sure enough, he soon heard the footsteps coming down the hall. Luckily the beating only lasted about an hour, but by the end of it he was exhausted. He didn't get to visit Kris that night either.

Back in the present, Kyle was busy blinking against the memories. He looked down at where his hand was gripping the younger boy's arm and slowly let go, disgusted with himself as the comparison hit home. In that instant, for just a moment, he'd become the man he'd hated all his life. Kris probably didn't see it that way, but he did, and the knowledge crept under his skin and made him feel sick. Never, in all of his life, had he ever wanted to be anything life that bastard, not once. To know that he had....it wasn't something he'd easily forget.

He wanted to apologize to Kris, to tell him he was sorry for hurting him,; but he was still angry. Eventually he'd promise, but not right now. Right now there were more important things to take care of, like making sure that both of the blond boys got out of this alive.

His eyes once more searched his brother's this time looking for something different. For several minutes he was silent, several long minutes as he tried to think of a way to see them all out of this mess. When he did he took a step closer, lowering his head and voice and staring straight into Kris' eyes. "Listen to me Kris, I want you to leave, now. Don't try to argue with me on this. Things are going to be getting very dangerous and I don't want you caught up in any of it. I want you to go to Mistress Serenity's room, she's Zeke's master. No one will bother you there, and I'm sure she won't mind. I want you to stay there until either me or Zeke comes for you, don't even open the door unless its one of us."

His head raised just a bit, turning to stare back across the crowd to where he could just see the top of the cage. Inside it he knew that Zeke and Elric were just about to start their fight, and he prayed to whatever god paid attention here that they could hold out just a little while. A few moments later he turned back to Kris, staring at him grimly. "I'm sure Augy told you that the Rebels are gonna attack tonight. Well when they do then I'm going to break Zeke and Elric out of the cage and hide them somewhere until we can switch you two back. If I don't make it out with them, then they'll come to Mistress Serenity's room as well. If that happens then I want you to take them to the Rebel base and stay there, Piper will know what to do after that. Alright?" He paused then, just a moment, staring into the blue eyes before him. His next words might be the last ones he ever spoke to his little brother and he didn't want them to be wasted. But what to say when you might be about to die...? "If I don't make it.... I love you little brother. Tell Sarah I love her as well." A moments hesitation, and then he leaned in and kissed the blonde boy's forehead. "Give her one from me too." With those words spoken he turned, fading back into the crowd once more.

[Sarah Roberts]

Sarah stood idle at her wall, moving only occasionally to grab a small nibble of something to eat. She didn't partake of any of the drink, however. Parties like this tended to have alcoholic beverages, and even though her brother seemed to have gotten over his distrust of the stuff since their first night together, she never had. She had some, very occasionally, when she was alone with Kyle, but that was it.

Then it began. Naelona's little show. Sarah couldn't help but chuckle to herself. It was very dramatic, and in another situation, would have been quite effective. As it was, it just added to the farce that was this entire thing. It sickened her, in someways. To mask slaughter as a cultured event. Even the Romans regarded the gladiator ring as a less than cultured form entertainment. The boogies didn't even have that decency. This was all getting very tireso . . .

"Kristopher Roberts, and Elric Vlarintos."

Sarah's heart stopped. What had she just said? Kris? No. NO! Not her brother! She wouldn't allow it!

She looked frantically around for Kyle. She'd managed to lose him in her boredom, and now couldn't find him again because of all the damn shadow! Stupid boogies!! She started going toward the last place she had seen Kyle, but her passage was slow. Too many people to push pass, and not enough visibility to properly see where she needed to go. This was bad. Very bad! She needed to find Kyle right now, and get Kris out of this. What was she going to do? When she found Kyle, then what? Start attacking and killing all the boogies? The thought crossed her mind, and was given more consideration than it really should have been. She knew there wasn't a chance in hell of it working, but they needed to do something. She really didn't think talking would work.

She had made it half way up the stairs when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kyle descending the stairs. She stopped, unsure at first, but when she looked behind her, she was sure it was him who had just passed her. She followed. Again, though, she had to push through the crowed, and it took her a while to find him again. When she did, he was already talking with the real Kris, but she caught enough of the conversation to know who it was. Her relief that her brother wasn't really the one in the cage was beyond describing, but she knew what they needed to do. However, she would let them finish their talk, first. She stood there, listening, until the end.

"If I don't make it.... I love you little brother. Tell Sarah I love her as well. . . . Give her one from me too."

"Give me one yourself, Jackass. You're not doing this alone. Fuck's sake, Kyle, why are you even doing this at all? Kris is here. We've got him. Let's get him the hell out of here before they realize their mistake and throw him in! We don't need to be dieing for him if he's safe!"