Shin gave a slow yawn, stretching in the easy chair. It was utterly amazing. For the first time in as long as he could remember, sleep had actually refreshed him and he felt more awake then he had in years...

"Ready for dinner?" Aralu asked with a laugh, looking up from the book she was reading in a nearby chair.

"Un!" Shin nodded, putting a hand over his stomach as it growled loudly in agreement. "I didn't get to finish my pancakes earlier.."

"Good! Helena cooked last night, which means we have food for the next three weeks." She paused, considering. "Although with three more people who eat, it might be less time."

"Three more?" Shin asked, curiously.

"You, his royal pain, and Ariel." There was another pause. "Not that Ariel eats. But considering how he looked earlier, he might this time." She rose and began walking, Shin's chair following her. "I'll have to teach you how to use this," she said, looking back at him. "But first you have to eat."

Shin blinked. "You-- you mean the person you said was dangerous is still here...?" he asked, feeling a bit paranoid.

"He'll be here a few days, trying to dig up dirt on us." Aralu sounded disgusted. "If we try too hard to get rid of him, he'll know... more than he does now."

Shin looked down slightly. "Sorry," he apologized softly. "Is-- is there anything I can do...?"

Aralu laughed again. "Try and be invisible?"

The boy rubbed the back of his neck with an almost embarrassed grin. "I can fade into the background pretty easily, but I don't know about going that far," he smiled

"Well, fade for all you're worth," Aralu instructed, pushing open the door to the kitchen and entering. "Chicken, beef, seafood, or vegetarian?"

"Vegetarian," Shin answered without a thought.

The chair floated to a halt in front of a table, then lowered to the floor as Aralu approached the refrigerator. "We have.... something with tofu that looks stir fried, something involving beans that I think is a stew, some soup, and a variety of steamed vegetables with something that looks like spaghetti."

"That much...?" Shin asked, eyes wide. "Vegetables and pasta, please," he requested. "Are there a lot of people here that she'd make so much...?"

"No," Aralu answered, taking a bowl out of the fridge. "Helena cooks when she's angry. Her date stood her up for another man, and neither of them tasted good, so she was very angry last night."

"Tasted...?" Shin repeated, befuddled.

"Vampire," Aralu replied succinctly, heating the food and placing it in front of Shin. She fished a pair of lacquered chopsticks out of a drawer and handed them to him.

"Vampires exist too?" Shin asked, accepting the chopsticks with a small "Thank you."

"Most things exist if you look hard enough. Vampires, werewolves, changelings, living Shadows." She grinned, flopping into a seat next to him. "I was hoping not to have to try and explain most of this to you, but with Mr. Frost around I'll have to be around you most of the time or leave you with someone else. That means you'll probably need more information."

"So I don't keep having the same reaction every time something new shows up," Shin smiled with mild embarrassment before starting to eat. "This is good!" he commented, very quickly finishing the entire bowl before giving a satisfied sigh and sitting back in his chair. "Gij is going to be jealous," he laughed softly.

"I should hope it's good," Aralu said with a smile. "She's have almost 150 years of practice, and she's gone to some of the best culinary colleges out there." She sat back, watching him eat with amusement. "Why would anyone be jealous of being here?"

"Gij's mom runs a new age store, so he's grown up with stories of all these things that most people don't think exist," Shin explained, setting the chopsticks down. "He'd be having a field day with everything here. Especially the library!" he laughed. "He always complains the one on campus is too small."

"Well, I already said that almost half of it is dad's research. A lot of the rest is really old books in languages no one speaks anymore. He has Zeros and Ones copy them periodically. The originals are locked up somewhere in a huge underground vault."

"Zeros and ones?" Shin asked curiously.

"Shadows," Aralu explained. "The smallest ones, like the one keeping an eye on you, are called Zeros. After a while, they've picked up enough intelligence to do more than carry messages and watch things, and they become Ones. Joe's a One. After a while, Joe'll become a Two and be able to talk." She grinned. "I'm sure he'll have plenty to say to me then. Most Shadows are Zeros and Ones. There are only a few hundred who are Two or higher. Dad's the Ten. Jack's one of around five Nines, and the only one who can take on human form."

"So it's sort of like an age ranking?" Shin asked, fascinated. "Which is why the one that was watching me reminded me of Kim." He paused. "Ah! I should call campus! Kim's probably going to be awake until I do..."

A phone appeared on the table. "I won't eavesdrop," Aralu said. "When you're done, let the Zero who IS eavesdropping know and I'll come get you." She grinned at him and left.

Shin laughed softly. "Gives the term 'watching from the shadows' a new meaning..." he commented, dialing.

After two rings the phone was answered. "Yeah?" Gij's voice asked in a distracted tone.

"Hey, it's me," Shin smiled, leaning back in the chair.

There was a long pause. "Oh. Hi."

Shin paused. "Gij? What's wrong?"

"What makes you think something's wrong? Where are you, anyway?"

"You answered with a distracted 'hi' and then didn't immediately jump down my thought for vanishing on you or demanded to know where I was or what had happened," Shin frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I just asked where you were!" the blond protested, still sounding distracted. "Where are you?"

"Not entirely sure, to tell the truth. Not too far from campus. Is something going on?" Shin shifted slightly in his chair, adjusting a pillow to cushion his back better.

There was a very lame attempt at a laugh. "Nothing's wrong. What would be wrong?"

"Like hell nothing's wrong," the white haired boy muttered. "Stop trying to bullshit me. I know you better then that."

"You know, it's starting to get late. You should probably be getting some sleep about now."

"I just woke up," Shin commented. "And I just swore and you didn't even notice. What's going on, Gij? You're doing a lousy job at lying and you only do that when something major's gone wrong."

There was an almost frantic pause, then Gij spoke in a tiny voice. "Kim's gone."

Shin swore loudly, hand near spazeming around the phone. "How long?"

"I don't know," Gij answered in frustration. "I was taking care of some work I needed to finish, so Maggie was watching her after dinner, but Maggie's always so busy... I got back to pick her up and she wasn't there anymore. It can't be more than a few hours, but when Mrs. F. called the cops they said to call if she's still missing in the morning. And you know how half of them hate us as it is, I doubt we'd get any help. We don't know which direction to look, and she so small she could be anywhere...."

Shin swore again, falling back against the chair and looking up at the room's window. "And it's almost night..." he half whispered. "I'm going to see what I can do from up here. I'll call you back, okay?"

He could almost hear the nod. "I'm trying everything," Gij said, voice pained. "But I haven't been able to find her yet."

"You checked by the tree?" Shin asked, voice soft. "The one we normally sit under?"

"Everywhere I can think of."

Shin nodded slightly. "I'll call back. Just-- just keep looking, okay?"

"I won't stop," Gij promised, hanging up.

Shin gently set the phone down before burying his face in his hands. "Not Kim too..." he whispered before taking a deep breath to steady himself. "Aralu?" he called, looking up again.

She appeared in the room immediately. "What's wrong?"

"Gij doesn't know where Kim is..." Shin said, voice shaking despite his best efforts. "Is-- is there anything you can do to tell where she is...?"

She sighed. "I'll have to go over there. Which means that YOU will have to hide in my room again. And make sure you stay in your own head while I'm out. I should show you how to use the chair on your own before I go too, but for now let's just get you back upstairs."

"But she won't trust someone she doesn't know," Shin pointed out. "Especially if there's a chance that you might look like her mom..."

"You," Aralu said firmly, "Are staying here."

"But--!"

"Here," she repeated. "Much as there's danger from our uninvited guest, it's safer for you here until you know how to take care of yourself better. I'll take the blond if I need someone."

"Blon-- you mean Gij? And I can take care of my self!" Shin insisted.

"Not when you don't know how to. Your dreaming has JUST been released and you don't know what to do with it yet. You will be here for at least a few days while we teach you the basics, and you will certainly not be going out now when people are starting to go to bed."

Shin sighed deeply, looking down. "Yes ma'am..."
 
 

The door opened admitting Aralu to the building. "You," she said, easily grabbing Gijs by the arm. "I'll need something of Kim's to find her."

"Who are you? What makes you think you can do it when I haven't been able to find her yet?" Gijs asked belligerently.

Aralu rolled her eyes. "Because I'm more powerful than you," she answered, allowing her shields to loosen just a little and smiling when the blond stepped back a pace, paling slightly. "Now...."

Wordlessly, Gijs handed her a stuffed wolf that resembled the one in Shin's dreaming room. Aralu shut her eyes, cradling the wolf, then turned. She paused, looking back over her shoulder. "You come too. She'd never come to me, but she knows you." Not waiting to see if Gijs would follow her, she strode out.

Walking quickly, it took almost an hour to trace the small girl. As they neared a wood cabin, Aralu slowed. The taste of power around the building was familiar. She couldn't quite place where she recognized it from, despite its uniqueness. The girl's power was stronger here, though, so she was probably still here.

"You're Aralu, aren't you?" a cold voice spoke up as a well built man of about 25 stepped out of the shadow of one of the area's larger trees. His hair was long and straight, held back with a loose tie, his brown eyes narrow as his hand rested over a knife at his belt. "What are you doing here?"

"Hawk!" Aralu exclaimed, glad to have figured out the mystery. "I knew I recognized who lived here." She grinned at him. "It's been a long time. I'm here for Kim."

"Not long enough," the man muttered. "You can't have her."

"Kidnapping, Hawk?" the redhead said with a laugh. "I never would have thought it of you."

The man gave a snort. "I'm not giving her to someone who hasn't aged in at least 10 years who reeks of magic, just because you happened to find her. I don't trust you at all. I still remember the shit you pulled in high school," he glared.

Aralu smirked. "That," she said, "Was nothing." She opened her mouth to continue, but Gijs stepped forward, breathing still elevated.

"Please, let me take her home...."

Hawk's eyes shifted to the blond. "Who are you?" he asked, voice devoid of the harsh tone he had used with Aralu.

"I'm a friend. She knows me." Gijs looked upset. "I was supposed to be watching her, but I had work to finish and when I got back she wasn't there. Shin'll never forgive me if I don't get her home."

Hawk gave a small nod. "Come with me, then," he said, turning. He pause, giving Aralu a small glare. "But not you," he added.

Aralu laughed. "Gonna stop me?" she asked, voice rich with amusement.

Gijs put a hand on her arm. "Don't," he begged, moving to follow Hawk.

Hawk muttered under his breath before heading into the cabin. "Kim, do you know who this is?" he asked the girl, tone soft and kind.

Kim looked up at Gijs and nodded.

The boy breathed a sigh of relief and crouched down, holding his arms out to her. "You worried us, little bit," he said.

Kim let him hug her. "Shin?" she asked plaintively.

Gijs winced slightly. "He's not home yet, but he will be soon," he promised. "You can talk to him on the phone."

Kim's lip trembled.

Hawk nodded to himself as he watched. "So where is home?" he asked, arms folded as he leaned against the wall. "I can give you both a ride back."

Holding Kim easily in one arm, Gijs gestured. "The school for kids with powers," he said, watching for Hawk's reactions. "It took us almost an hour to follow her trail here." He hugged her slightly. "She must have really gotten herself lost."

"Should have figured," Hawk smiled, walking over to gently muss Kim's hair. "Did you want to go back there, Kim?" he asked gently.

"Kim wants Shin," she begged, causing Gijs to wince and look at Hawk pleadingly.

"Is that normally where Shin is?" Hawk asked soothingly, gently stroking her back.

She nodded, holding her arms out to him. "But he wasn't," she added.

"But he'll come back, right? And he'll want to see you. But if he doesn't know where you are, he'll worry, right?"

"Don't want Shin to worry!" Kim exclaimed.

"So you should go home and wait for him, right?" Hawk smiled kindly.

"Shin keeps scary away."

Gijs winced. "She means Mrs. F.. She's scared of her. ...Most people are, even the cops..."

Hawk gave a small chuckle. "Would you want me to come and protect you until Shin gets back?"

Kim's face lit up.

"And leave the werewolf alone?" Aralu's voice drifted in from outside the cabin.

Gijs startled, staring at Hawk wide-eyed.

Hawk twitched. "So you can steal him back? Not likely!" he shot back.

There was a long pause. "....Back?" Aralu appeared in the doorway, head cocked to one side.

Hawk's glared. "You were researching Nav, weren't you?"

"So...?" Aralu paused in thought. "Wait, you think I'm studying werewolves?" She gave an incredulous laugh.

"Half breeds. Half man, half wolf," Hawk crossed his arms, glaring. "You tested Nav's limits because he was a half breed, I wouldn't past you to screw with others the same way, and in worse ways. Teenagers, children, doesn't matter, as long as you get your information. So what if your subject violently explodes or goes berserk, you don't care," he snapped.

"Werewolves aren't half-breeds," Aralu said patiently. "They pride themselves on their pedigrees. And Nav was fascinating until he went bang. I thought he'd make it out of high school for a while there." She shook her head sadly.

"He would have if you hadn't shown up!" Hawk snapped angrily. "And if you don't care about werewolves, what in hell are you doing trying to change them?!"

"What?" Aralu exclaimed, staring. "Change them? Why would I want to do anything to werewolves?"

"How would I know?!" Hawk shot back.

Kim whimpered, hiding her face against Gijs' shoulder. He tried to quiet her while remaining in the background.

"Then why are you accusing me of it?" Aralu demanded.

Hawk looked over at Kim and visibly calmed. "Sorry," he half muttered in her direction before crossing his arms and glaring at Aralu again. "You show up out of nowhere asking for one kid and then magically know about Faolan, and with all your crap with Nav, what in hell am I suppose to think? That it's all just coincidence?"

"All I know is that you have a boy werewolf around here. I can smell him, Hawk. Like I could always tell where Nav was, or where you were. How do you think I followed Kim here?" She gave him an exasperated look. "I came here because I wanted Shin to stop worrying and the only way to do that was to find Kim. Yes, it's a coincidence that you have a werewolf."

"Can you smell how he was fucked with too?" Hawk asked tone angry.

Gijs carefully backed out of the cabin, trying again to quiet Kim.

"Watch your language around a child," Aralu said. "I have done nothing to any werewolves. I know no one who has done anything to werewolves. I don't know what you're talking about, but you're starting to sound like a madman." She gave an elaborate bow. "Thank you for taking care of Kim. We'll take her home now."

Hawk tensed slightly, then gave a slow exhale. "Somebody made it so it hurts for him to shift. All he knows is that his family is with 'bad men' who were the ones who changed him," he said, tone calmer. "Something you don't know about, amazing," he said with sarcasm.

Aralu rolled her eyes. "That would be like making you unable to breathe air, Hawk," she said. "Werewolves are werewolves."

Hawk half snorted. "People can be changed so that the very sight of something makes them feel as if they're intense pain, and I can't imagine that a werewolf would be immune from something similar. Don't discount me so quickly," he said pointedly.

"And dogs can be taught to salivate on command," Aralu added. "Got a werewolf coming and going there."

"So why do you find it so hard to believe that someone could screw around with a werewolf's ability to change?" Hawk near glared.

"Because what would be the purpose of doing it?" Aralu challenged. "Being able to mess with a werewolf's subconscious has no practical application."

Hawk snorted again. "Control is reason enough of it's own. I'd think you of all people would realize that..."

"Control for what purpose though? What would you do? Make a werewolf unable to Change and kick him out?"

"If you make a werewolf unable to change, he's no longer a threat or a nuisance," Hawk said flatly. "There were plenty of people talking about shipping Nav off somewhere to make him afraid to do anything Maku like because they were afraid of him. I'm sure some like minded assholes elsewhere wouldn't have a drop of remorse doing something like that to a werewolf for similar reasons."

Aralu opened her mouth to reply then closed it, looking slightly troubled. "I'd need to see him to be able to tell anything," she said finally.

Hawk gave a small nod, turning and heading into the bedroom. There was soft talking, unintelligible from where Aralu stood, but in a soothing tone. After a long while the man returned, a ten year old boy near clinging to his hand and half hiding behind.

Aralu crouched down and smiled, entire bearing moving from cocky and overbearing to soft and safe in an instant. Despite this, the boy whimpered slightly at her scrutiny, pressing against Hawk and hiding his face. Ignoring his reaction, Aralu studied him through narrowed eyes for a long minute, then sat back looking horrified and disgusted.

"So you see it," Hawk said, voice almost too soft to be heard. He gently squeezed the boy's hand to reassure him.

"That--" Aralu crossed herself. "It's completely twisted. No one should have an aura like that.... It--" She closed her eyes and licked her lips lightly. "It still tastes like werewolf, but now that he's so close I can taste something almost burned into it...."

Hawk's eyes narrowed slightly as he watched. "Taste...?" he repeated.

Aralu smiled up at him in amusement. "You taste like human male, like earth, like metal. Great vitality, you're like a strong drink. And you smell of disapproval and suspicion right about now as well."

"What the hell are you now, some sort of astral vampire?" Hawk scowled.

"Half right." Aralu shrugged as she rose. "Half astral. You know that Nav could always tell how people were feeling, right? I'm like that. But better. Much better."

"That isn't saying much," Hawk half muttered. "Nav was the densest pseudo empath ever."

Aralu laughed softly. "That's true. Never could tell the difference between plain anger and someone about to hit him. Good thing I could."

"Probably the only reason I never decked you," Hawk admitted with a small sigh. "Push the limit right to when I was about to let loose and then stepped back. Pissed me off so bad..."

"And then took notes on it when Nav hit that one last button unknowingly," Aralu said with a grin. "Now, I have a toddler to return and then I'll figure out what's going on with your puppy."

"I said I was going with Kim," Hawk pointed out. "And he has a name, if you'd bother to ask. He's a person, not a dog."

"Yes, but asking would imply I'm interested," Aralu said, spinning in place. "And if you're taking her home, I'll take a ride. My car is there and not here."

"Flew in on your broomstick, did you?" Hawk asked dryly. "Car's this way," he gestured as he started walking.
 
 

There was the soft swish of the door opening behind Shin and then a gasp.

The boy looked up from his book, blinking. "You again..."

"Why do you torment me? I did nothing," the red-haired man asked, pressing against the wall next to the door.

Shin blinked again. "Torment...? How am I tormenting you?" he asked, setting the book down. "And you broke into Aralu's room, that's hardly doing nothing," he pointed out.

"I-- I only do what I am told...." The redhead defended. "Because of you, my brother thinks I lie to him." He clutched at the high neck of his jacket. "If you are something unreal, cease to torment me like this!"

"Unreal...?" Shin repeated, eyebrow rising slightly. "And just because someone told you to do something you shouldn't have doesn't mean you shouldn't be held accountable for it," he pointed out.

"Are you real then?" the man asked, still cowering against the wall. "You seem real, but my brother was certain I must have created you from my easily led conscience."

"Why did he think you created me...?" Shin asked, feeling slightly uneasy. "Far as I know I'm real..."

"He couldn't find you," the other man said, staring with intensity. "He decided I must have imagined you and said I shouldn't have bothered him with an hallucination."

Shin paused a moment, thinking. "He really doesn't trust you, does he?" he finally said.

The man's eyes widened and he began breathing faster. "He-- My brother trusts me! I have never given him reason to doubt my devotion to him! He must trust me!"

"But he thought you were lying to him," Shin pointed out. "If he trusted you, he wouldn't have thought that."

The man flinched back as if stung. "He couldn't find you. If he'd seen you.... If I bring him here to see you...."

"But trust is about believing even when there's no proof. I mean G--" Shin paused a moment. "One of my friends tells me all the time about all sorts of weird things that I can't see and I believe him because I know he wouldn't make it up and I trust him."

The redhead flinched again. "No," he insisted softly. "He must trust me.... He must...." His hand pressed over his heart as if to hold it in.

Shin's expression softened slightly. "He's all you have, isn't he?" he asked quietly.

"I need him.... I-- I would do anything for him...."

"Why?" Shin asked, curious.

The man left off his staring at Shin to look down, face flushing. His hand trembled over his chest. "I need him," he whispered, voice barely audible.

"Why?" Shin repeated, gently pressing the issue. "He uses you, leaves you behind, sends you to do his dirty work and then accuses you of lying to him... why would you need someone who treats you that way?"

"You-- you don't understand!" the man said, curling in on himself. "I-- I am not... right. He makes it bearable...."

"How?"

The man tensed again. "I don't have to talk to you. An hallucination!" he nearly sobbed. "Just an hallucination." He turned to the door. "Gabriel...." he murmured desperately, clawing at the knob.

"Aren't hallucinations often your subconscious acting out and saying or doing things you can't?" Shin asked. "And if what I'm saying upsets you so much... you know there's something wrong, don't you," the man ended softly.

The redhead turned slowly, pale eyes wide with terror. He grabbed at his hair with gloved hands. "You-- you don't know anything. You're wrong! You must be wrong...."

"Am I?" Shin asked softly.

"You must be," the other man repeated, voice half whimper. "I need him...."

"Just because you think you need something doesn't mean it's what's best for you. Wouldn't it make you happier if you had someone who would trust you and not ask you to do things you didn't want to do?"

The man shook his head desperately, fingers digging into his hair. "You know nothing. Nothing!"

"Then explain it to me," Shin encouraged.

The man looked up, eyes still wide. He held out a hand, a handful of bright red hair stark against the pale grey of his glove. "If I bled, you wouldn't know the difference. He does."

Shin blinked. "I don't understand..." he said slowly. "What do you mean?"

The gloved hand tipped, releasing the hair to drift to the floor. The redhead watched them fall slowly, then turned his hand to Shin, showing a red stain. "Only Gabriel knows without being told."

Shin was quiet a moment, unsure how to react. "And because of that, you'll willing to let him take advantage of you?" he asked finally.

"Some things are worth anything. His love is one."

"How can it be love if he doesn't trust you? Isn't love all about trust?"

"His love is pure. He doesn't have to lie to spare my feelings."

"His "love" said you lied. His "love" sent you out to do things you feared. His "love" leaves you feeling as if you're miles behind him and falling further behind," Shin replied. "His love IS a lie."

The man stared, eyes slowly widening more and more as he cowered against the door. "You-- you can't--- You don't--"

"I can't and don't what?" Shin pressed.

"He-- he protects me," the man said, hugging himself. "They wanted to institutionalize me and he wouldn't let them.... Anything I can do for him...."

"But he didn't help you, did he?" Shin asked. "They could have helped you at a hospital if you truly were insane."

"No...." the man said slowly, one hand drifting up to his hair again. "I don't-- like people.... People... hurt...."

"They don't have to," Shin smiled kindly. "Not everyone is the same. Some hurt, but some heal."

"Everyone hurts," the man insisted, fingers gripping tightly into his hair. "Everyone but him...."

"But doesn't he hurt you when he says that you lie to him?"

"No. I could have been lying. It would have been wrong to lie to him. We don't do that. He's the only one."

"But you didn't lie to him," Shin pointed out, feeling as if he was talking in circles. "It was wrong of him not to believe you."

"He looked for you first. You could have been an hallucination. You still could be."

"Even if I were, you did see me. So you didn't lie."

"It's not the same," the redhead said calmly. One hand gripped the doorknob tightly. "If you're an hallucination then Aralu isn't hiding something, so it was a lie." He cocked his head. "ARE you an hallucination?" he asked curiously. "You don't seem like one, but sometimes it's so hard to tell...."

"If I were, wouldn't I tell you I wasn't anyway? Isn't the nature of hallucinations that you think that they're real?"

"Some of them are easy to tell. My mother, for example. I know she's an hallucination when I see her."

"Because she isn't in this world anymore," Shin said, not quite knowing how he knew the fact.

"There," the man said with something that neared relief. "You couldn't have known that, so you must be unreal."

Shin opened his mouth as if to protest, but stopped himself. It was probably best if the other man did believe he was just seeing things. "Which means I come from you, doesn't it?" he asked.

"That's fine, though. I can ignore something that comes from me. I'm mad."

"But if I come from your own mind, than everything I've said is something you've though," Shin pointed out, feeling a bit uneasy with what he was saying. It wasn't... really... lying... was it?

"I think many things. Alchemical formulae, the stories my nurse told me when I was small, the ones she didn't. Not everything I think is sane. I can easily discount anything from my head."

Shin gave a soft sigh, shaking his head. "So you never listen to your subconscious then?" he asked, leaning back against his chair. "No wonder it forms external things to talk to you..."

"I need only listen to Gabriel," the man said firmly. "To Gabriel," he repeated, voice softer as he looked down.

Shin was quiet a moment, looking off into the distance. "What if he were a hallucination as well?" he wondered idly, not really thinking about what he was saying. "He would know and understand everything because he was from inside your head then, wouldn't he. He could even be a projected alternate personality, depending on how insane you really were."

The other man hit the door hard as he started, covering his mouth with a hand as he wrenched the door open and fled.

Shin startled at the noise and grimaced. "Hadn't meant to say that aloud..." he near whispered, looking at the door.
 
 

"Did you find her?"

"She was with an old friend of mine," Aralu said, smiling as if she'd told a joke.

Shin blinked in mild confusion at her expression before shaking his head slightly. "I should probably call campus then and talk to her," he smiled. "And yell at Gijs," he continued with a sigh. "I'm so used to our bizarre conversations that I... really said something..." he fidgeted slightly. "Kinda mean to someone unintentionally."

Aralu looked at him sharply. "Oh?" she said.

Shin rubbed the back of his neck. "Ariel was in the library and... he thinks I'm a hallucination now and I made a comment that his brother might be a hallucination," he finished meekly.

"You told Ariel that you were an hallucination and so was Gabriel?" Aralu asked incredulously.

"I didn't say I was!" Shin defended. "I didn't really say I wasn't either," he fidgeted slightly. "I didn't want him telling his brother," he explained. "So when he asked if I was or not, I was... kinda vague. And I didn't even really say that his brother was either, I just-- Have you ever had those 'What if you were really just a brain in a jar' conversations? It was like one of those..."

"Why were you trying to have an existential conversation with Ariel Versailles?" Aralu demanded. "Even you have to have noticed he's not stable."

"I wasn't TRYING to," Shin defended uncomfortably. "I didn't even really mean to say it aloud, you know? It was just a thought off of everything he said and it... just somehow was said aloud."

"Most people don't say that sort of thing," Aralu pointed out.

"I'm used to Gij," Shin defended meekly, slightly slumped in his chair. "Existentialism is dinner conversation... And I really didn't mean to say it aloud," he repeated. "I must have been tired or something."

"Then take a nap. We're well warded here, and I have things to do before training you."

Shin nodded slightly. "Something new popped up," he commented, tone seeming distracted. "Kim..." he trailed off, blinking.

"Is perfectly safe," Aralu assured.

Shin blinked, looking up at her. "She's napping..." he said in a confused tone.

Aralu blinked once. "Then you shouldn't call her," she said decidedly.

"Un..." Shin nodded, looking down again. "I think... I think I can..." His eyes closed and he slumped in the chair, asleep.
 

He was in the quad of the campus, although it seemed much larger than it actually was. He had his back to a tree and Kim was waving a stick at something he couldn't see.

"Kim?" he asked feeling slightly confused. Wasn't he just....?

The girl turned, smiling happily at him. "Kim protect!" she declared.

Shin smiled. "But there's nothing there now," he pointed out. "Come sit with me instead?"

Kim turned and looked, then plopped down next to him. She cuddled against his arm. "Story!" she demanded.

The boy laughed softly, putting his arm around her and hugging her close. "How about the one about the spirit that looked like a little boy?" he smiled.

"Yay!" Kim cheered, snuggling closer and looking at him with adoring eyes.

Shin gently mussed her hair before retelling the story. As he spoke, the vague outlines of the event began to paint themselves across the quad.

Kim's eyes widened, but all her attention was on Shin as he spoke.

The images faded as the story ended and Shin turned to Kim with a smile.

"Story moved," she said.

Shin nodded with a smile. "That's because we're dreaming together," he explained. "Wanna see something else we can do because this is a dream?"

She nodded enthusiastically.

Very slowly, Shin got to his feet, then reached down and carefully picked Kim up, holding her in his arms.

Kim's arms spread wide and she gave an almost comically surprised expression. "Shin up!" she exclaimed.

"Un!" Shin smiled, hugging her closely. "Anything we want to do, we can do when we dream."

Kim cheered, arms winding around him as much as she could.
 
 

"Damn it, wake up already!"

The pale boy barely responded, a small twinge of motion the only reaction, but it was more then Aralu had gotten before. Since falling asleep, Shin had been completely immobile, only the slowed breathing and occasional movement of his eyes behind closed lids giving any indication he was still alive.  She tried to enter his head again, only to be thrown back. Cursing, she slapped Shin sharply.

This time, he gave a pained exclamation, eyes shooting open as a hand moved to cover his reddening cheek.

With a relieved sigh, Aralu sat back.

The boy slowly relaxed again, eyes slowly refocusing as he put his other hand to his forehead. "That hurt..." he half whined.

"You weren't waking up. Dad would have killed me if I lost you."

"I was with Kim..." Shin explained, gingerly shifting himself in the chair.

"You were practically dead."

Shin blinked up at her in mild confusion. "Not just asleep?" he asked before giving a small yawn.

"Your SOUL was out visiting, in case you missed what you just told me," Aralu snapped.  "There was nothing in your body.  Nothing but a stuffed wolf who can't DO anything!"

The boy winced slightly. "But... you said I could go wandering... long as I was anchored... right?" he asked carefully. "Did I do it wrong...?"

"Anchor?  What anchor?  There was NOT an anchor."

Shin blinked again, rubbing one eye as he trying to get his brain to finish waking up. ".. sorry?" he hazarded uncertainly.

Aralu snarled something incoherently, causing Shin to wince again. "I-- I thought..." he trailed off a moment. No, he hadn't thought, he realized. One moment he had been aware of something new and the next...

He gave a small sigh. "I'm sorry," he apologized again, looking down. "It... it just kind of happened.  I-- I realized Kim was asleep and--" he wrung his hands slightly.

"There are times you should just let things happen," Aralu said.  "When I've told you that you're at danger from losing yourself is not one of them."

The boy looked uncomfortable. "I don't really know how to have them not," he said meekly, looking down at his hands.  "I've never really had any control of what's gone on when I'm asleep... having a lot of new things that can happen doesn't really make it easier to control."

"Well then...." Aralu said, tense and very clearly unreasonable, "You just can't sleep."

"Eeeeh?!" Shin's eyes went wide. "But---!"

"Oh, shut up," Aralu said testily.  "I know it's not possible.  But we need to do something about you now, and it's not like I don't have fifty other things to be doing."

Shin gave a soft sigh, lowering his eyes again. "I'll stay awake as long as I can," he said softly.
 
 
 
 

"P.O.W.," Aralu said without preliminary when the door opened. "Supposedly sent to a redistribution center that burned down three years ago and was never rebuilt. No one checked because no one cares about werewolves."

Hawk scowled, putting his arms around Faolan protectively. "Not surprised," he said dryly. "Find out anything on his parents or who did this yet?"

"Werewolf war. They have them periodically. Kid's clan lost." She paused, then continued. "Adults ended up serving a group of scientists. Kids were supposed to be given to other people, but that obviously didn't happen."

"Probably the same group of scientists are responsible for this," Hawk half snarled. "Wouldn't keep them in the same place else it could cause trouble..."

"Probably right. I checked all records, and there isn't even any mention of how many children there were, let alone where they were placed."

"So at least no one will be looking for him in obvious ways," Hawk muttered. "If they start looking it'll attract attention..."

Aralu nodded. "You should be safe. I haven't even heard vague inquiries, and I hear everything."

Hawk nodded. "Anything on how to undo what they did?"

"I don't even know what they did. I can take a few guesses, based on the group that did it, but...." She shrugged, shaking her head.

"'No one cares about werewolves,'" Hawk quoted. "It's probably just the first step in something. Start with werewolves, wind up with a hold on changelings or vampires or whatever else is out there."

"You may be right, and it will take some very circumspect questions to find out what."

"Looks like you'll need to use some of that tact you keep in storage for this, won't you?" Hawk commented with a dry smirk.

"This is what I store it for," she said, rolling her eyes. "It keeps people underestimating me."

Hawk gave a snort. "Here I thought slumming it with half breeds would do that enough for ya."

She gave a crooked smile. "You're cute. I'm a half-breed myself."

"Kinda figured by your 'half astral' comment," Hawk smirked in return.

"It's not considered slumming if you are one," Aralu pointed out.

"Depends on the other half breeds," Hawk returned. "You could be half god and hanging out with a half maku would definitely be slumming."

Aralu made a face. "Nav FELT like slumming half the time. You should be damned glad you kept him alive so long."

"Somehow I think glad's the wrong word," Hawk half mumbled with a sigh. "And sorry about earlier. I kinda... I know you really weren't the reason he blew, but..." He shrugged. "Can't help but wonder if he woulda hung in there longer if you hadn't had him puffed up so damned much when you were around, ya know?"

She shook her head. "Most half Maku blow by 15. As soon as they hit puberty and start coming into their powers they're gone. He lasted as long as he did because you knew what was going on and could hold him in."

Hawk gave a small nod. "Still felt like I failed him when he finally did blow."

"I was trying to get him to hold on until graduation," Aralu said wistfully. "He got so far."

Hawk raised an eyebrow. "You were trying too...? With all that poking and prodding?"

"Believe it or not." She smiled. "If it makes you feel better, it would have been a wonderful notation on him that he made it that long. And I probably could have gotten a copy of the diploma too."

Hawk shook his head slightly. "He really didn't mean anything more than research to you, did he? Not that I really blame you for it... but you were one hell of an actor."

"Nav was interesting and lively. He could pull practical jokes with the best of them. And I really did want him to graduate." She shrugged. "I don't meet ones like him all the time."

"He woulda have needed another year too anyway. Idiot flunked math too many times," Hawk commented before shifting his stance. "You're gonna keep me posted on what you find out about Faolan, right?" he asked, changing the topic.

"Never could keep numbers in his head," Aralu muttered, making a face. "Yeah. I'll let you know when I find them."

Hawk nodded. "And maybe... we can sit down and talk about crap when you have five seconds to spare," he smiled slightly.

"Good luck waiting," Aralu grinned, "but I'll remember the offer."
 
 
 

There was a soft gasp. "You again," Ariel's soft voice came from behind Shin.

The boy looked up from the large, slightly dusty volume he had been carefully paging through, his chair turning so he could see who had spoken. "I could say the same," he said softly, looking at the red haired man.

"I-- heard them talking of you," Ariel said, stepping carefully closer. "Others-- take no note of me. So you are real, it seems."

"Them?" Shin asked.

"The vampire, and the Shadow Lord's subordinate." The redhead continued forward slowly until he stood next to Shin's chair. He looked down at the boy with intense fascination. "You are real," he repeated.

"I am," Shin nodded, chair turning so he could look up at the other man without twisting his back.

"If you're real," Ariel said, voice soft, "how could you know...?"

"Know what...?" Shin asked, a little uneasy.

"You knew about my mother, and what you said about Gabriel...." Ariel's voice trailed off for a moment. "Are you their spy?" he asked curiously. "You shouldn't be here, and yet my brother hasn't been able to find you, so he believes me to be false to him."

"Who's spy?" Shin asked, discomfort growing a little.

"Why do you never answer me!" Ariel exclaimed. "Am I so far beneath contempt? I have done nothing to you and you treat me like they all do!"

"I-- I don't know what to say!" Shin defended, shrinking back in his chair. "How can I know what to answer if I don't even know what you're asking?" Never the mind that if he said the wrong thing, Aralu would be mad at him again....

"You're here, so you must belong to Lord Kajiro," Ariel said, reaching down to grip the chair tightly with gloved fingers. "That even a Child...." Shin could hear the capital letter. "I have done you no harm," the redhead said in despair, eyes drinking in the sight of Shin. "I have done nothing to make you despise me so...."

"I don't despise you," the pale boy said nervously. "I just don't know what you're talking about."

"All you've given me are half truths and riddles, causing me to doubt my senses more than I do already." Ariel leaned down and Shin could see the fine lines spreading out from around the man's eyes and the dark shadows under them. "Gabriel will find you even if he disbelieves me," he said intently. "You do yourself no good to do this to me."

"I cannot give you answers I don't have, just like I cannot answer questions I don't understand. What you say confuses me as much as what I reply confuses you," Shin said softly, trying very hard to keep from panicking.

"Truly?" Ariel asked, eyes widening slightly in surprise as he pulled back. "Then you're as out of place here as am I." He dropped into a chair near Shin and leaned forward. "Why are you here?" he asked, watching Shin's face intently.

The boy hesitated a moment, wringing his hands. "I-- I don't think I'm suppose to say," he finally answered.

"Of course not, or they wouldn't be hiding you," Ariel said reasonably. "None pay me any heed but Gabriel, and even he...." One hand curled against his chest and the man looked pained. "He refuses to listen to me now, because of you.... None would know anything from me."

"But you'd try to tell him, wouldn't you? To give him more proof so that he would believe you again," Shin said softly, watching the other man. "Because you have worth when he can use you however he wishes.... even when by using you, he keeps you in the shadows and alone."

Ariel pulled back as though slapped, then looked away. He hesitated, fingers curling into his jacket. "He wouldn't hear me if I tried," he said softly. "The longer I talk about you the longer he will punish me."

"Because he knows you'll do anything to gain his favour again," Shin reasoned. "By punishing you, he gets what he wants, doesn't he?"

"I need him more than he needs me," Ariel said. "And I would do anything for his favour. I would do anything for him. Anything."

"And he knows this, doesn't he?" Shin asked softly. "Which is why he knows he can do anything that hurts you and you'll take it..."

"Stop it," Ariel begged, voice a sob. "My brother is the only one to value me."

"He only values you for what you can do for him. And he keeps you so that you can't find anyone else." Shin hesitated a moment before reaching out a hand to the other man, wondering what on Earth he was doing. "Would you be my friend instead?" he smiled softly.

Ariel stared at him, surprise and confusion warring in his eyes. Slowly, his fingers loosed their deathgrip on his jacket and he reached out, gloved fingers lighting on Shin's in a hardly felt touch.

The boy smiled kindly, lightly curling his fingers in a ghost of a hold as if dealing with an easily spooked animal. "Ariel, was it?" he asked softly.

The man nodded, still looking dazed. "Mother calls me Ari...." he said hesitantly. "You may... if you want."

Shin nodded. "Ari, then," he smiled. "I'm Shin," he introduced.

Ariel reclaimed his hand, holding it close to himself. "Shin," he repeated. "I am... not sane, so you mustn't be alarmed if I take fright at...." He paused and seemed to consider his words, "at things that aren't there."

Shin nodded, his arm resting on the chair again. "I'm a bit used to that sort of thing," he smiled. "One of my friends has premonitions," he explained, "and strange things always seem to happen around him because of it, so it's almost normal," he laughed softly.

"I do not believe in magic," Ariel said firmly. "My-- my brother's father wished me committed for that alone."

"There's a lot of people who don't," Shin nodded. "And I don't know if I'd really call it magic, per say. Magic always brings to mind someone pulling a rabbit from a hat, you know?" he smiled, relaxing. "It's more like... having a really strange talent, than anything else, I'd think."

"Yes," Ariel said, face lightening briefly. "My brother is always cold, so things around him become cold as well. It isn't magic, it's merely physical science."

Shin nodded. The 'ice man' comment from before made a little more sense now. "It could be," he nodded. "Sort of like exerting control over your environment though pure will power, in a way?" he asked.

"Perhaps," Ariel said hesitantly, face glowing from the conversation. "It's often unconscious. I always know when my brother is in a rage."'

Shin nodded. "Kim's a bit like that too. When she gets mad, everything in the room will start flying around. She won't even notice until something breaks or hits someone, then she's all tears," he smiled fondly at the memory.

"Who? Are they hiding more than you?"

Shin blinked. "Kim's like my little sister," he explained, wondering if he said too much. "Even though we're not related. We're both orphans, so we sort of adopted each other," he laughed softly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"An orphan.... Is that why you're Lord Kajiro's?"

Shin blinked again. "I... don't think so. My parents died when I was little..." he said, voice unsure. "I've been living with my aunt since then."

Ariel's brow wrinkled. "Then why are you here?"

The paler boy fidgeted a bit, unsure how to answer. "Something changed, I guess..." he finally answered, hoping he wasn't saying something he shouldn't. "Everything's been a bit crazy, so I really don't know what's going on."

Ariel looked as though he was trying to see Shin's thoughts by looking at him. "Are you telling me the truth?" he asked.

"I don't want to get yelled at again," Shin admitted with mild embarrassment, looking down. "It's not really a lie though," he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I'm sorry I can't really explain it better."

Ariel looked down. "Because of my brother," he guessed. "Even though he won't believe a thing I tell him now."

"Sorry," Shin apologized again. "Maybe after this craziness is over, you can come back with me and we can talk more freely?" he asked. "My aunt always said I needed to make more friends so she could show off her baking skills," he laughed, smiling.

"Food... does not agree with me," Ariel said, hands twisting around one another.

"Sensitive stomach?" Shin asked curiously.

Ariel continued to wring his hands, not looking at Shin and not answering.

The paler boy hesitated a moment, before giving a small smile. "You don't have to explain if you don't want to," he assured.

"There was a book Gabriel wanted," Ariel said, voice soft again. "I should find it for him...."

"What kind of book?" Shin asked, feeling as if he had bungled something.

"It's... a book of names, detailing the Alliance's strength in this area. He will visit everyone while here."

"Alliance?" Shin asked curiously. "And shouldn't he ask Kajiro about it first, since it's his library?" It was a rather stupid question, he reflected, but it felt almost like he was stalling for time.

Ariel looked up, eyes wide and young looking. "Gabriel has a right to see it. And no one pays attention to what I'm doing, so...."

"So he can make you do things you shouldn't and blame you so he doesn't get in trouble," Shin continued for him, eyes concerned. "If it's here, it's Kajiro's book, isn't it? Which means he has the say of who gets to see what, right?"

A door banged open causing Ariel to startle and spring to his feet. Aralu entered the room without looking.

"Himself is out for a ride," she said, "So we can get you a room now."

"What...?" Shin asked, befuddled, but rather relieved.

Aralu looked up and paused. "Well, Ariel Versailles," she said, voice neutral.

Ariel tensed, then bowed deeply.

Shin looked between the pair, almost nervously. "We were just talking," he said softly.

"What is he doing in here?"

The boy hesitated a moment, looking over at Ariel.

Ariel's eyes flicked between them and he kept his silence, hands tightly wound around one another.

"He was just... having a look around," Shin finished, looking back over at Aralu, hoping she wouldn't press the issue and that Ariel would take the chance to make an escape.

Ariel looked at Aralu a moment, and then fled. She made no move to stop him.

"You will tell me everything you talked about with him," she said to Shin after the other man had left. "And as I was saying, we have time to get you set up in your own room now."

Shin gave a deep sigh. "He was looking for a book," he said softly. "Something about names in an alliance, it didn't make any sense to me. He apparently heard..." he hesitated a moment. "He said a vampire and-- and someone else were talking about me, so he figured I was real. So there wasn't any harm talking to him... was there?" he asked meekly.

"He saw you earlier, so he must have told Gabriel already, but we haven't heard anything about it yet. I wonder why?"

"He said Gabriel doesn't believe him," Shin said softly, looking over where the man had fled. "Isn't there..." he trailed off a moment. "There has to be something that can be done to help him. He's so... desperate."

"Shin, he's insane," Aralu said, brushing off the concern. "He's useful as nothing except his brother's spy."

"Because everyone thinks that of him!" Shin exclaimed.

"He's insane, Shin," Aralu repeated. "He should be institutionalized, but Gabriel won't hear of it, and Gabriel's his guardian."

"Of course he won't, because he can use Ariel this way. Because everyone writes him off and ignores him and he has it in his head that his brother's the only one who thinks he's worth anything, an thus he'll do anything asked." Shin crossed his arms, feeling suddenly cross. "Everyone said Gijs was insane because he could tell what was going to happen. They said that Anyou was insane because he saw things other people couldn't, until he realized they were elementals and now he's a dowser. And people would probably say I was insane because I'm in a place with vampires, talking shadows and floating chairs!"

Aralu threw up her hands. "You think you know all about him because you've seen him twice. Fine. I'm getting you a room now."

Shin fidgeted a bit. "It's more then that..." he said softly, looking down.

"So explain it to me," Aralu said, arms folded.

The boy fidgeted again. "I... I don't know if I can..." he said softly. "I-- it---" He gave a soft exhale. "It's more then just seeing his dream. I mean-- I knew his mother had died and-- there's no way I could have just... guessed half of-- I mean..." He sighed again, leaning back against the chair. "I can't explain it. I just... feel like I know him."

"You may think you know him, but I've known the brothers Versailles since they were old enough to take part in activities," Aralu said. "You may have been in his head, but that's not a stable place anyway."

Shin shook his head. "It was very stable. That's the whole thing!" he exclaimed, tone frustrated. "There wasn't even a subject switch or anything! He just said he might react to seeing something that wasn't there! Almost half the people at school have said that at some point!"

Aralu sighed. "And sometimes when someone says that they really mean something that's not there," she muttered. "I'm not having this conversation anymore," she announced in a normal voice, turning and waving for the chair to follow her.

Shin scowled, sulking, arms crossed. "Mrs. F. would have given him a chance," he half muttered to himself.

"I said I'm not having this conversation," Aralu reminded, going up a flight of stairs and taking Shin to a circular room. "There's a bathroom attached," she said, pointing, "so you don't have to leave the room for that. Meals we'll work out later, or you can page someone when you're hungry."

"... and page someone if I need to get into the bathroom...?" Shin asked hopefully.

"The door should be wide enough for the chair," Aralu said, looking at the bathroom door worriedly.

"I... can't really push myself up out of this..." Shin pointed out uncomfortably. "It might screw up my back, and I don't have the strength for it."

"Oh," Aralu said. She thought a moment. "Then you can page Jack to help you with that."

Shin gave a small nod, relaxing a little. "Who's he?" he asked.

"Jack's the one who met us coming in. He's dad's second in command. And if he complains, just tell him it's his own fault for being male," she continued, waving a hand. "Is there anything else?"

"... something to do maybe...?" Shin hazarded, looking at Aralu strangely at her comment. "Or can I sleep now...?"

She considered the question for a long moment. "If you're careful about it," she decided.

"Define careful."

"Let's leave it at 'stay in your own head' for the time being, shall we?"

Shin gave a slow exhale. "I'll try...." he said uncomfortably. "It... hasn't really been what I've been going for so far..."

"Try harder, then."

The boy half scowled. "You say as if it's my fault," he half muttered under his breath before sighing. "If Ariel comes around again... it's all right if I talk to him, right?" he asked, not quite sure why he felt the need to ask permission.

"What part of 'his brother's spy' did you miss the first time?" Aralu asked.

"The part that meant that just because his brother makes him do things means that I should be shunning him like he had the plague," Shin half snapped, irritated. He was starting to get a headache, which meant it wasn't going to be too much longer before he would need to sleep again.  "For a spy to get information, he has to talk to someone who knows what's going on, which I very much don't."

"And it's only a matter of time, if you keep talking to him, before Gabriel finds you," Aralu snapped.

"If you're so concerned about me being found, maybe you should do more to keep an eye on things rather then letting him wander around like the ghost his brother lets him think he is!" Shin returned. "I didn't say I was going to go looking for him, he's found me three times already, and since no one seems to care that he seems to be able to go everywhere he wants, it's only a matter of time before he finds me again anyway, and I'm not going to sit there like a rock and ignore him like everyone else!"   He pressed a hand to his forehead, breath starting to come a bit quick as his irritation fed the headache.

"I am NOT going to continue talking about Ariel Versailles with you, Shin," Aralu said.  "If you're quite finished, I have other things I have to do."

The white haired boy scowled, arms crossing, biting back a sarcastic retort.  He knew enough that he shouldn't get into arguments while tired and ornery, which he most definitely was. The only thing he should be doing when he was in a mood was trying to get some sleep.  Or ranting at Gijs, which always made him feel better, since the blond always found a way to defuse whatever he was annoyed at with either logic or a bad joke or a complete non sequitur, that often was a combo of the two.  But Gijs wasn't there.  No one he knew was. Which was probably why he was in such a bad mood already.  He was frustrated and in the dark and didn't even know where he was.  All he had were fragments of information and more questions. It made it very easy to understand Ariel's outburst when he had put the man in a similar situation.  It felt like he had been dragged into the middle of a political power play, which only annoyed him further.

Aralu waited a long moment for him to speak.  When he didn't, she left him alone.

Shin gave a long sigh, leaning back against the chair. He probably should have asked to be moved to the bed, but he really didn't feel like asking her for anything.  He looked over at the bed a moment. Could he...?

He maneuvered the chair over to be next to the bed, looking back and forth between the pair.  He could try rolling...  if it weren't for the arm of the chair.  He sighed again. Screw it. He'd slept sitting up before, he'd do it again.  Leaning his head back, he closed his eyes.

A while later he was inside his mind, flopped down across the bed and staring up at the ceiling, too annoyed to actually sleep.  Sighing one more, he got up, looking moodily outside the window.  Aralu had said to stay in his own head, however....

He looked over at the door. Classes had to be over by now, right? And talking to Gijs was the only thing that would make him feel better, he was sure. Giving a small nod, he walked over, opening the door.

There was the equivalent of white static for a long moment, then suddenly it cleared and he was in a blank space with Gijs floating in front of him.

The blond looked around, seeming quite confused.  "Aren't you supposed to... knock or something?" he asked.

The white haired boy gave and embarrassed smile, rubbing the back of his neck. "Not sure how to, really," he apologized. "And I didn't see a phone in the room so I couldn't call before hand either."  He slowly floated downwards, bare feet touching the ground as it formed underneath him.

"I was actually doing my homework," Gijs complained.  "You realize I'm going to have to blame you for not having it finished tomorrow, and no one ever believes me when I say it's your fault, even though it always is."

Shin grinned. "You just use me as an excuse and you know it," he ribbed as the grounds of campus continued to form out from him. "You only ever do homework when you know it'll be part of the test grade."

"That doesn't change the fact that you always interrupt me when I'm doing it."  The blond shook his head with a smile.  "Yell at me all the time that I should take my education more seriously, and then when I'm actually doing my homework you always interrupt."

"When do I ever yell at you to take class more seriously?" Shin asked with a snort. "And telling you to stop making wisecracks when I'm trying to pay attention doesn't count."

"So why are you getting in my way this time?" Gijs asked, ignoring the question.

"I found someone more aggravating then you. Needed a cool off so I could get some sleep," Shin sighed, leaning back against a tree.

"I-- I'm insulted...." Gijs said, looking shocked.  "You've always said that no one could be more aggravating than me...."

Shin gave a small laugh. "It's not exactly something you should be proud of, Gij," he smiled.

"Why not?" the blond demanded.  "You have to be proud of something."

"Being proud of being annoying is like if I were proud I was a cripple," Shin pointed out. "You have far better things you're good at. Like being a smart ass, which is far easier to deal with," he smirked.

"So, you've found a replacement for me and now you're coming and bothering me anyway?"

"Replacement?" Shin's eyebrow cocked. "I'd take ten of you over her in an instant!" He paused a moment. "Not that that isn't a frightening thought in an of itself..."

"And why would that be?  Ten of me, Shin?  That's asking a lot!"

"Asking for a lot of headaches at any rate," the white haired boy smirked before giving his friend a brief summery.

"So.... there's some guy who can wander around at will even though people don't want him to and you got yelled at for talking to him instead of ignoring him like everyone else?" Gijs said at the end of Shin's summary.  "That sounds... unreasonable."

"Very," Shin sighed. "Mrs. F. would be having a fit up here. I can't believe she let them transfer me." He crossed his arms. "... minus the fact that I can do this now," he admitted. "It still just... drives me crazy!  I mean, how many people have we had come to the school thinking they were crazy that turned out to just really be able to see things, and this place that supposedly has a better program for dealing with problem cases just... write him off so easily, just because of his family!"

"And you're sure he's not just crazy?" Gijs asked.  "It does happen, you know."

"Pretty sure," Shin nodded. "I've seen the crazies that Mrs. F. sent home. He's far more coherent then they were. Even his dream was coherent!"

"So why does everyone insist that he's crazy?"

The white haired boy gave a long exhale. "Honestly? I think it's because he thinks in terms of science, rather than magic. He even said himself that his---" He paused, blinking. "His brother's father..." he said slowly. "Huh. I missed that the first time.... That's probably half the problem right there."

"Wait, wait, wait," Gijs said, pulling Shin's attention back.  "He believes in science, not magic, so they think he's nuts?  What kind of place are you in, Shin?"

"Bizzaro land, it seems.  There's a talking shadow, I've got a "wheelchair" that's a floating arm chair, and there's apparently a vampire somewhere as well."

"And here I thought I was the one that weird stuff was supposed to happen to," Gijs said, shaking his head.  "What are the odds?"

Shin gave a small smile. "Guess you really were a bad influence on me," he joked lightly, shaking his head.

That's certainly what everyone else seems to think," Gijs said.  "I, however, know the truth.  I'm the best influence you ever had."  He grinned.

Shin chuckled softly. "You might be right about that in some respects," he admitted with a smile. "Aunt Elaine's the only one who'd back me up on that one though."

"But now that you're friends with someone insane I have to be the good influence, right?"

Shin covered a small laugh. "Can you manage that, I wonder?" he smirked.

"I am always a good influence," Gijs said, somehow managing not to laugh.

"Which is why Kim knows how to swear," Shin returned with a smirk.

"Well..... she'd learn it sooner or later anyway."

"Later being the preferable.  I was so sure Mrs. F. was going to kill you when she heard," Shin grinned.

"Well it's not like she was supposed to SAY them," Gijs pointed out.

"She's THREE, Gij. New words are very quickly repeated."

"I haven't been three for a long time.  Forgive me for forgetting that."

"And you haven't been getting the parenting books either," Shin smiled. "So I guess we can forgive you. This time."

Gijs made a noise.  "Can you see me as a father?  Fat chance, Shin."

"Hey, it wasn't my idea," Shin laughed. "Maggie got it in her head that since Kim was so attached that I could be her father figure." He shook his head slightly.

"You're not father material either," Gijs pointed out.  "You don't knock before entering people's heads."

"I didn't exactly know what to expect or how to, you know," Shin protested with a laugh. "I just... opened the door. I'll knock next time but I have no idea if you'll even hear it."

"You doubt me when it comes to something hocus pocus?" Gijs asked.  "I'm hurt, Shin.  Seriously hurt."

"It might not be connected before it's opened," Shin pointed out in a matter of fact tone, shifting his weight slightly. "If you really were up on the ball, you'd have known anyway, right?" he smirked.

"I was doing my homework," the blond whined.

"Hrm.. so doing homework creates a field that interferes with your precog powers, eh?" Shin mused, stroking the non existent beard on his chin in mock seriousness.

"There," Gijs laughed.  "Now you know why I never do the stuff."

"I'd love to see you use that one on one of the teachers," Shin grinned, pushing up on the tree to be standing straight once more.

"Some of them would actually believe me, unlike some best friends I might name."

"Only because they don't know you," Shin countered with a grin.

"I am hurt by your implied insults," Gijs said, raising a hand dramatically.  "Wounded to the core."

The white haired boy covered a laugh.

"And now, if we're through playing games, can I get back to my ability inhibiting activity?  It's due tomorrow."

Shin nodded. "I probably should get back anyway before she comes back and hits me again," he sighed, rubbing his cheek. "Apparently when roaming, I sleep like the dead."

"Well, that stands to reason.  If you're out of body your body's soulless, right?"

Shin nodded. "She just thought I was really dead or something. I don't know. You know the craziest part of this whole thing? Apparently this shadow god guy's been stalking my family for multiple generations."

"Why?  That's got to be boring...."

Shin shrugged. "Got to page through family history though. Apparently the dreaming thing's been in dad's side of the family a long while." He gave a sigh. "I really don't like this, Gij.  It's... there's this almost creepy feeling to the whole thing. I mean, it's nice and all that I can dream again, but...." He shook his head slightly. "Finding out that the reason for the chronic fatigue is because some living shadow thing basically put a dampening field around my dreaming after my parents died... "  He rubbed the side of his arm as if trying to ward off the shivers. "I really don't like it. There's a lot of weird things going on and it feels like there's this huge power struggle going on and with my crappy luck, I'm going to get caught up in it."

"You do have that luck, don't you," Gijs agreed blithely.  "But isn't that why they don't want you talking to the insane guy?  You should be safe enough now that that's worked out, right?"

Shin gave a deep sigh. "I hope so... but it... He said something about an alliance... The more I think about it the more I'm thinking this isn't a school. Especially with everything going on.  The closest to someone my age I've seen is Ari... possibly Aralu, but despite how she looks, I'm pretty sure she's not as young as that. There's no kids.  I haven't heard or seen more then four people, not including the Shadows."

"So get whatever you can out of them and come home."

Shin nodded. "Planning on it. Especially since there really isn't anything to do up here but look at my family history and sleep."

"And you can do one of the two of them fine here."

Shin smiled, nodding. "Is it all right if I harass you later? Ya know, when you're already asleep and all."

"Long as you can keep sleeping.  Even you have to wake up at some point, Shin," Gijs said with a laugh.

The paler boy grinned. "Else you'll jump on my bed?"

"No, I'll let Kim jump on your bed.  I'm far too mature for that kind of thing."

"Mature. Riiight," Shin laughed, turning. "I'll see you later, then" he waved, heading back for his own mind.