::Cadence woke up on the couch in her special room. She was still dressed in the gown from when Club Babylon opened. What a strange night it was for her and now she felt like a herd of Water Buffalo just trampled over her. Funny thing about that, she had bruises all up and down her legs and arms. She couldn't remember how it happened but she was sure it didn't while she was in the club::

No mores drinking....

::Every muscle in her body ached as she got up from the couch and moved to the mirror hanging over the sink. She splashed cool clean water on her face and then took a drink. Pretty blooshot blues looked back at her as she rubbed the grime off her face. She remembered now...::

And no mores drinking and trying to flys...

::In her haste to be out of the Club, she had tried to fly herself home even though her wings were numb. Bad combination. She couldn't feel which way her wings moved and so she weaved and wobbled inbetween and into the trees along the way. She was halfway back to the corp when she realized all she needed to do was open a door. Finally she did and then stumbled to the couch, practically falling down into the cushions::

Bob..?

::Now she remembered why he was gone.....and felt a pang of guilt that Bob had left. She wanted to appologize. She hadn't meant what she said and was convinced it was why he left....Fear was back within her again::

Oh I screwed up.

::taking out the crystal ball of hers, she moved to the door of her special room. She stepped out into the forests north of RhyDin, sat down on a fallen log and began to scry......That's when she noticed him walking towards the mountains moving away from RhyDin. She wanted desperately to step out to him and apologize but fear kept her from doing so. Instead, she kept to scrying him every day, several times a day following as he neared a place and set up a home::

::There was something different about the place, just beyond where he set up his new walls. The absence was thick and complete, a barrier of magicless void::

::She watched him rocking on the chair. Casting a very minor spell, she sent him a short message, her voice whispered into his ear, though the magic didn't allow a response::

"I'm sorry, Bob. I didn't mean what I said.....I'll leaves yous alone. I miss yous. Glad yous have a nice cozy place. Be well."

::putting away the crystal ball, she stepped back into her room and closed the door::

((reposted from String - *Banishment of Fear* on the *Taking Care of Business* boards))

And the sun did rise. Bob never slept and doing nothing for the first time in who knew how long was relaxing. It was time to go to the village and go say hi. Bob slowly stood up and stepped off the porch and on to the dusty ground, with a sigh and not even bothering to look back, he ventured forward into the direction of the village.

Bob walked straight in the direction that Yi had ran off in for two hours straight and still no village. He wondered where it could have gone too. He would keep walking for just a bit longer until he heard it, voices actually, lots of them. He slowly turned his head and there it was off to his left aways, destination found and course plotted, he went in that direction. The walk was not a long one at all.

The village seemed to have no name that he could find but the people there tried not to notice the stranger, but they looked at him like he was a three headed dragon. It was obvious outsiders were not looked highly upon here. Bob just ignored them and moved on. It was early in the day so that would mean people were still getting awake.

Be it by chance or predestined fate Bob turned a corner and there was Little Yi, in the same clothes as she had on yesterday. This time however she was cornered by a gang of older kids, they had sticks, training swords to be exact. The one doing all the talking had a sword made out of steel. Katana to be exact and it looked too big for the kid. Bob narrowed his eyes and approached them from behind and listened.

"So the rookie kid wants to be a fighter, We did warn you to drop out of the classes, you embarrass the whole history of the school, since you didn't listen, now you get to scream for us." The metal bladed one said.

"I won't quit. Im not scared of you!." Yi was a firey little girl, he could see it in her eyes but he also knew the ways of kids. As she said the defiant words that metal blade went up in a flash and threatened to come down on her head. "Hey there, kid. Could I make a small suggestion before you do something like that?" Bob finally spoke up and the kid stopped and turned around, the other six did too. "Who are you, get lost old man." Bob just smiled. "My suggestion is to never turn your back on an enemy who is armed." With nobody noticing Yi a basic training sword appeared at her feet, and she quietly picked it up.

"She isn't...."Was all he got out before Yi delivered a well placed blow to the kid's neck. It dropped him instantly as Bob walked forward, the rest of you kids get lost, now." There was a hint of that sinister past in his voice as he commanded the gang to retreat. Needless to say they did so. Bob walked to the fallen one and knelt there beside him. He picked up that metal blade with one hand and the other hand took hold of the kid's ponytail, he lifted the head up and placed the blade under the neck. "Lets make a deal, you leave Yi alone forever, and I won't kill you with your own sword, got it?" Bob said with a smile. Yi was watching on with some amount of horror in her eyes, and some satisfaction too though.

"O....ok..I promise.." The kid said in a haze. Bob took the blade from the flesh and stood up once more. "This is now mine, too." He then turned to his new friend. "Hello miss Yi. How's it going today?" Bob said with a smile. "Mister Bob I am so glad to see you, these jerks were going to beat me up again cause I wont quit!" She was ecstatic to see him and his treatment of the bullies. "Speaking of the lower class, who are these pricks anyway?" He asked her as he looked down on the knocked out form.

"This is Matsui. He is the son of the leader of the village and nobody likes him, or the leader." Damn it, first day in town and already he managed to make an enemy, it just had to be the leader's kid didn't' He thought to himself. "Well, I hope I taught him a lesson." He nodded to her. Her eyes got wide. "I'm late for class!! Come on follow me!!" Then once again she took off running around a corner. Bob looked one more time over the kid beaten, then he took that blade and snapped it with the force of his mind alone.

As the pieces of the sword fell to the ground Bob walked off in the direction she ran off too, she was easy to track. And she lead him right to a odd clearing with twenty kids of various ages all training in sword form, there Yi was waving at Bob as he came around the corner. The instructor was a man that seemed to be familiar somehow. He was older and of many hard years. It was obvious to Bob this guy was good, but he must have been one of those self sacrificing types to remain in such a small venue. Bob approached the side and leaned against one of the various posts that was there. Then that instructor looked his way. "You there, who are you.?" He asked in a very clear and strong voice.

"I am a friend of Yi. She invited me to watch her train." He replied, but never really looked at the guy. "Well, Friend of Yi. Watching is not a privilege you must earn your right to be here. Take off your shoes, lets see if you can earn this."

Bob just sighed and took off his shoes." As you wish. But do not use your most favored sword." Bob took off his jacket and at his side hung a very odd silver bar, attached to the belt. He took the thing off and pointed it at the instructor. "Let's get this over with." Not underestimating the stranger with his odd device in the least he picked up a wooden training sword and sent the students to the side.

Bob sighed the instructor attacked, he was fast and powerful. But now for something really impressive, Bob activated his weapon, a black beam of light materialized. With one quick swing the wooden sword was turned into kindling, and stood there with the point of the glowing weapon there in his face. "Seen enough yet, or would you like me to keep earning my rights to stick around?" He said as he narrowed his eyes at him.

"You did good!, you can stay here.." As soon as that was said, Bob took a step back and de-activated his weapon and placed it back on his side. "Thank you." He said this and moved back to his place. There was not a pair of eyes that did not follow him back. The town now had something to talk about. He leaned against the said post once more and his shoes were on once more. Nobody saw him put them back on.

"I think I am going to like this place." He said to himself as the training ground attempted to go back to normal in vain after such an impressive display.

I lied....

::While Bob was in the villiage, Cadence had come to his place where it sat in the shadow of the mountian. She knocked on his door and when there was no answer she moved to the rocking chair there on the porch and sat down. She tried to stay awake until he got back but it was much too much for her. The cool air caused her to curl up with the cloak he'd given her and before long she was fast aleep all curled up in that chair. The hood was also pulled up to cover her face leaving only a bit of that silvery blondness peeking out from it. What was Cadence doing there?::

::Cadence squirmed slightly in the rocker when the two men were dealt with, yet she remained asleep. Even when she heard Bob's voice in her sleep, she merely sighed gently a humming sort of sigh and respositioned herself to lay on her other side. It was actually another hour or so before she woke up, huge yawns and stretches kept her occupied while she inched her way to sit up. It was still dark out but morning wasn't far behind. She noticed Bob sitting in a chair that wasn't there before. Her sleepy self smiled and she moved swiftly to sit on his lap and give him a big 'ol hug, wraping her little arms around his neck::

I sorry Bob. I lied....I said I'd stay away but...well, I lied.

::she pulled back to look at him in earnest::

Forgive me? I missed yous.

;:which was true, but there were things on her mind. Lots of things...clearly she needed to talk::

::a soft shrug to his question::

I really did miss yous...and I need a break. Well, more then that I guess. It's just....I really wanted to talk to yous about why yous left. I'm very confused by that. I thought I did something wrong. And then there's this kidnapping deal. Well, it has gotten me so upset!

:: oh there it was, that frown...that hurt frustrated pouty little frown::

I don't knows why people gotta be so....Soooo.....Oh, I dunno, just so mean!

::she glanced around a bit::

I'm sorry if I bothered yous so early. I mean if yous want me to go...

::Well, she thought morning wasn't far behind but that was par for the course of moving through time so much. She had yet to discover the shifting lag. Her stomach growled and she realized in that moment how hungry she was. She felt like she hadn't eaten in a week. A slight blush crept into her cheeks::

Goodbye's are hard. Theys just somehting about them that's difficult. They's just so...final. Maybe I....no, I know I don't want yous to ever say it to me. Normal things, huh'

::She smiled back at him::

Breakfast sounds good, Bob. I don't want to be a bother, but it does sound good.

::but sitting there felt good, too. She was comfortable::

I guess that means I gotta gets up?

::she moved, getting down to stand up::

Maybe we could go to the village instead. Yous know....kill two birds with one stone, er somethin like that. I get food and get to see the place, and you get to show it off to me.

::she looked that direction and a frown formed::

But theys no magic there" I see it, the barrier like a magical dead zone. At least I can still fly in it.

::she wiggled her wings with a grin and then looked Bob up and down, sizing him up, nodding approval::

Nope, yous don't weigh more then two hundred and fifty pounds, do you? I can fly us both. We get there faster that way. I just gotta knows something, though. Since that's anti magic, I'm guessing the villiage don't know what magic is. So if that's right, do theys even know much about other cultures" Would I freak anyone out if I went there" You know....wings and the odd marks on my eyes might be wierd to them. Or theys might be down with that, too. You been there, what?s theys like?

::No need to shock them again? Again? Better to let them sleep" Two things puzzled her about that. One, was she that shocking to look at' and Two, did those people sleep all day' Cadence kinda glanced arouind and wondered if it was getting darker instead of lighter, perhaps the first hint she had a serious lag going on. Her response was a strange puzzled sort of smirk::

"The village is immune to surprise magical attacks and they have a watchful eye on things."

::Blink::

Oh, so if theys know before hand that someone is going to fireball them, then they won't be immune to it' I didn't know anything could be immune to Surprise magical attacks like that. Sounds kinda fishy to me...er, something.

"You know you could fly us both but the trip out there is best taken slow. Besides, there is no rush, right?"

::Confusion gave way to a smile as she nodded::

"As for your appearance, they might freak out somewhat, but like I said. Maybe it would be best to not bother them at the moment."

::Back to a frown. So self conscious in that moment, she felt her looks must be displeasing but she tried not to let her disappointment show::

That's twice yous hinted to it. I guess I am kinda freaky lookin. maybe I shouldn't go at all. I get enough comments from the children at the Academy sometimes. Theys tell me my wings are fake or that there must be something wrong with my eyes and that I can't speech or spell right and theys make fun of me. Like that one lady. She was makin fun of me, I could tell. I think she thought I was real stupid or something.

::She shook her head sadly and finally answered his question about food::

Pancakes......and sausage....lots of maple syrup! ..aaaand scrambled eggs with cheese.....Oh....maybe make a sandwich like that....hey, can yous cook all that' I can help.

::and maybe that cheered her up just a bit just thinking about doing something so mundane as cooking, but mostly watching Bob do it. She didn't want to talk about what was bothering her, not on an empty stomach.::

;:He laughed and she blushed while she nodded to his explanation. It did help her understand the term Surprise that he meant. The hand on the shoulder was accepted warmly with a smile::

I will wait a day or two ....or whatever.....before I come into town. Last thing I want is to freak out a bunch of kids. Although, maybe some day we can pay back a few others...

::she grinned darkly to mirror his smile about causing havoc on Ravensheart kids::

Except, yous gotta promise it won't be a bad kind, just enough to freak them out is all.

::She laughed at his blank expression about cooking::

Cooking isn't hard, Bob. Yous can do it. I teach yous how. Lyndra taught me so yous be cookin like a professional real soon.

::Her smile got bigger and she put a hand on his arm, mostly an act of comfort, as he stood::

Yep, I'm ready! Lets get cooking Bob. Lead the way.

::The first thing that caught her attention was the lack of dust. She was so impressed with how clean it was, she slipped off her little slipper shoes and left them by the door. The floor was pleasantly cool to her barefeet. The second thing that caught her attention was the fireplace and the strange looking metal thing hanging above the mantle. She moved to the fireplace and ran a finger along the mantle, inspecting for dust. Impressive that there was absolutely none::

Oh, Nice clean job, Bob. I was going to offer to clean for yous but yous seem to already have that in hand.

::Then she stared at that strange object hanging on the wall above for a moment trying to figure out what that was. Cadence had never seen a lightsaber before. She was going to ask but he seemed to be moving off to the kitchen. She simply glanced down the darkened hallway wondering where it lead but decided, just like the strange thing above the mantle, that could wait to ask about.::

I'm thinkin it's a nice cozy place that just needs a little something. I want to get yous something for yous new place here, Bob. Maybe something decorative, like a picture or some nick nacks and stuff. What do yous like, besides the color red"

::she realized as she walked along the strange smooth tile in the kitchen, that she absolutely had no idea what kind of art forms Bob liked. She had never been to his other place and so this new place was all she knew. Again, she glanced down the strange dark opening in the kitchen but decided to wait until later to ask about it. She glanced over the bookshelf and the cupboards, opening them and the fridge to find the ingredients they would need for breakfast and began pulling them out::

Although, I gotta ask, Bob. What's the floor made of? It's ....different.

::her little toes wiggled and grasped at the floor as she looked down to them and back up at Bob with a quizzical smile and mirth in her pretty blues.::

::Cadence blinked at Bob, who was laughing at himself. Then she covered her mouth and giggled, too, just because it was funny::

Yous silly, Bob! Dreams are everything. Yous know, like that song...

::she sang::

Row, row, rows yous boat gently downs the stream....merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dreams.

::she nodded she was ready::

::blinkblinkblink, snicker::

Um...er....whole" Like that' Uh, no Bob....silly.

::She was grinning gently with a quirk to her brow, surprised at his apparent nervousness. It was more then apparent, actually. She wondered why cooking would make him nervous. Was he afraid" Her tones were gentle and soft::

I don't think I've ever seen yous like this before. Yous don't really knows how to cook, do yous...

::grin turned to a smile and she gently took the box of eggs from him::

It's okay, Bob. Maybe I should just show yous, okay' I'll do one then yous do the rest. I'll help yous.

::which using the whole carton would make way more then she could eat but she didn't know if Bob was going to eat anything or how much he did eat. She opened the box to reveal the dozen of eggs sitting neatly in two rows within it. She set the box on the counter by a mixing bowl and began to crack an egg, splitting the crack wider with her thumbs slipping into the crack and pulling it apart while being careful not to get any shells dumped into it while she let the slimy inside plop down into the bowl::

See" Like that. Yous gotta be careful not to let any of the shells get in there. Here, yous try....

::she glanced briefly around but she didn't see a trash can so she just put the empty shell back into the egg carton right where it was before. Then she watched Bob::

Maybe I should ask if yous gonna help me eat this stuff ....I mean, those are a lotta eggs. Um....maybe if its just me eating them, two or three eggs is way plenty. And why does cooking make yous nervous" Yous not afraid are yous"

::It was an honest curiosity bubbling in her pretty blues, though a spark of mischevious mirth twinkled there too. She'd never seen Bob afraid of anything and she was intrigued to know why cooking would make him so nervous ....Nervousness was something stemmed from fear...but fear of what? Was he afraid of failing" Bob afraid. It was inconceivable but endearing at the same time for some reason::

::She felt her teeth press together pinning her lips shut when he broke the first egg. She didn't say anything, just watched him with that same amused glint in her pretty blues. Although there was a moment when she was going to start picking out the shells from the bowl, but he had them cleaned up so quick she wondered if they were even really there at all::

Oh, Nemisis, shmemsis! Don't yous worry, Bob. Nobody ever really gets it right the first time. It's hard to know right where that good breaking point is. Yous shoulda seen me. I went through two dozen afore I got that egg cracking thing right. Here, let me try another approach. Maybe this'll help yous some more.

::she hovered over and wiggled between him and the counter so his arms were on either side of her, with her back to him, and put her hands on his, making sure he had an egg there. Her wings stopped fluttering, as it was uncomfortable to flap with him right behind her at that angle. Oddly, though, she wasn't dropping to the ground. In fact it would seem her body morphed just a tad to become taller, just enough to be a perfect fit so he could see over her, but tall enough that she could reach his hands comfortably, bare feet firmly on the floor::

See, Nana says its in the detail...you know the little things. I tell you better from here I think. No, eggs don't stand up to your strength, Bob.....but theys do have a strength to 'em.

::she glanced back at him to see if he was comfortable, then quickly averted her gaze back to the egg::

Long ways theys stronger so the momma, or pappa, don't break 'em when they sit on 'em in the nest. That's important. The other way, the short way like this..

::and she pointed out the direction::

...well, it's weaker. So that's where yous gotta make that breaking point, right there. I shoulda told ya to do it there before but I wasn't thinking from this here spot, but now I can see it from here....So...uh..

::was she getting nervous" Heartrate increased, breathing deeper, quicker just a bit. Nervous. It would seem so, but not about breaking the eggs. She averted those pretty blues from Bob and really kept them glued to the egg in hand::

er..yous need to crack it on an edge of something. Like the side here of the counter. That's a good place.

::And so she moved the egg with Bob's hand over the spot as hers slid down just a bit to help support the egg while she gave the egg a light but sharp crack on that corner of the edge, so Bob could feel the pressure and angle she was using to do it. The egg cracked there smartly but didn't break open enough to spill its contents. Her tones softened and almost seemed like a whisper::

Then yous get both yous thumbs riiiiight there to the crack on either side and very lightly, carefully with an ever so gentle touch...yous pry it apart after yous get it over the bowl....that's so the egg don't drop on the counter or floor...and it'll just slide right in there...like so..

::She had been moving his fingers to the right place and with her thumbs atop his, she gave a gentle pressure pushing his thumbs in and then pulling them away from each other to split the crack open wider, letting the egg plop down from the shells. She wasn't looking to see where it landed....she was half looking back at him::

How'd we do"

::She thought something was wrong and knew it to be true even before Bob opened his mouth to say anything. She just didn't know why she felt so nervous until he did speak. She nodded understanding, though her pretty blues were filled with concern, but there was no way she was even going to try to stop him::

Be careful..

::She watched him go, even followed him until she was on the porch again watching the trail flow into the distance. Then she realized her foot was covered in egg. She glanced down and only half grinned for a moment, shaking her head softly as she moved back inside and set about the task of cleaning up the mess. She would stay in his house, though she really wanted to follow::

::Everything felt awkward as she moved into the kitchen to clean up her foot and the floor. Oddly, by the time she got to the kitchen, she realized that there was no egg mess on the floor any more and now it was gone from her foot::

How did that happen?

::Shrugging softly to herself, she fixed herself some breakfast and sat down on the porch to eat it and relax a bit while waiting for Bob to come back. The awkwardness kept getting stronger. It was something she couldn't explain except maybe because she was in Bob's house and he wasn't there. It was the only thing that would explain to herself the strange odd feeling::

Yous gonna miss breakfast...

::she sighed and no sooner then this when she felt something brush against her hand. She looked to find the letter there. It was soon clutched in her small hand and brought closer to be opened while she read it over a few times. A frown was definitely there and she wondered what she could do to help those people. But she knew there was nothing could be done if Bob hadn't been able to deal with it himself then. She could think that maybe this person Bob chased needed to be dealt with before those people could be freed. She pulled out a pen and wrote a letter back to him::

Dear Bob,

I think I will come back to RhyDin but I don't know that I can help yous very much. What I mean is that I don't know how much help I'd be. I kinda get the feeling it's just way out of my league. I will return to Bonnie Corp so yous know where to find me if you really have need of me. It was fun trying to teach yous to cook. Maybe when yous get time again....but I guess yous got better things to do then such simple things like that. Okay, maybe it was boring for yous.

Anyways, I don't want to leave yous collection here if yous not coming back. So, I will bring it with me and keep it safe for yous. Yous can find it in the other place yous made for me. Yous know. And I do so love that place! It's quiet and it's safe and very comfy. So, I will keep yous things there for yous.

And I'm glad it isn't goodbye. I almost thought it might be so, but....no. I'm glad it's not.

See yous soon.

~Cadence.

::The letter was sent by that inexplicable way they had between them. Then she ventured down to the basement to see about packing up the things he mentioned about and to take them for safe keeping. She had no intent of using them ...especially that demonic book. She could smell the demon laced within it. She'd leave that one alone for sure. It reminded her of the one she'd destroyed a while back in Ravensheart School. But the rod, which was definitely more like a staff to her short size, held her curiosity more then anything else there. It was so pretty to her and the artwork of the Dragon held her speechless as she stared at it for a long time before she shook off the mesmerizing effect the rod had on her. The desire to free the dragon was terribly strong. But it wasn't hers. So it was packed away carefully with the others::

::Finally she had gathered the items and was ready to go. She'd attempt to lock up the place anyway before she left and return to her place in Bonnie Corp via the other place he'd made for her....that place in between other places that she was finding to be home more then any other place. It was her very own domain::

::Sometime later, or maybe not so long for him, Bob would sense the scrying on him while he sat on the porch. The items she had taken for safe keeping were returned to him as they appeared right there beside him, plus a large cooler. Then he could feel the small note form in his hand::

Dear Bob,

I'm sorry I haven't been around much. I've really been studying a lot. I seem to be on a learning streak and I have felt the strong need to follow that urge. I've sent your things back to yous. I only took them to keep them safe. I think I will be staying here to study and that could take a long time to complete. So, I don't know when I'll see you again. I hope you are all right, things were strange when you left and by the looks on your face, yous don't seem in much better spirits since then. I hope things change soon but I know that must come first from within you.

Take care.

Your friend, ~ Cadence.

p.s. I put a bunch of Pepsi in the large cooler, some are regular, some are max, some are cherry and some vanilla which are really good with the right bourbon. they're ice cold right now. Hope you enjoy them.

The midday sun shined down on Bob as it was his house, him and a post that resembled a person there, made from some unknown but shiny material, most likely metal of some kind. Fighting stance was taken then and Bob reached out and struck the metal, it clanged loudly in response to the blow. Most people would have never seen him move that fast. Bob was obviously bored and restless in exile, but still it was better then being frustrated. He sighed lightly and kicked it, his leg was like a blur and the force was so much that the effigy of the person flew out of the ground, sailing through the air it would at least eighty feet from where it came from. The thing landed and kicked up a cloud of dust then.

Not seeing anybody around Bob just extended his hand and that shining figure flew back to him along the ground leaving a trail of dust behind it. Soon it was to him once again and standing upright once more, the other end firmly in the ground once more. He just sighed and turned around to walk towards the house, then that metal was destroyed when he spun around with the black lightsaber. That beam sword would slice the training post in half easily.

Then, he saw the ruined thing lay there upon the ground. He deactivated the saber and began to move back to the house with much better intentions and plans then he had before.

Bob had work to do.

On one not so significant day Sandrine came a calling on sole occupant of the village. She just showed up on his porch. Her gaze honed in upon the cooler of pepsi, to which she helped herself.

Opening it, she took a seat on the porch swing. She was in no particular hurry so she would give the owner of the house a moment to notice her presence. Her thoughtful gaze drifted out to the silent village. Perhaps this was as appropriate a time and place as any to deliver all casual like the news she had.

"Bob sure knows how to pick a morbid location to disappear and sulk at..." Was muttered to herself. She just shook her head and took a sip. Waiting there patiently for the solitary monster they call Bob.

Sandrine's body had a tension snake it's course through her. You might have almost even seen what appeared to be a chill quake through that slender form. After that quiver though, she appeared composed as she just shook her head in the strained silence. If Bob really wished her dead.....He had opportunity after.....No, she was OWNED by him....Lower lip chewed on for that moment that seemed to never end.

For the first time since he had claimed her tears glistened in those cold eyes. She just needed him to tell her something....So long as he was lost so was she. They were connected and distance didn't change the fact.

She would not speak no, he had commanded and she would not....But she couldn't seem to move from the spot either. She just stared straight ahead with those tears in her eyes. So many things had changed in her life....and she actually really wanted to live now. But for some reason she still did not feel she deserve to anyways.

He could decide her fate, but she would not leave either. Not without some answer. She had to do it she had to say something.

"Bob....I thought many a bad thing of you....But this....." She trailed off as she shook her head. It was all she had to say. If he did not wish to talk, and he did not strike her dead....She would disappear with sad eyes shutting tightly. A soft defeated sigh perhaps her last breath in this realm.

In a world that had forgotten him completely, the monster could finally live as a relative unknown. An average person living in the middle of nowhere in a little house just outside a village of the dead. It was fitting. He had no reason to be known for any reason. But he needed a hobby, something to pass the time.

He looked over to the the house and then decided that was how he was going to spend his days. He would build things, create things to put his madness into, in a constructive project that would not involve the mindless destruction. Of course nothing he ever did was mindless. For the most part it was completely terrifying to the lesser minded people, but to him that was nothing new.

He picked himself up off the porch and made his way to the basement of his place. It was here his work could begin.

Then it was to be so, the creation of a legend was no easy task not to mention one of such enormous power. Cruelty had given form to destructive forms that would never know anything of weakness, or compassion. The monsters of the alien metals would arise soon enough, blood would flow and hell would be his to unleash. Those cold wind tore through the lands as unnatural as they were mysterious. The gates of hell had opened up and out came the bite of the eternal frosty lair, the flames of ice ate at the souls of the damned, the souls he had stolen to power his devices that only promised to deliver death to any they had met along the road to domination.

Bob revealed to the world for the first time, his creation, a basic form of murder but effective nonetheless against most things. May the bodies twist in their beds, may they cringe in fear at the coming of the new army, sure he had a lot of work to do, but a test run was surely in order. Being just outside the barrier, his infernal machine would work nicely as he had planned it to. The world might believe he was dead, and that was fine with him.

The end had been coming for sometime now, the monsters had been screaming. The emotional wastes of life had been wallowing too long in their self hate, it was time to do them a favor and put them out of their misery, if they were not cowardly enough to die, then they could run forever. Either way was fine with him a state of living death, hunted to the ends of Rhydin and back again was even more entertaining. Those immortal cowards who hide behind their women to protect them will eventually learn to either stand up for themselves, or die trying.

But Bob was a merciful emperor, if they would serve him and him alone, perhaps he could get them to change their ways and be something more then they ever dreamed possible. Hey, even super villains could dream sometimes. But chances were better that their flesh would become steaming piles of bloody waste. It was a win-win situation for him either way.

A pair of glowing yellow eyes lit up in the darkness behind him. And somewhere, a woman screamed as her soul was taken from her body and used as energy to run the new machine. It was going to be a very good week, he thought to himself.

Once again, a portal opened in front of the house. Cadence peered out of her room with the clarity of a sleeping ogre. Her eyes were bloodshot, body thin from lack of food and care, hair was a silvery pile of locks and she looked like the thing the cat dragged in. Inspite of this, she yawned sleepily and smiled. The smile froze. There was nobody there. A frown quickly replaced the look.

"Hmmm....can't gets to Mary's place and nobody is here. Have I been gone that long?''

Sigh. Soft shrug of her shoulders, she stepped back inside and closed the door.

She attempted to send a note to Bob.

Note:

Dear Bob,

Hope you are doing good. I've just taken a small break from my studdies and I was hoping to see you. Couldn't get into see Mary. Hope things are well with her. Kinda miss my job there. Miss my job at the school too. I will try to get my job back there. I think I need to take some time away from my studies. My eyes hurt. My whole body hurts actually. I need a bath and some nice fuzzy warm clean clothes to wrap up in. I'll be at the school the have nice rooms there.

Missed you lots!come see me. tell me of your recent endeavors.

~Cadence.

Woops...That was the only thing that came to mind as he returned to his place because he needed to get something. It was unimportant, but it a nice trip home, if this could really be called such a place at all?

There it was. Right there on the mantle above the fire place. A picture of the past. He had taken it, but couldn't remember when. So many memories there were. A picture of Bob and all the ones he called friends in a happier time. Frozen in time there, forever. They all came flooding back to him all at once and there, time in the current became still. He picked up the picture. The CEO's of the Bonny Corp there, Cadence and Alana there. It must have been some kind of picnic. Although he couldn't remember taking any kind of outing like this. So many of their days had been filled with the grim realities of pain, drama and blood. But this picture had shown him there was indeed other times. Better times.

He picked up the picture and stared into it. He could hear there voices in some distant fashion and he remembered them all. Even monsters could be foolish he supposed. How many times did he tell them to back off, sure, he was nothing close to mortal, or even alive as people understood it there was some kind of dim spark of emotion in there.

He wondered what ever happened to most of them. And why things went down that way. It made sense at the time...didn't it' Protection of the lesser beings. No, not lesser. They were equal to him in nearly everyway and he was more then happy to walk beside them. But just by being connected to him it seemed that all they would ever do is suffer, even though he tried to make things better, all that ever happened is that somebody, somewhere..would make it their life's mission to get to him through the people he called friend. A coward's move but effective anyways.

Not even the illusion of death seemed to stop it. He came back, and Cadence suffers in his attempt to help her from her stress. Not everybody saw it how he did. Bob was not really respected, just feared and he was one of those guys that everybody said in their head to please dont look at me..please dont look at me..

So he treated them as his role was, to be an observer. But where are all his friends now. Most of them had vanished and it was all his fault. And he knew it.

Freedom may have been a dream, but it was a nightmare trying to figure out what to do with it. People have lives. Emotions and situations. Power was a prison most of the time and being this way was living proof. How do you relate to somebody you could crush in horrible ways.

He set the picture down again.

You become a super villain that's how. Make people your enemies and then you give them reason to fight..and that is how you relate. Although he never expected people to go after the ones he was close too.

This is what made him most angry, and evil came easy when dealing with this. Some called it revenge. Others called it Justice and Punishment.

"Maybe...maybe I can get them back..."

Then he turned around and walked off into the outside, leaving the picture behind him, the past would never be forgotten, ever.

One night an angel picked her way through the old beaten paths that now lead to a ghost town, not so very long ago known as the village Caracosa. She stepped carefully on bare feet, decorative but impractical shoes long forgotten somewhere, she had never been to Bob's house.....But she had seen it in her twin sister's mind once so she knew round abouts where it was.

Of course she had known about Bob's home here, at least it seemed the closest place to a real home he had but she had never intruded on him there. Even she had the good sense to leave people be once in a while but as she was not accustomed to walking she was a little frustrated. The wind carried away her soft words laced with confusion, "This isn't right..."

What wasn't right' Only Rose could tell you, but she did not elaborate beyond that statement and the occasional shake of her head. The wind blew her long flowing, backless, white gown about her slender form, red hair whipping wildly in the wind as though the mountain itself wished to slow her progress....She wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed at the bare skin as chills rocked through her body. Who ever heard of an angel feeling cold anyway"

But as she neared Bob's house....or was it hers already? At any rate she was lucky it was such a straight shot from the city for soon enough something changed. Perhaps it did know her and the magic the letter from him spoke of was true before she even came....because as soon as she saw it everything grew calm and still....nothing impeded her way again.

The fear of some forgotten nightmare didn't bother her here....nor the lingering unease left behind by the negative energies she sensed. The walk didn't seem so long then, she welcomed the warmth from the friction. It seemed like she was at the front of the house in a heart beat.

Staring up at the dark house with a soft smile touching her lips even as sadness gleamed in her wide emerald eyes. Her skin was still unusually pale but a blush of life and health was returning to it since she had read that letter and gotten back to work. A glance was given to the forge near by, where Bob had worked so tirelessly, before she lightly placed a hand to the railing and walked up the steps of the porch.

Rose's eyes took in every detail, a porch swing and a rocking chair both were caressed by her fingers as she looked them over. Even though her eyes moved over them they were distant....seeing something from far away and long ago. Same as when they moved to the door and opened it with no key.

Walking inside she found it exactly as Bob had left it. Pain" Yes, there was that but she couldn't help but smile. It was the least extravagant of all the homes he had built....But Bob never did anything half way, not even here.

The floor was built of the stuff dreams were made of and she sighed with delight as her bare feet glided across them like a child discovering a new dance. The large yet very cozy family room had a fire burning in it as soon as she walked in to greet her, lightning the place for the first time in who knows how long and she looked around in wonder at all the books and then back to the fire.

On the mantle there sat a deactivated black light saber. It was like she had touch everything to make sure it was real and her finger tips strayed from there to a picture, the only one she'd seen in the house and probably the only one she would. At least in the way of personal photos.....Bob was even in it!

He was with the original members of the Bonny Corporation....some she knew and some she didn't....some were even still around....After examining all the faces swiftly her eyes returned to the man himself who had put all of this in her care and she couldn't help the sob even as she smiled at the photo. She spoke to him as if he could hear her, "So, more proof that it wasn't all just a dream?" She shook her head before adding softly, "Thank you."

He had given her a lot of things it was true but her gratitude ran far beyond it all. He trusted and respected her enough to put it in her care. His friends were apparently very important to him and they deserved to know the truth too. Bob had for some reason put his faith in this "unreliable" and "unstable" little angel to put all his resources to good use....

After a few tears she gave one firm and decisive nod to the photograph as though these and many more swirling thoughts were a conversation. Perhaps she was still a little mad, but the gesture meant he didn't think her incapable and this gave her hope. "I won't let you down. I know they all miss you too."