Skye Prower

"Go with Dylan Skye," said Melody. "It won't take me or Anna long to reach Haven." Skye nodded.

"That's a good idea," said Skye. "Mom should be there too," added Anna.

"Can we, can you take him to Haven then?" asked Melody, starting to tear up with worry.

"Dad's collapsed. We need help," explained Skye.

"What's happened to Dad?" asked Anna as she ran up. "I dunno. We need to get him help..." said Melody. "Mel... you and I should run and find a doctor. With our speed it shouldn't take long."

"The... the hotel then?" suggested Melody as Anna arrived.

"Does... does anyone know first-aid... how to help him?" asked Melody. "Shadow, can you take him to a hospital?"

Melody looked around and saw Locke falling off his chair. With a shocked cry of 'DAD!' she ran to his side. The shout also seemed to knock Skye out of his stupor, and he also hurried over. ---------- "I'm... This might sound a little silly, but I'm not sure who I am anymore. With all these things that have been warping my mind I..." her words broke off when she heard Melody's cry.

Melody sat down next to Skye. "Skye?" she asked her brother. He just seemed to be staring off into the middle distance. "Was I wrong...? All this time..? Was it not his fault...?" ------------- Anna hadn't gone far from the cafe. She was sitting on the edge of the beach, letting the waves lap against her feet.

Both Skye and Melody jumped when Glen spoke. "You.. you were listening?" asked Melody with shock. Skye slumped down on the ground. Anna stood up and started walking away from the cafe.

Anna looked around, unsure who to turn to as Skye and Melody had walked off and Locke and Shadow were arguing. She slumped slightly in her chair. Melody kept pushing Skye along until she thought they were out of earshot. "Melody, what are you...?" began Skye. "Skye I... I've just realised something. I... I don't think we can blame Mother and Father for our upbringing," said Melody in a hushed voice. "We... That's crazy Melody. How the @&%$£ do..." "Will you SHUT UP and listen to me," interrupted Melody. "Mother was driven by her lust for more powers, right? And she got that drive from the Power ritual, right?" "Well, yeah. It looks that way. But..." "And then there's Father. And if what Anna said makes sense, for that ritual he gave up his memories of his parents. His HAPPY memories. So when he became a Father..." "Are you... Did he.... Are you saying that ritual made him not know how to act as a Father. That this one ritual caused all of our families misery?" "You know what Moebius magic is like Skye. It tries to corrupt and warp the intent. If Miles gave Mina powers because he loved her, is it any wonder the magic used in the ritual would try and distort that aim."

Melody looked between Anna and Skye. The wheels were beginning to turn in her mind. She walked over to Skye and placed a hand on his shoulder. Skye turned to look at her, and she indicated with her head that the two of them should walk away from the group for a moment. Skye looked confused, but followed her. "So is there any way to... fix me...?" asked Anna. "Get rid of this... effect?"

"I... I know that I can't be like by everyone. That the people here are the ones who count.... But... Somehow... I have to try... I have to...." stammered Anna. "Like you used to feel about gaining powers..." murmured Skye. "Oh god. Anna.... When did that drive to acquire new power start?" he asked. "Start?... I think... just after I got my speed I... wanted...more... Wait." Anna's mouth dropped open. "That was it, wasn't it? That was the side effect of the power spell, wasn't it?" "I think so," said Skye nodding. "And now, when your personality changed, it got warped too."

Melody step forward next to Hope. "Hope. Calm down please. Getting angry won't help matters. We already know that, remember?" said Melody, trying to calm Hope down. "And Anna," she continued, "what's this about 'having' to be liked? You know that's not possible." "It... it has to be," said Anna. "Like I used to feel about gaining more powers. I can't... I can't stand the thought of someone not liking me now."

"But... but I have to be... I have to be liked by everyone," said Anna, rubbing her hands together.

"I.. I thought I had..." replied Anna. "I... I do like having these powers. But the way I got them was wrong. And... it makes me feel guilty having them and... and..." her voice got smaller, "I don't think Shadow will really like me until I get rid of what I stole. I want everyone to like me."

"I'm... I'm not putting who I am on the line... I'm trying to avoid that. But these Chaos Powers are not part of who I am. I stole them. I don't deserve them," said Anna to Locke

"Well we'll.." Skye began to say to Spark before being cut off by Locke. "But... but Dad..." began Anna

"Hmm, that might work," said Skye thoughtfully. "If one of us was performing the ritual, and the other was working on the, for want of a better word, targeting. You've got speed and Chaos powers as well? So it would make sense if you did the targeting. You know what those powers are like.

"I... I don't think I'd ever be much use to the Guardians. And I'm not happy with what I did to gain these powers. I... I know I'm lucky... but..." she glanced at Shadow.

"Well Skye?" asked Anna. Skye gulped and sat down. "Uh, well. Any ritual or spell to remove your Chaos Powers will be safe, but there is a chance it might remove your speed. Maybe.... 50/50 I'd guess. The one to gain a new powers, well, you suggested sacrificing your Chaos Powers.... If part of you wants to keep them, that should work, but there is a small chance of a side effect. For example, I think when you got your speed it also made you slightly hyperactive," explained Skye.

"Only one way to..." began Skye and Shadow appeared, "...find out... I guess we'll know soon." "I know he does like me, but..." Anna looked up when Shadow appeared. "Uh, Shadow... did... did Melody tell you?"

Melody quickly explained to Shadow everything that Anna and the rest of them had said about spells and rituals.

"If Anna goes though with this, I'm likely the one doing the ritual, so I might not be able to sit it out," replied Skye to Glen. -------------- Melody nodded and sped off the hotel. "Shadow? You here? Anna might be deciding on doing something really stupid for you!" -------------- "I... I won't die horribly. This could work Dad. I don't know if Shadow will like me until I do this. I want him to like me. I want everyone to like me!"

"I suppose he is now. I wonder who will be in his place," Skye pondered. His ears pricked up. "Actually Dad, if I read the spell properly, you can. It's tricky, but you can." "And Shadow might know I'm sorry, but I don't think he'll ever fully forgive me unless I at least try to do this." "I get the feeling Shadow should be here for this," Melody said to Hope.