Goury never knew when to keep his big mouth shut, at least in Brimstone's eyes. It didn't take long for the word to get around to Megan that the hideout had a new border. Of course as the word was passed down, Zel's name was lost, so by the time it reached to moody mutant's ears, all that was left of the description was "blue creature". Now Megan had felt that rift just like any other mutant and she would have been content just to stay in her room at the RDI, but curiosity got the best of her, even to risk meeting Jason in a long narrow corridor.

            Actually her interest was more on how this "blue creature" had been resuscitated. According to the story, Marek's elfish friend had cast a powerful magic spell where no other spell would hold, including Marek's himself. The fact that one of those stuck up elves actually came down into the sewers and performed such a feat made Megan want to meet this creature, especially if she were romantically attached to Marek.

Getting there turned out to be a trick in itself. She had headed out towards the evening, hoping to slip by most of the denizens of the sewers. For a nasty place, it got crowded at times, normally during daylight hours when vampires and other creatures of the night that had to escape sunlight took up residence. Even so, there were still more than the tunnels' fair share of lurkers and thugs. Most sported the trench coated look; and their jerky movements kept her on point.

So it was no surprise that she was able to whip about and draw Destroyer in one movement, just in time to parry a switchblade knife to her throat. The attacking kid found his arm pinned under the big sword's hilt so brought his feet up and mule kicked Megan in the chest, separating them, making both combatants stumbled backwards to regain their footing in the slick muck. "Fuck!" the man spat, glaring down at her with ice cold eyes. "Just gimme your money and you won't get hurt!" he demanded.

"You have Got to be joking." She didn't have the heart to tell him that he was already outflanked. Claw had heard the scuffle and was on the scene with his sword drawn. The newly adopted "stray" Jewel was on the other side of the Roman arch wielding a baseball bat. As for her, despite being kicked in the sternum, she was feeling pretty good. Nothing like a little spar to shake out the nerves. Even Destroyer's malicious mood didn't draw her in. "I don't Have any money, but if you feel obligated to try to bash my head in...." She tucked her own shoulder down and charged full tilt. At the last second she did change the tilt of the blade, bringing the flat of the metal against his head. In the process she has left herself open, and the kid spun around, sinking that switchblade deep into her left arm. It hurt like the Dickens, but the muscle tissue was already trying to close around the metal. Now she felt it was only fair to introduce her elbow to his nose and bring this fight to an end.

As he bounced around, howling and clutching his broken nose, Jewel darted forward filled with fury and righteous indignation with the bat held aloft, Megan turned and tackled the girl, sending them both sliding into the muck. Jewel was confused, staring down at Megan as if she were the problem. "He was hurting you."

"Yeah, but he's just a kid."

And it looked as if the fight was out of him. He know knelt down on the brickwork, still holding his nose, having dropped the knife from where he had pulled it out when she brought her elbow around. Claw, along with Goury, finally came out of the shadows. Jewel snorted, still perplexed. "Well he doesn't need to go around thinking he can attack people like that! Take his weapons, at least."

The young fellow pulled back his trenchcoat, revealing the .45 USP tactical, a very lethal looking weapon. "Take it," he insisted. "Magazines are in the second pocket." Claw leaned down and took the gun himself, though he wasn't used to handling such a weapon. "Don't pull the trigger," the kid warned. "Safety's off."

Megan looked over the gun, then the kid. "Okay, I don't get it. Why were you trying to rob me? You could have easily sold that gun for a good chunk of change."

            "Cause range weapons come in handy, but I didn't want to blow yer freakin brains out. I just wanted some cash."

            "Cash, hm?" She thumbed her chin once again, looking both weapon and kid over. "I think you better come with me. I'm sure Brimstone might be able to make you a deal. You got more stuff

like that?"

             She lead the pack to the doorway, the kid following Megan, a wee bit on the confused side. Jewel followed, having kicked up her bat into her hands, still seething that she didn't get to knock the punk's teeth him. Claw was still studying the gun, much to Janis's dismay as she joined up with the party. She punched the larger Vashtalian in the arm, casing him to whine. "Ow! What was that for?"

            "Oh, don't be a girl," she teased back.

            Megan pushed the door back on it's singular working hinge, the other having bent back a while ago. "BS! COMPANY!" she bellowed.

            Randall woke with a start, thinking he was hearing voices just outside the sewer doors, even though his quarters were a considerable distance away. He rolled off the couch, running his hands through his hair to shake the rest of the sleep off then began the daunting task of waking Nine. Even though they were considered an item, he had kept a gentlemanly distance from her, sleeping on the couch in the adjoining room. It wasn't all for propriety either. Nine had a tendency to punch in her sleep and he'd sported more than his fair share of bruises. "Hey," he whispered hoarsely as he tried rocking her shoulder. "I think there's somebody outside."

            Nine sort of grunted then rolled over, her snoring rising in volume... something she almost had down as an art form.

            "Aw, c'mon. I think somebody's fighting outside!"

            The mutant's body suddenly flinched. If it wasn't for his quick reflexes, she would have broken his nose. She never even broke stride in her snoring, like she was swinging in her sleep. "Guess I gotta go myself," he grumbled as he slipped a sweatshirt on.

            The dragons that Brimstone has once raised as guard dogs came stampeding down the hallway. They screeched to a stop once they spotted Megan then simultaneously hiss and turned tail, scurrying back down the hall in double time, plowing right into the groggy Randall. He opened his eyes a few seconds later, laid out in the hallway, with Megan and company staring down at him. "Uh.. hi, everyone."

"Jesus, Teeth and Toenails. Where IS everyone?" she asked as she helped the scientist to his feet.

Their captive, whom she had sort of nicknamed Damned since every third word seemed to be "damn this," or "damn that"; was currently comparing high tech weaponry against Claw's magic. Neither man seemed to fully believe the other's description of feats, but they were being civil about it, genuinely curious as to what magic and modern weaponry can do. Janis and Jewel let the boys gossip, only vaguely listening in to their conversation. Randall took this time to drag Megan aside. "I think you need to see something.

She turned to look over the status of the room, catching Claw performing parlor tricks with Damned's blade, making a bluish flame dance up and down the length of the edge. "Can you make somebody disappear?" he asked, totally awestruck at this newfound well of potential power.Probably the most impressive trick that Claw's spell hadn't gone haywire inside the mutant hideout. Megan toyed with the possibility that the Vashtalian lizards had been hanging around so long that they had developed an immunity. She nodded, then followed Randall back up the hallway to the med lab. He opened the door slowly, then stepped back to let Megan inside. There was a sharp scream that made everyone's heads snap towards the hallway that lead to the med lab. A short segment of dead quiet, followed by crying and sobbing. Randall shut the door, leaving Zelgadis to Megan's less-than-tender mercies.

            Nine couldn't sleep, not with all the yelling and finally padded down the hall clad in not much more than a three quarter length t-shirt with a cutified T-Rex in green emblazoned on pink, complete with matching baby T-Rex footies. Defender clung sleepily to her back, the crossed hilt peeking over her shoulder. "Damn, that broad sure has a set of lungs," she complained as she headed to the coffee pot.

Marek shook his head, agreeing with Nine’s comment, then slipped forward, sliding a jar across the counter at her. “To heal your hand. I heard what happened. Figured this might help.” She looked to the jar, then up at the big man, as if trying to figure out his angle. It was true that it seemed that nothing would totally heal the cut on Nine's hand. Cautiously she dipper her fingers in the soothing cream then slowly rubbed it into the cut. It stopped the blood from seeping out, but it made her hand tingle painfully. At least this was better than Drac’s alternative. Any full fledge spell he attempted to use knocked her out and did nothing to the wound, as if her body shunted any momentus efforts.

            Marek also brought Brimstone some bad news, but was forced to pass this message on through Megan. His apology to Meli had not been accepted. In fact if he were to make any headway, he would need to visit her in person on their magically entrenched home world. Of course the colorful phrase of him being a "malicious, disgusting piece of shit that is to be left on the bottom of her shoe" didn't seem very open and inviting. "What did he do this time?" Claw asked.

            "He was saying improper things about Nine and a few others. She took offense."

            "Sticks and Stones, Marek." Nine gestured as if shooing the incident away as she put the cream jar in one of the many junk drawers the hideout sported. "Not like they haven't called me worse things before. If he's dumb enough to go apologize in person, then he deserves to be culled form the herd." She gave a slight smile, thinking about the whole situation. "You know.. Meli would have made an excellent mutant."

            Marek shook his head. "I don't think it will happen unless he somehow gets used to magic and then finds a way to teleport to her house on Exidor.

            Jewel took the opportunity to slip into the kitchen and open the fridge, looking at the massive mess inside. "What is this stuff in here?" she shouted loud enough for the folks in the living room to hear.

Nine bolted in after here. "Hold on a sec. Don't need you dying from food poisoning. There's a lot of mold in there.

"But I though mold made good things, like this cheese." She pulled out a plate with a rounded green and yellow form in the center.

            "Jewel, that isn't cheese."

            They dug through the ice box, finally unearthing a chocolate pie that could be eaten by everyone. "High in calories, fat, and cholesterol. Not enough to kill you outright."

            The raven haired girl's eyes bulged as she began to drool over the pie. "I just Love chocolate. It's like coffee!" and she inhaled, sweeping her face over the pie.

            Megan smiled, cutting her batt-wielding apprentice a sizeable slice, then several other wedges, setting them on paper plates.

The two mutant girls more or less tiptoed around each other. The most aggressive move Nine did was to peek in the room where Zelgadis was recuperating, but she quickly withdrew when she saw her kindred with him. Megan had pretty much moved into the med ward, literally curling up right next to Zelgadis while he slumbered, something that made him a bit uneasy, even though she never complained about his stony hide chaffing her. To Zel, it seemed this was strange, like she would be upset, not please; like he could sense a change in her without knowing why. Maybe it was the pregnancy that affected her. He found himself thinking about that fact, he was going to be a father, yet he could barely remember the girl. Most of what he could was more like fleeting images from the corner of his eye. Everyone insisted that his memory would come back. Perhaps they were right because now everything was a vague impression.

It was the 'borg that seemed in the grumpy mood as he walked around the place, randomly grabbing items and stuffing them in an oversized gunny sack. He snapped at Randall when he wondered if he was going somewhere. "Yes, Randall. I have to go apologize to Meli before she actually kills one of us."

            Apparently Nine had shown him her newest wound and how she received it and the big metal man managed to piece two and two together. "That would be good idea," the scientist agreed. "Just please don't piss her off anymore."

            He continued to grumble, even louder when Dusk began following him around and randomly tossing items he didn't need into the sack when he wasn't looking. "I canNot believe how foolhardy that woman is," he fumed. "I don't go attacking Her kindred when I get upset. What Is it with these women?" He shoved another gun in the gunnysack. "If she had a beef with me she should've attacked ME! Nine never even hurt her!"

            "That's not her style." Into the hideout slid a slip of a girl, one that made BS do a double take. So much like Meli, only much much younger. Janis's child Charon. She stared coldly at the 'borg. "Now which one of you lovely people is the 'hunk of junk'?"

            "Brimstone stood up to his full height, wondering what was up now. "That would be me."

            "Here," and the girl tossed him a smaller dufflebag that rattled loudly, filled with something heavy and metallic. The cyborg guessed it was filled with the missing items from the kitchen and he sat the bag on the floor.

            Now Randall stepped forward, just as Nine padded into the room, heading for the kitchen. "Can you lift the spell from this place?' he asked.

            "What spell?"

            "What spell!?" BS snapped back. "This one!" He snagged Nine by the arm, swinging her around to show Charon the seeping scar on the girl's wrist. "See what your kinsman is capable of? I didn't go hacking off all Your heads when I had problems with Meli. Yeesh, bunch of hissy fit panty wastes. Nine was an innocent bystander."

            Charon squinted studying the mark, even as Nine yanked her arm out of the mechanical man's grip. "Innocent of what? Any person that can be afflicted by the powder is not innocent of anything." She sniffed a bit, holding her head up. "I am here beyond the lack of my better judgement, and it is clear that I have worn out my welcome."

            Nine was routing around in the duffle bag, discovering the items inside. "Yeah! Stove handles! No more Visegrips!" and she ran into the kitchen with her newly found prize.

            Megan stirred a bit in her sleep, the escalating volume in the argument drilling into her head. "Jesus, Teeth, and Toenails. Don't they Ever quit?" She finally stretched, then looked up at Zelgadis, whom had been staring down at her for some time, trying to piece things together; why things felt right, but seemed wrong. "Good morning, sunshine," she smiled. "Welcome back to the land of the living." She watched his face, seeing he was not connecting. "You really don't remember, do you?"

            He shook his head then tried to focus, closing his eyes before speaking, hoping to draw up familiar images. "No... no that isn't right. I... I remember.. some things.. not very well.."

            "Please.. don't stain yourself. It'll come back, I'm sure. Here. Lemme go get you some breakfast. You must be starving.." and she flipped off the blankets, revealing the borrowed garb of an oversized Tweetybird T-shirt that hung to her knees.

            As she slipped on the matching slippers, Zel likewise slipped from the bed, wearing a comfortable hospital gown, one that did cover all parts. It seemed that Brimstone managed to procure a case, figuring that they would need them and that at least they would be comfortable if they had to use the medical ward. "Let me go with you," he insisted. "If I stay in the bed much longer I'll become a statue."

            They met up with Goury in the hallway, but not mater how much prodding, Zel couldn't remember either of them fully. Daunted for now they entered the kitchen.

            BS sighed watching Nine run away with the pots and pans, then turned back to Charon. "Thanks for bringing those by. That one is as ravenous as the other."

            Charon paused, hearing the tone change in the big man's voice. "Well.. she said she was keeping the wok."

            "Figured as much. Still it was nice enough for her to return the rest. Oh, by the way, tell her I'm coming for her."

            That comment made the dark graceful woman pull up. Before he had sounded whiny. Suddenly there was a strength and conviction, this only after his mutant counter part left the room. "You can barely stand the touch of magic," she noted, "but you insisted on going to go find her. You are a silly man."

            "I've been called worse. Besides, fortune favors fools..."

Suddenly there was a clatter of pans, then a deadly silence. When the big man opened the kitchen door, he saw the problem. Most of the pots and pans were already spread across the floor. One pot had made it to the stove and was billowing black smoke. The sink was overflowing with water. All of this was missed by the two petite mutants squaring off in the center of the room, oblivious to the carnage around them, full attention locked tensely on each other. Everyone else was drawn back into their respective corners, unable to stop the duo from duking it out. Even the blades, Defender and Destroyer, seemed to be leaning back as if trying to pull their respective owners back. Randall tried to break the standoff. "Will you two quit it with the pissing contest?" he yelled, exasperated. "We need you two to make peace."

Both women turned and gaped at his for even suggesting such a stupid thing.

That was when BS charged in. He grabbed the fire extinguisher from the wall and sprayed both girls and the stove in one pass. Before they could react, he grabbed each one by the neck and slammed them hard against the wall, causing the plaster coating to crack. "Now listen here!" he bellowed. "I'm the boss! I make the rules! There will be No fighting! No squabbling! No burning down the house! No taking turns stalking each other's boyfriends! Got it!"

Zelgadis shuffled uneasily. "Uhm.. well.. I don't think you should be doing that. It isn't very nice.."             He even had taken a step forward, but Goury grabbed his shoulder. "Easy Zel. To be honest, he IS being easy on them."

            "Oh.. well.. uhm... I guess it's okay then.. so long as this is uhm.. normal." The chimera scratched his head, but didn't protest further.

Despite the damage being done to the cave's structure, it did look that the girls were not being harmed as much as detained since they were dangling a good three feet from the floor. Eyes rolled and they glared and grumbled, but finally they relented, letting their bodies go limp in submission to terms. Only then did he drop them, then turned, grabbing his oversized duffle bag, and with Dusk in tow, blew out of the house and into the sewers. Both girls were coughing, trying to suck down a lungful of air. It was hard to fight back with the 'borg's massive metal hands were cutting off the blood and oxygen supply. "Jackass," Megan grumphed.

"Idiot," Nine echoed.

Dracon had missed the fight. In fact he nearly had been plowed under by Brimstone as he stormed into the storm drains, fuming so badly that the dragon mage could feel the vibe washing off him. He entered the hideout to see smoke billowing down the hallway and two sprayed, drenched coughing mutants sitting on the floor, surrounded by the normal cheering squads. Finally the girls got their feet and began to pick through the mess. Megan opened her mouth first. "Guess I gotta clean this mess so I can cook something for Zel."

"You cook?" Nine sputtered. "I don't think so. I've seen what you eat." Since Megan had the stove, she turned her attention to the sink, pulling the stopper to allow the overflowing water a better way to escape.

"Nine," Randall chastised. "You don't eat much better."

She ignored his comments. "Yeah, but at lest I know what we're supposed to eat. Who knows what Rocky over there eats. Probably granite."

"Don't you pick on My boyfriend. You're the one with the quantum geek."

"Zel eats normal stuff," Goury shouted out over the growing bickering.

"Normal it is." Megan began cracking eggs into the prepped pan, nearly emptying a dozen in the fryer before scrambling the lot. She tossed the eggs shells over Nine's head, landing them neatly in the garbage can.

Randall was starting to fume, probably due to the geek comment. "Will you two stop....."

It was then that Dracon stepped forward, resting a hand on Randall's shoulder. "Calm yourself. Do you not see?"

The Vashtalian King had seen it. The girls were quite mellow now, as if the banter were normal conversation between them. They continued to clean the mess and mop the water from the floor, keeping up a cut throat rhetoric with every mouthful. It seemed that only when they stopped talking that they actually became dangerous, as if that vile built up unless properly vented all the time. Nine did the prep while Megan combined the eggs with tortillas, bacon and cheese for overstuffed breakfast burritos. Nine grabbed the first plate and served it, to of all people, Dracon, who took the platter graciously and set it aside when the mutant turned her back. From there the girls alternated. Zelgadis got the second, then Randall, then Goury; each plate overflowing with three times as much food as any one of the could stomach. Randall and Goury each dug in, not wanting to upset the precarious balance of peace for now, while Zelgadis picked cautiously around the edges, sampling until he was sure it was edible. Once the girls got their plates, the challenge was who could eat more as they matched each other, forkfull to spoonful, until the plates were licked clean.

Drac had to wonder, just how far would these two go to upstage each other?

            Megan finally had to get out of the hideout. She reluctantly left Zel behind to recuperate, but she couldn't stay locked up inside anymore, not with Them in there; so she figured to do some grocery shopping while perusing the magic marketplace in hopes of finding something that would cure what ailed her chimera.

            She wasn't alone for long. Goury came bounding up, waving an energetic hand. "Hi Meg!" All she did was wave back once then turn to the fold out stand, something shiny catching her eye. "How's Zel doing?" he asked, trying to engage her in conversation.

            "Better. He still can't Remember much. What he does Remember comes in flashes." She picked up a gaudy looking amulet, held it up to the sunlight, then she sighed and placed it back on the sales table. "If I didn't know better I'd say that Tim twiddled in his brain, but Janis didn't see anything when she scanned him."

            "Well he was pretty well beaten up. Whatever it was even managed to draw blood."

            "Don't remind me," she shuddered. She had wondered the same thing herself. The only other time she had seem him that battered was right after he tangled with Emily. Megan didn't want to think there was worse out there. She continued down the row, looking but not sure what she was looking for. Not like there was a cure for memory loss... or morning sickness as she had discovered of late. She was just starting to show her condition, though she was well over four months along, indicating this was going to be one very long pregnancy. She wondered if the others knew about mutant cycles, that pregnancies could run between 4 months to two years gestation, depending on age, health of mother and child, and genetics.

            Goury had seen how shaken she was about Zel's state. "Well the most important thing is he is alive and back with us."

            "Yes... that IS important."

            Dusk came up behind them, skipping along in her black goth gear and punked out black hairdo, definitely out of place in the medieval marketplace and not caring a whip about it either. "Have you told him about the bun in the oven?" she asked innocently enough, though Megan knew there was nothing innocent about this particular child.

            "The walking talking tin can told him," Megan answered back. There was no venom in her voice. In fact she seemed to take Dusk's intrusive nature in stride, as if the evisceration she suffered just two weeks ago at the girl's hands had been forgotten. Instead she picked up a scroll that promised enhanced intelligence. She unrolled the paper, read it, frowned, then re-wrapped the parchment and placed it back on the sales table.

            "Hi Dusk!" Goury beamed brightly, relived that Megan hadn't tried to eviscerate Dusk. It was nice seeing the two girls getting along.

            "Hello Blondie!" Dusk echoed back, but was determined not to be distracted for pestering Megan. "So what did the rock man say?"

            "He doesn't Remember much of anything, just glimmers of me; and he hasn't said anything about me or the baby or if he plans to do anything." Megan looked up at her "sister', trying to see if Dusk was taking delight in her problems. "And I haven't asked him to. He needs to be well first before I pressure him."

            The gothic one knew better. "Or maybe you won't?" she ventured.

            "If that is the case, I won't make him be the father to a child he knows nothing about. If I have to, I'll raise it myself. Lord knows I have all kinds of unwanted help from the relations."

            "Ah, standard Del Marian parenting 101. Gotta love it. That's the sort of well thought out model that produced little ol' me. Boy did that turn out great." The sarcasm was thick enough to eat with a spoon.

            "You're alive, ain'tcha?" Megan shot back. "A fighter and an A-1 type character to boot."

            "It helps when your mother trades your chance at salvation from the abyss for her own stubborn ideas."

            Megan paused in her perusing and turned. "Wasn't there sort of an evil end-of-the-world thing involved in there too somewhere?"

            "Don't make things sound so simple. That whole scenario was never simple. It was a choice. she had no idea what her choice would have lead to, or even if anything bad would have happened."

            Megan had been watching the sorceress fume when she felt that thick panic of pain rumble slowly through her frame. He skin blanched, ans she quickly looked around for somewhere to sit, quickly. "Fine," she snapped back. "If you've got a beef with her High and Mightiness, go take it up with her, please?"

            Goury had been more or less pacing around the two, feeling the tensions rise, but short of an encouraging word or two, he'd not been able to break the banter between them. This nervousness was heightened when he saw Megan grow suddenly pale. "You okay, Meg?"

            She clearly wasn't, and having a pacing swordsman didn't help matters. "I'm fine.. I just need to sit down. Give me a minute." She made her way over to the prefab park bench and sat down, gasping a bit, a hand trying Not to rest on her stomach but clear was the center of her discomfort. "I'm just a bit queasy," she insisted when both swordsman and sorceress peered down at her. "It's probably gas. Goury, why don't you see if you can find me some ice cream. That might settle my stomach."

            "Of course!" He had turned to go, but paused. "What flavor?"

            "Beef Jerky."

            He took two steps then pulled up again. "I.. uh... don't know if they have that one... what's your second choice."

            Megan rolled her eyes, though it was hard to tell if it was from exasperation or if it was from her internal discomfort.. "Bubblegum then."

            The second he was out of sight, she dropped her head over the waste basket and upchucked a good part of her breakfast. Disturbing as that was, it was double with the addition of several splashes of fresh red blood. Dusk had been grumbling, but grew quiet as Megan emptied her stomach. Once the retching stopped, Megan dropped a newspaper over the mess and leaned back, resting her the back of her head on the timber. Goury came bounding back up with a styrofoam cup mounded high with swirled red and white ice cream. Megan took it suspiciously. "What flavor is this?"

            "Raspberry. It was all they had left."

            To her credit, Megan kept up the facade, eating the entire helping before dropping the empty cup in the trash. "See? I told you. Just a little gas. A better now."

            "Yeah," Dusk joined in. "She'll be fine now. It's just a natural reaction of our species. Takes a while to adjust to the new metabolism."

            Megan wondered why Dusk would cover for her, but she didn't look a gift horse in the mouth either. They continued their shopping expedition, mounding all their purchases on Goury to carry. Megan perused two roads worth of essential magical flea market junk but couldn't find a potion that could help her with any aspects of her problem. They had better luck in the meat market, and Megan ended up wheeling and dealing several savory cuts of beef, or what looked to be beef, making her feel a bit better knowing she hadn't lost any bartering skills. They made one more pass through the food court, loading Goury like a pack mule before setting their sights on home.

            Normally they would have braved the sewers, but Megan didn't want her freshly acquired meat to take on any of the foul odors, so for the sake of edibility, she decided to take the winding trail the lead up the backside of what used to be a substantial mountain. The road had never been easy to navigate, but with half of the bar's structure having slid down the face of the mounting, much of the trail had been obliterated. Megan had a tough time keeping her footing and had finally stopped to take her boots off. "Goury, why don't you run up ahead before that goat's milk spoils. Dusk will keep an eye on me."

            Goury looked over to Dusk, whom had navigated the trail rather well, though she seemed out of breath by the effort. She nodded. "Might not be a bad idea. You know how bad that stuff can smell."

            Now the swordsman looked between the two girls, wondering if this was a ploy to get him to leave so that they could kill each other. Megan nodded. "Really. It's okay. We'll be fine." She tied the boot laces together and slung the footwear over her shoulder then dug her toes into the dirt.

Goury watched as she wiggled her toes, then reached up with her foot and gripped the granite rock. He hadn't known that mutant feet were that limber; the toes almost like fingers and able to grip quite well. "Okay then," he replied reluctantly. "But I'm coming back to make sure to two of you are okay after I drop this stuff off."

            "Well hurry up then!" and Megan made a shooing motion, sending him off to the caves. She shook her head and prepared to climb over the impeding boulder. "Some men can be so bull headed," she complained.

            "So can some women," Dusk observed. "Now what's going on?"

            Megan sighed and pulled herself up, managing to keep her balance as she swung her leg over the top. "Been like this since you stabbed me. BS can't find a blessing thing wrong though." She grunted then dropped down to the ground on the other side, only to be quickly followed by the more limber sorceress. "He's beginning to think it's all psychosomatic."

            Dusk paused a moment. "Waitaminute. You were already pregnant?"

            Now that caught Megan unawares. She figured that Dusk had to know the whole story. "Yeah. Four months along now."

            "And you were crazy enough to pick a fight with me. And 'spar' with that thug in the sewer. So why don't you tell them?"

            "Them" was clearly indicating the others cohabitating in the hideout. "They've got enough to worry about. Between Nine and that Rooslan mess, the Vashtalian titt for tatt, and Brimstone's chick going ballistic, they don't need to be worrying about me. I gotta show them that I can hold my own. Otherwise I'd be coddled day and night. Don't think I can take another round of that."

            Dusk nodded, understanding the position. "I figured as much. Just.. don't let it go too far before you tell someone about how bad it's getting. I'm quite sure you know who won't cause a fuss, and who will."

            Megan looked up, studying the gothic mutant spell caster. "You know, you're definitely not the same. You could have slaughtered us in our sleep. Heck, you could have pitched me right off this mountain if you wanted. You're definitely not as cut throat."

            The dyed raven haired girl just shook her head. "I only have one target, despite what everyone else might think."

            Goury came rushing in with his burden load of groceries, dropping serval items as he shuffled down the winding staircase. Brimstone looked up from his work, scrubbing the floor with a buffer attachment on his right arm. "Ah, been out with the girls. Good." He easily popped off the scrubber and his "real" arm distended down from where it had been folded up in his sleeve. "The cupboards were nearly bare. Kind of makes me wonder if Nine is preggers too, the way she eats." He help Goury set the packages down on the counters. "So what did Megan spend my money on now?" He found the goat's milk and quirked an eyebrow since it had never been on His shopping list, but he put it in the fridge anyhow.

            "I have to hurry back," Goury insisted, even as he unloaded the side of beef, leaning up against the counter. "I think there's something going on with Meg. She wasn’t feeling good before."

            Brimstone had to give Goury some credit. Megan couldn't hide as much from him as she thought she could. He picked up his little black bag, just in case. Lemme go with you."

            They reached to two girls just as they cleared to head of the trail. "You okay?" the oversized cyborg asked Megan. "Why didn't you take the sewers?"

            "Didn't want to stink up dinner, of course! You really need to get some tastebuds installed or upgraded or something, you know that?" She shouldered her way past him, looking fit enough to knock him over if necessary.

            "Geez, that attitude," he mumbled, falling in step next to Goury, following behind the girls. "I could almost fall in love all over again. Betcha Meli's been taking pointers from her." He gave a little chuckle and pulled the brim of his had down to cut the glare of the mid-day sun.

            It had been too quite again in the hideout, and Dusk was on the prowl to stir up some excitement. Instead she stumbled across BS and Jason sitting quietly in the corner of the bar looking over several papers, legal documents of some sort. First the 'borg would sign a copy, then Jason would follow suit. Finally BS stood up and slung an over packed dufflebag over his shoulder. "Good luck, kid. You'll need it." and with a determined set to his jaw, he headed down the passageway to the sewer exit.

            Jason blew on the last copy, setting the last signature to dry. He folded the papers and slipped them into his jacket pocket, then turned the corner and almost bounce of Dusk. "Ack! Dear Lord, why are you all so damn stealthy?"

            "Something I should know about?" she asked, poking his chest, right where the papers rested in hiding.

            He looked her over. "Well I guess you should know, given your heritage. BS just sold me the bar, plus a few more holdings."

            She squinted a bit, trying to figure this guy out. He wasn't a mutant, but he sure did have a few mutanty tendencies, like dancing around the truth. "Why in the world would you want his run down old piece of crap? This thing has more holes in it than Aurora's suit of armor." She gestured to the reinforced roofing over head as her proof, and indeed a few rays of sunshine still managed to penetrate the dark abode.

            "Well, mainly because somebody has to run the place while he's off chasing after that psi witch of his. Besides, there's a bit more invested in the bar than you think. Ever wonder Where he gets all his money?"

            Dusk had assumed the metal man had been wheeling and dealing in illegal firearms, drugs, and what not; but that's not what she was gleaning from Jason. Finally she shook her head. "I don't think I want to know," she confessed, then slipped back into the darkness. She had a knot to unravel.

            BS found himself whistling a happy little show tune as he approached Drac's bar when he began to notice the lack of business. He opened the door slowly, peering into the dimly lit rooms. Not that it was a problem for that red lensed night scope of an eye of his. In fact, save for the girl Charon tending the bar with her feet propped up on the back of one of the stools and her eyes closed as she snoozed, the place was pretty desolate. He strode slowly but with confidence to the counter and plunked himself down on one of the stools, letting his dufflebag filled with goodies land with a thud next to him on the floor. Only when one of her glazed green eyes opened did he order. "A beer, please, for starters." He pulled a gold coin from one of his pockets and tossed it on the counter. She pulled her strawberry blonde hair back from her eyes and stood up to fetch him something from the tap, only to sit down again. BS looked down at the amber ale. "Know where I can find Drac? Or Claw? Maybe Marek? He might help me."

            She propped her feet back up on the counter. "Dracon I'm not sure about. My dad I hardly ever see.. Marek's probably at his tavern."

            As BS nursed his beer, that wonderfully, gothically inclined, mutantly dispositioned sorceress meandered into the bar. "How the hell do I end up in these places?" she muttered.

            The cyborg couldn't help but grin. He emptied his beer, stood up, and slid another coin across the counter for the information. He then turned and snugged his hat down over his brow. "Are you going to be my designated shadow today?"

            Dusk just nodded her head. "It's a tough job I'll admit, but I've been researching this spell that let's me be in multiple places at once. I think I'll be fine."

            Brimstone nodded, then tipped his hat towards Charon before striding out into the streets.

            The new wench at the bar had never seen Brimstone before, yet she didn't freak out as he would have expected. Then again, hanging out Marek and his ilk had probably brought a few stranger people in the bar before him, but currently none stranger than him. He didn't both to hide the electronic parts and just ambled up to the bar with Dusk playing up her girlish looks. The lady tending the bar looked him over closely as he took a seat. "Beer, please," he asked as slid a gold piece across the woodwork at her.

            "And a hot fudge sundae," Dusk added, taking the stool next to her oversized counterpart.

            BS nodded. "And an ice cream for my niece here." He slid another gold coin across the counter. "And some information. Any idea where Meli is?"

            The girl looked at the second coin and slid it back at him. "Don't know any Meli," she insisted.

            "Very well then. Just a beer and the ice cream, please."

            The bartendress served the beer well enough, but she had problems with the other half of his order. "What's ice cream?"

            "It's frozen, churned, sweetened milk."

Granted the bar had no running electricity or any of the other mundanities he had, but ice cream didn't require such things. So he was a bit perplexed that the lady got a bit cross with him. "I'm afraid if its milk ye want, then ye will have ta milk a cow."

Dusk looked absolutely devastated. "I guess I'll just have to go back to eating souls," she whined as she turned her chair around, looking over the room as if picking out her next victim.

He sighed and set his hat back a bit. "Ma'am, if I show you how to make 'ice cream' will you at least tell me where Marek is?"

Now she drew herself up. "Marek has company and does not wish to be disturbed."

"Well then, when he becomes available, would you let him know that Brimstone wishes to speak with him about his relation, Meli? I'll still show you how to make the ice cream, though; since I offered."

He didn't think the kitchen wench believed him fully, but she nodded then moved to the other end of the bar, speaking with a burly fellow drinking there. There was lots of animation, especially pointing at the 'borg and his companion. The discussion was short and the man headed upstair, presumably to deliver the message. Brimstone sat patiently enough, just slowly rocking one leg, the knee joint squeaking softly. "Jason told you about the money, didn't he?" he asked Dusk.

"Not really. Just that you were welling you place to him." She was struggling to pull her short black hair back into a pony tail, adding to her youthful demeanor. She had just had her locks cut short and even managed to straighten the wild curly hair.

"It was only fair," he insisted in his defense, though there were no verbal accusations. "It was his money to begin with." He was unable to elaborate because just then Marek ambled down the stairs, pausing to look the duo over and to give a long groan before descending the stairs and heading towards them. His hair and his clothes were all disheveled, as if he'd been taking a long nap. "Jesus's Teeth on Toast," BS sword. I didn't mean to have her wake you up! I was willing to wait."

"I was already awake.. sort of."

"Oh yeah, you look it. I can come back later when your feeling more charitable. I sure as hell wouldn’t help anyone that woke Me up..."

The burley blacksmith rubbed the back of his head. "It's alright."

"Very well. You can guess why I'm here. I'm looking for Meli. I figure she's hiding out on her home world and I need a lift. Can't quite mojo my way their on my own." He gave Dusk a sidelong glance, just to see if she would say anything. She currently seemed more interested in a spindly spider scurrying along the bar, but he knew full well she was quite keen on the conversation.

Marek looked over the 'borg's current clothing. It was the same gear he wore all the time; the tan trenchcoat, the boot cut Levi's, and the ever present Stetson. He wasn't sure if BS wore a shirt under all that Old West stuff. "You may want to bundle up," he suggested. "It's full on winter where you're going."

BS just lifted up the overstuffed duffle. "Got all my survival gear here."

"You won't need that," Marek insisted. "I'll drop you at my mum's"

"Still takin’’ it anyhow," he replied.

Marek sighed and did a slight gestured. A swish and all three were gone.

In all, it wasn't AS bad as he thought, even when he ended up vomiting his guts out right on the doorstep to Janis's house. His gyros had gone all askew the second the portal wrapped around him. A wave of nausea seeped to sweep up from behind his head, through his sinuses before diving straight down his throat. Mostly what came up was beer anyhow.

There was at least a foot of fresh snow on the ground with big drifts swooping up to the eaves of the small house. A large dog sounded off inside and somebody pulled back the drapes for one moment. Janis opened the door, somewhat surprised to see the 'borg. "Fancy seeing you here in Exidor."

"Yeah, I know. Whatta surprise, huh?" He had managed to clean himself up, though what skin he still had on his face was a bit pale.

Janis looked him over coldly, then stepped back and gestured that the both of them enter. "Do come in." Her voice was very different, not the normal kind and gentle nature. More of a deep and foreboding resonance. "You may warm yourselves by the fire, if you wish."

Brimstone made sure to wipe his feet thoroughly before stepping inside. He dropped his bag of stuff behind the corner chair and took time to dry out his gear, though most of the slick and snow had slid off the oilskin slicker as it was made to do. He looked over at Dusk, as she was barely clothed. Most of her gothic attire being that of thin nylon with holes purposely ripped in strategic spots. "Don't you need to warm up?"

She may have been standing with her arms folded, but not due to cold. "Not much is ever too cold for me, at least not since that whole fiery inferno thing. Kinda makes you a fan of colder climates."

Janis again looked them over in not the most approving of manners. "Why are you here," she finally bluntly asked.

"Well, Ma'am. You told me that Meli wanted and apology in person. I aim to give her that. Besides, I have to do something." He gave Dusk another sidelong glance, but the brooding sorceress hadn't a clue as to what he was alluding to. "I was hoping you could tell me where she is, perhaps show me since this is Your planet. I imagine I'm not on the friendliest of turfs around here."

"No.. not right now. That snow is pretty scary."

He wasn't too sure what That meant, but that wasn't going to stop him. "I understand, but I still need to see her. I... I have to try to head off some trouble."

Janis's brow, along with Dusk's, rose sharply. " 'Head off trouble'?" she echoed.

As the stood uneasily by the fire, under the baleful gaze of Janis, there was another nock at the door. It turned out to be Marek, whom had left them right after performing the teleport to go find Isilwen, returning with his new found friend. Janis seemed a bit surprised at this as well, but invited them in as well. "Tea anyone?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Brimstone nodded, keeping his countenance to the floor. He could already feel his was not on solid ground and didn't want to aggravate her further. Instead he took up in one of the bow-backed chairs. The seats were a bit too low for his sizeable frame, but he surely wasn't going to nit pick. Not with Marek standing there, nearly 2 inches and 20 lbs on him. Besides he had enough churning on his mind, so he took up staring into the fire, waiting for Janis to return with the tea.

The tray was filled with various cups, not a single one matched and several had seen use and abuse. BS was served last in the group, which he had expected, but took the cup graciously, though he didn't sip it at all. Instead he kept it couched in his hands as he stared again at the embers. Isilwen's little grey hawk had navigated down off her shoulder and was entertaining the others as she sipped from her cup, but even this action couldn't pull BS from his doldrums. Janis finally confronted him. "So you've come seeking aide?"

"I just need to find Meli before things get way out of hand."

"No... not yet. That's what I'm hoping to head off."

She narrowed her gaze. "And what exactly are you heading off?"

"Trouble, Ma'am."

"Trouble? And what do you define as trouble?"

He sighed, knowing he wasn't going to wiggle his way out of this one. "Simply, lots of people getting maimed and killed. That kind of trouble."

Janis gestured a bit with her cup of tea. "Who exactly would be doing the maiming?

"Everyone," he ventured a look up from the floor and got a very cold hard stare for his reward, and he sighed. "Actually, I'm supposed to be doing the maiming at this point, but I don't think I can." He knew this was already sounding bad, but he so desperately needed their help. Another sigh escaped his chest, the plates rubbing slightly. "When Meli trashed the place, that was one thing; but when she laid down that spell as a trap, hoping to hurt one of us, any of us... It's... considered an attack on the mutant clan. You can guess what the recourse is."

Janis's expression changed, but only slightly. "I think she was thinking of hurting you."

The big cyborg nodded. "And that would have been fine, if it was only me she hurt.. but she got Nine instead." He shook his head. "This is a bad business all around."

Their hostess's face seemed to scowl even more. "Oh cry me a river," she snorted before finishing her tea. "I gave up giving any sympathy to you."

Again the big metal man nodded and gently replaced the now empty cup of tea on the tray, having drunk its contents in three swallows. "I figured as much. I have to find her on my own afore this goes way overboard. I do thank you for the tea, though." and he stood up, gesturing for Dusk to follow which she did, though she had some questionable looks for the 'borg. He redonned his hat, only to tip it towards Isilwen, then Marek, then Janis, giving his salutations.

"Just a second," Marek insisted and he stood as well. Brimstone paused, wondering what the burly man had in mind. Marek disappeared down the hall for a minute, then returned with a rolled suede map outlining the main areas. "I don't suggest that you just show up at her house. She tends to disappear."

Brimstone was truly surprised with Marek's offering. "For me? Really?"

He nodded. "I just didn't want to find you frozen on my castle's doorsteps."

"Not a problem, dude. I'm fortified with antifreeze." It was hard to tell if it was an attempt at a jest or if he really meant it. "So how would you suggest I approach her? Just wait outside until she's read to see me?"

"My suggestion is that you don't go at all."

The metal man shook his head. Can't do that. If I don't go, somebody else less compliant than me will. Besides, I Do owe her that apology."

The big burly man busted out laughing. "You're more of an idiot than I thought. I would suggest waiting here. She'll eventually wonder where mother is and pop down here on her own."

BS nodded. "Good suggestion. I'll just pick a nice spot out in the fields and wait for her to show up then, if that is agreadble with you, Ma'am." He turned to the fairly sullen Janis, figuring what her reply would be. One more courteous nod and he headed out into the snow with a perplexed Dusk in tow.

Megan had slipped out once again to do some shopping for "her man". She was beginning to look a little more chipper since his arrival, though she still was discreetly vomiting blood, a trick that was becoming harder to do since it seemed that Goury was stalking her to see what her problem was. For now she was in the open market and picking her way through the fruits and vegetables. Destroyer was leaning over her shoulder, sort of helping her pick the best produce in his own way, giving a low hum whenever she was holding good fruits in her hand.

This was how Goury found them. "You doing okay there?" he asked.

"Sure," she replied, holding up a ripe peach and getting a vibrating 'okay' from the blade. She dropped it in the oversized wicker basket and handed it to Goury, forcing him to drag the nearly fifty pounds of produce. "I told you I was just having bad bouts of gas."

They turned the corner when she suddenly froze. Across the concourse was Jason, which was odd as he rarely left the confines of the hideout, but that he was talking to very well dressed gentlemen. She thanked blind luck that he hadn't spotted her yet as she grabbed Goury by the elbow and dragged him behind one of the sales tents. "Hey!" he protests, almost capsizing the basket of fruit. "What's the deal!?"

"Hush!" she hissed back at him as she slipped into hunt mode. She now squinted, trying to read the lips, cursing quietly about Rydineeze accents. "You tell me, Goury," she muttered quietly when the observed trio broke out in a round of laughter. "Why is that scumbag talking with Those guys? He ain't got a pot to piss in, yet I swear they're talking shop." She squinted further. It was almost impossible to see how She saw through the thick lashes. It was when she saw her ex-husband handing several bags of coin to the gentlemen that her eyes finally popped open wide.

Margarine was also wandering around in the shop, her ever faithful black wolf Alanna by her side, when she spotted Megan and Goury craning their necks around one of the open sales tents. "Look, you'll find anything in the market." she giggled.

Only to almost have her neck snapped clean off. Megan flinched, hissed, then grabbed Margarine by one shoulder of her tunic, the wolf by the scruff of her neck, and quickly dragged them behind the tent and out of view. She then went to look back to the spot Jason had been, but all three people had disappeared. The following stream of curses were in Del Marian, but clearly she was not happy.

Margarine looked to Goury for an explanation. "Meg is hiding form her sort of ex," he explained, because frankly he knew nothing more of the situation.

The soothsayer turned to Megan. "Ex?" she asked.

'Yeah," Goury answered for her. "Her supposed dead ex husband."

" Well possible Ex," Megan amended. "He could still be current and not an ex, technically, but that's not the point." She gestured a wavering arm at where he'd been standing. "HE'S up to something! I know it down in my bones, I do! Where did he get all that cash?"

Margarine just shook her head. "Really, sounds like I'm behind again, but you all are gonna have to catch me up later. I gotta get this stuff to Danny. You all try to stay out of trouble, please?" and she turned and slipped back into the mainstream."

Megan gathered up her purchased items in a huff. "Well, at least I know where to get my answers from." She shoved the handle of the heavyweight basket back in Goury's hands then turned and stormed down the cobblestone walkway, making a beeline to the hideout.

She kicked the sewer door open. "BS! You rotten sonovabitch! Where are you?"

Goury had dragged the basket along and finally rested it on the floor next to the counter. "He isn't here," he answered for her. "He's on Exidor, where Claw's family lives."

Megan continued to scour the rooms, looking behind doors and in closets, just in case he was trying to cover for the metal man. "I thought they were all on Vashtalia. Ain't he like one of the head cheeses on that planet?"

Goury shook his head. "No.. Brimstone went to make his peace with Meli."

"Oh. That. Well he better hurry the hell up. He's got a lot of explaining to do."

"I don't think he's coming back, Pet." This from Jason, whom was leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed. When Megan spun around hissed, he held his hands up. "Now, now, now. No sense in killing the messenger, especially not this one."

"Well, hopefully Meli won't trash him too badly," Goury hoped allowed.

Jason looked the blond swordsman over slowly. "You don't know, do you? He didn't go there to apologize. He went there to kill her."

Megan could not possible inhale any more air through her teeth without exploding. Goury was dumbstruck.. well.. dummer-struck. "What?!"

The only Del Marian "norm" seemed to be smiling, though nobody could fathom why at this news. "Yeah. She represents a threat to mutants, especially using magic to hurt that Nine chick. something had to be done. Since BS more or less stepped in and took charge, he has to do the deed to restore order." Jason shrugged his shoulders at this logic, then continued. " 'Course he knew the second he did that, Janis and company would vaporize him, so he... uhm.. sold me the bar, along with all the holdings Megan had assigned to him upon her death." Again another shrug. "Funny how things seem to go around. I had given her all that money in my will to start with." He now turned towards the seething Megan and batted his eyes. "Sucks to be rich, don't it?"

Megan finally exploded, charging into Jason and punching him square in the face. He brought up his arms, trying to deflect the blows to his head. Goury could hear a few bones crack under the barrage. From somewhere under the pummeling, Jason's voice floated up. "You kill me and you lose everything!"

             That didn't slow the assault any, but Goury had heard. "What do you mean?"

            Blood was beginning to run from the man's nose. "She kills me and the bank forecloses on the bar!" Goury tried to grab her. She managed to slip a few more gut shots into Jason's side before Goury snagged her sleeves and pulled her back.

She was fairly spent by the effort, gasping for breath. Jason's arm was bending in places it wasn't meant to, but he still managed to drag himself into a sitting position. Goury still had a firm grip on the mutant, should Megan suddenly develop another spurt of energy. "Spill it," he snarled at Jason, "Or I'll turn her loose again."

"I'm not a fool," he groaned, rubbing his jaw with his unbroken arm. "This place is a dump, but you would be surprised at what your walking tin can has stashed down here. I got three local banks to front me some money for equity to fix this dump or purchase something more suitable for a business. Throwing money away on piss poor projects like this..." he spat a mouthful of blood. "Mutants never did have an eye for value. If she kills me, Goury, all that money, plus this precious hideout, go on the chopping block, my friend. So right now, I'M in charge of the mutants around here."

"You son of a bitch," Goury hissed, beginning to mimic Megan's mood. "You mean, opportunistic leach!"

Again another painful shrug. "I'm just a good businessman. I think Brimstone chose quite wisely. Be thankful I don't throw you all out on your duffs. You all are gonna start earning your weight around here, and that includes your little stony boyfriend, by the way. I'm quite sure we can use him as a sideshow freak for now. Yep, just prop him up in a chair. A penny to take a poke at the freak." Megan made another effort to tear out of Goury's grip after Jason, but he easily restrained her. That bother Goury a bit, knowing how strong she could be. Jason didn't seem flustered by her reaction at all. Instead he dipped his head slightly. "If you all will excuse me, I have a few investments to make," and he painfully stood and hobbled down the hall to the med lab.

Megan didn't look good at all. Her hands were sitting on her stomach. She was Obviously in pain, but it was like her brain wouldn't engage to do anything about it. Suddenly up came breakfast, along with copious amounts of blood.

"Oh God!' Goury cried out, now realizing what she must have been hiding for weeks.

She made vague gestures with her hands, as if to cover up the mess. "It's okay... really.. I'm.. okay... don't tell them.."

The champion of justice went flying down the hall, finding Randall patching up the battered Jason. "You should have seen her, Doc," he complained as Randall snapped an aluminum brace on the entrepreneur's arm. Frothing at the mouth and everything. Sure she isn't rabid? I don't wanna get infected..."

"Randall!" Goury interrupted. "You gotta come here. Megan just threw up a whole lot of blood!"

"What?" Not only Randall, but Jason responded in kind. In fact Jason looked very alarmed, sliding off the examination table to his feet as Randall grabbed the med kit. In fact Jason didn't realize the extend of the damage until he saw the coverage on the floor. "Teeth and Talons, what a freakin' mess." Megan was still absentmindedly waving her arm, as if she could hide the slime.

Randall popped open the scanner. "She's hemorrhaging.. but.." He stared at the strange readings. The hole through the small intestine seemed to fluctuate, opening and closing, as if Megan's body were fighting with something invisible. What it was became clear as Randall changed the spectrum. It was a magical wound, in the very stop where Destroyer had been run through her. "Get her to the infirmary," he barked. Goury scooped Megan up, and the duo rushed back into the ward, locking Jason out. He paced nervously for several minutes then finally drew out a cigarette and lit it by sticking his hand dangerously close to the fireplace. Truly, this even had blind sided him, and he would have to be careful with his next steps. Very careful indeed.