*We last left our heroes following the defeat of Ares. They have just heard a loud crash from another chamber.*
Thorn: Is it me, or is it just one thing after another?
Laurenza: Yep. I swear we live in a soap opera sometimes...
Thorn: We should check it out.
Laurenza: Right.
*The gang head to the direction of the noise and find that it was caused by a vase being knocked off a windowsill. The window is very slightly open.*
Tifanel: Poltergeist?
Kuja: Or someone's in the castle... *Closes the window.*
Laurenza: Maybe I should start locking the door...
Tifanel: Or fix the massive hole in the wall.
*From a cupboard, a sneeze is heard.*
Kuja: Wow, this person's good at hiding...
Kitzie: Or the cupboard's got a cold.
Thorn: *Walks up to the cupboard and opens it to find girl of 10 or 11 with black hair tied with a pink ribbon and dark blue eyes. She is clutching a black cat.*
Girl: I've been seen! *Gets up and dodges round Thorn, and legs it out of the room.*
Thorn: What the?
Laurenza: Well, that wasn't quite what I expected.
Lierlo: Perhaps she is a thief?
Kitzie: We should catch her!
Thorn: *Clicks his fingers and the girl appears next to them.*
Girl: Wah! I hate it when you do that!
Thorn: I've... only done it once...
Girl: Umm umm... I was talking to Lu! *Holds up the cat.* He... he scratched me!
Laurenza: Yes. Would you mind telling us who you are, and what you are doing here?
Girl: My name's... Ana and I.... got lost.... and cold and stuff so I came in here.
Thorn: Where do you come from?
Ana: My mum and dad. *Grins.*
Thorn: I mean your home...
Ana: Can't say.
Thorn: Why not?
Ana: Because it's none of your business.
Thorn: Oh.
Kuja: So you think it's perfectly all right to just waltz into our home, which isn't your business.
Ana: I told you before, make up boy I needed to find somewhere to stay. You wouldn't leave a little girl out in the cold, would you? *Makes innocent, puppy dog eyes.*
Kuja: Next time, how about you use this new fangled invention called a door and not climb in through a window, breaking things on the way?
Ana: I had to sneak in, 'cos I wanted to avoid an ugly situation like this!
Kuja: Yes, and that worked so well, didn't it?
Laurenza: Hey guys, cool it a bit. I'm sure she didn't mean any harm, and I'm sure we can spare a room for her for the night.
Ana: Thank you.
Kuja: Try not to break anything else.
Ana: *Walks up to Kuja, smiles and punches him hard in the chest. Laughing, she runs off upstairs.*
Thorn: Nice girl.
Kuja: *Bends over clutching his chest.* Yeah, she's a real peach.
Laurenza: Well, it's getting late. I think I'm going to turn in for the night, but you guys can go in your own time. *Glances sharply at Kuja.* In your own beds.
Kuja: Eh heh…
Thorn: *Looks down sadly.*
Laurenza: *Heads out of the room, saying a quiet 'sorry' to Thorn, and goes upstairs.*
Thorn: G'night. *Heads to his room.*

*That night, Ana is sneaking around the castle apparently talking to someone.*
Ana: Yeah, it seems like the same place but it sure is different.
Male Voice: As time passes things change.
Ana: I just hope I'm not too late.
Voice: I'm sure you're not, but it would have been better if you hadn't been seen.
Ana: I'm sorry, Lu, but I'm not that good at hiding.
Lu: Or being discreet, keep your voice down!
Thorn: *Comes out of a door they just happen to be passing.* Ana? What are you doing here? It's very late.
Ana: Looking… for the bathroom? *Grins.*
Thorn: Were you talking to someone?
Ana: No.
Thorn: Please don't lie to me, I heard you. *Clicks his fingers and the lanterns start burning, casting light everywhere.*
Ana: Neato.
Thorn: Who were you talking to?
Ana: My cat.
Thorn: And...your cat was answering back?
Ana: Um...
Lu: Meow.
Ana: I'm very good at throwing my voice.
Thorn: *Grabs her by her collar and lifts her up to the wall.* I'm good at throwing other things. Tell me what's going on.
*Lu jumps off Ana's shoulder and scratches Thorn across the face. Thorn lets go of Ana and holds his face, and Ana and Lu run for it.*
Thorn: *Looks up and holds out his hand towards the two of them.* Vincere! *Blue energy fires from his hand and stops the two of them in their tracks.*
Ana: Stupid Magick!
Thorn: It can be very useful. *The scars on his face disappear thanks to a spell*
Now, tell me what you two are doing here, really.
Ana: I can't.
Thorn: Really? *Holds up his hand threateningly at them.* Can you now?
Ana: You don't know what terrible things could happen if I tell you!
Thorn: I've seen horrors you couldn't imagine... granted I've... been the cause of most of them, but...
Ana: I am Princess Ilyana Lorelai Rendemal, heir to the Dalimoorian throne.
Thorn: That's not possible, the real heir is not born yet.
Ana: Feh, you wanted me to tell you.
Thorn: *Raises his hand again.* I wanted you to tell me the truth.
Ana: But Thorn, it is true! I can prove it.
Thorn: *Raises an eyebrow.*
Ana: Um um, my mum and dad are called Laurenza and Kuja. My big sis is called Kitzie and there's uncle Tiffy and Lierlo too.
Thorn: How do you know all their names?
Ana: Because they raised me! They're my family and friends.
Thorn: You've only known them for a few minutes!
Lu: It doesn't look like he's going to believe you, Ilyana. Shall we lie to him, instead?
Thorn: I'm just a little confused... Are you from the future or something?
Ana: Well done. Do you want a medal?
Thorn: But how?
Lu: Luchianno Wildfire, Time Spirit and household pet, at your service.
Thorn: Okay... if you are from the future, why have you come back?
Ana: Now that's the part I really can't tell you.
Thorn: I'm too involved now. It would be like only reading half of the book.
Ana: Yeah, but if I told you what's happened in the future, it'll be like skipping to the end of the book.
Thorn: Ok, then just give me the blurb. Why have you come back?
Ana: Because something has happened in the future.
Thorn: And you've come back to fix it.
Ana: You're getting really good at this. Ever considered going on a game show?
Thorn: You can't change the past.
Ana: Just watch me.
Thorn: For a start, I haven't released you yet.
Ana: Oh this? I could break out of this spell any time I wanted.
Thorn: Then why don't you?
Ana: Because my parents don't let me use my powers. But since they're not around... *Black wings appear on her back. She shatters Thorn's spell and teleports away.*
Thorn: Usually I'm the one to do that...
*Laurenza comes running up to Thorn with Kuja closely following*
Laurenza: What's all the noise about?
Thorn: Impeccable timing, your majesty.
Kuja: What's going on?
Thorn: Ana. She said she was from the future and that she was yours and
Laurenza's child.
Laurenza: Ah...
Kuja: I can't believe it.
Thorn: I was holding her... with Magick... and she has powers. She broke out of it and teleported away.
Kuja: That doesn't prove anything! Lots of people have powers.
Thorn: I couldn't stop her... She's a kid and...
Kuja: She just can't be, can she? She hit me, the little...
Laurenza: I don't know, she does have dark hair like mine...
Thorn: She knew everyone: you two, Kitzie, Lierlo, Tifanel...
Kuja: Maybe she was hiding in the castle, spying on us for a long time before we found her, and she found out all our names and…
Thorn: *Shrugs.* It's possible....
Laurenza: Hmm, perhaps we should find her and talk to her more, and find out the truth.
Thorn: *Nods.*
Kuja: Can't it wait till morning? I'm shattered.
Laurenza: I suppose.
Thorn: Okay... *Goes to his room.*

*The next morning, Ana is in the castle kitchen, rummaging through fridge.*
Ana: Hungry, hungry, hungry! Eww, mushrooms! *Throws them out the fridge.*
Lu: This isn't your house you know, well sort of, you know what I mean. You shouldn't just be going through their fridge like that.
Ana: Ooh look, tuna.
Lu: *Grins.* Carry on.
Ana: Oh yeah, jackpot! Leftover takeaway. *Walks out of the kitchen eating the
food to find Thorn is standing in her way.*
Thorn: Good morning.
Ana: Want some?
Thorn: *Curtly.* No thanks.
Ana: Is something up? You seem a bit grouchy this morning.
Thorn: Well, you kinda got me in a bad mood.
Ana: What did I do?
Thorn: You're not exactly being very co-operative. Tell me why you're back from the future.
Ana: Things are very bad in the future... I'm not sure I should… *Sighs.* Forget it. The jig's up now. It's all my fault. They wouldn't be this way if I'd never been born.
Thorn: Look, usually, you sort out problems either now or later, not a few years ago. Go back to your own time dimension and sort it out the proper way.
Ana: It's probably too late.
Thorn: If you tell me what it is, I can help you.
Ana: Sure, just like you did in the future.
Thorn: What about me in the future?
Ana: *Looks down.* You went away… you went away and never came back.
Thorn: *His mouth drops open.* Why?
Ana: Mum and you argued a lot, 'specially after mum and dad married.
Thorn: *Looks quite shocked at this.* No...
Ana: You're not going to go away, are you?
Thorn: *Looks into her eyes, shocked and tearful.* Leave me alone… *He rushes out of the main doors.*
Ana: I've made things worse...

*Thorn runs down towards the village and lightning flashes across the sky. He falls to the ground, as heavy rain starts to fall, and begins crying uncontrollably. Ana comes running out of the castle up to Thorn.*
Ana: But… but that wasn't the worst of it.
Thorn: I don't want to know!
Ana: You asked.
Thorn: I know, I know...
Ana: Why are you so upset?
Thorn: Leave me alone…
Ana: But I wanted to see if you were ok...
Thorn: My wife is going to be married to someone I hate later on in life…
Ana: You're married to my mum?
Thorn: Yeah, for now, at least.
Ana: I... I didn't know that.
Thorn: *Continues to sob.*
Ana: *To herself.* This is why I didn't wanna tell them about the future…
Thorn: *Looks up at her.* Can I ask you one more question?
Ana: After this, I don't know if I wanna give any more answers…
Thorn: Is she happy without me?
Ana: What can I say? I didn't know that you guys were an item until now.
Thorn: *Stands up.*
Ana: What are you doing now?
Thorn: I'm going to have a little talk with daddy... *Vanishes.*
Ana: *Sighs.*

*At the castle, Kuja is in his room. He is sprawled out on his bed, with his nose buried in a book. There is a knock on his door.*
Kuja: Come in.
*Thorn walks in and closes the door behind him.*
Kuja: *Peers at him over his book.* Hello Thorn, what can I do for you?
Thorn: I've had a talk with Ana.
Kuja: And?
Thorn: She told me a lot about the future. Things you ought to know.
Kuja: Oh really? Like what?
Thorn: You and Laurenza will be married.
Kuja: Really. *Yawns and turns the page in his book.* That's nice.
Thorn: You're not interested? You don't care?
Kuja: Quite frankly, I don't believe her.
Thorn: Why not?
Kuja: *Slams the book shut.* There are some people, tricky little things, who fool you into thinking they're something they're not and they earn your trust. And then, wham, that's when they get you.
Thorn: Past experiences for both of us. She got me a little upset, is all.
Kuja: Don't listen to her, the snot-faced little brat.
Thorn: She shouldn't stay here. She'll make me do something I will regret… I know it.
Kuja: Her problem. If she wants to stick around and make big bad Thorn mad, she must deal with the consequences.
Thorn: *Laughs.* Yeah...