The exchange

Christian places his head against Chara's chest holding a throw-up bag that she had obtained from Carol, she rubs his head as he hands it to her.

Plopping back on the bed he throws the blankets back on resting, he turns his head to her miserably, "Give it another day Master Christian..."

"Please no need for formalities."

"As long as we can rebuild the clan you must be treated a high figure now."

"I guess so..."

"Please get some rest," Chara replies.

"How is Alex by the way?"

She is deathly silent hearing him even mutter his name, she pauses wondering if she should lie or not, "Do you want a lie or the truth?"

He sits back up clutching the blankets tight around him getting up feeling worse.

"Chara, where is he?"

"You shouldn't worry about him so much!"

"Then why won't tell me?"

"No one knows how to deal with his tantrums lately..."

"Tantrums?"

"Alice has been showing up in his dreams..."

Christian stares up at the small mirror on the desk the second she mentions it, turning his attention back to Chara, "Send him to sleep with me Chara."

"Are you sure?" Chara says almost panicking, "His tantrums are hard to deal with!"

"I am his Devil aren't I?"

"Please go back to bed, I will send him in shortly."

He sits on the edge of the bed watching Chara leave, the sound of smashing could be heard in the distance; Christian gets up leaving the cover on the bed.

Everyone is gathered at the doorway of the main hall where only a brick is found, Clarence is reading the note out loud.

"If you want the Witch of the Mountain back we are willing to exchange for Alex," Clarence says reading, handing the paper to Steel.

"Only an address where to meet is attached..." she replies.

"We can't give Master Alex to whomever this is!" Chara argues.

"Then we need a plan..." Shimon responds.

"They most likely had this planned from the beginning..." Mars states eye balling Alex from his position.

"I bet they realized they need Alex too..."Christian, they all twist to see him.

"You are finally up?" Steel questions, "Are you okay?"

"I am well enough, it's okay Lady Steel."

Clarence kneels placing his arms on Alex's shoulder, "Alex..."

"I already knew...you keep talking behind my back like you don't think I would not know..." Alex replies shoving his handoff.

"The dreams you been having?" Steel requests to know, "Alex what is going on?"

"Are you all believing Alex on this?" Shimon states, "He is no longer himself!"

"We don't have much to go on..." Clarence answers.

"We don't even know who it is!" Christian chimes, "His safety should come first!"

"Calm down Christian...we know!" Steel argues, "But...revered grandmother..."

"You are willing to give your clan-mate and my master to whoever this is?" Christian spouts enraged and visibly upset.

"Christian! We would never!" Clarence acknowledges, looking over at Steel he suddenly tenses up noticing her current expressions down to her curling fingers.

"Steel...are you alright?" Shimon says examining her hollow eyes gawk at him.

"Steel your eyes...Steel you are scaring me!" Clarence cries out trying to reach out to her, she gradually makes her way over to Alex.

She sticks her arm around his neck squeezing it tightly, his face turns red unable to breathe, Alex starts to flail his arms smacking his hands against her.

"Steel, let go you are hurting him!" Clarence demands.

He chokes out gasping for air wheezing as she smashes harder against his throat unable to fight back he digs his nails into her arm.

Christian gets an odd feeling pushing him to dash back into his room grabbing the mirror off the cabinet running back, "Are you, Alice?" Christian shouts holding it out to her.

She kicks the mirror out of his hand shattering it against the floor, Christian looks down heartbroken, "If anything you helped me find her...thank you, Devil!"

"Oh no...that means..." Christian says to himself, Steel drops Alex to the ground, he pushes everyone behind him.

Alex growls on all fours, Shimon tries to force him back, but he retracts coming forward, Steel's pupils and iris return to normal.

She hunches over collapsing to the floor, "Steel..." Clarence voices softly.

"What was that mirror Christian?" Shimon questions observing the pieces of glass scattered about, he starts to collect the pieces.

"Nothing..."

"You indeed brought that mirror out, Christian, explain please?" Clarence asks.

"It was nothing, I merely was not thinking," Christian responds hauling the fractured remains into a clear bag merely sitting it by the door.

"You should have stayed in bed then." Chara scolds, he only anxiously laughs.

"I will take Steel to her room, get some rest guys." Clarence declares humbly.

Shimon glances over at Christian taking Alex's hand, "Christian?'

"Hmmm..." Christian answers exhaustedly, "Yes Shimon?"

"I saw her..."

"Her?"

"In the mirror, there was a reflection of a beautiful long hair brunette, you knew she was there didn't you?"

"I did..."

"You thought Steel was possessed by that mirror, but it's not her."

"She really is Alice then...who was in Steel then..."

"We can figure out later, it's early in the morning Christian, good night."

Christian begins to laugh to himself, "Goodnight! What a terrible saying!" he boasts, Shimon notes only smirking.

"You are strange, but so isn't your master," Shimon adds leaving quietly.

Walking back to Christian's room his fatigue sets in slowly drifting to sleep, he has Alex sleep in the same bed with him as assurance, "Sleep well, master..."

Alex would sleep through the rest of the night without so much as a problem since the time Christian decidedly fused with his Devil.

They wake about eight or none at night together, "Devil..."

"Yes, Master Alex..."

"We need to save the witch, I want to go."

"Master please think about this."

"I am thinking, no one wants to hear me out!" Alex reels, "I feel trapped...treated like a child..."

"Master Alex..."

Small thumps at the door have them look up, "It's me, Mars!"

"Come in, it's open!"

Mars is holding the trashed-up mirror, "We need to talk Christian."

"The mirror?"

"There is magick permeating from this you idiot!" Mars roars in anger.

"Can I have it back then?" Christian asks, he tosses it back at him, "Thank you."

"Who were you scrying?"

"Alice...whatever entity it was now knowing where she is!"

"So that's the kind of fracture he is..." Mars says planting himself beside Christian and Alex, rubbing his eyes stuck in deep thought.

"What kind of fracture?" Christian interrupts Mars.

"That's why the letter was so vague because they are watching through Alex."

"His eyes?..."

"They could probably turn him off any second."

"You won't have to worry because I am handing myself over, Mars..."

"Alex..."

"We should go now to meet them, if you can prevent then you should!" Alex points out holding the paper in his hands merely smiling.

"You are looking for a death wish aren't you?" Mars expresses forlornly, "Why..."

"I have nothing more to live for..." Alex surveying the floor with tired eyes.

The door opens, "Alex, how you can say that?" Shimon cuts them off.

"Everything is a blur, even memories...Lucia is worth more than me, I made my mind up Mars. Let's leave right now." Alex said putting his foot down.

"I will try my best to protect you with my life Alex!" Mars responds with a bounce in his step, Shimon follows them out.

The small group walks to the door to find Clarence blocking the door with his hands out stretched, "You all talk too loud, no one is going anywhere!"

"Revered Grandmother needs us, Clarence!" Alex expresses exuding confidence readying his claws for use, Shimon pulls his sword out all the while Christian nervously places his hand behind his head laughing.

Mars draws a magick stance as though he fully understood magick, Clarence sighs.

"You really are prepared to go then aren't you?"

"I will come back safe and sound, watch the mistress please..."

"Christian, you better bring your master and grandmother back!"

"Of course!" He spouts hold his mouth, "Please trust me, Clarence!"