Seito could not believe her luck. Nope nope. Certainly that was not her sensei sitting on the bench? A smirk spread across her face.

Quietly she snuck up behind Gabriel. "Hiya Sensei!" she suddenly shouted, bopping him on the head with her squeaky hammer.

"AGHH!" Gabriel fell forward with the combination of shock and surprise of yet another ambush.

From the ground in front of the bench he paused.

"That voice...that...voice...Seito?!" He gazed up and smiled. True enough, one of his longest and dearest friends had ambushed him, using her trademark weapon.

He stood and smiled fondly. "It is wonderful to see you."

"You had that willy daisy with you the whole time? I'm touched," Stephanie said coming up to him. "Haha, Seito! Nice to see you..again!" Smiling, she said "I finally get to just chill with you guys." The dark haired girl took a seat on the bench next to where Gabriel had been sitting. "Heh, its been forever. Quite frankly I'm getting sick of playing phone-tag." Gabriel let out an exasperated sigh and sat back up on the bench. Hmm? "What's wrong?" Gabriel didn't say anything, he seemed to be just lost in thought. Nothing out of the ordinary I suppose...
She whispered to Seito, "What's eating him now?"

"Stephanie?" Gabriel happily greeted yet another of his dearest friends.

"My my...it...it truly has been ages since we've all been together now hasn't it?"

Seito waved to Gabriel. "About time you showed! Mene was getting lonely without you," Seito poked Belle. "And you!"

Seito watched the greeting between Gabe and Stephanie, tilting her head in confusion. Thus was the curse of living in another state.

"I dunno," she whispered back to Stephanie.

"It has been so long...please both of you, sit?" He asked, gesturing to the bench.

Seito hopped over the bench and took a seat on one end. She heard a squeaky as she tried to sit down. Seito looked down. It was a yellow blob. "Mou, I told you stay in the lab!" She pushed the blob back towards the lab. "Go go, I'll be home soon enough."

As the blob left, she turned grinned. "Okay I know Belle is leaving for a trip... but other then that, how have the two of you been?"

"Oh?" Gabriel spoke out...the little creature's squeak catching his attention.

"How cute..." he said quietly, staring at it.

"Stephanie...? Ah yes...her trip..." Gabriel snapped back to reality.

"I've been rather busy to be honest...work and whatnot outside of Mene..." his voice trailed off, sounding distant.

"I'm exhausted" Stephanie said, gladly sitting down next to Gabriel putting her head on his shoulder. "Lemme know if you'd rather me not." She closed her eyes, and then opened them again to see the little blob scutter off back to the lab and laughed.
"Yea, I'm off tomorrow and won't be back till Wednesday. I haven't even started packing..." her voice drifted off and her eyes started drooping. "I really don't want to go either. Ugh..." Gabe gave another sigh and his voice drifted off again.
"Heya, whats up?"

Seito tilted her head. That tone of voice didn't sound good. Something was... off. "Okay spill it sensei. What's wrong? Assuming something is wrong that is?"

"Nah..." He sighed contently, closing his eyes for a moment as well. "You're more than welcome to rest."

He gazed out over the flickering lights of the carnival.

"It may be a while before we're all together like this...we should all enjoy the moment."

Seito's eyebrow raised. 'When did...'

The yellow blob appeared again. This time on Gabriel's head. Seito stared for a moment, wondering how on earth the little blob got there. 'Wait a minute... are those angel wings... a halo?! That's it. So not letting Dol near the chemicals again!'

"You have a visitor sensei," Seito said, pointing to the blob. "I think he really likes you."

"My my..." Gabriel breathed...not certain what to make of the situation.

He wasn't necessarily fond of animals...but for some reason the little creature brought him comfort.

"A halo...and wings? How perfect..." he picked the little creature off his head and held it in front of him.

"You are so interesting..."

Stephanie had been partially holding her breath waiting for a response from Gabriel about the whole 'resting-on-the-shoulder' thing, and was relieved when he said it was fine. She hadn't done it before to him, so it was a bit awkward. He was her best friend, role model and brother figure but it was still awkward.
She inhaled, the cool air sending a chill down her spine. She gave a slight shiver and wished she had brought a coat with her.
Stephanie let out a sigh, and smiled contently and laughed. "Yea, lets just treasure this. The blob can stay too if it wants, its pretty cute" she commented, holding her hand out to the blob. The little yellow thing jumped on from Gabriel's hand, then Stephanie gently poked it. "Aha, ticklish little guy huh? Haha."
She put her hand out towards Gabriel's and it hopped back into his.
"We may not get a chance like this again for a while..You're right about that Gabe."
Stephanie stood up and took both Seito and Gabe's hands in hers. She looked both of them in the eyes, determination in her own, and the blob confused.
"No more excuses guys. We can't let this go to waste." Stephanie pulled them up off the bench. "Lets find a few rides that are still running and live it up tonight while we still can."

Seito stared at the yellow blob. "Mimi... JD?" she read. "Interesting name."

She grinned at Belle's words. "Sounds great. I think I trust my lab assistance not to blow up the place... or make an invasion of blobs while I'm gone. Anyone, lead the way. I have no idea what's open still. I didn't get the memo."

"Well..it is one-am though..." He yawned.

"Tired...just a little more time, and I'll have to get some rest."

She looked around at the different attractions, and by now there weren't any rides in operation. Stephanie turned around and looked at Gabe's eyes. They were tired and concerned, yet content. Seito was starting to doze off also, she had sat back down on the bench and put her head back.
"Well, so much for that plan. I need to speak sooner next time."
Gabe smiled gently, then looked back at Seito who had just gotten up. She came over and gave Stephanie a short hug with a lot of emotion behind it.
"We should go now," Gabriel said quietly.
"Not yet you don't!" Gabe turned and she practically jumped on him. Stephanie embraced him in a hug and held him close. She whispered into Gabe's ear, barely audible. "Please take care, don't do anything reckless while I'm gone. If you need help I'm just a call away. Please watch over yourself, I don't know what I'd do if something happened to you." She lightly kissed his cheek, and then stood back to look at him.
Her eyes were glossy, why the moment was getting to her she didn't know, but it was. She held both Seito and Gabriel's hand one more time and looked at them both one more time before letting their hands go. She turned and went back home to pack for her so-called vacation and left her friends behind for a short while. Tears rolled down her cheeks, but she wasn't sad. She had fantastic friends that she loved and knew they'd be waiting for her when she got back.

((Crap, between FMA and this reply... T__T))

Anna awoke for the second time and that was when she realized that she had fallen asleep earlier, a potato clutched in her hand from when she was peeling it. Studying the veggie for a few moments she'd shrug her shoulder a little bit and take a huge bite, only then realizing that it was raw and feeding the rest to Tigra, who didn't seem to care if it was cooked or not. After her dazed attempt at feeding herself, Anna's face fell. Today was the day that the carnival ended.

As she stumbled to her feet, prepared to enjoy the carnival until they pried her cold, greedy hands away at the last few seconds. Starting to wander in search of any human life, she sighs in a bittersweet mix of disappointment and memories of the past few days. They were the best in her entire experience as a Menewshan, although she most likely would get some lawsuits by the end of it, due to her reckless way of showing excitement.

"Well Tigra? I think its just you and me. I don't see anyone."

"Anna?"

Gabriel took a step towards the girl, happy to see her.

"Catching the last few hours eh?"

He smiled, the sun had risen only barely, and dew still clung to the grass and stalls. Already it seemed, vendors were picking up and moving supplies and attractions along. The great Carnival was coming to an end.

The night before had been an emotional one. He honestly was still wrapped up in it in his own mind, and felt slightly distanced.

Anna turns toward the familiar voice with a bit of a serene smile on her face, seeming much calmer and at peace than she had when she had first met Gabe. It was almost as if with the end of the chaos at the grounds she now stood on, it was time for her to bring her insanity down a few notches as well. She smiles faintly and turns in Gabe's direction, noting that he seemed a bit troubled.

"Yeah Gabe," she confirms, leaning slightly against Tigra. "I see you're doing the same. Is something the matter?"

"Hmm?" Gabe looked up, fondly stroking his cheek. "Oh, no. Nothing is wrong. Just sweet memories."

He smiled and walked up to her.

"Shall we traverse the grounds together?"

The first thought that came to mine when Gabe offered was Shi, both seeming much too well-mannered and polite to belong in the present day where people as rude and insane as her seemed to rule. Contradicting popular belief, there were still charming gentlemen left in this world. Too bad she'd never meet any of them, if she kept up her insanity at the speed she was going.

"Thanks for the offer," she replies, bending her body slightly in a bow. Asian culture always did teach her to bow, for some strange reason. Although she prefered to ignore that half the time, this was one of the times it felt right to be respectful. "I would be happy if you were to accompany me."

"Then let us move on off."

His face revealed happiness as he began to move towards the house of mirrors, for one last good look at the building before it would be taken down.

Anna followed Gabe about half a step behind him, letting him take the lead since she had a reputation for getting people lost. Or if one asked her for directions, getting people more lost than imaginable. Once they reached their destination, Anna choose a reflection to gently prod with her Scepter of Chaos, giggling happily.

"Now who's the pretty lady in this one?" she asks, laughing.

Tigra, who never had understood the concept of mirrors, could've almost fainted at the sight of all the Annas. One was too many, this miniature army of her would state the end of the world. Then realizing that there were several versions of itself around as well, yowled loudly and ran for it, only to slam its head against a wall.

"Oh Tigra," Anna laughs, giving it a pat on the head. "Silly thing doesn't know what a reflection is."

Unfortunately for Anna, Gabriel had followed suit, crashing into a reflected door way much like Tigra.

One Anna WAS enough.