"There's notiing you can do, darling." Leanansidhe breezed through the doorway, her face a porcelain mask, eyes glowing green. "Fortunately, I know a mortal doctor who might be able to help. If he cannot revive the streetrats, then there is no hope for them. You are leaving, I presume?"

She stands. " Yes. I have to stop Ash. "

She sighed. "If there is one thing Ive learned about humans, its that they become absolutely unreasonable when it comes to family." She sniffed and waved her hand. "So go, darling. Rescue your mother and father and brother and get it over with. My door will still be open when you come back. If were still alive, that is."

"PRINCESS!" Ironhorse bashed the door open, skidding to a halt in the middle of the room, breathing hard. "ARE YOU HURT? WHAT HAS HAPPENED?"

" Ironhorse, i'm not hurt. But I have to leave. "

"WHAT ABOUT THE SCEPTER?" he continued. "WE MUST RETRIEVE IT BEFORE VIRUS HAS IT MOVED. SHE IS VULNURABLE NOW AND WILL NOT BE EXPECTING US. NOW IS THE TIME TO ATTACK."

" You can go get. But I'm going back home before Ash gets to my family. "

"VERY WELL," Ironhorse said. "THEN I WILL COME WITH YOU."

Grim decided to pipe up. "A quaint idea," the cat mused, leaping onto the table, "and exactly what Virus is hoping for. We must have scared her quite a bit for her to react so dramatically. If we abandon the mission now, we might never find her again."

" Then what do you want me to do?! Leave my family to die?! "

"I DO NOT LIKE LEAVING YOU ALONE, PRINCESS." Ironhorse raised his head in a proud, stubborn manner. "I SWORE I WOULD PROTECT YOU."

" Thank you, Ironhorse, but you should go get the scepter. "