.

Lexi stared at the platter for a good 5 seconds before asking, "Peanut butter?"

Maria nodded, and a muscle twitch at the bunny's mouth. She looked past that others and cought Sapphire's eye, miraculously managing a straight face, "Reubs would like them, don't you think so?"

Sapphire looked back at her, nodding gravely, "With a strawberry flavoured gummy."

"Positively," Lexi answered back, bitting her lip to avoid laughing out loud.

That was when Sapphire helplessly snorted in laughter, clasping her hand to her mouth to muffle her giggles 83

(And here comes the dramatic "Oh, please! Don't leave!" scene...... MARIA STYLE XD)

Maria's eyes widened. Leaving? No! He couldn't leave yet! She didn't want him to. She wanted him to stay, if not for just a few hours. Well then, she won't let him leave!

Forgetting the tray of peanut butter sandwhiches she was holding, Maria stepped forward, her grip on said tray loosening. The tray crashed to the floor, and the young coyote tripped over it, almost landing straight on her face, if Rose hadn't of practically seen the whole incident happening, and had set her tray down and grabbed her daughter.

The princess's face blushed hard, and she stammered as she picked herself up. "N-no, please.... stay. Just for a while. Please?"

(XD Gosh she's such a blonde)

(................O_________O Uhhh.. Andrea..... did...did I say something to makeyou mad? D8)

(Okay XD I was a little worried there. ANYWAY. We all need to annoy the snot out of Brigid so she'll get her arse back here and reply! The continuation of this story all depends on Dakk's reply to Maria!)

(Yes...DRAMA! >8D)

Seth was back at the tower, trying to figure out a plan.
"Sooooo, how're gonna' get Prince Charming and ourselves on that ship?" he asked the room.

(Sorry I didn't reply guys. Been busy, then sick. PLUS! I didn't even REALIZE that Brigid posted until yesterday! XD)

Cassidy giggled slightly. "Seth. You're forgetting that Tech has built enough space ships for the Acmetropolis army. Plus, by now they'd probably already be on Sari."

Tech stared at Cassidy. "I have to stay here to watch Duck's progress. I am NOT letting you drive one of the ships!"

"Come on, Tech, just let me this one time! I'm not THAT bad of a driver!" Cassidy argued.

Tech folded his arms and glared at her.

Cassidy responded by folding her arms behind her back, titling her head, and gazing at Tech with a pathetic pout that she knew he just couldn't ignore. For too long, anyway.

Tech sighed. "Alright, alright. You can drive."

(DUN DUN DUUUNNN! XD) MEANWHILE ON SARI:

Maria knelt beside the fallen ex-general. "Dakkarsis?" She studied him for a second. His former, un-dead self was a lot different from his fully alive self. His face seemed a lot softer, even with the large helmet covering most of it. At the top of his head, pulled back in a ponytail, his hair was white and felt coarse compared to her own.

Rose sat beside her daughter, holding a bowl of ice cold water. She handed a cloth to Maria. "Maybe this will help him wake up."

Maria smiled and nodded.

(... Lucifer can see memories??? Oh God. The things he'll see in Mairi's brane. XD)

(I love you Andy. XDDD)

*wipes mouth of any remnants of a possibly ill-fated youth*

(That made me smile 83)

Cassidy blinked. "I don't. Want. To. Know." She confirmed before clutching the steering wheel of the ship determinedly. They were almost out of sight from Tech. Just a few more seconds...

"Wow, Cass." Seth said, obviously surprised by the clam, smooth take-off. "I really expected you to be more of a fa-"

His words were cut off when he was suddenly pushed as far into his seat as the fabric would allow. An almost evil smile curled on Cassidy's lips as she continued to push down on the gas pedal. Man, how she loved flying these ships.

(XD! Good greif I love writing Cassidy's wild streak >83)

(I will not)

Seth screamed.
"SLOOOOOWWWWW DOOOOWWWWN!!!!!"
LuciMazz's face turned a sickly green and he/she began to yell about as well.
"IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'MMMMMMMMMMM GOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG TO CHUUUUUUUUUNNDEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"WHAT'S THAT MEEEEEEAAAAAAANN!!!????"
"I'M NOT SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURE!!!!"

As the others watched Maria dab the wet cloth on the ex-general's face, Sapphire felt... weird. Not the brand of weird when you think that there's the nagging feeling at the back of your mind where you feel someone watching you, or the type where you get a gut feeling that something is wrong and there's nothing you can do to stop it.

Something slid down her the back of her neck and she threw her head back a little to let the air flow to her skin and dry the sweat. Hmm, strange. She didn't know that sweat could be so heavy... or thick. By now, anyone with a scrape of common sense would have realized that it (at least) was definitely not sweat and some other substance all-together.

Unfortunately, Sapphire isn't 'anyone'. If only she had glanced into a mirror, she would have realized that her dark hair now had streaks of purple along with blue and had had dashes of light brown.

In fact, it was only until a slice of bread slid from the top of her head and fell in front of her eyes that she finally realized that what used to be a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich was on her head.

(That was fun 83)

(Okay, Seren XD Please hurry, tho! 8D)

Within what felt to Seth and Lucifer like an eternity of pure terror, they arrived at Sari, safe and sound. Hey, Cass may be an extremly fast driver, but other than her speed she was relatively safe. She knew how to manouver those ships. After all, she helped build a lot of them.

When they had finally come to a full stop, Cassidy smiled happily and patted the top of the board of instruments (aka the dashboard for you silly Americans and Aussies 83) with satisfaction. "Tech may never let me drive ever again, but that was totally worth it." She jumped out of her seat and ran for the door. "Come on guys," She said while she passed the dizzy and nausious Seth and Lucifer. "We have to go. It's looks like that freak took control of the palace." That wasn't hard to do, if you happened to have the queen and princess in your possession.

Upon exiting the ship, she ran towards the large doors on the front of the castle. They were unlocked. She found this odd for a villain. "Unless it's a trap." She mumbled to herself. Completely forgetting (or ignoring, she's good at that) Ace's 'buddy system' rule, Cassidy entered the palace alone, as Seth and Lucifer were still in the ship, recuperating. she kept one hand near her belt, where she kept her trusty shock gun. It had saved her several times, and she never went on a mission without it. She krept along the walls quickly, watching all around her for any signs of other people, whether her family or the team or any minions that general freak might have.

"Cassidy!" She heard a voice behind her, making her jump and whip out her gun. She sighed in frustration. "Seth! You startled me!!!"

Seth stared at her gun and held up his hands. "I'm innocent, I swear!" Lucifer backed away.

Cassidy rolled her eyes. "Come on, let's find the others."

(*collapses from exhaustion*)

(XD I love you, Syaz)

Cassidy gazed at the sandwhich on Seth's face curiously. She slowly stretched her hand out to it, until the tip of her finger touched it. "Peanut butter and jelly........Maria's nearby." She then turned around and began to march in the direction the sandwhich had come from.

(*is only reading Andrea's posts*) 8D

Cassidy's sudden entrance into the kitchen startled everyone, except Dakkarsis, who was passed out, and Maria. who was focused on waking the General up.

"Thank goodness you guys managed to take him out!" She glanced up at Ace, who was giving her a bewildered expression. "What are we waiting for? At least tie him up or something!"

"Uh, Cass... maybe you should slow down a tad." Lexi said, standing beside the flustered coyote. "He's a good guy."

Now Cassidy was the one giving the confused looks. "WHAT?! He kidnapped Maria! How is he a good guy?!"

.Now there I stood without a clue.

"He was only trying to save Sari.... and us." Maria spoke up.

.My head trying to tell me what to do.

"What do you mean?"

.My heart started playing tug of war.

"My powers.... there's more to them than we thought. And if they become fully unleashed.... the safety of Sari... and all of us, depends on where I am." Maria paused, trying to remember Dakkarsis' words. "He said that Sari would be destroyed, along with all Sarians.... if I didn't get to Sari as soon as possible."

.Like it's out of my hands.

"Why did he have to break into the tower and kidnap you? He could have told us about it!"

.To be fearless when I'm scared to move.

"Because.... You wouldn't have trusted him." Maria's voice was unusually hard, but only for a fleeting moment. "Besides..... his..... 'master' ordered for him to either kill me, take my powers away, or take me to Sari..... but... I can never leave Sari ever again."

.I'm overdue daring to be different.

Cassidy hesitated here. She didn't know how to react to this. Normally, this would be very upsetting news, but her older sister did not seem at all phased by the idea. She had a set, determined expression. She seemed.... fearless. "Maria? Are you okay?"

.To scream yes, yeah I'm awake.

"Of course I am. What would make you think otherwise?"

Cassidy glanced down at the cloth in her hand.

.I will not break.

Maria frowned. She knew exactly what her sister was implying. "He saved my life. He saved yours as well. He's a hero."

.Daring to be....Daring to be different.

"I didn't mean-"

"Yes you did! I understand why you have trouble trusting people, but for once can't you forget about it and just take a chance?"

.This is the old that they call new.

Cassidy flinched. "No. I've taken too many chances. In one of those chances, I almost lost you! Because of one of those chances, Father isn't here any more!"

"Aurora." Rose interrupted. "You father's death is not your fault."

.Dizzy from all the points of view.

"I know." Cassidy huffed, trying to calm herself. She could feel stinging in the back of her eyes. "But I could have stopped it."

"Why can't you trust me?! I'm your sister!"

.Closing my eyes and breathing in.

"It's not that I don't trust you. It's him I don't trust!"

"He has a name!" Maria folded her arms. "General Dakkarsis.

.Look up. Let go. No hands.

"Great..........." Cassidy paused. The last thing she wanted right now was a disasterous fight between her and Maria. And by the look of her mother's face, that's the last thing she wanted as well. Cassidy sighed and knelt beside her older sister. "Maria.... I'll try. I promise I'll try to trust him.... I'm just worried about you."

.To be fearless when I'm scared to move.

"I know. You always are." Maria smiled, returning to dabbing the cold cloth on Dakkarsis' forehead.

.I'm overdue. Daring to be different.

Cassidy finally took in the General's appearance. "I...I thought he was a zombie..."

"He was." Maria replied nonchalantly. "I brought him back to life." When she saw Cassidy's shocked face, she giggled. "Remember what I said about my powers?"

.To scream yes, yeah I'm awake.

"You.... can bring people back to life?"

Maria nodded. "And... my telepathy powers.... are a lot stronger now." She suddenly felt nervous. Her powers were stronger, they were growing, which meant she had to grow with them. They would be uncontrollable until she learned to control them. And worse of all, she didn't know what exactly her powers were, which would make the task even more difficult.

.I will not break.

'I can do it. I will learn how to control my powers. I have to.' Maria silently promised herself. 'My family depends on it.'

.Daring to be..... daring to be different.

Maria was slightly confused, The voice of the person who had been chasing her down this whole time was now coming from one of her sister's best freinds! She gave him a glare. "No. This 'delinquent' has saved my life along with everyone else on Sari! And I don't know WHO you are, but I am getting VERY tired of you following me around and calling me 'Rita!' My name is Maria Rose Coyote! Do you understnad me?!"

Cassidy was so in shock from ehr sister's outburst that she didn't even hear anything that Seth had just said.

(XD That's right, Maria went there. She's getting very tissed 8D

(You mean Mazz XD Oh well, we'll roll with it.)

Maria jumped back a little when Dakkarsis sat up. Cassidy pulled Maria away from Dakkarsis when she saw him take out his blade. "Watch it, Mr. Wonderful. That's my freind you're also pointing that thing at." Cassidy snarled, ready to lunge at him if necessary.

Maria gazed at Dakkarsis in fear. What was he going to do? "Be careful." She whispered, hoping he could hear.