The O'Sheas (02-04-2317)

[Lithium]

"Oh don't worry. She'll be fine soon. Actually, better than fine. But since you're here and so demanding, I suppose you might as well know that she's now officially betrothed to the Senator of Ambia." he smiled. "Need I say more, Mr. Fletcher?"

Matthew felt the pressure on the man's neck increasing. "No. I can make it so you won't say anything again," he said numbly.

"Oh, now you won't want to do that," the man replied. He was shuffling around in his coat for something, then his arm slipped up to Matthew.

Matthew felt a searing pain go through his whole body, then he slowly went limp. He dropped the man to the ground, then fell back.

He felt like a fish out of water as he desperately pumped air into his lungs.

The man laughed, turned tail and ran.

Everything turned black as Matthew lay in the alley.

Cheiko & Missy

"Oh, no! I am so, so sorry, Cheiko," Missy said, taking her best friend into her arms. "You shouldn't dwell on whatever he said. Now, how about you fix your make-up and then come join the rest of us. Dinner should be in several dances."

She smiled warmly at Cheiko before she slipped out of the lady's bathroom and went back out to the dance floor.

She wandering into the sitting room after not seeing Matthew or Cassandra.

"Oh my word!" she said, before rushing over to Cassandra. "Is she all right? What's happened to her?" She demanded of the young man taking care of her. "Where's Matthew? Why did he just leave her here?"

[Anwen]

"Oh my word!" a girl said, before she rushed over to Cassandra. "Is she all right? What's happened to her? Where's Matthew? Why did he just leave her here?"

Gillean shook his head to clear it. What a barrage of questions!

"No, she's not all right; I'm not at liberty to say; Mr. Fletcher chased after the Ambian agent who did this, and I'm worried for him now." He looked at her, "I presume that you are Mistalyn Fletcher?"

[Lithium]

Missy nodded solumnly. "Yes. Do you think he's really not all right? Did he go outside? We should go look for him."

She put her head in between her hands. "This evening has been nearly a disaster for us."

[Cytherea]

Endosi

The other girl left the bathroom and Endosi quickly started fixing her own make-up. She smiled warmly at Cheiko.

"She must be a really good friend of yours."

Cassandra

Cassandra heard another voice.

Who is that? What's... what's her name?

Cassandra forced herself to sit up. She groaned as a pang of agony spread through her. But as she sat up, she realized that the pain wasn't as intense as it had been before. Her mind cleared a bit, and she realized who the girl was.

Missy.

Gilin (she couldn't remember his exact name) said something about an Ambian agent. Her ears seemed to receive the words he said much clearer, and the words flowed smoothly. She stood up quickly.

"I'll find him. I know I can." she said decisively. "I can bear the pain now. It's not bad anymore. If he's out there, I'll find him."

[Lithium]

Cheiko

"Yeah. She's my... best friend." Cheiko blushed as she wiped the mascara stains from under her eyes.

Missy

"Oh! Cassy! You're awake! Thank God!" Missy hugged her tightly. "Don't even think of moving. You're still weak. I mean... I can't stop you, but it would be best if you didn't do anything too exerting right now."

[Cytherea]

Endosi

"That must be wonderful." Endosi said, casting her eyes down. Her smile faded slightly. "I mean, to have a best friend and all."

Cassandra

Missy hugged Cassandra tightly and spoke to her in a rush. "Don't even think of moving. You're still weak. I mean... I can't stop you, but it would be best if you didn't do anything too exerting right now."

"I feel much better. I'll be right back."

Cassandra slipped from the ballroom in a few graceful bounds. She grimaced slightly, but pushed the remnants of pain from her mind.

As she got outside, she sniffed the air. She caught a scent of somebody unfamiliar.

"An Ambian. That guy from before, most likely."

Cassandra dashed quickly from the spot where she picked up the trail and followed closely. She felt faster and stronger than ever before, except for the pain that was steadily trying to take control of her again.

Suddenly, she rounded a corner and tripped over something. She jumped to her feet and turned to look what it was.

"Oh my goodness."

Cassandra quickly went to his side and flipped him over.

"Matty? Can you hear me? Are you all right?"

When she got no response she scoffed at herself.

"Are you all right, Matty, when you're unconscious on the ground? What a stupid question."

Hesitantly, she leaned forward and listened for a heartbeat.

"Uh oh. If you'll forgive me, Matty, but your heart is failing. I hope you won't mind, but I'm going to have to administer CPR."

Cassandra quickly started CPR. After giving him compressions, she plugged his nose and then was about to do mouth-to-mouth. She paused and forced herself to not worry about anything else except saving his life, and quickly started giving him three breaths.

[Lithium]

Matthew

Matthew felt life come back into him and he gasped for breath. As his vision returned, he could barely make out the features of a face.

"Cassandra?" he asked, shakily. "Is that you?"

Missy

Cassandra bounded out of the room and Missy tried to follow. But, suddenly, the room filled with dancers coming off the dance floor and she couldn't get through.

Finally, the doorway cleared and she flew out, running as fast as she could in her high heels.

She hurtled around the corner and found Cassandra kneeling over Matthew, who was gasping for breath.

"Oh! Matty!" Missy dropped to her knees, forgetting about the dirt and grime that would be destroying her dress. "Matty, are you all right?"

Cheiko

"Yeah." She tucked back some of her own hair. "Don't you have a best friend? I thought Royales were supposed to be the social butterflies and having millions of friends along with millions of credits."

[Cytherea]

Cassandra

"Cassandra?" Matthew asked, shakily. "Is that you?"

"Oh thank goodness." Cassandra said. "Yes, this is Cassandra." She smiled slightly, but a small wave of pain went through her and she shuddered. "What happened? Are you..." she swallowed. "Are you all right?"

Suddenly Missy rushed over to them. She got to the ground in her beautiful pink dress and looked at Matthew. "Matty, are you all right?"

Cassandra smiled at the same question, but then turned back to Matty.

"But really... are you all right?"

Endosi

"Don't you have a best friend? I thought Royales were supposed to be the social butterflies and having millions of friends along with millions of credits."

Endosi laughed lightly.

"Not me. I just moved here, and one of my best friends I haven't seen for over seven years. I mainly make friends with my patients."

[Lithium]

Matthew

"I'm fi–– Oh my head..." He clutched his head in his hands. "All of me aches. I just need to... rest a bit. I should be fine."

Missy

Missy sighed relief. "Good. Are you sure you don't want me to call the car? We can take you both to the emergency room."

Cheiko

"Oh..." Cheiko said. "I... I'm sorry. I feel kind of rude now." She put her hand over her eyes. "You could be our friend, if you want. Would you want to come around to our place tomorrow? I don't think we have anything going on."

[Cytherea]

Cassandra

"I'm fi–– Oh my head..." He clutched his head in his hands. "All of me aches. I just need to... rest a bit. I should be fine."

"Good. Are you sure you don't want me to call the car? We can take you both to the emergency room."

"I feel fine now, Missy." Cassandra said and grimaced. She clenched her teeth together and bit hard to stop herself from crying out. "I... I don't think this is something the ER could help with." she turned back to Matty and tried to push the agonizing pain away. "But to be sure, what happened, Matty?" Cassandra said in a strangled voice. She grabbed one of his hands. "Do you remember?"

Endosi

"You could be our friend, if you want. Would you want to come around to our place tomorrow? I don't think we have anything going on."

"Oh..." Endosi felt her spirits rise. "If it's no trouble to you, of course. I'd love to be your friend!" she smiled. "And I don't have to worry about any school, since the building was burned down." she said wryly, though she couldn't help but continue to smile.

[Anwen]

Gillean followed the girls out to where Matthew Fletcher lay on the ground, giving Ms. Plum a knowing look. She nodded and followed, calling for her 'escort' on the way. "Cassandra, Matthew Fletcher, I need you to come with me. Can you walk? We're bringing a vehicle around now."

His face was grim and set. "You're right Cassandra, this isn't something the ER can help with. I'm the son of Mayhew Elcarnin, and we've been dealing with this type of thing for a while now."

[Lithium]

Matthew & Missy

The young man's face was grim and set. "You're right Cassandra, this isn't something the ER can help with. I'm the son of Mayhew Elcarnin, and we've been dealing with this type of thing for a while now."

Matthew nodded, then winced as the light of a nearing vehicle shone into his sensitive eyes. "What's go––" His head nodded as he fought off a wave of nausea and blackness. "What's going on?"

"Can you help them?" Missy demanded. "Load them into the vehicle and I'll follow. I need to notify one of my guests that I have to leave. She can make her way home on her own."

Cheiko

Cheiko smiled and said, "I remember when I used to go to school. Then Matty hired a private tutor for Missy and I. I was... I still am a Subterrean. And I'm proud of it. I hope that doesn't change you wanting to be my friend. I just needed to warn you."

[Anwen]

"We'll do what we can, but this is -- this is a fairly new condition, I'm not sure if we can do much." He called to his men, "Roger, Max! Get Cassandra and Mathew into the pod!" Gil looked back down at Mistalyn; "You'll have to hurry."

[Cytherea]

Cassandra

Cassandra and Matty were hurriedly put in the pod. Cassandra was feeling the same way she had before, and she couldn't think anymore. She could clearly hear what people were saying, but she couldn't process it anymore. Her head and body throbbed.

Why did this have to happen? Why do I feel this way? she swallowed and tried to hang onto reality. This is so unlike anything that's ever happened to me. So why now? Why now when I'm finally finding friends?

Cassandra felt completely knocked out and exhausted, and right then and there, closed her eyes and welcomed the blackness that swallowed her.

But it wasn't for long.

She opened her eyes suddenly as pain ripped across her mind. She felt like her head was splitting in two. And then, she felt paralyzed. She tried to move her leg, but it was staying firmly where it was. She finally got it to move, and pain shot through her leg and expanded violently over her body. She didn't remember what she did afterward. All she could remember was the pain. All she could think of was trying to escape it.

Endosi

"I still am a Subterrean. And I'm proud of it. I hope that doesn't change you wanting to be my friend. I just needed to warn you." Cheiko said.

"I don't care if you're a Subterrean or a Royale. It won't change a friendship, at least not in my mind. Life is what's important, not your status." she smiled warmly, and then sighed. A small look of dreaminess fell over her. "If I ever complete my dream and make my own hospital, it'll be open to Royales and Subterreans. I won't show partiality, and every person will be treated with equal rights. It will be so perfect."

[Lithium]

Matthew

The pain he felt was uncontrollable, like a wild fire. Burning and hating and eating and eating until it felt like there was nothing left that hadn't been destroyed by it.

Holding on was the hardest thing he had ever tried to do. Harder than when he was 13, learning to survive as a street fighter–– the life he never told anyone about. Harder than holding his father's hand as his life slipped away and finding out that the weight of the family and the company had now transferred to his own shoulder.

He was young. Once. No longer. The youngness ended a while ago. Before his father had died. Before he knew about this pain.

This pain made him older still.

He closed his eyes to conserve energy, but the pain... it still raged like the inferno it was.

Missy & Cheiko

Cheiko breathed in sharply. "Really? Would there be both Subterrean and Royale doctors? No. That would be a perfect world. I've... I've always wanted to become a nurse. But... with my status, I can't even go to a college to help me get a desk job."

"Cheiko? Still here?" Missy asked as she peeked into the bathroom. "Uh, something has come up and Matty, Cassy and I have to leave. It's kind of an emergency. Nothing to worry about but..."

Cheiko cocked her head to the side. "Huh? Are they all right?"

"They should be."

"Let me come. Matty is my family, too."

"No, Cheiko. You need to stay here and enjoy the party. You'll need to tell them where the Fletchers went if anyone asks."

Cheiko sighed, then nodded. "All right."

"Thanks!" Missy said brightly, then raced off.

"I always get left behind when important things are happening," Cheiko said with a sigh. "Still, I get to enjoy the food and dancing."

[Cytherea]

Cassandra

Cassandra slowly felt the pod moving. She couldn't tell where. She barely knew why anymore.

Her face was drenched in sweat, and her mouth felt completely dry, but she shivered. Her fingers turned a shade of blue, and she felt like she was buried in piles of ice. Perspiration continued to drench her face, though. Her limbs felt like ice that was freezing farther than ice should have been able to. Her hands and arms were turning blue. Her teeth chattered uncontrollably.

Endosi

"I always get left behind when important things are happening," Cheiko said with a sigh. "Still, I get to enjoy the food and dancing."

"I hope your friends are all right." Endosi said with a worried frown. "Anyways, my make-up is fixed, and yours looks wonderful. Are you ready?"

[Lithium]

Matthew

Matthew had never felt this way before. First fire, and now ice that burned him more than the fire ever did. He shivered as his sweat practically froze to his body.

The pod was moving, but he didn't care. He was fading in between consciousness and unconsciousness. Then, his connect to the world was cut off in one explosion of fire against ice.

Cheiko

"Yup! Let's go see if we can snag some dance partners, without us asking," Cheiko said with a bright smile.

With Cassandra gone, there's no way I can be outshone

Missy

Missy sat in between Matthew and Cassandra, monitoring their condition.

Suddenly, Matthew started gasping for breath, then his eyes closed as he lost consciousness.

"Uh, he's lost consciousness again!" she called to the front of the pod.

[Anwen]

"Uh, he's lost consciousness again!" Gil was already tense, zipping along over the normal traffic and swerving around buildings. He hadn't actually come upon too many cases like this yet, and had to relax himself.

"It's all right, dear." Ms. Plum called back to her. "They'll get quality care soon."

Gillean flew a while longer, hearing Mathew's ragged breathing, and Cassandra's moans of pain. He finally took a turn upward and landed on a floating platform. Ms. Plum immediately took charge. "You, bring stretchers! You, inform Representative Elcarnin on his visitors! And you," she said, pulling over one of the men scurrying around following her orders, "you will make sure that Miss. Fletcher gets home safely and soon!"

Just so you know guys, Missy was not meant to hear that last part.

[Cytherea]

Cassandra

Cassandra saw through hazy eyes people looming over her. She was picked up and placed onto something and then carried from the pod. She felt so cold, she couldn't swallow, for fear her saliva would burn her throat with its cold.

She heard voices, but the words they said were mixed together and indistinguishable. All she knew was that she was being carried somewhere.

Suddenly, she felt a needle go into her arm. She felt a fluid coursing through her muscles, and the pain immediately dissipated. She was shocked at how quickly it healed something that had hurt her so much.

She opened her eyes for real and looked around. People were scurrying around, and someone had just given an injection to Matty.

That's right... he's here too.

She stepped from the stretcher, a bit gingerly, only to find that every part of her felt fine. She walked towards Matty, still amazed how much better she felt. The persons who had administered the vaccines didn't bother about her getting up, and she realized they must have given her an intense pain-killer.

That must have been what they gave Matty, too. I hope, anyway.

"Matty?" she said, gently shaking his shoulder. "Matty, wake up!" She said, shaking him harder.

Endosi

"Yup! Let's go see if we can snag some dance partners, without us asking," Cheiko said with a bright smile.

Endosi smiled back.

"That sounds great."

They walked from the bathroom and Endosi took in the ballroom.

"Wow. This place is great." she said, excitedly.

Suddenly, a young man walked to Endosi and bowed.

"May I have this dance?"

"Of course." Endosi said with a smile. She turned back to Cheiko, who she saw was being asked by a gentlemen as well. She smiled at Cheiko.

Well, we didn't get a chance to snag them without asking, her eyes said to Chieko.

Jason

Jason watched curiously as Mistlayn ran into the bathroom and then quickly ran back out and then from the ballroom. She had looked worried.

Oh well. I might not get that promised dance, though.

He saw two other girls walking from the bathroom and walked to them. The dance was still being explained, and he made a quick dash before the other gentlemen around without a partner could.

"Excuse me, gorgeous." he said, stepping up to a beautiful Asian girl and bowing. "May I have the honor of this dance?"

[Lithium]

Matthew
"Matty?" Cassandra said, gently shaking his shoulder. "Matty, wake up!" she said, shaking him harder.

Matthew took a deep breath, exhaled then opened his eyes. "Cassandra? Where–– I feel a bit dizzy. Okay. I'm good now." He turned himself so he could sit on the edge of the stretcher. "The pain's gone. Is whatever that guy gave to us out of our system or...?"

He glanced at the tray of syringes that a nurse was taking to the sharps box. "Oh. Wow. Those must be some heavy pain killers."

Missy

"What do you mean "escort" me home?" Missy demanded. "I'm not leaving my brother's side. He's never abandoned me when I needed him, and I won't do it to him now."

She strode up to both Cassandra and Matthew and said, "They're going to try and make me go home. I'm staying with you. You need me right?"

Cheiko

"Excuse me, gorgeous," a young man said, stepping up to Cheiko and bowing. "May I have the honor of this dance."

Cheiko glanced at Endosi who had also been asked before turning back to the young man.

"Of course. I'm Cheiko Sonoda. What may I call you?"

She felt heat in her cheeks as he took her hand.

Matthew never calls me gorgeous.

[Cytherea]

Cassandra

"Oh. Wow. Those must be some heavy pain killers." Matty said.

"Yeah." Cassandra pushed a curl from her face. "Do you have any idea what's happening to us?"

Suddenly, Missy ran over to them. "They're going to try and make me go home. I'm staying with you. You need me right?" Missy said urgently.

But before Cassandra or Matty could respond, two of the men who had before been aimlessly running around, grabbed Missy by her arms, firmly but gently.

"Ma'am, we must insist that you leave." one of them said. "Or at least until the boss gets here, stay out of the way. No reason for you to get into this business."

"And what business is that?" Cassandra snapped at the man.

"The boss will be here soon. He'll explain everything then." the man said. "But before then, you have some visitors, miss Hunt. They'll be up here s-"

The elevator door opened and Cassandra went cold.

A middle-aged couple walked from the elevator. They saw Cassandra, and a look of excitement crossed their faces.

"Cassandra, darling!" the women cried out. She raced forward and flung herself at Cassandra. She hugged her tightly. "Cassandra, baby, we were so worried! Why did you run away? Everything's all right now, sweetie!"

"Wha- Mother??!" Cassandra exclaimed. "What are you doing here??"

"Your mother and I are here to see you, honey, and give you a surprise." Cassandra's father said as he reached her.

"A... a surprise?" Cassandra said. Her mother pulled away from her and Cassandra saw her happy, smiling face. Cassandra pushed away from her mother quickly.

"It won't work." Cassandra told her parents firmly. She had tears in the corners of her eyes. "I know you're faking it, Mom."

Mrs. Hunt's beautiful, smiling face slowly transformed into a frown. She rolled her eyes.

"Come now, Cassandra. Aren't you a little to old now to still act that way?" she said with the hint of a sneer. "But anyhow, that's not why we're here. The surprise we mentioned earlier is still something that I hope you'll appreciate."

"What is it?" Cassandra asked, stepping back even farther from her parents.

"On government terms, you're now engaged to the Senator of Ambia. It will insure peace between our countries." Mr. Hunt said.

"Engaged??!! To the..." Cassandra's face filled with shock.

"Of course you're not grateful, you little brat!" her mother said angrily. "Everything always has to be your way, doesn't it? For you to be happy! And I know what you'll say. You don't want to. Well, you don't have a choice. We're sending you to Ambia tomorrow, if not tonight!"

"So, you're handing off your daughter to complete a peace treaty, like I'm not a human being! I have my rights! I never heard anything about this, and above all, you're right! I don't want to! I'm 20, Mom! I can make decisions for myself now! And I'm not going!"

"Well this decision was made for you. And you're going to. Otherwise...." Mrs. Hunt rummaged through her brain and searched the room. Finally her eyes settled on Matty. "Otherwise, we'll have the government banish him to the Badlands!"

Jason

"Of course. I'm Cheiko Sonoda. What may I call you?"

Jason took Cheiko's hand and led her onto the dance floor. Her hands were soft, and he didn't want to let go of them.

"My name is Jason Underhill. Have you done any English Country Dancing before?" he asked as they fell into the back of the nearest line.

[Lithium]

Matthew

Matthew rolled his eyes. "Mrs. Hunt. This might scare you, but I practically own the government. It would be nothing without my business' extensive support and charity. It won't do anything against me. Plus, the bulk of my fortune is overseas and requires my authorization to access. The government can't touch any of it. So don't even think about it."

He went over to Cassandra and put a hand on her shoulder. "If you want to go... you can. But I'd... I'd much rather you stayed here. With me. I..."

Matthew stopped and looked into her eyes, pleading with her.

(will update Missy and Cheiko later)

[Cytherea]

Cassandra

Matthew went over to Cassandra and put a hand on her shoulder. "If you want to go... you can. But I'd... I'd much rather you stayed here. With me. I..."

Matthew stopped and looked into her eyes, pleading with her. Cassandra looked back into his eyes, and then smiled at him.

"I don't want to go. I want to stay here... with you. I've got to tell you something. It's never happened to me before, but... but I think I've fallen... I've fallen in love. With you, Matthew."

[Lithium]

Missy

"Ma'am, we must insist that you leave," one of the men holding Missy said. "Or at least until the boss gets here, stay out of the way. No reason for you to get into this business."

"Of course it's my business! He's my brother! He's the only family I've got left!" She remembered some self defense that Matthew had taught her and aimed a quick elbow jab to one's solar plexus while she stomped on the other man's foot as hard as she could.

She felt their grip loosen as they recoiled from the pain and she sprinted back over to Matthew, who stood by her protectively.

Missy buried her face in Matthew's shoulder, but recoiled from the waves of heat and cold he was giving off.

Cheiko

"My name is Jason Underhill. Have you done any English Country Dancing before?" he asked as they fell into the back of the nearest line.

"No, not really. I mean, only more recently. It's all the rage now." She paused as he led her through another dance step. "Isn't it interesting how things from the past seem to come back to us and never be quite forgotten?"

Matthew

"I don't want to go. I want to stay here... with you. I've got to tell you something. It's never happened to me before, but... but I think I've fallen... I've fallen in love. With you, Matthew."

Matthew stilled and looked to the floor, his heart racing faster than it ever had. She... loves me? Me? We only just met but... I...

He felt a blush rise to his cheeks as he awkwardly grasped for something to say. Something that would show he wasn't rejecting her. Something that was, "I love you," without saying it.

Matthew reached for her cheek, lay his hand against it and smiled.

[Cytherea]

Jason

"No, not really. I mean, only more recently. It's all the rage now. Isn't it interesting how things from the past seem to come back to us and never be quite forgotten?"

"Yeah." Jason said. "Like our language, our transportation..." he sighed. "And also our prejudice on other people. It's something we just can't seem to shake. We judge people before we even meet them, sometimes." he said with a slight frown. He shook his head and then turned back to her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to put a bad name on the Royales or anything."

Cassandra

Cassandra felt her heart beating faster than she thought it could. His hand was on her cheek. She looked up at him and he smiled at her. She smiled back.

"Matty, I-"

"Oh, get your hands off my property! I mean daughter!" Mrs. Hunt said angrily. "I don't care if you two like each other, but you're not going to continue to like each other, or else!" She spun towards Matty. "And don't you harass her, you Fletcher. She's worth a lot in Ambia!"