D.C. Al Fine

by Sakeru

A cold, wind blew through the city of Hameln. The tall spires of the castle towered over the other structures. Inside, darkness filled the corridors and rooms; all except one, and that was where Pandora stood trapped in her crystalline prison. In another part of the castle, voices could be heard.

"Ah, Hamel; so nice of you and your friends to finally come and pay us a visit."

"Spare us the sarcasm, Bass," spat Hamel. He stood alongside Raiel, Sizer, and Flute. Tron had managed to slip behind one of the huge pillars, and so remained unnoticed. He thought for sure that Bass would hear his heart beating, as it seemed deafening to his own ears. Bass however, was not aware of his presence at the moment. He continued his discourse with Hamel.

"As you wish. So, Hamel, you do know why you are here, do you not?" Hamel gritted his teeth. "Has the reason ever changed? It's always because you want me to join you; to go to battle against Sforzando. Well, you can forget it! You know the answer already!" Bass nodded. "Yes, I do. Which brings us into the reason why your friends are also here." At this, Sizer shook her fist at him. "You little.... I'll cut you down right now!" She grasped her scythe and made a motion to spring at Bass, but found herself, as well as the others to be held fast by some unknown power. Bass glared at Sizer, then turned to Hamel. "If they won't persuade you to join our forces, then maybe this will." He stretched his hand before him and a large circular portal took shape. It widened and swirled about. Hamel's eyes widened. "This portal leads to the world of those outsiders whom you call your 'friends'. Perhaps their being here will have you change your mind." Hamel's eyes narrowed. "No! Don't get them involved! They have nothing to do with this!" Bass only sneered, and proceeded. Tron gulped. This is it; I've got to do something! The little prince took a deep breath, and then emerged from his hiding place. "Yaaaaaaaaaaah!!!," he cried. Tron rushed right towards Bass and the portal. Bass gasped in surprise. "No-what are you doing?!" He could not stop the boy, however. Tron launched himself into the portal and disappeared; sword and all. "Tron!," shouted Flute.

* * *

Duo lounged on a chair on the balcony of the mansion. He yawned and stretched. "Ah-this is more like it. Nothing to do but relax." He smiled and closed his eyes. Next door at the Tenou house, Haruka sat in the living room, arms crossed. Setsuna came up beside her. "Haruka, is something bothering you?" Haruka glanced at her and shrugged. "Setsuna, you know very well what's bothering me. It's been bothering me." Setsuna smiled. "Quatre? Oh, I don't think he's that bad. He's very nice. I still don't see why you don't just tell Michiru." Haruka let out a long breath. "I did! She knows! Argh-I don't know what to do, Setsuna! Quatre's as irritating as Seiya," she muttered.

Duo had nearly dozed off when there was a sudden flash of light appeared out of nowhere. "Nanda kora-!?!," he exclaimed. Next door, Haruka and Setsuna had noticed the sudden flash of light as well. They were just about to go and investigate, when Duo raced into the room. "Haruka, Setsuna! Hurry up!," he gasped. The three hurried outside.

Setsuna could not believe who they saw lying there. "T-Tron Bon?!?" Duo looked up at the sky where the strange light had appeared just a few minutes before. "Hmm," pondered Setsuna, "Apparently that flash of light we saw was some sort of dimensional portal." Duo cocked his head to the side. "Yeah, that'd explain why Tron is here. Let's bring him inside." He lifted the boy slowly and they went back into the house.

Quatre now stood beside the other three, along with Michiru. The four girls had transformed a while ago. "You think this means that there's trouble?," asked Duo, folding his arms. "Duh," Sailor Uranus said flatly. "Why do you think we transformed?" Duo shrugged and turned his attention back to the boy, who had begun to rouse.

"Flute...ne-cha...Eh!?! Where-!?," Tron exclaimed. He sat up and looked around nervously. "It's all right Tron, you're safe here," assured Sailor Neptune. "Now, what are you doing here?" Tron sighed and lay back on the couch. "Hamel, and Flute-all of them! We were brought to Hameln, and Bass was going to summon you too-but I had to do something. So now I'm here." Sailor Pluto nodded. "So Hamel and the others have been captured by Bass? This isn't good." Quatre glanced over at Duo, who scratched his head. Tron's lower lip began to quiver, and without warning, he flung himself at the nearest person (which happened to be Quatre). "Oh please! You have to help them!," he cried, nearly squeezing the breath out of Quatre. Neptune placed a hand on top of Tron's head. "Don't worry, Tron. Of course we'll help. They're our friends, after all." The prince of Dal Segno loosened his grip on Quatre. "Really? I know I can't possibly do anything by myself! I've let poor Flute ne-chan down!" He became angry at himself, and sat back down again, folding his arms. Duo flopped down next to him, despite the fact that Haruka didn't approve of him just throwing himself on the couch like that; it ruined the upholstery. "You didn't let them down! You came to get help-right? And you got it! We're here for ya kid! Uh...just one problem; how are we going to get there?" Sailor Pluto smiled.

"Come closer in," she beckoned. The group formed a small circle around her. "All right; here we go." Sailor Pluto lifted her key staff up; the garnet orb glowed. Their surroundings about them began to swirl and change. Tron bit his lower lip and his gaze shifted nervously from one side to the other. He hadn't exactly enjoyed his last time-traveling experience, and wasn't exactly sure he wanted to go through it again. "Waaa! Pluto-sama~, I don't like this-not again!!," he cried, unable to contain himself any longer. He threw himself at Sailor Pluto, breaking her concentration. "No Tron-!," she exclaimed, but it was too late. The steady glow about them had started to falter and come apart. "I don't think that was a good thing...," Duo said.

Hamel jerked his head up. "I have a bad feeling about this." Bass looked a little uneasy. A strange glow surrounded the four captives. "Nanda kora~!?," exclaimed Raiel. Bass shielded his eyes as the glow became bigger and brighter. "WHAT IS GOING ON!?!!?!," shouted Sailor Uranus. The whole room was imersed in light. The light soon died down, and Bass' vision soon adjusted again to the dimness of the room. Quatre groaned and stood up. "What happened? Are we..here?" He suddenly found himself pulled backwards by some unknown force. "Wah-!?" Quatre, a little dazed from the fall, was surprised to see that he had a large violin strapped to his back. Haruka got up uneasily. "Ow~, I feel like I got a big rock on my back." Michiru, who found herself in a red dress complete with hat, stared at her friend with wide eyes. "Looks like it too," she said. At this, Haruka craned her head around to see a large golden piano on her back. "Gyaaaaaaaa!!!!!"

Duo blinked his eyes. "Did we make it? Are we here? Hey-I feel weird. That kid didn't screw you up, did he Sailor P?," he asked. He noticed that Haruka and Michiru were staring at him. "What is it? And what are you wearing Haruka?" Michiru motioned for him to look back. Duo shrugged and did so, and his mouth dropped open. He discovered that he had sprouted a lovely pair of soft, deep red wings. It took him a few minutes to find his voice. "W...w....WHAT IS GOING ON HERE!?!?!?!?!"

Setsuna, now six years younger, sat cross-legged in a corner. She adjusted the three-spiked band on her head. "It appears that when I, Tron, disrupted Sailor Pluto's, my, concentration, it screwed us all up and we all merged together." Duo cocked his head. "Eh~?"

Michiru helped Quatre stand up again. Bass, who had been standing silently during the past few minutes finally spoke up. "I see; so all of you have merged with one another." Haruka could still not believe what she was hearing. "Y-You're kidding, right?" Bass shook his head. "Can you not see for yourselves? You have merged with the pianist, and you have merged with Princess Flute. She has merged with the Prince of Dal Segno, and you over there, with Sizer. And finally," he said with a sneer, "Hamel..." Quatre felt a shiver go down his spine as Bass turned his gaze towards him. Haruka shook her head. "No-y-you're just saying that! There's no way we could have got- Watch; I'll show you." She lifted her hand up in the air. "WORLD........SHA-king?" When she had brought her fist down, there weren't any of the usual special effects. "Oh no, oh no no no no! This IS NOT happening!" Bass chuckled. "Ah, but it is. This may be used to my advantage." Duo shook his head frantically. "Ah-uh! I'm not gonna stick around and be your guinea pig again!" Setsuna hopped up. "Yeah! We're outta here!" The princess of Dal Segno drew her sword and rushed towards the nearest wall. "SCISSOR SLASH!!!!" The wall burst open, chunks of debris flying everywhere. "You go girl!," Duo shouted, as he and the others made their escape. Bass trembled with anger. "NO! You shall not escape me again!" He was prevented from taking pursuit, as the wall still crumbled, along with part of the roof.

* * *

Quatre could not help but have that same feeling of Deja Vu all over again. Here they were, making their escape from Bass' keep. And once again, here they were; running through the forest in hopes that they were not being pursued, and eventually they'd return again to the castle in hopes of finding a way to return home. However, there was one major difference this time. Last time they had all been warped to this land, they had not experienced any side-effects. Duo groaned. "Waaa~ I can't go home like this," he wailed, showing his full wingspan. The others stopped. Haruka nodded. "I agree with you, Duo. I am definitely NOT going to walk around with this thing on my back." Quatre gasped for breath and leaned on a tree for support. Michiru looked around. "Well, how are we going to get back to normal?," she asked. Setsuna crossed her arms behind her head. "Hmm; maybe we can go ask Horn-sama." Duo cocked his head. "Who?"

"Queen Horn....of Sforzando," Quatre said softly, as if in a daze. Duo still looked confused, as well as a bit freaked out. He had never heard of any 'Queen Horn' before, and he thought it was strange that now his friends were talking about her as if they had always known about her. Quatre snapped out of his trance-like state and looked at Duo. "What's wrong, Duo?" Duo gave him a weak smile. "Oh, nothing. Nevermind-so anyway; where's this Sforzando place?," he asked. Quatre raised an eyebrow. "'Sforzando'?" Duo slapped his forehead. "Anyone else think something weird's going on other than me?" Haruka shrugged. "This whole thing is weird. Come on; let's go...wherever it is we're going," she replied. With that, they started on their way again.

They had not traveled long when Setsuna stopped them. "Did you ever have the feeling you were being watched?," she asked the others. Duo stood still for a moment, and raising an eyebrow, he replied, "Yeah, now that you mention it. It's too quiet. Something's not right." Exactly on cue, a familiar, hearty laughter rang out from the underbrush. "Hohohohoho! So, you finally realized it! You may have merged with Hamel-sama and his friends, but you are still slow!" The group tensed as the Warrior King Guitar stepped out from behind the trees.

"Guitar!?," exclaimed Haruka. The dog-faced Spartan gave them a smug look. "Gee, I'm surprised you came all by yourself," Setsuna spat.

"Ha! I do not need an army to apprehend the likes of you! I will do it single-handedly!"

Duo gripped his scythe. "That's all you'll have after I get through with you!!," he shouted, springing into action. Guitar was ready for him. "Ho!" He stretched his arm toward his attacker. Several dragon heads shot out from its base and knocked Duo back. "Waaugh!" He fell into the bushes. Haruka gasped as she saw the writhing dragons. "Nanda kora-!?!" From Raiel's memory, she recalled a warrior named Drum, who had a similar ability. "Drum's......dragons!," she said under her breath. Duo had gotten up again, shaking his head clear. He then glared at Guitar. "Grrrrrr, I'll hack both them and your other arm off!!" With that, he sprang forth again, making use of his wings (which he had gotten the hang of pretty fast) to dodge the dragon's snarling, deadly heads. He slashed off one, and evaded another. Haruka came to his aid. "Seirei-away!," she shouted, making use of Raiel's piano. Her fingers pounded ivory, and a fiery bird flew forth and attacked Guitar. Quatre joined Haruka's song, and lifting the large violin (with Michiru's help) he began to play 'The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy". Guitar hacked at the seirei and brought his dragons around. More and more seemed to come up. "There's too many!," Michiru said, wincing as one of the dragons swayed dangerously close to them.

"THAT'S IT!," shouted Duo. Before he knew what he was doing, he twirled his scythe around and began to blow into the handle/flute. Haruka gawked at him, I had no idea he could play the flute! (Well, neither did Duo ^_^*) As the Hawk King played, eight figures materialized around him, each donned with armor and equipped with a long, sharp lance. Duo lifted his head from the mouthpiece. "Valkyries-ATTACK!!" However, he didn't get what he had expected. Instead, he found himself swathed by eight of the nine, squealing and chattering away.

"Hey-it's a guy!"

"You're not Sizer-sama!"

"Who cares if it's not Sizer-sama? He's cute!"

"Ooh! This is new!"

"You're wa-ay cuter than her brother!"

"Maa~ You can call me anytime!"

Duo was getting pretty annoyed. He clenched his fist. "I SAID ATTACK!!!!!" The nine fell back at his sudden exclamation. The first of the nine, Gerhilde, nodded. "You heard him, girls. Let's go!" They confronted the dragons, spearing and slashing them. The dragons fell one by one, until they were all gone. Guitar snarled. "So, you may have destroyed Drum's dragons, but not me!" Setsuna charged at him with her sword, and Guitar met it with his own. "Hmmpf!" Setsuna gritted her teeth. This isn't as easy as I thought it would be. She leapt back and then got ready to spring again. Guitar's sword swept by her, and she parried and thrust her sword as best she could, her full concentration set on his next move. Guitar raised his sword above his head and brought it down with such force that it knocked Setsuna back. "Waa!" She recovered as quickly as possible and rolled out of the way before she could be severed in half. Setsuna rushed forth again, and clashed with Guitar. During their sword play, Guitar took the opportunity to cut the Key pendant that hung around Setsuna's neck away. She did not notice, however, and continued to fend off as best she could. Some of the Valkyries flew about Guitar and distracted him long enough for Setsuna to pull out the good stuff. "SCISSOR SLASH!!!"

The Warrior King yelped and fell back. "Ack! It's that Dal Segno brat's attack! Fine, I shall leave you, for now...." He retreated, and Setsuna breathed a sigh of relief as she flopped to the ground. The Valkyries hung about Duo once again.

"Happy now?"

"We did the deed!"

"So how about a date now?"

"We didn't even get to introduce ourselves yet!"

"Ooh! Ooh! Call me Helhel!"

"You can call me Gerlin!"

"Ah- Rose-chan desu!!"

Duo buried his head in his hands, and then took up his scythe/flute and played again. The eight Valkyries were drawn back in with a, "Waaaaaaaa~!" Having satisfied himself, Duo twirled the scythe around and leaned against a tree. "Okay, so now what?" Michiru went over to Setsuna and helped her up. "Now," Setsuna started, "We go find Sforzando and see if Horn-sama can help us fix everything. Then I can do the rest, once my key is......MY KEY!?!?!" This sudden outburst startled Quatre, and he toppled over. Setsuna looked around frantically. "Where is it!? Where is it!?!? ARGH!! Do you know what this means!?!?!?!" Duo scratched his head. "Um, no. I wasn't really listening." Setsuna glared at him. "It means that we can't get home because I don't have my key!!! You know; the Time Key Staff thingy!!!" Haruka gasped. "Oh no! Do you think that Guitar might have taken it?" The Princess of Dal Segno shook her head uncertainly. "I don't know! Anything's possible; maybe during the fight...."

Duo had just started to comprehend what she had been talking about. "KYAAAAH!! If he's got it then we'll never get home!!!," he wailed. Haruka clamped her hands over her ears. "Quiet! You want everyone to know we're out here!?!" Duo shut his mouth and leaned back against the tree again. "So then, what now?" Setsuna shrugged. "I guess we have no choice but to go to Sforzando now; I'm all out of other ideas," she sighed. Duo pouted. "There's that 'Sforzando' thing again. Where are you getting these names from?!? And now that I think of it- Where'd I learn how to play the flute!?!?" Duo hid his face in his hands. "This is getting too weird." Haruka went over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry Duo, we'll get out of this somehow, and everything will be all straightened out."

"I hope so," replied Duo with a huff. Quatre struggled to maintain his balance. So, do we go?" Michiru nodded. "I guess so. Anyone know where to go?" Setsuna hopped up. "We go that way!" She started skipping down the road. The others all looked at eachother, shrugged and followed.

* * *

"N-Now Bass-sama, please don't be angry with me! I'm sorry I've failed you-but how was I supposed to know that they'd act just like Hamel-sama and his friends?!" Bass continued to gaze coldly at Guitar, but then he waved it off. "So, is that why you have failed so? Because you say that they have acquired the knowledge to use Hamel and company's special abilities? Hmm, this is most interesting. Most interesting indeed. Perhaps my plans are not all lost..." Bass chuckled to himself, and Guitar drew back. "Bass-sama?"

"Hamel is still Hamel; just not one-hundred percent. Just as Sizer is still Sizer, and so forth. Their instincts and personalities are mixed with that of those people whom they have been merged with. Of course. I shall play upon Hamel's known weaknesses, and by doing so- I can overcome the other's. Cello!" Cello stepped from the shadows. "Yes, Bass-sama?"

Bass grasped his staff. "Cello, I would like you to go to Sforzando. See what you can do with our little mix-ups." Guitar cleared his throat. "Ah-excuse me, Bass-sama, but I have just remembered something that may be of importance." He displayed the small key that he had taken from Setsuna earlier. Cello raised an eyebrow. "How cute. A little key." Guitar huffed. "Not just any key. This is the key that the little Dal Segno prince- er, princess had." Bass eyed the key with great interest. "Excellent, Guitar. Now we surely have an advantage over those misfits." Guitar handed the key over to Bass. Cello lingered a while longer, then stepped back into the shadows and disappeared.

* * *

"Wow, there it is!," Setsuna shouted excitedly as she and the others reached the top of the hill. "Sforzando!"

Duo gasped for breath. "It's about time!," he said. Michiru turned to Haruka. "Well, what are we waiting for? I hope Horn can help us."

"Oh, I doubt that very much," came a familiar taunting voice. The group whirled around to see who it was. "You've come this far, my friends, but not all of you will reach Sforzando's interior."

Haruka's eyes narrowed as she saw Cello step into full view of them. "Puh. I thought we'd seen the last of you, Cello," she said coldly. Cello laughed. "You wish. I'm sorry, but I must warn you that Horn-sama is very hard to convince at times. I wonder; have you even thought about how you would explain all this to her? A likely story, it would appear, that her daughter Flute and friends have been merged with people from a different world. Ah yes, and I don't think that they would take kindly to 'Sizer'," he said, glancing over at Duo, who glared back at him. "Look, Cello," Haruka said, "We're not going to back down on this chance just because of what you tell us. Come on guys, let's get going."

Cello wasn't about to let them do that. "I don't think you quite get it," he said with a sneer, "You're NOT going to reach Sforzando. I'll make sure of that." He stretched his arm to the side, and his cello appeared. Haruka knew full well what would happen if they stayed any longer. "Everyone, RUN!!!" They took off at her word, and raced down the hill towards the fortress of Sforzando. Cello laughed and began to play. "Whatever you do, don't listen to the music!," shouted Haruka. Duo decided it would be better for him to take to the air, and so he made use of his wings. Quatre struggled to keep up with the others, but the large violin strapped to his back did not make things easier for him, and he tripped and fell. "Gah!"

Michiru glanced over her shoulder. "Quatre!" Quatre hurried to get to his feet, but the music reached him, and he fell helpless as it overpowered him. The others were nearing the walls of Sforzando. Duo noticed that Quatre was not with them. He looked back to see Cello walking towards his disoriented friend and gasped. "Quatre! Oh no you don't!," he cried, changing his course and starting back up the hill. He felt a sudden pain shoot through his body as something struck him from behind, and he fell to the ground. "Duo!," Michiru cried, and she looked to see where the attacker was. She spotted a young man standing high atop the wall of Sforzando with long blond hair which was tied back loosely, the free strands blowing across his face. Michiru was about to go check on Duo when she found that they were surrounded by soldiers. What's going on!? Why is all this happening? As she and the others were herded inside the fortress, she looked back desperately towards the top of the hill. Cello was gone, and so was Quatre.

* * *

Setsuna could not help but feel uneasy as the soldiers led them into the large throne room. Everything seemed vaguely familiar, much like something out of a dream. Setsuna looked back at her friends. Haruka seemed calm, yet Setsuna could detect her uneasiness. Michiru looked around with wide, frightened eyes. Two soldiers carried Duo alongside of them. They all came to a halt as they reached the throne.

Michiru recognized the one who had injured Duo standing by the throne. She was suddenly forced to kneel down, as well as the others as Queen Horn entered the throne room, along with another girl with short blond hair. Horn nodded to the soldiers, and then she took her seat. Michiru hadn't realized that she had been holding her breath. She slowly let it out, for fear of angering the queen by any sort of action. It seemed as though the silence was deafening. The silence was broken finally when Queen Horn spoke.

"Who are you?," she inquired, her voice echoing throughout the room. Michiru took a deep breath before she dared answer. "Queen Horn, we are friends of Hamel, Flute, Raiel, and Tron. In an attempt to help them escape from Bass at Tron's request, we came here. We've been transported here several times before, except it was through Bass' magic. This time, we were going by way of our friend Sailor Pluto's Time Key Staff, but Tron was frightened, and so he disrupted the teleportation by accident. As a result, we reached Bass' keep all right, but we were merged with Hamel and the others. My friend Sailor Uranus was merged with Raiel, and Sailor Pluto was merged with Tron. I myself am merged with Flute, your highness, and although he is not here, our friend Quatre with Hamel. I fear that he was captured by Bass, just before we came here. I don't understand why you attacked Duo though, he is merged with Sizer, but Sizer is no longer an enemy of Hamel and the others." Michiru paused. She watched Horn's reaction. Even though the queen's face was half covered, something in her eyes gave the impression that she was dubious of the whole story. Michiru's gaze fell downwards as the silence closed in.

Horn leaned towards the young man with the long, blond hair and whispered something to him. Then, she turned back to Michiru and the others. "Your story sounds very far-fetched, yet, I see what you mean. 'Sizer' there is proof enough. Now, may I ask why you have come to Sforzando?" Michiru was hesitant to answer, but Haruka took over explaining things for her. "Well, Queen Horn, it's just that-well, we had no idea who to go to for help. We weren't sure how to reverse this mishap, so we hoped that you might be able to help. We were able to find Sforzando with the help of our counterparts."

"Mainly Tron," piped up Setsuna. She thought she might as well put her two cents in. Horn nodded. "I am not sure if I will be able to help you. Right now, I suppose that you will need rest and food. Coru, show them to the guest chambers," the queen said, turning to the girl with short blond hair. Coru nodded and bowed, then motioned for them to follow. When the three had left with Coru, she turned to the young man again. "Clari, I want you to keep 'Sizer' separate from them. I am not so sure whether I should trust them or not, and I can't be too careful." Clari bowed. "Yes, my Queen. Do not worry, you can count on me." Beneath her face mask, Horn smiled. "Yes; I know that Clari."

Haruka was relieved that she could rid herself of the heavy piano that had been on her back all that time. She removed the big floppy hat and let herself fall on the bed. "Ah," she sighed. Michiru sat on the bed beside hers, gazing out at the night sky. Setsuna paced back and forth in front of the door. "Setsuna, please, why don't you just relax?," Michiru suggested. Setsuna complied and flopped down on the third bed. A few seconds later, she covered her face with her hands. "I'm worried about Quatre! And Duo! I hope they're all right. Hey, Michiru-why didn't they bring Duo along with us? I think this is getting really suspicious. And didn't they say they were going to bring us food?" Setsuna hopped off the bed and went to the door. She tried the knob. "Hey! It's locked! Some guest room-this is more like a prison!" As Setsuna continued to fuss with the locked door, Haruka went over to the window and looked out. "Looks like Cello was partially right. Queen Horn doesn't seem to trust us fully," she said, motioning for Michiru to come to the window. Michiru gazed out and saw several guards standing outside. "I'm beginning to worry about Duo now," she said quietly. At the door, Setsuna had given up trying to open it. She looked under the door to see if anyone was out there. "Hey guys, we got company out here too," she said, standing up. "So now what are we going to do?" Haruka and Michiru both shrugged.

The first thing he felt was pain. As he got up groggily to his feet, spasms of pain shot through his body. Duo fell back on the bed. Maybe I should lie down a bit longer, he thought. Duo removed the thick, heavy helmet from his head and tossed it aside. It landed with a thunk on the floor. From his position, Duo looked around the room. His scythe leaned on the wall adjacent to the bed. Duo struggled to get up again, at least long enough to remove some of his armor. He finally succeeded in getting off the large pieces that protected his shoulders and part of his arms. Duo flung himself on the bed once again, wincing in pain at the impact. Maybe I shouldn't have done that. He looked around the room again. It wasn't very big. In fact, it was compact, with only one window (barred) and one door leading out. "Is this a prison or something?," he asked himself. "I've been in enough prisons already, thank you," he said to absolutely no one in particular, recalling the several times he had been locked away by the OZ troops or Trowa (one time too many). Duo sighed heavily, wondering where he was and what had happened. The sound of footsteps coming up some stairs caught his attention. He sat up slowly, waiting for whoever his warden was. The door soon opened after the sound of jangling keys, and a young man with long, blond hair stepped into the room. "I see you're awake," he said as he placed a candle on the small table which stood in the room; the only other piece of furniture in the room for that matter. "Who're you?," Duo asked, cutting right to the chase. The young man chuckled. "My name....is Clari. And you are Sizer, yes?" Duo remained still. "Actually, I'm Duo, but right now I'm partially Sizer." Clari shrugged as if he didn't quite believe him and placed a plate of food beside the candle. "Look, 'Clari'-if you don't mind telling me, where am I? And where are my friends? You know, the tall one with the big piano on her back and the one with the big sword and-"

"You are in Sforzando," interrupted Clari. "Your friends are safe and well. Horn-sama is still pondering their suspicious story. I must say that it does sound hard to believe." Duo pouted. "But it's true!!," he protested, crossing his arms. Clari smiled. "Hmpf, so you say. But how would we know if this isn't some sort of trap that Bass has devised?," he said. Duo rolled his eyes. "Hel-lo? If you didn't know-we were running from one of Bass' henchmen before we got here. He caught Quatre though-I was about to go back for him, but something hit me and-"

"That would be me," Clari said matter-of-factly. Duo's eyes widened. "WHAT!?! Why did you- If you hadn't- I woulda- Ooooh!!," he clenched his fists and pounded the bed. Clari looked at him. "Is there something bothering you?," he asked. Duo gritted his teeth. "As a matter of fact, there is. Because of you, Quatre is in Bass' clutches right now-and who knows what he'll do to him!" Clari remained emotionless. Duo leapt for his scythe, grabbed it, and held it defensively in front of him. He ignored the pain he felt through his body, his concentration remained focused on Clari. The young man did not look amused, nor intimidated. "Are you sure you want to do that?," he asked. "I doubt that you've healed your last ordeal." Duo glared at him and made up his mind to break out of there and find the others, even if it meant cutting this guy down. "Oryaaaaah!!!," he yelled, charging forward. Clari remained in his position, and Duo was a little surprised. This guy has guts; sorta reminds me of Heero. Clari began to chant something, and something began to glow in his hand. Duo, realizing what it was, leapt into the air as Clari stretched his hand forth and attempted to blast him. Duo flew over his head, fighting to stay airborne. He rushed at Clari again, swinging his scythe in a wide arc. The young man evaded Duo's attack and jumped up. He tackled Duo and knocked him to the ground. The enormous scythe fell to the side with a clang. Clari looked over at his fallen adversary. Duo groaned, he couldn't get up-the pain was unbearable. He glimpsed Clari shaking his head at him before everything went black.

* * *

The room was dark and cold. No matter how hard Quatre strained his eyes, he could not make out anything in the darkness. He slowly stood up. "Where am I?," he asked himself. He felt around for a wall or a door, anything tangible. His hand passed over something long and smooth-the neck of Hamel's violin. Quatre picked the instrument up carefully and searched for the bow, and after finding that, slung the violin on his back. "Now for a door," he sighed, having found all his belongings. As if in accordance to his statement, a doorway opened. The dim light silhouetted the newcomer, giving an eerie effect. Quatre recognized the figure immediately. "Cello."

The young man laughed. "I trust you have had a nice nap, Hamel," he sneered. Quatre glared back at him. Cello smiled menacingly. "Hmph, well-come along. Bass-sama is expecting you." Quatre would have prefered to stay in his dark cell, but Cello grabbed him by the arm and dragged him along.

Quatre could not help but feel a chill go down his spine as Bass' gaze fell upon him. "Hello again, Hamel. Too bad your friends could not join us, but then again, I don't really need them. I have what I want." Quatre gulped; I do NOT want to know what he means by that.

Bass stretched his hand before him and a bright circle formed. "You know Hamel- but you do not know him as well as you think you do. Observe," he said, nodding towards the spiraling circle. An image began to form. "Is that...Hamel?," Quatre asked as he recognized who the person in the image was. Bass nodded. "It is Hamel as you have seen him, yet-watch," he said sternly. Quatre did so, and his eyes grew wide as he saw Hamel transform into a dark, hideous monster with long, curved horns and dripping fangs. "Nani-!?"

Bass chuckled. "Yes, that is Hamel. His true self, the son of Pandora and Kestra. Now you see why I am always after him." Quatre shook his head. "That can't be! Hamel's no monster! He's always been helpful, and very amiable-," he protested. Bass looked at him with cold, unreadable eyes. Quatre was silent; he did not want to start a fight he knew he could not win alone. Several minutes passed in silence. "So you do not believe me, Hamel," Bass started again, breaking the stillness. He stirred the monstrous image with his hand, changing the swirling circlet into a mirror, and positioned it towards Quatre. "Cello," Bass called, and the musician nodded and stepped forth. Quatre wondered what they were going to do. Cello had stepped behind him now, and with one sudden movement, he knocked Quatre's hat to the floor. What was that for? Was there a point to- He gasped suddenly as his eyes fell upon his reflection in the mirror. A horn, though not very large, yet very real, protruded from his head. "Masaka......"

* * *

Horn stared out her bedroom window. "Should I believe them?," she asked. Clari came up beside her and laid a shaw upon her shoulders. "I do not know, my queen," he said softly. Horn's gaze rose to the night sky. "Their story seems farfetched, and yet, there lies some truth in it. I must find out. Bring 'Flute' and 'Sizer' here at once; I shall set up a small test." Clari nodded, and without questioning the queen's words, exited the room.

It was quite late, and Michiru wondered what the queen could want at such a time. Whatever it is, it must be urgent, she thought as she followed the one called Clari to the queen's room. As they entered, Michiru gasped. "Duo!?" The now winged Gundam pilot lay on the floor and Horn,who had been by the window, came to greet them. "Thank you, Clari. You may go now," she said gently. Her tone was stern as she turned and talked to Michiru. "You claim that you have been merged with my daughter, Flute. Is that correct?"

Michiru nodded nervously. Horn looked down at Duo. "Well, you may prove it to me. Heal your friend," she said, motioning to 'Sizer'. Michiru's eyes grew wide. "H-heal him?," she stammered. Horn's countenance did not change, but she nodded. Michiru looked once more at Duo. Does Flute actually possess such powers? I know Hotaru can do so, but can I? Oh Flute, if you are indeed in me, please show me how! She knelt down on the floor beside Duo, and closing her eyes, she placed her hand upon him. A soft glow enveloped her injured friend, and slowly, he opened his eyes. "Huh...? What happened?," Duo asked, sitting up. Michiru opened her eyes. "Yokata! Oh Duo, you're all right!," she exclaimed. She found herself unable to stay up, and collasped, Duo catching her just in time. "Michiru! Oi-Michiru!," he shouted, shaking his friend. Horn stood silently, watching. Duo turned to her. "Hey! What's wrong with her? What's going on?! Who are you??" Horn finally sighed and then smiled. "Flute-chan....It is you!" She carefully brought Michiru to her bed, and then bade Duo to sit down while she answer his questions.

"To start us off right, I am Horn." Duo nearly fell out of his seat when he heard that. "Queen Horn?! Yeee.... I'm really sorry for the way I've been acting. Heh heh heh," he spurted, hoping he wouldn't make himself look any more foolish than before. Horn laughed. "Don't worry, Duo-is it? I am very sorry for the inhospitable way all of you have been treated, but I did not know if I should believe your story or not. Your friend here has proven it now. She'll be all right after some rest," she explained. Duo nodded slowly. "Cool. So where's Haruka and Setsuna?"

"They are fine. I'll explain to them tomorrow morning. Right now, you should get some rest. Clari will show you to a room," the queen said, and Clari entered again. Duo eyed him warily. "Uh...okay," he said uneasily, and he got up and followed the young man.

* * *

Quatre stood silent as he gazed into the mirror. "It can't be," he repeated. Bass nodded. "It is true; all I have told you is true. You, Hamel shall be a great asset to us. If only you unleash those powers that lie within you." Quatre turned and glared at him. "Never! Hamel would never join you, and neither would I!! You'll never persuade me to join you, Bass-"

Bass held his hand up to silence him. "Oh? Is that so? Hmm, so you say.... But what is I showed you this," the fiend said, changing the mirror to show yet another image, this one of Pandora. Quatre gasped. "Korewa-" Inside of him, he could feel a sudden surge of anger mixed anguish, Hamel, this is your mother? Quatre winced as something shot through him, burning through his mind. "N-nani?!," he exclaimed, falling to his knees and clutching his head. Bass smiled menacingly, and the disembodied head chuckled to itself. The room was illuminated by an unexpected blast of energy. Quatre had no idea what was happening, but he knew that Hamel's other self had been triggered by seeing Pandora, just as Bass had planned. He could do nothing to stop it, the power was so immense, it was as if he were trying to take down a mobile suit without his Gundam. Quatre yelled out in pain and torment, and became horrified when he heard his cries mutate into a monstrous bellow.

* * *

Horn eyes shot open, and she sat up in her bed. She had sensed a sudden rush of power, and it was almost frightening to behold. The queen got out of bed and went over to the window of her room, gazing into the night sky. "Oh no," she whispered into the night air, realizing that such power could only have been emitted from one being.

Haruka yawned. "What time is it?," she asked groggily. No one answered her; Setsuna lay in her bed fast asleep. Haruka sighed and then gently nudged her friend. "Wha-wha?," Setsuna sputtered, blinking away the sleep. "It's morning. Come on, get dressed. I hope Michiru's all right, wherever it is they've taken her," Haruka said, reluctantly putting on the big floppy engineer's hat. She was about to try the doorknob again, but someone reached it first. Clari opened the door to the room, and with a quick bow said, "Queen Horn will see you." He motioned for the two to follow him, and they walked down the hall and to the throne room.

Haruka was relieved to see that Michiru was all right, as well as Duo. Queen Horn stood by them, her large staff in hand. Setsuna noticed that she no longer wore her face mask. Duo was delighted to see his friends again. "Oi! Haruka! Setsuna!," he exclaimed. Haruka smiled slightly, okay, so he's not always annoying. Horn stood silently, and then she finally addressed them.

"You said that your friend who was merged with Hamel has been captured by Bass' minions, is that correct?," she asked them. Duo nodded, and the queen closed her eyes for a moment. "How have you come to know Hamel and his friends?," she inquired. Michiru cleared her throat. "We were first brought here by mistake by Bass, as it is that we, well, Quatre and I, are violinists. The second time, Orgel brought us, as well as Duo and Haruka in hopes that our presence would persuade Hamel to join his forces," she explained. Horn nodded. "You do not know of Hamel's power, then?"

"You mean that weird stuff he does with his 'violin'?," Duo piped up. "Yeah, we've seen it. Pretty cool." Horn shook her head. "Perhaps I should have rephrased that. You do not know of Hamel's background, of his secret," she said. Duo scratched his head, puzzled. "Eh?"

The queen held her hand out before her and chanted something, and before them a small sphere formed, hovering in mid-air. "Look," directed the queen. The four watched the sphere, and flashes of images appeared within it. "Is that...Hamel?," Michiru asked, as she saw one of the many battles that Hamel was involved in. She gasped as she saw Sizer, then an enemy, knock off Hamel's hat, revealing a small, white horn atop his head. Horn stayed silent. Duo squinted his eyes as he watched. "What IS that?," he asked under his breath. Suddenly, a horrifying image of a monster appeared. Setsuna jumped back, startled. "Nani!?," she squealed.

"That is the reason Bass wants Hamel so," replied the queen, coolly. "Hamel is the son of Kestra, a monstrous fiend with terrifying strength." Michiru could not take her eyes off the horrendous image. "What became of Kestra?," she asked, feeling her mouth a little dry. "Kestra was locked away be Pandora, his wife and Hamel's mother. Pandora had two children, one of them who would inherit Kestra's evil powers. One bared a horn atop his head, and the other, the wings of an angel," Horn explained. Duo's lower jaw practically fell through the floor. "Y-You mean that Hamel and Sizer are...are siblings?!," he exclaimed. The queen nodded, and a few seconds passed in silence. Michiru finally spoke. "If that is what Hamel can become, then does that mean....," she trailed off, not wanting to even have to come to that frightening thought. "Then Quatre.....," Duo breathed, coming to realize where all of this was leading.

"Bass has already made his move," Horn said, her countenance stern and her tone serious. "There is no time to lose. You must go and rescue your friend. I pray that it is not too late. You must hurry, before Bass can gain total control over him!," she said urgently. "Wha- You mean that Quatre's already...?," Haruka gasped, and the queen nodded solemnly. She turned to Clari. "Go with them. They may need assistance." Clari bowed to her in silent acquiescence. Duo spun his scythe around. "Well what are we waiting for? Let's go!," he said. The others all nodded, and they exited the throne room and Sforzando, out to face the unknown.

They were back in the forest. Back to wandering again. Michiru looked around at the others in her party. Haruka wore her normal casual, cool look on her face. Setsuna looked nervous, now and then she'd stumble on the root of a tree or a stone. Michiru glanced at Duo. No doubt he was worried about Quatre, and sometimes he'd take advantage of his wings and fly up over the trees to see how close they were to the city of Hameln. Clari had remained quiet ever since they had started out for Hameln. Maybe he didn't even want to come with us, thought Michiru. Clari stopped suddenly, and looked at his companions. "Stay on your guard. Bass probably has spies around every corner," he said stonily. Duo looked around cautiously. "We've gotten pretty close now," he told Michiru. Haruka watched her step as she carefully made her way down the path way. Setsuna fancied that it must be extremely hard for her to walk with a large piano strapped to your backside.

"There," Clari pointed out as they reached the end of the forest, and now stood before a large, stone wall that surrounded the city of Hameln. Before any of them could start again, they were interrupted by a loud, piercing shriek. Michiru's eyes grew wide. "You don't think-?," she began to ask Duo, who shook his head, not wanting to even think about it. They proceeded around the large wall, looking for an entrance.

"There is NO way we're going through the front," Duo said firmly, noticing that they were headed in that direction. "Well then, 'Sizer', you've been around this place before. Any suggestions?," Clari asked, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. Duo huffed. "Listen 'Clari', I've told you before-the name's Duo, not Sizer. And as for an optional way into Bass' keep, I've no clue, unless the rest of you can fly over the wall," he hissed. Clari mumbled something under his breath. "All right," he said, looking up. "You fly over the wall. I'll teleport the rest of us in." Michiru looked skeptical. "Isn't it dangerous for us to separate?," she asked. Clari glanced at Duo. "I'm sure that he can take care of himself, if Sizer's rubbed off on him any. Besides, it'll be easier for me to teleport with one less person. We'll meet up in the main hall," he said. "Yeah, where-ever that is," Duo grumbled, and he adjusted the horned helmet and grasped his scythe tightly before making his ascent. Clari beckoned the others to gather closer around, and then he began to chant something, and from his arcane words, a large, swirling ring formed around them, and they disappeared.

* * *

Duo flew close to the cold stony wall, and slipped over. "I'm sure he can take care of himself if Sizer's rubbed off on him any-Sheesh! What a little....OOH!! Aw well, I can't let him get to me; I've gotta focus on saving Quatre!," he muttered. He landed on the other side of the wall with no problems, and he hurried towards the keep. "No problems so far, that's good. Of course, it'd be easier if I didn't have these big, floppy wings getting in the way!," he said to himself. He suddenly felt a short, yet very real flash of pain in his head. What was that?! It's like someone hit me on the head from the inside out! Whoa-can it be? Sizer?? He pondered for a moment. Okay, maybe because I'm merged with Sizer, we're still one in the same, I'm just more...here. "I guess she didn't like that last crack about the wings," he surmised. Duo decided that he'd better continue on his way. "Now where's that main hall?," he asked himself, turning a corner.

Bad idea. Duo found himself standing face-to-face with a troop of some mean, skeleton-like warriors. "Wrong turn," he squeaked sheepishly, and then he leapt back as the warriors began to charge at him. Duo let Sizer take over from there, and skillfully, he cut down several of the troops and soon after that a dozen more.

"How many of these things are there!?!," Duo exclaimed, as it seemed like an endless flow of warriors came at him. He twirled the scythe around, and began to play it as a flute. The tune to Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries began, and the eight Valkyries materialized around their ring leader. "Let's try this again girls," Duo said as he lowered the mouthpiece from his lips. "VALKYRIES ATTACK!!!" The eight warriors obeyed, and they flew forward and rushed at the enemies with their lances.

Clari and the others teleported to the opposite side if the keep. "So where's our rendezvous point?," Michiru inquired. Clari raised a finger to his lips. "Shh, this way," he motioned, and they made their way quietly towards a doorway.

The four found themselves in a large foyer. "Where's the main hall?," Haruka asked Clari. "That way," came the reply, and so the others followed the long-haired companion. Once in the main hall, Setsuna pondered aloud, "So where's Duo?" There came a loud clatter from the other doorway, and the door burst open. Duo came through, shaking off a skeletal warrior which had tried grasped his leg. He kicked it back, and after dusting himself off briskly, gave his friends a big smile. "Hey guys! What kept you?," he grinned. Michiru sighed in relief, and Setsuna bounded over to Duo. "Did you run into any trouble, Duo?," she asked. "Who, me? Naw-just a couple of guards, heh," Duo replied, placing his arms behind his head. He thought he saw Clari smile, but he just shrugged. "Now where to?" Clari started through the door where Duo had just entered. "Um, it's kind of messy out that way," Duo called after his friends followed. He hopped over the skeleton trooper that lay in the doorway and hurried after them. Setsuna smirked. "Only a couple of guards, Duo?" Duo laughed sheepishly. Haruka looked around at all the guards that lay on the floor. "How'd you get through this, Duo?," she asked, raising an eyebrow. Clari looked fairly amused as well. "Since 'Sizer' took care of most of the troops down here, I guess the only trouble we'll have is trying to wade through it," he said smugly.

After making their way through the bodies of downed troops, they reached a stairwell. "I guess we go up?," Setsuna suggested, and so they made their way up the stairs. Upstairs, it was nearly pitch-black. The five continued, nonetheless. Finally, they came to a pair of huge double doors. Duo peered through the crack. "I don't see a thing," he whispered. Setsuna glanced around nervously. "I don't like this," she said. Michiru looked at Clari. "So what do we do now?," she asked. "Only one way in, and who knows what's waiting for us in there," Clari stated. "On the count of three, we'll barge in- One......Two....Three!"

* * *

"You are too late." The words they knew very well they would hear, yet didn't want to hear it. Bass sneered. "It was useless to come here, and you know it. Sforzando will soon fall to my power, but I suppose I'll have to deal with you first," he said. "Cello!"

Setsuna drew her sword. She ordered herself to overcome the anxiety that she felt building up inside of her. Haruka whipped her piano around and held her hands over the keys, fingers outstretched. Duo spun his scythe around and held it before him. Cello had appeared, along with more troops. "Attack," he said flatly, and at his word, the troops surged forward.

"Hyaa!," cries Setsuna, slashing through the middle of the swarm of warriors. Duo took them on from above, flying over the heads of the troops and decapitated a handful of troops. Haruka pounded the keys of the piano, the water seirei plunging forth and into the heat of the battle. Clari assisted, throwing small power blasts at the seemingly innumerable troops. Michiru wished that she could do something more than just stand there and watch her friends fight. "Ack! This is too much!," Duo shouted. "Looks like I'll have to call the cavalry!" He pressed his lips to the mouthpiece, and the familiar melody floated through the air, signifying the arrival of the Valkyries. They dove right at their adversaries without any order from Duo. "Haha! All right!!!," Duo voiced, and he joined them.

Cello brought out his bow and pressed it on the strings of his cello. Clari didn't even give him a chance to play a note. "Oh no you don't," he said, powering up and taking aim. "Ha!!!!" Cello was thrown back, his cello shattering to pieces. "No! How dare you!!," an exasperated Cello spat angrily as he faded away, his cello being the source his power as well as his being (thanks to Bass). Clari huffed and then turned to see how the others were doing. They had managed to defeat all the troops, and left quite a mess on the floor. Duo did his fancy scythe-swinging. The Valkyries landed around him. "All right Bass-where's Quatre?," he demanded. Bass merely laughed. "Ah, you mean Hamel? Hmm, well, seeing as how you've defeated quite a number of my troops, as well as done away with one of my generals, I see no reason why you can't see him. Come forth, Hamel," he proclaimed ominously. Duo looked bewildered, and the Valkyries drew close around him as a loud bellow sounded, echoing throughout the city. The doors on the other side of the room opened, and there entered a frightening creature with large, leathery wings and several horns crowning the top of its head. "Nanda kora.....," Duo gasped in awe. Michiru's eyes widened. "Quatre..........Hamel..." The huge beast roared again and without warning swung out at Duo and the Valkyries, sending them sprawling across the room. Duo was thrown against the wall. "Waugh! Ouuuuch," he groaned as he got up, leaning on his scythe for support. The Valkyries rushed to his aid as soon as they had recovered. Clari gritted his teeth. "How will we stop this?!?" Haruka stood dumbfounded. She hadn't expected Hamel to be so terrifying. Neither did Setsuna. She hid behind Haruka. Michiru watched in horror as Hamel's monstrous form stepped forward, closer and closer. "QUATRE!!! HAMEL!! Pull yourself together!," Duo cried, still being held up by the Valkyries. Bass laughed again. "Fools! It is futile to try and stop me now. You'll spend your last days here in Hameln, especially without this," he said, holding out a small key. Setsuna gasped. "The Garnet Orb!!" She made a movement towards Bass, but Hamel stepped between them. Haruka stood in front of Setsuna. "Watch it." Michiru stood beside Haruka and Clari. "We can't get the key now! And even if we did, how will we get Quatre back!," she stammered. Clari placed a hand on her shoulder. "Help him remember, Flute-hime," he said gently. Michiru found herself nodding, and then stepping forward. "Quatre......Hamel.......Please listen!" She closed her eyes, her hands she held before her. A soft glow enveloped her, and the monstrous fiend growled, yet watched.

"Hamel!" The voice of his friend was soft and comforting to him. Michiru...... Quatre found himself reversed with Hamel; now he was the subconscious. I've got to make Hamel stop! Hamel!! Listen to Michiru, to Flute!! You're doing exactly what Bass wants you to do! Don't give in!, he found himself yelling inside. "Flute....," the huge beast said. "Hamel," Michiru said quietly, tears forming in her eyes. The massive form of the monster glowed and shrank in size, and when the glow dimmed, Quatre stood where it had once been. "Michiru!," he said weakly, and he fell to his knees, exhausted. Michiru ran over to him, tears of joy from both her and Flute flowing. Bass huffed angrily. Duo saw his chance. He lunged at Bass, grappling for Setsuna's key. Duo was surprised at how strong that Bass could be despite his frail look, and he found himself struggling just to get a good grip at Bass' arm. Brunhilde came through for him; she separated herself from Duo's armor for a brief moment, snatching up the key from Bass. Duo was surprised at the ninth Valkyrie's appearance, he had only known of eight prior to this. Duo flew back, Brunhilde handing him the key before returning to her duty as Sizer's armor. "Yataa~!," Duo exclaimed, holding the key up in triumph as he fell back, the Valkyries rushed to catch him before he hit the floor. "Clari! Get us out of here!," Haruka shouted, and the blond haired shonen nodded. Several Valkyries carried Duo out through the window, and one picked up Setsuna. Clari teleported the remainder out. They all met at the edge of the forest, all tired and relieved that they had completed their mission.

* * *

"Quatre? Are you all right?" Quatre's eyes flickered open. He groaned. "Where...am I?" His eyes adjusted to the light, and he saw Michiru and the others standing around him; apparently they had returned to Sforzando. Quatre sat up, he found himself sitting in bed. Horn smiled. "I'm glad that you are all right. Now, shall we see if we can separate your counterparts?," she asked. They all nodded eagerly. Horn closed her eyes. "Open your subconscious minds to me.....," she said softly. A brief flash of light filled the room, and when all cleared, Michiru found herself in her Sailor Senshi fuku. Haruka was wearing the same, as well as Setsuna. Quatre and Duo wore their normal clothes. Hamel, Sizer, Raiel, Tron and Flute stood adjacent to them, all smiles. "You did it!," Duo exclaimed happily. He suddenly remembered Pluto's Time Key. Duo tossed it to Sailor Pluto, and it immediately turned back into her Key Staff. "Thank you, Duo," she said. "And thank you, Queen Horn," Sailor Neptune said, "Thank you for helping us." Hamel shrugged. "We could say the same for you guys," he said. "All right, now that we're all back to normal and everything's fine, can we go home?," Duo asked. Sailor Pluto laughed. "Yes, I think that would be a good idea," she replied, and she raised her Time Key Staff in the air. "Good bye everyone!," Flute called after them, as their five friends from another land disappeared before their eyes.

The clock struck 1:00 p.m.. "I just realized that I haven't eaten for quite a while," Duo smirked. "Ah yes-glad to be back in Tokyo! Let me at that Yakitori stand!," he shouted, turning on his heel and running out the door. Haruka sighed. "Guess nothing can change him," she smiled. Quatre laughed. "Seems that way. He has a point though. A day hasn't passed here, but over there we haven't eaten for several." Michiru giggled. "Well, how about we all go to the Cafe Etranger for lunch? We can pick up Duo on the way," she suggested. Haruka shrugged. "Okay," she said. "Let's go. Quatre?"

Quatre was sort of surprised that Haruka was actually inviting him along. "Sure," he said with a smile. "I guess you won't feel like practicing later?," Michiru asked Quatre. The young violinist laughed. "Well, maybe we could give it a rest for today. Right Haruka?," he said, turning to Haruka. Haruka brushed back her bangs. "Sounds good to me; I'm not touching any piano keys for quite a while......," she replied. They all laughed as they headed down the sidewalk towards the cafe.

Owari ~ ^^