*Lierlo looks around for the rest of the gang. He finds them playing Animal Snap.*
Tifanel: I'm a world-renowned expert swordsman, respected by many and feared by the rest and here I am playin' a game for ages 3 and up.
Laurenza: Well, when our lives aren't being threatened and the world isn't being destroyed, there isn't much else to do.
Thorn: Never a dull moment.
Lierlo: *Walks in.* Who's winning?
Tifanel: I think Thorn is, but I stopped paying attention a while ago.
Kitzie: Where's Mihaky?
Lierlo: She went home.
Thorn: Well, I doubt we'll notice a difference. We didn't really see her that much...
Tifanel: Yeah, you kept yourselves pretty well hidden up in your room. *Does 'The Purr.' *
Lierlo: Will everyone stop teasing me? First Kuja and now you guys. So what if she is my girlfriend? Am I not allowed to have a girlfriend?
Thorn: No, of course you are. And you shouldn't listen to anyone who says otherwise, just tell them to... 'fudge off.'
Lierlo: *Smiles.* You're right. *Looks to Tifanel.* Fudge off.
Tifanel: *Laughs.*
Kuja: *Enters the room.* Ooh, you're playing snap? Why didn't you invite me, I'd hate to miss out on a game. *Spots Lierlo.* Who's going to be the best man?
Lierlo: Not you. Why don't you just grow up and stop it with the immature jokes?
Kuja: Fine. Whatever.
Lierlo: Have there been any developments in the Ana situation?
Thorn: Well, we know that Adrienne is definitely going to show. And when she does, I'm gonna trick her into believing I want to join her, so I can see where their headquarters are.
Lierlo: Good thinking.
Tifanel: I hope she shows soon, we're running out of board games.
Kuja: I think I've got Monopoly up in my room somewhere.
Kitzie: Found it, played it.
Thorn: Stupid game... The only highlight is picking your characters at the beginning...
Laurenza: Oh yes, Tifanel, you still owe me 200 for staying at my hotel.
Kuja: Oh, sure you can go into my room without permission and rummage around my closet. It's perfectly fine by me...
Kitzie: Thanks!

*A few hours later, Lierlo is sat in his room. Lu appears via one of his portals with a letter.*
Lierlo: Oh, I didn't expect for her to write so soon.
Lu: It's not from Mihako. It's from her brother, Yigo.
Lierlo: Really? *Takes the letter and reads it. His expression falters.* Oh god...
Lu: What does it say?
Lierlo: *Screws the letter up tightly in his hand, and leaves the room, tears forming in his eyes. He storms down the corridor, his expression somewhere between anger and sadness.*
*Thorn comes round the corner and bumps into him. Lierlo wipes the tears from his face.*
Thorn: Lierlo? Are you okay?
Lierlo: *His voice has a hard, rough edge to it.* Where's Kuja?
Thorn: I... don't know. Look, what's wrong?
Lierlo: *Tightens his fist around the letter.* There's something I need to talk to him about. *Carries on looking for him.*
Thorn: *Sighs.* Guess I can't help anyone. *Continues walking.*
Lierlo: *Meets Kuja in one of the rooms.* I've been looking for you.
Kuja: Lierlo, is there something the matter?
Lierlo: I've just had a letter from Yigo. He said if I ever talk to Mihako ever again, he'd rip my head off.
Kuja: Hah, you're not going to listen to that stupid half-wit, are you?
Lierlo: Wait, I haven't told you the best part yet. He told me that I'm taking advantage of her, she hardly knows what love is and what I'm doing is wrong. But, do you know what the main reason he doesn't want me to be around her is? *His voice rises to a shout.* BECAUSE I'M FRIENDS WITH YOU! Because any friend of Kuja's has got be to evil, untrustworthy scum who will only try and hurt Mihako! *Lierlo lunges at Kuja and punches him in the face again and again.* If you hadn't been so goddamn evil! You bastard! You murderous bastard! If you hadn't done all those terrible things on Yochi I could still be with her!
Thorn: What's stopping you being with her now?
*Thorn has entered the room.*
Thorn: You're really gonna do what Yigo says?
Lierlo: *Drops Kuja.* I have no choice. He's stopping all my letters and he's taking Mihako somewhere I can't find her.
Thorn: Say, if he's taking her somewhere I can locate with a location spell, I don't think it would be hard to get her back for you.
Lierlo: He said that I won't be able to find her with Magick, and if I ever do find her, he'd kill me.
Thorn: He'd have to come through me first.
Lierlo: Thank you Thorn, I do appreciate your concern. But if you don't mind, I'm in the middle of beating the hell out of Kuja.
Thorn: *Picks up Kuja.* I don't think this is Kuja's fault. I think this is Yigo's fault, but he's too far away for you to beat him up.
Kuja: *Wipes the blood from his face.* Never thought he had it in him...
Thorn: *Walks over to Lierlo and puts his hands on his shoulders.* Calm down, okay?
Lierlo: *Looks thoroughly ashamed of himself.* I'm... so sorry, Kuja. I... didn't mean to do that...
Kuja: Hey, don't worry about me. Maybe I'll make it someday as a professional punching bag.
Thorn: Look, we're gonna get her back. They can't have gotten far. That's why they used Luchianno: it's fast. They could be hiding her in a cave or abandoned house. They don't have to take her anywhere special. It's simple to put up a non-locatory force field.
Kuja: Yes, if we act quickly, we'll probably find the little git and we could convince him that we're all very nice blokes.
Lierlo: ...
Kuja: Come on, Thorn. Is there something you can do? I mean, I don't have a particularly good history for location spells...
Thorn: *Kneels down and waves his hands in circles on the ground.* Reveal to me, let my mind see…*The circle of ground starts to glow, and a liquidy picture of Mihako and Yigo forms there.*
Kuja: *Squints at the picture* Can you see where they are?
Thorn: An abandoned chateau, I think. It doesn't matter anyway. *He stands up and drops into the shimmering circle.*
Kuja: I didn't expect that… *He shrugs.* Oh well, when in Rome... *Pushes Lierlo in and jumps in after.*

*They land in front of the chateau, an old and run-down building somewhere on Yochi.*
Kuja: So, what's the plan?
Lierlo: *Darkly.* We go in there and knock Yigo's lights out,
Kuja: Hey, I know he threatened to kill you and all, but Yigo's all talk and no action, you understand? And anyway, aren't we trying to prove that we're very nice blokes?
Lierlo: ...
Thorn: We're not always very nice blokes, though.
Kuja: I know, but…
Lierlo: If we kill him, it will not matter. *Goes inside.*
Thorn: *To Kuja.* He's gonna get himself killed.
Kuja: *Rubs chin.* I dunno, he's got a pretty good right hook.
Thorn: He's facing a Necromancer.
Kuja: Probably several. We need to get in there.
*Thorn runs inside. Kuja follows.*

*Inside, the place appears empty, all except Lierlo and Yigo. Yigo is standing in front of a door.*
Yigo: Kuja...
Kuja: Yigo...
Yigo: You filthy scum! I can't believe you dared to show your face in this world again!
Kuja: Please, can we save the pleasantries for later?
Yigo: I bet you've come here for Mihako, huh?
Kuja: No, I thought I'd just drop by and have a cup of tea with my dear little brother. Of course that's what we're here for!
Yigo: I'm not gonna let you or your creepy friends anywhere near her!
Thorn: The feeling is mutual.
Yigo: Are you implying that I have creepy friends?
Kuja: *Coughs.* Moron.
Thorn: Err.… yes. Anyway, you have no right to keep Mihako and Lierlo apart.
Yigo: I have every right to! I don't want her mixing with anyone who is in league with Kuja!
Kuja: Hello! That whole super villain thing I did, it's like so 2 years ago. Listen, I may not be the definition of nice guy, but Lierlo is. He's so bloody nice sometimes I want to strangle him. He wouldn't do anything that'd hurt Mihako, and that's the honest truth.
Yigo: He's taking advantage of her. She doesn't know what love is!
Thorn: Love is natural, it's not learnt in a classroom. But whether this is about love or not, it should still be up to Mihako to decide whether she wants to be with Lierlo or stay with you.
Yigo: I'm not gonna risk giving her the choice, she'll only end up getting hurt. You'll have to kill me before I let you see her.
Lierlo: *After standing silent for a while, speaks up.* Not a problem. *Walks forward slowly and the floor on which he has just stepped smoulders as if his shoes are fire-hot. He quickly lunges at Yigo and promptly chokes the life out of him. He then tosses Yigo's limp and lifeless body aside with no sign of remorse.* Done.
Thorn: Lierlo...?
Kuja: Whoa... Mr. Sunshine just snuffed my little brother... Talk about unexpected.
Lierlo: *Approaches the door that Yigo was guarding and places his hand on the lock. The lock melts and he kicks the door open, and he walks into the next room.*

*In the next room, Mihako is stood in front of a crowd of Necromancers. The Necromancers are chanting something quietly. Lierlo steps towards Mihako and she backs off quickly.*
Mihako: Stay back.
Kuja: Mihako, what's going on?
Mihako: Kuja, you are a bad man. *Her voice quivers a bit.* Yigo told me... told me you destroyed Daichi. You destroyed the place where we were created....
Kuja: Yes yes, I know. But we didn't come here for you to bully me about my past, we're here to see how you feel about Lierlo.
Mihako: Yigo said...
Kuja: Forget what Yigo said! What do you think, Mihako?
Mihako: *Seems to ignore his question.* Yigo said that any friend of Kuja's would only try and hurt me, and that I should run away. Yigo always knows what is best for me. He has had more experience in the world.
Lierlo: ...Yigo is dead... I killed him.
Mihako: *Her eyes widen, but she says nothing. She turns to the Necromancers, gives them a nod and they open a portal. She and the Necromancers step though it. The portal closes and they are gone.*
Kuja: Lierlo...
Lierlo: I want to be alone. *A wave of purple flames surround him and he is gone.*
Thorn: Lierlo…! Why did he have to go like that?
Kuja: I don't know. …Wait, when did Lierlo regain his Magick? And purple fire, no less…
Thorn: Yes, very impressive…
Kuja: Maybe we should head back to the castle, unless you like hanging around in mouldy old dumps all day?
Thorn: Umm... yes, okay. I'm sure Lierlo will come back when he's good and ready.
Kuja: Maybe I've got some third cousin or something that'll take his mind off her.
*They teleport back to the castle.*

*They arrive in front of Laurenza and she jumps at the sight of them appearing suddenly.*
Laurenza: Whew! You'd think I'd be used to seeing things like this by now, but people appearing suddenly still makes me jump
Thorn: Sorry.
Laurenza: It's okay. You're not the first person to do so today. Lierlo manifested suddenly in a ball of flames and nearly scared the life out of me. He stormed off to his room and locked the door… seemed awfully upset about something. Is he okay?
Thorn: Mihako has gone away, and I don't think she's coming back.
Laurenza: Oh, poor Lierlo. He must be heartbroken.
Thorn: I just don't know what we should do for him.
Kuja: How about the routine, 'get over it, there's plenty more fish in the sea,' pep talk?
Laurenza: No one ever wants to hear that.
Thorn: Maybe... we should just leave him alone?
Kuja: Yeah, good point. I wouldn't want to go sticking my head in his room, especially since he's in a my-family-killing mood.
Laurenza: What do you mean?
Kuja: Well, he kind of killed Yigo, you know, my brother. Not that I care much. Actually, I appreciate it quite a lot.
Thorn: I always thought that Lierlo was the only one among us that would never do anything that stupid.
Laurenza: Same here. Lierlo... kill someone? It's a surreal thought.
Thorn: Well, he did it. Sometimes we all do things others never think we're capable of.
Kuja: I still can't believe he did though. It'd be like Kitzie trying to destroy the world.