So far, Shintaro had been able to compare Ozai to two of his family members, and he didn't like that everything he'd thought of was accurate. In looks, Ozai was almost everything like Brethren - the firm jawline, the slightly slanted, red eyes, the thin mouth, the thick, long dark hair, and the posture. In personality, Ozai was almost everything like Cami - polite, caring, quiet, welcoming, soft-spoken, and always being kind. 

Shintaro couldn't wrap his head around the facts. 

What did that mean? 

Were they related somehow? 

If so, how? 

They couldn't be siblings, could they? Shintaro had no idea how old his father was, since Darkness didn't seem to age; but this man was at least ten years older than Shintaro. Was that too long of a span to be siblings? 

Was it just a coincidence that Ozai looked so much like Brethren and acted so much like Cami? 

Was Shintaro just being hopeful? Though, he wasn't sure what he was hopeful for. He didn't want anyone else to have to be related to Brethren. 

Was Shintaro just longing for his family? But why would he long for Brethren? Was he comparing Ozai to Brethren because maybe - just maybe - Ozai would be like the father Shintaro never got to live with? 

Sighing, Shintaro dragged his hand through his hair restlessly as Ozai walked out of the kitchen, skillfully balancing five plates on his hands and forearms. Linda, Moon, Rachel, and Amy had woken up shortly after Shintaro and joined him on and around the couch, but everyone else was still sleeping (probably from the lack of sleep from the nights in the woods.). Ozai had noticed that four more people were awake and had started making more of whatever he'd been preparing for Shintaro. When he walked out, evenly yet swiftly, Rachel immediately stood up to help him pass out the plates of scrambled eggs, sausage, and toast.

"Thank you," he said kindly to her as she sat down again with the last plate in her hands. He gave them all another one of his polite smiles, one that made Shintaro cringe - not because it was wrong for Ozai to smile, but because Cami's smile popped up in Shintaro's head whenever he saw Ozai's. 

Shintaro thought Ozai was going to turn back to the kitchen and make a plate for himself; but instead, he leaned forward, put a hand on the coffee table, and folded his legs under him in a crisscross position. Rachel, Amy, and Shintaro were seated on the cushions, Moon was on the floor, leaning against the front of the couch, and Linda was perched on the arm of it. Ozai clasped his hands together, laid them on his lap, and gazed over all of them with his chilling red eyes. 

"I'm sorry if what I'm about to ask you all seems rude," he began sincerely, "but I must know - what is the real reason you have come here?" He said it with caution, possibly even firm anger. His eyebrows were furrowed in questioning wariness as he looked over all of them again.

Shintaro shared a glance with Linda; and when he felt the tug in the back of his thoughts, he opened his mind to let her in. 

"Should we tell him what's going on?" she asked in a soft tone that almost hissed around his head, her voice remaining in his head as she turned to look over at Rachel - probably to make her glace at Shintaro seem less suspicious. "Maybe it could give him some hope for a normal life, out of hiding. He seems like he's wanted that even before Brethren escaped." 

I don't want to drag another innocent man into our problems, Shintaro thought back firmly, setting his eyes down on his plate as the other three exchanged wary glances. Even Amy looked skeptical, throwing Rachel a look that said "I don't know what to do". 

"I'm not saying he has to come with us," Linda replied. "I just think that we won't be able to hide it from him forever, and I also feel that he should know. Maybe once we tell him our side of the story, he'll tell us his." 

Shintaro considered this without replying to Linda, though he knew she could hear at least one of his strings of thoughts. He did want to know more about Ozai, to see where he was from, if he was evil, if he was planning something - or if he was who he seemed to be: an innocent man, terrified for his life because The Dark Lord had something against him. 

Catching Linda's eyes again, he gave her a brief nod. Everyone else leaned back as if some tension had been released off their shoulders. Rachel set to her plate, letting the others do all the talking. 

Moon opened her mouth to speak, but Linda interrupted her with a sharp smack to her shoulder. "I'll do the talking," she said firmly to Moon, who pouted and shoved her fork into her mouth like an enraged toddler. 

Rolling her eyes, Linda turned to Ozai, who was frowning curiously at Linda and Moon, and, setting her plate on her lap, Linda began. "You're already aware that The Dark Lord has been set free using the magical key that holds the peace between Earth and the Abyss. Now he's ravaging the planet, potentially preparing for war against mankind - and it's our fault." Ozai's eyebrows shot up, a look of confused terror crossing his face; but Linda was quick to continue. "The Darks had planned to set him free many years ago, and the almost succeeded; but with the defeat of Thorn, lots of them had become scattered, unsure of what do to." At the mention of Thorn, Ozai frowned with a look of either disgust, annoyance, or surprise. "But recently, a Dark had gotten their hands on the key and managed track down the other half of the Abyss." Shintaro could have sworn he saw Ozai's eyes dart to him for a moment, sending his heart into thumping shock. Did Ozai know? "We happened to be there, trying to stop this from happening... But we failed, and now The Dark Lord is free. We have taken the responsibility of putting him back where he belongs - either that or killing him." Ozai's eyebrows shot up again, and he looked like he was about to speak - but he held it back and let Linda continue. "We're hiding here with you because our recent residing place was found by Darks. But don't worry - once we figure out what we're going to do, we'll be gone." 

Ozai was silent for a few moments, waiting to see if Linda was finished. Shintaro counted six seconds before Ozai opened his mouth. "Are you crazy?!" he said harshly, running his red eyes along the five of them. "First off, The Dark Lord cannot die. He is Darkness itself! Second, that's a suicide mission! He'd kill you all as soon as you stepped anywhere near him! Third, how do you suppose you're going to lock him back in the Abyss if the key has already been used?" He suddenly stood and began pacing, tugging his hand through his loose hair nervously. "You can't do that. You'd be wasting your lives. He'd kill you as soon as you arrived. He will kill you as soon as you arrive." 

"Alright, chill out," Moon said with an edge of confusion in her voice. She was squinting in confusion up at Ozai, toying with the eggs in her plate by spinning the tips of her fork around in a circle. "I don't know why you're so worked up about what we're going to be doing." 

"Because you can't do that!" Ozai shouted, turning sharply toward her and jerking his hands to put emphasis on his words. "You're going to be killed! He's going to kill you all, no matter what you do or how much you fight. It will all be for nothing. He can't kill anyone else. I won't let him kill anyone else!" 

He suddenly seemed to deflate. His shoulders slumped forward, he put his hands on his face, and he lowered himself back onto the floor, folding his legs under him. Shintaro realized with a twinge of pity and confusion that he was trembling. After a few moments, he began mumbling incoherently to himself. 

"I have no idea what's going on in your head," Linda said (though Shintaro was sure that wasn't entirely true), "but whatever it is, you need to focus on something else. Get your hands off your face and straighten up." 

Ozai took a shaky breath and looked up at her, dropping his shaking hands onto his lap. "You can't go fight him," he said quietly. "He's going to kill you if you even try. You won't even be able to, not without the key. It's already been used. He's free, and there's no putting him back, so don't even try." 

Shintaro frowned in suspicion, his yellow eyes catching on Linda's face as she gave him a confused frown. When he listed his head at her, she gave him a small shrug. How did Ozai know so much about the Abyss and The Dark Lord? 

"How do you know all of this?" Amy questioned lowly from her spot on the couch, almost seeming to hear Shintaro's thoughts and setting her plate on her lap. "I get that you're a Dark and all - yes, I already knew - but how come you know so much about The Dark Lord?" 

Ozai stiffened, his shoulders tensing up again. His terror-filled eyes remained on Amy as he dragged in a long, shaky breath. He let it out as a sigh and lowered his gaze to his hands. "I've met him before. Many times. Before he was locked away." 

Shintaro started in confusion and shock, turning his head to stare at Ozai with furrowed eyebrows. Ozai had met Brethren, before Shintaro had caged him? When was this? When Brethren had gone away from home for a few days at a time every few months? What had Brethren been doing to Ozai? Had they been friends? Why was Ozai so horrified of Brethren? Did those trips have something to do with that? Why hadn't Shintaro met Ozai before? How did Brethren and Ozai know each other? 

"You... met him?" Linda asked, her tone hiding almost every single question that everyone was asking themselves: How and when and why? 

Ozai took another shaky breath and nodded vigorously. He opened his mouth like he was going to speak, then suddenly squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his palms to the sides of his face. As Shintaro stared at him in confusion and shock, Ozai's shoulders began trembling again. 

"Are you alright?" Rachel asked concernedly, placing her plate on the coffee table and tilting her head worriedly at Ozai, who wasn't paying her any attention. "Hello? Ozai? Are you okay?" 

Linda abruptly hopped off the couch, landing delicately on her feet. She marched toward Ozai and got onto her knees in front of him, folding her hands against her legs. "Ozai. Ozai, look at me. Ozai!" 

Rachel and Shintaro stood up as well, both equally confused - but Rachel more concerned. Shintaro couldn't say he wasn't concerned for Ozai, but his confusion and shock was preventing him from worrying too much.

He couldn't shove his questions aside as he watched Ozai curl forward slightly. 

How long had Brethren and Ozai known each other? 

Why had they known each other? 

Was Brethren afraid of Ozai's power? 

Was Ozai afraid of Brethren's power? 

Were they planning something against each other? 

Why had Ozai known Brethren? 

Why hadn't Brethren told Shintaro? 

Were they related? 

What was going to happen now? 

How would they defeat Brethren without the key? 

Why? 

Why? 

How? 

HOW? 

WHAT?

Shintaro was snapped back into the present when Falte, Abby, Nanami, Zeke, Gabriel, and Ruby came downstairs. Falte was instantly by Ozai's side, asking what was going on with a concerned look. The others were hanging back with confused faces, but Shintaro could see their worry. 

Falte reached forward to touch Ozai's shoulder, and immediately they figured out that that was a mistake. Ozai made a strange yelping sound and jerked forward, slamming his forehead into Linda's nose. She barreled backward, her hand flying up to her face and her other catching herself. Ozai sharply jolted backward again, narrowly avoiding knocking Falte in the shins. 

Finally, Shintaro realized what was going on. 

Because he knew what that was like, too. 

Ozai was freaking out. 

Taking a breath through his nose, Shintaro gently moved around Moon - who was looking from Linda to Ozai in absolute confusion - and touched Linda's shoulder. "Are you alright?" he asked her, listing his head to see past her fingers. 

"Mm," she said, lifting her free hand and waving him off. 

Shintaro, knowing that meant she was fine, turned toward Ozai, who had righted himself and was sitting on his legs with his arms wrapped around his torso and his eyes squeezed shut. Carefully, Shintaro knelt down in front of the trembling man. 

And slapped him.

Ozai's head jerked sideways, but nothing else moved. His red eyes flew open, focusing on the TV shelf, which was to his right and Shintaro's left. His jaw tensed, and he stiffened to keep from trembling harder. After a few moments, his jaw relaxed, and he opened his mouth to take a steadying breath. 

"Feeling better?" Shintaro asked shortly, drawing Ozai's attention to him. 

Ozai blinked at Shintaro, lifting his hand to touch his reddening cheek - but he nodded. "Yes. Yes, I do. Thanks." His shoulders relaxed, and he looked away from Shintaro to find the rest of his company staring at him. "Sorry," he said sheepishly. "I'm alright now. That... I'm fine." 

"Are you sure?" Falte asked genuinely. "Do you want water, or something?" 

"I'm alright, thank you," Ozai said with a smile, but this time it looked a little more forced. 

Shintaro stood up and backed away. 

He had to be by himself. 

He had to think.

He had to find the answers to why Ozai knew Brethren. 

~

WOW, this one was long. Not as long as my longest chapter ever, but YEESH-

This one was LONG-

But hey, it turned out pretty well. 

THE QUESTIONS

THE QUESTIONS

THE QUESTIONS!! 

WHAT WILL WE EVER TO DO FIND OUT THE ANSWERS?!

Well, thank you all for reading! I'm surprised I got this chapter out today. I wasn't at all in the writing mood before, but I guess it came back XD. 

Love y'all!! :)

P3ac3!!!~~