Aoi seemed kind of distant.

"I forgive you but...it could have killed me. And it could have killed you. You should have warned us!"

Aoi faced away from Pyrus. Terra tilted her head, sad.

Pyrus kept crying, and choked put, *i thought he wasnt a problem. hes been dormant for years. and i dont like talking about him becuase...* he stopped and kept crying.

Coleen leaned over him. *becuase what?*

Pyrus yelled, furious at himself, *and he made me KILL my parents!*

Coleen backed up, shocked, as Pyrus rambled, *when i was 5, he was strong, and i was weaker than i was now. so he took control, and 'gave' me my Shifting powers. and he wanted to test them, so he took control of me, and made me Shift into a T. Rex. then i...* he broke off, swallowed, then said, *i killed them. i ate my parents. and he made me love it, and for the next 4 years, i was his servant. his mionion. his pawn. he made me love killing, love blood, and love destroying lives. i finnally managed to break from his control, and he said in my mind, 'you wont kill anymore. but youll kill yourself, while your alive.' then he dissapared, and i havent heared him since, from my mind or the outside. and... i hoped he was dead. i hoped Master was gone.* he sighed bitterly and turned away. *i guess not. and, his 'teachings' havent gone away. i now have this bloodlust thats always within me, waiting for me to make my kill. and... im sorry. i dont want to keep any secrets from you, but he was my Master. i hoped he was gone, and that he wouldnt be a problem for anyone.*

Coleen blinked, shocked. *wow.*

Aoi still doesn't talk, before speaking. "You aren't the only one..."

Pyrus stopped crying for the moment, and looked at Aoi. *im sorry about your parents. And Im sorry about hiding things. I just hoped that he was gone, and I didnt want to bring him up becuase I was worried he would wake up and control me again. I... i was scared. He made me his slave for 4 years. No, not a slave. A killing machine. An animal. His minion.* he started crying and said, *im sorry. I... I have to go.* and he got up, Shifted so he had Pterodactyl wings, took off, and was immediately thrown away from the tree by an invisible force. He didnt mind. He just kept crying and flying away.

Coleen turned away, upset. *Aoi, Im sorry.*

Aoi started to tear up as well. "I was just 2...My parents, a demon and an angel, loved each other and me. But one day, I was so stupid, and I wandered into a forest. And that's when that stupid thing attacked me. My parents didn't even know. And as that stupid thing made me stand above their bleeding bodies, they still told me that they loved me, and that they hope I would overcome it...BUT I COULDN'T EVEN DO THAT! THE ONLY TIME I HELP ANYONE IS WHEN I CAN'T CONTROL MYSELF! AND EVEN THEN I JUST KILL SOMEONE WHO HAS A FAMILY AND PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM! I'M JUST STUPID! I'M ALWAYS SO STUPID!"

By the time she stopped speaking, it was because she was crying to hard to continue. She fell onto her knees, still weeping.

Terra landed on her shoulder, and nuzzled her cheek. "I'm sorry, Aoi. We've been trying really hard to kill or purify the shadow monsters. We don't want to let more awful things happen. We'll make sure it all works out. We promise. All of us."

Coleen nodded. *and in the future, you and Pyrus did great things. You... well, I cant tell you, but suffice to say it was extraordinary. And Im sorry. But Aoi, your not stupid. Your one of the smartest people I know. And the bravest. You are amazing. And the thing is, I wouldnt be here without you both. Quite literally.*

Pyrus has perched nearby, and was listening. He wiped the tears away, shook his head, and took flight again. But instead of flying back to the tree, he was flying towards the clouds.

Correction. The thunderstorm right above him. With lightning raining down. Right next to him.

Coleen turned and saw Pyrus, and her mouth dropped. *ok, no joke, thats the stupidest thing hes ever done.*

Aoi noticed him, and tried to get up to stop him, but then fell back down, crying out of panic now.

Terra flew towards him, and then turned completely invisible, and flew over him, shielding him from a lightning strike.

Pyrus looked down at them sadly and yelled, *im sorry! But i have to do this! After this, no more risks, but I have to do this!* he flew higher at a rapid speed, breaking away from his sheid. A second later, a bolt of lightning struck him, making his body glow and his bones shine. And, as the electricity flowed through him he

split

in

half. A clean cut, right through his body. His head, chest, just right through. But no blood.

His halves fell to the earth, but shockingly began repearing themselves, and making 2 of Pyruses bodies. And their eyes flared open.

Ones eyes were human. And ones were reptilian.

Pyrus and Dark Pyrus. (Yeah, he didnt die. Hes always a part of Pyrus.)

Coleen gasped. *what.*

The 2 boys rose and began circling each other, growling, and Shifimg into different, larger, and dealdly dinosaurs.

Welcome to round 2.

Terra fell from the sky from accidentally being knocked down by Pyrus.

She stopped becoming invisible. Then she flew up to the door at the tree's top, and unlocked it, closing it behind her. A loud noise echoed from the tree, and the ground shook. A group of people appeared, and Lilli got the strength to stand up. Terra flew back out, and turned towards Pyrus. "Good Pyrus! Give me a sign!"

They both waved, but it was easy to tell them apart by their eyes (Dark Pyrus has reptile slits). Oh, and the fact that Dark Pyrus has Shifted and was trying to kill Good Pyrus. Next thing you know, the boys were dealing out punches, scratches, and bites.

Coleen watched, worried, as her hand flickered. *what do we do?*