*We last left our heroes following the defeat of Levanté's warriors.*
Laurenza: *Her eyes fill with tears.* No… No… NO! Levanté...
Thorn: *Doesn't understand why she is so upset. He speaks softly, as if Laurenza was merely saddened by seeing a dead body..* Do not weep for him, my Queen.
Laurenza: *Stands and runs to him, crying over his stiff body.*
Thorn: *A nagging understanding forms in Thorn's mind. Laurenza really was weeping for Levanté.* It's time I brought my actions away from people I respect. *He turns away from Laurenza, not wanting to see her cry or deal with the guilt of having killed someone she felt for.*
Laurenza: *Barely audible through the sobs.* Thorn?
Thorn: I did not know you wanted him to live. *Closes his eyes.* I cannot be around you, my Queen.
Laurenza: Don't... go... It wasn't your fault!
Thorn: *Seems to disagree. He spreads his wings.* I came to find the thing you were missing. And I have taken that thing away from you forever. *Starts to fly towards the window.* I cannot apologise. I must go.
*The members of the Circle begin to talk under their breath to each other. Kuja leans against a wall, and with a slightly sick smile, draws up one hand and waves. Thorn and Laurenza both do not notice.*
Laurenza: Thorn...
Thorn: *About a meter in the air.* How can you speak to me, after what I've done?
Laurenza: *Looks down.* It's me who should be apologising. I was the one who dragged you into this stupid mess, and didn't explain fully why.
Thorn: *Lands, but has tears in his eyes.* All I can do is kill… for a thousand years that's all I did. I never knew how to help or love... until I met you.
Laurenza: *Is moved to see Thorn crying, as much as is she is to hear him say such a thing about her.* Thorn... *Gently places her arms around him.*
Thorn: *Stands rigid, with his arms by his side. He pushes her away , turns away from her and covers his eyes with his arm.*
Laurenza: *Her tears cease as she speaks suddenly.* I was wrong to cry for him. When I first saw him, he stole my heart. But he was married and didn't want me, so I wanted to overpower him and claim him as my own... but... *She can't bring herself to say it.*
Thorn: But? *Turns around.*
Laurenza: He was too strong for me, so I found you, and this is where we are now.
Thorn: Where?
Laurenza: I don't know… *Steps closer to him.* Where are we?
Thorn: *Looks a little nervous and turns away again. He then sees that the other warriors are wounded.* Let's see if we can fix this... *Waves his hand slowly. The cuts and bruises of the Circle are all healed.*
Falos: You're just full of neat tricks, aren't you?
Thorn: Well, I like things to go my way... *Turns back to Laurenza and sees that her head is still bleeding.* You're hurt...
Laurenza: It's only a scratch. *Laughs.* Compared to what you did to Garin afterwards.
Thorn: It takes a bit of rage behind that spell to make it work powerful enough... *Puts his hands on her shoulders. He bends forward and kisses her forehead, it shines for a moment and the cuts heal.*
Laurenza: *Blushes.* Now that's a neat trick.
Thorn: It's no illusion. Feel... *He reaches for her hand and brings it up to her face.*
Laurenza: *It takes her a moment to notice he is holding her hand and that his hand is no longer pale and veined as it usually is, but alive and peach-coloured.* …So it is.
Thorn: *Stares into her eyes.* What now, my Queen?
Laurenza: *Looks back at him, feeling all confused inside.* I don't know... *Falls to the ground.* Everything seems so futile now!
Thorn: *Picks her up.* Laurenza, you have to move on! You have to keep going, no matter what. Levanté is gone, but you cannot let him destroy you like this. It's just what he'd want...
Laurenza: You're right. *A malevolent smile spread across her face as she draws her arms out. The room is filled with a dark glow.* I am still the Dark Queen and nothing will stop me! I can do anything I want!
Thorn: *Smiles a little.* ...Have anyone...
Laurenza: Yeah! No one defies me… Levanté defied me and he died! *Laughs darkly, a laugh most unlike her own.*
*The members of the Circle look at Laurenza like she's gone mad.*
Thorn: Of course, my Queen.
Laurenza: Are you going to stay with me? I thought you might move on.
Thorn: Now, if I did move on, would I be defying you?
Laurenza: Hmm… *Slyly.* Who said I wanted you?
Thorn: *Is a little surprised by her sudden change in mood.* In other words, my Queen, do you want me to spread my wings and leave you forever?
Laurenza: Hey I was only kidding. Lighten up! *Grins.*
Thorn: *Smiles.* I... could stay.
Laurenza: Do you have somewhere else to be?
Thorn: No...
Laurenza: Where would you go...?
Thorn: There would be nowhere else to go that would accept me...
Laurenza: You're welcome to stay here.
Thorn: Hmmm... Could I have my own room?
Laurenza: Okay, Mr. Thorizas, how would you like your own ensuite bathroom as well?
Thorn: Okay.
Laurenza: By the way I was being sarcastic. You get your own room, but you share a bathroom with everyone else. Except me, of course, I get my own.
Thorn: I understand... completely...
Laurenza: Of course you do. *Pats his head.*
Thorn: Well, my Queen, I shall be in my room if you need me. *Teleports there.*
Kuja: Oh god, that moron is staying with us?
Thorn's Voice: I heard that.
Kuja: Want to make something of it?
Thorn: *Says nothing.*
Kuja: Asshole. *To Laurenza.* I'll be in my room until you plan our next travesty. *Walks out.*
*Kuja walks straight into Thorn's hand, which clenches around his neck. Thorn looks bloodthirsty.*
Thorn: You ought to show me a little respect, Kuja, or you may find yourself impaled upon your own sword as well... *Vanishes.*
Kuja: I don't have a sword. *Laughs.*
Thorn's Voice: I didn't mean it literally.
Kuja: Oooh, I'm shaking!

*Later on that night, Laurenza is in her room, looking out the window, lamenting that Thorn and Kuja had been arguing again. She knew why Kuja hated Thorn so much, but she could not tell Thorn. Not yet, at least. Her mind suddenly rests on Levanté. He was still in her mind, whether she wanted him there or not.*
Laurenza: Why...? Stupid me... forget him. But what shall I do now? Garin's gone... Thorn and Kuja are fighting…
*She suddenly hears a voice behind her.*
Thorn: You have yourself... that's all you need now...
Laurenza: Eavesdropping isn't nice, you know.
Thorn: You were screaming it, my Queen. It's hard not to hear it.
Laurenza: *Doesn't really understand what Thorn means, as she hadn't been speaking loudly.*
Thorn: I am sorry to disturb you; my place is not in your room...
Laurenza: Don't go. *Grabs hold of his hand.* I need some company because if I'm alone, I'm left torturing myself in my own mind.
Thorn: You should find company in yourself, my Queen. Once, there were fourteen great armies around me. It was the loneliest time of my life. And there were over 14,000 people there. When I awoke, I knew I had died. It felt strange. I knew that I had to keep myself company.
Laurenza: ...You died?
Thorn: In a way. There is only one thing that will truly kill me. Only I know what it is and that it how it will stay.
Laurenza: Good plan.
Thorn: I was sent to the Eternal Etheria, the place where… the dead go when they 'die'. I got my powers back, though, and made a new body to inhabit. I knew I had to keep low, I stayed in a cave for about three months, totally alone, but I felt that myself was all I needed. That is how you must feel.
Laurenza: No… I don't want to feel like that. I want to have people around me. People I can trust in, people whom I can care for, and who care for me.
Thorn: Isn't that what everyone wants?
Laurenza: Maybe, but I want it too.
Thorn: Me too.
Laurenza: Really? *Looks surprised.* I thought that you were Mr. Solo.
Thorn: I have never had anybody to trust, I had to be Mr. Solo.
Laurenza: Well, you do now.
Thorn: What do you mean?
Laurenza: You have people to trust in.
Thorn: Really? I can't think of anyone. *Grins teasingly.*
Laurenza: Oh, you're terrible! *Pouts.*
Thorn: Heh heh… Do you mean to say that I can trust you?
Laurenza: Yes. I mean, if I wanted you dead, I wouldn't give you a roof over your head, now would I?
Thorn: I know I can... trust you.
Laurenza: Thank you.
Thorn: *Puts his hand on her hand.* Do you trust... me?
Laurenza: *Looks at his hand.* Yeah... I guess.
Thorn: *Sounds nervous.* Good...
Laurenza: *Smiles and puts her head on his shoulder.*
Thorn: *Puts his arms around her.*
Laurenza: *For the first time in a while, Laurenza feels not only warm and safe, but loved. She puts her arms around him and looks up at him.* I more than trust you...
Thorn: *Looks at her.*
Laurenza: *Lifts her head off his shoulder and begins to kiss him, not knowing whether Thorn even wants to be kissed.*
Thorn: *Not only accepts her kiss, but kisses her back, for a few minutes.*
*It takes them a few minutes to notice that the rest of the gang are looking at them through the open door.*
Kuja: Hand me a barf bag.
Thorn: *His voice echoes, though his mouth is occupied.* Stop and watch, Kuja, you might learn something.
*They laugh at Kuja's expense.*
Kuja: *Scowls.*
Falos: Aren't they sweet?
Tifanel: Yeah... reminds me of someone special back home.
Thorn: *Has stopped kissing Laurenza and is now looking at her with a kind smile on his face.* I believe you've all seen enough. *Waves his hand towards the door and it closes in their faces.*
Kuja: *Icily, from the other side of the door.* First a kiss, then your life. That woman will do nothing but hurt you.
Thorn: *Shouts.* Never refer to her as a mere woman! *The door flies off its hinges. Thorn is floating in the air, not suspended by his wings, but by an unseen force. His face was showing pure fury and his eyes seem to be glowing red.*
*Everyone but Kuja steps back slowly.*
Kuja: *Does not seem afraid of Thorn.* What? Shall I call her a man? *Laughs.*
Thorn: *To Laurenza.* How can you let him say those things about you?
Laurenza: *Stands, her hair flowing about, as if blown by unfelt wind. Her eyes are shining with malice.* I don't...
Thorn: That's my girl. Remember what I said, you don't need him!
Kuja: What a charming couple. Mr. and Mrs. Evil, I presume?
Thorn: *Dark energy flies out of Thorn's hands, though much more powerful than the stuff that Garin got in the way of.*
Kuja: *Transforms into a mist-like form and moves out the way.*
Thorn: No one... NO ONE lives when I decide to kill them!
Kuja: *Reforms, but with a cloud of fog around him so Thorn cannot hit him.* I am not like that fool, Garin!
Thorn: You can run, Kuja, but you cannot hide!
Kuja: Think again! *He disappears into the air once more.*
Laurenza: Kuja, get back here!
Thorn: Mirror, Fog, Smoke, Illusion...! *His eyes glow and he spots the soul of Kuja.* I see you, boy!
Kuja: Waah! That's not fair! *Reforms.*
Thorn: I told you!
Kuja: *Knowing his fog is now useless, he seems to picks it up and throw it at Thorn.*
Thorn: *Blasts it with Magick, causing it to dissipate like a cloud.*
Kuja: Drat. Eat this! *Holds up his hand and begins to talk under his breath.* Oh elemental forces from which this world was born… Cleansing flames that erase the evil… Torrential storms that ravage the land… Purifying ice that immobilizes all… Tetrastorm! * A cage of lightning surrounds Thorn. He is then imprisoned in a block of ice and is frozen and shocked at the same time. Next he is drenched with a heavy shower of rain and scorched with intense flames.*
Thorn: *Falls to the floor and is knocked out. He remains motionless and appears dead.*