[Xanth]

Xanth skipped into the throne room, giggling as Miko threatened her. Of all the universe, he was the only one not of her race who dared to say such things. He was also the only one she would allow to do so. And yet... even with all her years and experience, she could not fathom what made their friendship, what made her set him apart from the rest.

Dora, of course, was quickly joining him, her determination to be a friend to Xanth uplifting. But there, too, Xanth found the bond of affection unfathomable.

But today was not a day for analysing or thought. Today was a day for her inner child. Setting aside her loneliness and concerns, she hid behind a marble column, the scent of jasmine filtering into her nostrils from the flowers that wound around it, peeking out to watch Miko follow her in. She wondered if he would see her, if he would understand the game, for she was not often given to play like this.

Projecting her voice so that it echoed throughout the room, making it impossible to determine its source, she called out in a singsong voice, Miiiiikooooo, giggling happily.

[Kiril]

He'd sensed Xanth's presence that morning in Hawaii. It was disturbing, really. There he was, with one of the most beautiful chicks he'd ever met, and then boom. He felt Xanth's aura. She always kept tabs on her aides. Perhaps had snooped into his mind hours before, or---oh hell no---even the night before. He hoped it wasn't the latter. After he and the girl parted at the Fae Forest, Kiril found his way to the deity's temple. He appeared quietly, without the usual 'poof' and cloud of smoke. Glancing at the familiar white walls, he proceeded through the corridors, seeking that well-known aura.

After that fallout with the aides, Xanth had disappeared altogether from Kiril's life. He'd spent the first few hours after her disappearance looking for her, but soon gave up. If she wanted to find him, she would. The demon had forsaken Xanth's Temple until today. Entering the throne room, Kiril looked around for his favorite deity. "Xanth?"

[Nymphadora]

Tears spilling down her face, Nymphadora materialized within the throne room. Her heart ached for someone to hold on to. Someone to tell her everything would be alright. She'd have gone to Chenoan, but she didn't deserve his kind words right now. She'd hurt him, just as she'd hurt Castalia. And now, neither wanted anything to do with her. She'd been so... happy. She'd found peace with herself. Why couldn't they be happy for her? Or was she just purely being selfish. Xanth had said Castalia would understand. She'd believed that maybe... possibly, her friend would understand. But she didn't. And now... she thought nothing more of her than being a cold hearted murderer.

Sobbing uncontrollably, Nymphadora stumbled forward. Her vision a blur, as tears flooded out and onto her cheeks, she reached out for the nearest someone to cling onto, uncaring of who it was in this moment. Moving to wrap her arms around her fellow Aide, Kiril, she went to latch onto him and bury her face within his chest, holding on for dear life. Her sobs shook her body as she stood there, wishing she didn't have to hurt those she loved like she had. Wishing that she wasn't as evil as she was.

[Kiril]

Kiril warily rubbed the back of his neck as he looked around. Maybe Xanth still held a grudge and didn't want to talk to him. But that was unlike her, or so he assumed. He scanned the ceiling for floating blobs of purple. Maybe Xanth wasn't here afterall. Pity. He even had an apology ready for the deity. It consisted of one of his trademark grins and a bright "welcome back". He need not express his atonement with words.

A soft nudge to his senses alerted him of the being who appeared. Her aura was unfamiliar and he turned to see who was invading Xanth's sanctuary. But invaders didn't cry. The woman moved with a speed that nearly matched his. Before he could react, she closed the distance between them and latched onto him with uncanny strength, sobbing into his shirt. He was a serious, intimidating person. Nobody approached him like this. Eyes widening, he blankly looked at her before slowly wrapping his arms her. The girl was exotic, and her light yet powerful aura accented her beauty. Had they been in any other situation, he surely would have hit on her. Perhaps he would. "Eh," he said blankly, then awkwardly patted her shoulder. After a pause, he smirked in a friendly manner and leaned toward her, "Hey, I live to have pretty strangers hug me, but you're getting my shirt wet. And who might you be?"

[Xanth]

Xanth abandoned her hiding post as she sensed first Kiril appear and then Dora. At first, she had slid around the pillar so she could hide from Kiril too, planning to jump out and announce the game with a wild, girlish shriek. She could not do such a thing with Dora so upset, however, and instead slowly slid out from behind the marble collar, morphing into her adult form as she moved so that by the time either looked at her, they would notice nothing different.

Raiding Dora's mind for the cause of her troubles - even knowing the Nymph's perspective on thought and emotion control, the girl was too upset to be clear if asked what was wrong - Xanth sighed. She could understand Castalia's sense of betrayal, Xanth was the one who encouraged Dora to speak the truth in the first place. She had almost promised that Castalia would understand Dora's predicament and in doing so... felt responsible for Dora's current state.

She should stop interfering. Had she not learned her lesson? Yet the girl had tried so hard to be a friend to Xanth, she deserved the same in return.

Pressing a hand to Dora's head, and the other to Kiril's shoulder, smiling up at the demon reassuringly as she transported them to the garden. Dora needed to regenerate, whether she was aware of it or not, and Xanth was also quite aware of the girl's tendency to destroy when her emotions got out of hand. The inhabitants were accustomed to Xanth's own moods and the garden was the best place for Dora right now - she could rant and sob to her heart's content without causing permanent damage. In fact, as powerful as she was... Perhaps it was time Dora found a home outside of Elysia. Unlike the other Aides, her powers were not easily controlled... Perhaps, as well as Miko, Kiril could teach the girl some tricks. Although their elements were different, fire could not survive without air. Kiril would have wisdom to share, once the Nymph dealt with her current problems.

[Namiko]

Miko entered the throne room as the echo of Xanth's voice faded away. He giggled, unsure of where she was. After looking around a couple of pillars, he considered transforming into beast form to amuse her, and was about to shift when he heard a voice calling her. He didn't recognise the tone, but it seemed powerful. When it was joined by another sound, he was concerned.

Crying was always a sound that hit Miko hard, particularly when it was female whimperings echoing around. Looking towards the throne room, Miko realised it was Dora doing the crying, whilst draped over a strong looking guy. Miko bit his lip, unsure of what to do. As he paused, Xanth moved towards the new arrivals, morphing at the same time. Just as he was about to announce himself, the trio were gone, he assummed morphed away by Xanth. Miko frowned, wondering what the problem was, and at the same time disheartened by how quickly he was forgotten. He sighed, and decided he wanted out of the temple. It was time to explore the town, and more importantly, the town pub.

[Chenoan]

Chenoan slowly materialized into the smooth room he knoew o be Xanth's throne room. "Xanth?" He called out semi-timidly. If Dora was there, he didn't want to be loud enough for her to here him, but he wanted to find Xanth and talk to her badly enough to chance it.

What he wanted most was to find Dora and embrace her. He wanted to hold her til the end of the world. He wanted to roll back the clock to before he'd asked for her hand and remain there until the universe unraveled. But he couldn't. He'd lost the one he loved now, and he knew that he'd long for her from afar for a very long time.

"Xanth? Where are you?" Chenoan called out mentally, hoping he did it so that only Xanth could hear it. After waiting a moment, Chenoan decided it might be a while. Shivering slightly from the coolness of the temple, along with currently still wearing no shirt, Chenoan shifted into his gryphon form and laid on the round, his head resting on his paws.

[Namiko]

Just as Miko was about to transform, footsteps alerted him to the entrance of the throne room. Half hidden by a pillar, Miko snuck a look at the new arrival. He studied the man carefully as he walked across the room. He seemed powerful, for sure, but Miko wasn't particularly threatened. He wondered who the man was, and why he was here. If he was in the temple, surely he must be an aide?

Miko stepped out of the shadows as the man shifted into bird form. He smiled, loving the way Elysia had so many different types of people. His sadness at being so forgotten by Xanth was replaced with curiousity. He took a few more steps and then stopped.

"Hello. Should you be here?" He asked, his voice travelling clearly across the length of the hall.

[Chenoan]

Chenoan was slightly startled at the sound of a male's voice; especially since it wasn't Kiril's. Quickly morphing back to human form, Chenoan located the form of the creature speaking. He's questioning if I should be here? Chenoan thought quizzically.

Even though Chenoan hadn't wanted to be an aide, he was now. He'd obviously deserved the position, otherwise Xanth wouldn't have forced him into it. "I'm Chenoan... an aide in Xanth's service. Who are you?" Chenoan asked as he sized up his possible opponent.

The man was definitely intimidating in simple appearances, but still, appearances could be deceiving. Chenoan focused his eyes on the mans features. "No wings, or horns. His skin's too dark to be a vampire..." Then Chenoan spotted his eyes. "There it is, dragon." Except, were his eyes black? "Are black eyes even possible for a dragon?" He wondered.

Either way, Chenoan wasn't risking any sort of mind probe. His private thoughts were too close to the surface to not put up his mental barrier. Quickly he shielded his mind from any possible intrusions. He knew from his experiences with Aithe that not all dragons respected other people's privacy with their powers.

"Should you be here?" Chenoan asked. The question quickly followed Chenoan's previous ones as it didn't take long for him to assess the situation.

[Xanth]

((cont'd from the garden))

Xanth sighed as Nymphadora collapsed, releasing the sphere of sparks now that she was fully materialised. Even knowing of Dora's claustrophobia, she could not release the girl's cloud. To do so... her molecules would have dissipated and in the state she was in, she would have been lost, blown about on the wind and unable to resolidify. Xanth was not prepared to lose the girl, certainly not so soon.

Chenoan's voice filtered into her mind and she scowled. Only now did he think to come to her, only now after Dora had already left her care. Why had he not come to the Temple before, the instant she stole his girlfriend from the hospital?

Rolling her eyes, Xanth decided she might as well kill two birds with one stone. Perhaps seeing his girlfriend in this state would jolt Chenoan out of his paranoid self-concern. Perhaps not. His future was hard to decipher. More to the point, he kept changing it.

That or she was losing her touch. Clicking her fingers (it was something she had happened by on a television show and had become a cliched but favoured gesture she found amusing), she teleported herself and Nymphadora to the throne room, manipulating the girl's body mid-port so she would land softly on the dais.

Ah, Namiko, Chenoan. I see the two of you have met. And were beating their chests at each other like gorillas. Not that she blamed them, the Aides were usually very dominant personalities and with that came territorial natures. Still, this was her domain, not theirs. It did amuse her, however.

Resting a hand on Miko's arm, she smiled up at him, waving at Chenoan. This, my love, is Chenoan - one of the other Aides I was telling you about. Chenoan, meet Namiko. Ignoring Chen's concern for the moment, she patted Miko's arm and inquired, Has Faroah requested Jack's presence yet? Or do you think he is still attempting to arrange his gift for her just so?

[Chenoan]

Chenoan's attention was again diverted as Xanth came into the room with... "Dora!" Chenoan yelled out in concern as he rushed to her side and scooped her up into his arms. Right now all of Chenoan's concerns were pointless. The conversatio e was anticipating with Xanth ad been pushed to the back of his mind as he softly caressed Dora's cheek.

Chenoan looked to Xanth pitifully as she talked to that dragon, Namiko, as if Dora didn't exist. "How can you go about introductions when Dora's in this condition?"Chenoa asked, partly pleading with Xanth to help. Chenoan surpressed new and old tears from falling as he carefully checked the woman he loved for injuries only to find.... none.

"What happened?" Chenoan asked, his eyes glistening with tears as he turned his face back to Xanth. Chenoan's tears pleaded to fall, but he refused to let them. Chenoan was barely beginning to calm himself before this happened, and now he was fighting to keep his head as he tried to figure out what could knock Dora out like this.

[Namiko]

Miko held out a hand to the shifter as Xanth introduced him, but was soon reaching into an empty space, as the man rushed over to Dora. He raised a brow; did no-one have time to stick around for a simple how-do-you-do anymore? Miko instead smiled at Xanth, glad for the contact. As she mentioned Jack, Miko poked at a bulge in his jacket. Jack stuck her head out indignantly, before she noticed who she was in the presence of. With a respectful chirp to Xanth, she returned her expectant gaze to Miko.

"I hear Faroah may be looking for you." He informed her. With a clatter of claws, Jack scooted out of the room to some unknown area of the castle. Miko returned his gaze to the young aide and his own apprentice, Dora.

"I'm sure she's okay." Miko addressed the aide, still not sure whether he should be offended by the lack of respect the man had shown him.

"If she wasn't, I doubt Xanth here would be teleporting her around for all and sundry." He continued, mild stirrings of concern sprouting inside him. He wondered if the nymph was injured, or if it was merely the transition from normal nymph to aide that was causing her trouble.

[Xanth]

Xanth smiled as she watched Jack scoot out of the room. Imp dragons... they were her favourite of all the creatures in Elysia. So innocent, naive even. Trusting, simple. They could not see the nuances behind a person's eyes, could not lie, did not manipulate. They were not bogged down by the issues that cursed the human race and its descendents. They were children.

Indeed, Namiko. She simply needs rest. Turning to Chenoan, she frowned. What happened? Oh, this and that. It was not her place to tell him what was going on inside the girl's head. She had already interfered far too much. She is far more creative with her powers than I could have hoped. Psh, and you think she wanted you as a rung in her ladder? Believe me, Chenoan, she did not need you climb it, she chose you to love. And you waste it as if love grew on trees. Shaking her head, she patted Namiko's arm again. She did not wish to be harsh, or to dredge up memories that were better left buried, but Chenoan was walking a very dangerous path. His paranoia would tear him apart. He already hated her and apparently blamed her for the state of his relationship, it would not be too far a leap before he became another Dimitri. Or another Hind. Oh yes, if he hated her enough, he had the knowledge to pose a threat, not just to her but all of Elysia. She was hoping to jar him out of the state he was in but her harshness had not worked with Dora. She was losing her touch, after all.

Sacha entered the throne room, his tail swishing lazily. The instant he saw Chenoan near the Nymph, the big fluffball started growling, a threatening gesture that was also rather possessive. As if the situation was not bad enough already, he was stirring the mixture. Sacha! she barked, her eyes sparking with warning.

[Namiko]

Miko relaxed further as Xanth continued to interact with him. He listened with interest as she addessed the young aide. Miko thought the man seemed a bit weak to be an aide, and was surprised when Xanth spoke to him so sharply. There was obviously some history between the two that he knew nothing about. Miko considered probing the young man's mind for titbits of knowledge, but decided not to. This power wasn't one he often used, as he felt it was a little unfair. Either Xanth or Chenoan would fill him in if it was necessary.

Miko was about to ask Xanth if she knew anything of the local watering hole-in jest, of course. He had never known her to frequent a pub, but would have been amused to see what her reaction was. Before he got the oppurtunity to speak however, a large animal, no, a beast strolled into the room. Miko was impressed. The creature eyed him and Miko kept his returning stare steady, wondering where Xanth had uncovered such a being from. As it wondered over to Chenoan, Miko sensed the sudden change of mood. The beast was suddenly all hackles, and Xanth was calling him off. Miko turned to his goddess, his eyes twinkling with intrigue.

"And where does one recruit such an unusual companion from?" He asked, admiring the pure size and he supposed, power of the creature.

[Chenoan]

Chenoan's heart broke as Xanth yelled at him. He remembered thinking those things back on the beach. He'd even believed them at the time. How awful could Chenoan get? Everthing... everything had been going so good, until Chenoan snapped with Kaida.

He'd been a good alpha as far as he knew. He had friends, love, and an amazing life ahead of him. He'd ruined that all because one shifter disliked him. He'd lost the title of alpha because of his weakness. Now he'd question the beautiful woman he loved. Dora had understood everything Chenoan had done and she'd still professed her love for him. Chenoan doubted her simply because he hadn't accepted his proposal. Looking down at Dora's unconscious figure, Chenoan craned his neck down towards her lips. Just before their lips met, a large tear splased down onto Dora's cheek.

"What is it she said..." Chenoan wondered as he looked through his memory to see if he'd missed something when they'd been together. Just then a large cheetah with black wings entered the room and threatened Chenoan. Chenoan returned his glare equally, tears slowly trickling down his face as he sat with Dora in his arms. Xanth called what Chenoan assumed was the creatures name, but the Chenoan didn't wait to see how 'Sacha' would react. Morphing his vocal chords Chenoan let out a loud Gryphonic roar, directed at the Cheetah. If the beast was as intelligent as Chenoan assumed he'd take the hint. Chenoan had no intentions of harming the magnificent creature, but if it did anything to threaten Chenoan, or especially Dora, Chenoan would no stand idly by.

[NPC]

Hearing the tone in Xanths voice, Sacha flicked his ears back. He heard the warning, and the smart thing to do would to turn and acknowledge it, but he bore his eyes into that of the avian's, challenging his gaze. He didn't trust the Aide to be so near to his Nymph, especially with her in the state that she was in. Still looking into the shifters eyes, Sacha's growl deepend, although his voice was directed at Xanth. She's hurt, and it's his fault. He growled to the goddess bluntly.

Sacha's fur smoothed out as he remained in his defensive stance, glaring at the shifter. A few words were spoken by the dragon, but they were ignored. He could not understand Sacha, nor could Sacha understand him. Nothing in his tone rang any bells within the feline, therefore he had no intrest.

Stepping forward gently Sacha moved to lick the palm of Dora's hand, hopeful in reviving her from her current state. Before he could even set his paw to the floor, a loud screeching emited from the shifter, causing the hairs on Sacha's fur to stand on end, not to mention making him spring backwards in startle. Hissing as he did so, Sacha had had enough. This beast came into his home, and hurt his Nymph. He'd not allow this abuse to continue.

Without a second thought, Sacha lunged for the Aide, intent on clasping his jaws around the Aides throat, his powerful paws aimed to dig into his face. The speed of his lunge was immense, also the roar he made as he was doing so. Normally Sacha wasn't one to resort to violence. Other than hunting. He was laid back, and mild. With an attitude of course. But this was different. He was protecting his family.

[Chenoan]

The moment Sacha lunged at Chenoan he ducked down and grabbed hold of Dora. Focusing tightly he teleported himself and Dora to the other side of the room. Chenoan looked up at Sacha, his eyes fixed on the cat, but softer than his earlier glare.

Chenoan gently held Dora in his arms and caressed her face as salty tears slowly plunged from his cheeks. Each one felt like fire burning his eyes and face. Each one a happy memory of time spent with Dora that had ow been defiled by Chenoan's doubt.

Chenoan longed for Dora to be ok, he longed for her to just wake up and kiss him. He wanted so much for her to tell him she still loved him, and still wanted him no matter what he'd thought.

Chenoan had spent so much time trying to blame other people for anything that went wrong in his life. Every pain, heartache, every tough moment always became someone else's fault. Chenoan had also separated himself from everyone lately. His friends, who knew if they still waned to be his friends... Alieh, Aiden, Eilidh... He needed to see them.

Since he'd become an aide he'd focused too much on what had changed, instead of trying to keep things in a general state of normal. Maybe... maybe one day he could become alpha again, and fix what he'd broken. But first he needed to make it up to Dora... and Kaida....

Softly kissing Dora's cheek, Chenoan kept her in his arms as he looked up to Xanth with a tear stained face. "Xanth... I'm sorry..." He said softly, barely able to find his own voice.

[Namiko]

Miko watched events unfold in front of him curiously. The ferocious growl from Sacha had made the hair on the back of his neck stand up, but the call that came from Chenoan was worse. Miko winced, wondering why on earth the man would make such an ear piercing noise, unless he wanted to make war, rather than piece? He was unsurprised as the beast turned to attack the aide, but still automatically moved forward, realising he couldn't just let the man be savaged.

But in a flash the man, and Dora were gone. Miko frowned and turned in a circle, spotting the couple over by the far wall. It seemed even an aide didn't fancy his chances against the tiger with wings. As Chenoan called out to Xanth, Miko suddenly felt uncomfortable. The history between the two was clearly coming back to the surface, and perhaps they wanted some privacy. Miko considered his plan of a few minutes ago, to find the pub. But at the last moment, he changed his mind. Perhaps if the man had shown a vague interest in him, even the slightest hint of aknowledgement, Miko would have gone. However, he would not displace himself for some rude, soppy-seeming aide. He decided to stay put. If the aide was not willing to converse with him, it seemed Miko could only find out about him by staying here.

[Xanth]

Xanth sighed, rolled her eyes and stamped her foot petulantly. All this drama was giving her a headache. Sacha, out, now. She understood that the cheetah was simply attempting to protect the Nymph and was not honestly surprised Sacha had latched on like a limpet. He had been lonely, the only one of his kind, and Nymphadora provided him with something to protect. However, there was already enough tension in the throne room to power one of those new-fangled rocket things, having the possessive cat attack Chenoan would just make things worse. She is fine, you may visit her again later.

Remembering Miko's question about the cheetah, she smiled vaguely and patted his arm. He is one of my pets, my love, she told him telepathically, privately, so that Chenoan would not hear them. He had already chastised her - her, hah! - for not being focused, but she did not wish to ignore Miko either.

She had never told Miko much about the beasts she created when she was bored but he had been an Aide long enough to realise something was going on in the gardens. One of my creations. She did not know even now what had possessed her in designing a cheetah with wings. She had thought to increase their incredible landspeeds but the wings had actually proved to slow him down slightly, not that he noticed for the decrease was too subtle, but he had not been a successful experiment. She loved him as she loved all her pets, and all the creatures of Elysia, but she had not created more of him. I'm not sure how they can be recruited, to be honest, she smiled. They live in the gardens if you would like to try your luck.

Moving toward Chen, she placed her hand on his head, frowning a little. She hated to see people cry, no matter how old or strong or young or weak. Nor should he be crying. Dora was perfectly fine - or would be with a little tender loving care. No, this was more self-pity, though he had good reason.

Sighing, she filled him with tranquility. She had allowed Dora to reach that tranquility by herself but it was difficult and took time. Chenoan needed a clear head now. She will be fine. Do you hear me? Patting his head, she continued. You will never use that awful sonic blast again in my temple. And you may take her home and pamper her until she turns blue. Off with you. Waving her hand, she turned away, expecting Chenoan to disappear on command.