"Once upon a time there was a beautiful spyguy* who lived in a deep and dark dungeon with his deep and dark parents."

Nikita sits back and rereads the words she has typed. She can not explain why she is sitting in a pair of sweat pants and t-shirt at 2:00 a.m., typing what is basically an adult version of a fairy tale. She had just woken up with this irresistible desire and so here she was.

"Time passed as usual for the spyguy. He did his parents' deep and dark bidding without a question and without a word of dissent. His purpose in life was to serve them and he did.

One day he heard a rumor that traveled the dungeon world. It was an old wives tale that surfaced now and again. It was about sunshine. Now those who were of sound mind knew that this was a silly childish fantasy and not to be taken seriously. Sometimes this tale was used to scare the new residents of the dungeon world. But the older denizens knew it to be untrue.

But when the beautiful spyguy heard this tale, it touched something inside of him. He secretly wished for a ray of sunshine. He listened without appearing to listen, to the tales of a blinding light that brought joy to all who were touched by it. He longed in the depths of his heart to see something so bright that it would banish all of the darkness and bring him joy."

(*"spyguy" used with permission from 'chelle)

************

... Nikita stretches and reaches absently for her bottle of water ...

"Soon, the beautiful spyguy began to harbor, in his previously untouched heart, a desire to see if sunshine was real.

At first he had asked his beautiful but deadly dark mother about sunshine assuming that she would tell him what he wanted to know. Instead of answering his question she had wanted to know why he wanted to know about this subject in particular and began to take notes. The beautiful spyguy quickly brought this conversation to a halt, for he was familiar with his mother's deep and dark ways."

... With a smirk Nikita types the last period. Take that Madeline! This feels pretty good. With a yawn, Nikita saves the file onto disc under "Spyguy" and goes to bed. ...

It is several days later before Nikita is able to get back to her story. With a sigh she sits down to her laptop. Maybe this will help her take out some of her misery.

"The beautiful spyguy next went to his father, ruler of the dungeon world, king of all he surveyed and the darkest of them all.

"Father what is sunshine?" the beautiful spyguy asked, his mind racing with the possible answers.

"Where did you hear that word? I will cancel all who say such a word! Attention, attention, slaves of the dungeon, there is no sunshine!" the king thundered from his glass encased throne, he slammed his hand down and turned the beautiful spyguy, "You will personally cancel all who speak of sunshine. Do you hear me?"

"I hear you." the beautiful spyguy answered while thinking that sometimes the dark king was a little mad."

... Nikita makes herself a sandwich and chews slowly as she rereads what she has written. With a giggle she tweaks Operations' role a little more ...

"Where did you hear that word? I will cancel all who say such a word!" the dark king frothes at the mouth. With a imperious hand, he blows the message horn, "Attention, attention, slaves of the dungeon, there is no sunshine!" the king thundered from his glass encased throne.

He slammed his hand down and turned the beautiful spyguy, "You will personally cancel all who speak of sunshine. Do you hear me?"

"I hear you." the beautiful spyguy answered while thinking that sometimes the dark king was a little mad."

************

"The beautiful spyguy next went to the E-Wizard. The E-Wizard was just a kid, but he knew all of the secrets of the deep and dark dungeon world in which they lived. Because he knew all of the secrets, he was very cynic and blas_ and sometimes it was hard to talk to him, so the beautiful spyguy took with him a bribe. The forbidden fruit of the sacred Oreois tree.

The beautiful spyguy knew that this fruit was the E-Wizard's secret vice and he would gain favor in the E-Wizard's eyes for this treat.

Walking the deep, dark and twisted path to the E-Wizard's place, called the console, the beautiful spyguy knocked on the imposing electronic door. The screen on the door shimmered and was replaced by the E-Wizard's scowling face. He always scowled so this did not offend the beautiful spyguy.

"What do you wish, spyguy?" the E-Wizard said in semi-respectful tones. In secret the E-Wizard was afraid of the beautiful spyguy, having received a whop or two upside the head from the beautiful spyguy in the past.

"I wish the answer to a question E-Wizard. May I enter?"

"I'm busy."

The beautiful spyguy raised his hand in which the sacred fruit of the Oreois tree resided so that the E-Wizard may see it on his video screen. The E-Wizard's eyes widen and his mouth opened as he gazed upon the forbidden treat.

"Enter." The door to the E-Wizard's console swung open ominously with much creaking. The E-Wizard was bored and so often changed the theme of his console to suit his mood. As they spyguy walked over the doorway, an evil laughed cackled through the air and a rusty voice said, "Listen to them, the children of the night. How beautifully they sing."

The spyguy sighed and walked forward. He knew not fear was and so found such antics merely irritating.

************

... Nikita smiles to herself and munches on an Oreo as she returns to her laptop ...

"What do you wish to learn, Spyguy?" The E-Wizard asks, his attention completely on the sacred fruit.

"I want to know if there is sunshine." The beautiful spyguy replies and moves the fruit so that it shines and catches the light in it's bright multi-colored wrapping.

The E-Wizard looks up at the beautiful spyguy in surprise, "But the Dark King has forbidden any to speak of ... that word." He looks important and adjusts his robes, "I heard him myself on the message horn."

The beautiful spyguy looks at the E-Wizard and seriously considers whopping him upside the head, but tries diplomacy first, "So is the sacred fruit of the Oreois tree forbidden to any but the royal family." The beautiful spyguy states as he jiggles the fruit calling the E-Wizard's attention back to it. "All things are forbidden to someone." The beautiful spyguy states cryptically.

The E-Wizard eyes the sacred fruit with ill concealed hunger and thinks for a way around this dilemma. "If you are asking me, theoretically, What is sunshine?, then I would be able to have a philosophical discussion with you that would not violate any decree." he volunteers with a crafty look.

The beautiful spyguy considers and then hands the E-Wizard the fruit, "All right, theoretically, What is sunshine?"

"A myth." the E-Wizard mumbles out around a mouthful of the sacred fruit. Crumbs clinging to his once immaculate robes.

The beautiful spyguy lifts a hand to whop the E-Wizard upside the head.

"However," the E-Wizard backs up both philosophically and physically, "behind every myth is some truth. When I first heard the tale, I did some research... purely for scientific exploration you understand ... and I discovered that in our ancient history we all came from a land filled with sunshine."

The beautiful spyguy looks astonished.

"Yes. I too was surprised. The legend states that we all start in sunshine but then we darken until we belong in the dark deep dungeon that is our world. It is, of course, preposterous! How could we all start in sunshine. No, I have run the Sims and there is no sunshine." The E-Wizard confidently states now that the sacred fruit has been devoured.

He waves the beautiful spyguy out, "Be gone! I have no time for theoretical discussions. The Dark King wants me to theorize on one of his mad schemes."

************

"The beautiful spyguy left the E-Wizard's console without whopping him upside the head, barely.

Wandering the twisted, dank, deep and dark byways of the dungeon world, the beautiful spyguy pondered what to do next. In his heart he still believed that there was such a thing as sunshine, despite the scientific data against it's existence.

Suddenly an idea occurred to him. He would go ask the Weaponsmith! The Weaponsmith was a grizzly fellow indeed. He often talked in code and frequently made the women of the dungeon giggle with his outrageous suggestions. While not particularly known for his brilliance, he was the oldest of all of the denizens. Older even than the King, it was whispered. Though many doubted that any could be older than the King. Maybe the Weaponsmith remembered sunshine, the beautiful spyguy thought as he hurried to the Weaponsmith's den. The Den of Iniquity, the Weaponsmith liked to call it.

Upon entering the Weaponsmith's Den, the beautiful spyguy saw the old man stooped over an anvil, pounding away, muttering to himself. Having learned early on that it was not a good idea to surprise the Weaponsmith while he was building weapons, the beautiful spyguy discreetly cleared his throat.

"Ahem."

"Eh?" the Weaponsmith looked up and then smiled. He liked the beautiful spyguy despite his seeming devotion to his parents and their dark and deep ways. The Weaponsmith knew this boy was worth saving, he was just waiting to be asked.

"How's it hangin'? What trip can I lay on ya?" the Weaponsmith queried.

************

... Nikita stops typing. Was that a knock on the door? The sound is repeated. Yes it was. With a sigh, she pulls down her t-shirt trying to move the holes to more discreet locations and looks through the peephole ...

"Hello Michael." Nikita starts to adjust the t-shirt again but stops when she notices that her movements are just drawing his attention to the problem.

"Hello. I was wondering if you would like to go out for some coffee?" Michael's eyes stray from her shirt back up to her mouth. She has Oreo crumbs on her chin and with a small smile, Michael reaches up and brushes them away, caressing her bottom lip while doing so.

Nikita swallows and fights the urge to take his finger into her mouth. Her walls have eyes. "Sure, just let me change."

With slightly trembling legs, Nikita starts to climb her stairs when she remembers that the laptop is still up and running.

"Just a minute." she says with a nervous laugh.

She quickly saves her storyline and closes down her computer.

"Working?"

"Not really, just doodling. So where are we going?" she asks to divert his attention.

************

... Replete from coffee, dinner and talk, Nikita kicks off her shoes and turns on her stereo.

While she is preparing herself some tea, she sees the laptop sitting innocently on the table where she left it. With a grin, she goes over the stereo and digs through her CD's until she finds just the right one. There it is, the soundtrack from the movie "Hair." With the proper motivation playing, Nikita sits down to write Walter's part in the fairy tale ...

"I wish the answer to a question Weaponsmith. Do you have a moment?"

"Lay it on me, Man. I'm hip."

"What is sunshine?"

Instead of answering him, the Weaponsmith drops his tools, closes the door to his Den and pulls the shades on his windows.

"Hey Dude, don't you know you ain't supposed to say that word? Didn't cha' hear the pro-noun-cement from the Big Man?"

It takes the beautiful spyguy a moment to translate this, but he does.

"Yes. I heard. That still does not stop me for wondering. Do you know about ... that?"

Shaking his head sadly and looking over the beautiful spyguy's shoulder and far away the Weaponsmith smiles, "Yeah, Man, I knew Sunshine, Man. I used to revel in it. Once me and this chick, she was REALLY stacked, anyway, we laid (if you know what I mean) in a field of wheat in the sunshine. It was beautiful Man. Beautiful."

"So there really is such a thing as sunshine?" The beautiful spyguy asks, his heart beating faster at the thought.

"No, Man." the Weaponsmith looks down, his voice sorrowful, "Not anymore Man. Now there is only deep and dark. No sunshine, no light." He sighs.

"What happened to it?" the beautiful spyguy asks crestfallen.

"Life, Man. Life killed the sunshine." The Weaponsmith wipes some tears from his eyes and pulls his shoulders back. "But, hey enough about that. What do you say, we go hit on the new recruits? You know, do a little good guy, bad guy number on them?" he leers good-naturedly at the beautiful spyguy.

"No, thanks. I don't want to cramp your style." the beautiful spyguy tells the Weaponsmith with a half-smile. He needs to be alone with his thoughts.

************

... Nikita sits back in her chair and glances at her watch. Holy spit! She saves her storyline and puts everything up. It's this late and she's got an early morning briefing. The Mad King will certainly chew her ass if she is late again, not to mention an interrogation by the Dark Queen ...

... It is to Nikita's credit that she doesn't start laughing during the briefing the next morning. Operations behaves suspiciously like the Mad King in her story including slamming his hand down on the table and bellowing. Madeline, as usual, sat there examining everyone and taking notes. By pretending that she was seriously interested in the information on the holoscreen Nikita was able to make it through the briefing without more than some involuntary lip twitching.

Unfortunately, she has no idea what the second half of the briefing was about. A fact that Michael noticed.

"May I see you in my office?" Michael orders.

As Nikita sits down, Michael locks the door. "Where were you this morning?"

She briefly toys with the idea of feigning ignorance but drops it. "Sorry, I stayed up too late and I just couldn't concentrate."

Michael takes a deep breath and Nikita stops him before he can start his lecture mode, "I'm sorry Michael. I know there is no excuse, can you brief me?"

Michael stops and looks at her. She does look like she needs some sleep ... and he did keep her out last night, so ... Michael briefs her hitting the highlights and, this time, Nikita pays attention.

************

"The Mad King and the Dark Queen look upon their deep and dark dungeon world and feel a sense of pride. All scurry to do their bidding.

All except one.

The beautiful spyguy still does his job with his usual efficiency, but there is something missing. He is quieter, more subdued. He doesn't hit on the new recruits with the Weaponsmith anymore. He doesn't play electronic games with the E-Wizard anymore. Why it has been weeks since he has whopped the E-Wizard upside the head.

"He has been asking questions." the Dark Queen noted.

"Despite being warned?" the Mad King questioned.

The Dark Queen, scribbled a note on the Mad King's blood pressure and answered him, "Yes."

The Mad King brooded.

"Shall we dismiss him?" the Dark Queen questioned as she pulled out a Dictaphone to better record the Mad King's answer.

"Dismiss him!!! Dismiss him!!! You know that we can not!!" the Mad King ranted. He pushed the Dictaphone aside with an impatient hand. "Fix him." he commanded.

The Dark Queen looked up from the chalk board where she had been charting today against yesterday and that chart against the probables for tomorrow and asked, "How?"

"That, My Dear Dark Queen, is your problem." the Mad King proclaimed loftily.

"May I do anything I wish with him, My ... King?" the Dark Queen softly asked as she hurriedly typed notes into her P.D.A.

"Yes! Just fix him!"

... Yeah Madeline, fix him! Let's see you do it! Nikita takes a drink and swipes her hand across her mouth ...

************

"The Dark Queen calls the beautiful spyguy into her room/lair. It's a large cavernous room full of intense open spaces with strategically arranged furniture. No matter where you sat, the choice said something about you. There are charts and diagrams all over the walls.

"Come in Spyguy. I have a job for you."

The beautiful spyguy enters cautiously. Experience has taught him that the Dark Queen is never as friendly as she seems.

"What can I do for you Dark Queen?" the beautiful spyguy asks politely. He is always polite unless he is being impolite.

"I have decided that you need to have a pupil, a student if you will." the Dark Queen pauses, her pencil poised to note any reaction.

The beautiful spyguy remains unmoving, unreacting, betraying nothing.

The Dark Queen makes a note of this and continues, "I want you to pick a student from the stack of new recruits. You will then be this recruit's Mentor and ultimately you will be responsible for their integration into the dungeon world."

The beautiful spyguy examines this suggestion from various angles looking for flaws. The most gaping one is that he will be dismissed if he does not integrate his pupil, but he looks for others, more subtle flaws. It is the Dark Queen's speciality to hide tricks and see if they catch someone.

"Here's the stack, pick one. Bring in your choice tomorrow." the Dark Queen releases the beautiful spyguy with a quick notation.

The beautiful spyguy takes the stack of papers gingerly and walks to his room. With careful consideration, he reads each recruits application. So many to go through, such a decision to make. He must be careful.

As he flips through the selections he finds his mind wandering back to his secret question, his secret desire, Sunshine. With a sigh, the beautiful spyguy pulls his attention back to the task at hand and turns over the next sheet.

SUNSHINE

************

... Just for a moment Nikita pauses wondering if she is that ego-centric, just for a moment ...

"There on the page in front of him is Sunshine. This must be her. He thinks back to the Weaponsmith's conversation. Yes, it was about a woman, but then all of the Weaponsmith's conversations are about women. Women and blowing things up the beautiful spyguy admends honestly to himself.

The beautiful spyguy reads the application of Sunshine thoroughly. Hmm, she is well qualified to be here, the beautiful spyguy thinks. With a quick twinge, the beautiful spyguy makes his choice, Sunshine.

...

The beautiful spyguy approaches the Weaponsmith carefully. He clutches his decision close to his chest. He doesn't want to share this choice with anybody, still he feels he needs advice.

The Weaponsmith looks up as the beautiful spyguy walks into his Den.

"What's shakin'?"

The beautiful spyguy walks closer to the Weaponsmith and whispers, "I have another question about ..."

The Weaponsmith squints as he thinks about it and then gives the beautiful spyguy a big smile. "I thought so. Got ya hooked, eh Man?"

He leans closer to the beautiful spyguy and whispers confidentially, "Once you have them screaming and begging for you, there's this little thing I like to do ..."

"Ahem."

Both the Weaponsmith and the beautiful spyguy look up to see the E-Wizard standing in the Den doorway, frankly leaning in to overhear their conversation.

"Tis' the Wiz." the Weaponsmith states in his normal voice.

The beautiful spyguy glares at the E-Wizard as he delivers an announcement from the Mad King. This ends his conversation with the Weaponsmith. Not that it was quite the conversation he wanted to have, but it did sound interesting.

On the way out of the Weaponsmith's Den to do the Mad King's bidding, the beautiful spyguy whops the E-Wizard upside the head for good measure and to keep in practice.

************

"The Dark Queen smiles inwardly at the beautiful spyguy's choice. It is the one she predicted. She must remember to make a note of that.

"Very well, you may have this recruit. I will expect weekly updates of her progress as well as the usual training sessions with her."

The Dark Queen releases the beautiful spyguy with the information regarding what cave the new recruit waits in. Despite himself, the beautiful spyguy hurries to the cavern where the new recruit waits to be interviewed. Stopping just in front of the door, the beautiful spyguy takes a deep breath and stills his trembling hand. He must approach the Sunshine carefully and with caution. According to the Weaponsmith, Sunshine is skittish and inclined to hide and peek out if startled.

He calmly opens the door and steps inside. Inside the cave waits Sunshine. She is strapped to the traditional interview table and has not yet woken from what appears to be a very disturbing dream. The beautiful spyguy takes the opportunity to look at her, drinking in her strange coloring and intense brightness. So this is what Sunshine is like, he thinks. It's blinding and yet illuminating.

...

Purity, for this is Sunshine's real name, does not adjust well to life in the deep and dark dungeon world. She chafes under the constant surveillance and stricture. She longs for the light she once knew.

The beautiful spyguy is always cautious to maintain a distance from Purity even while he is irresistibly drawn to her inner light. She is so unique in this world that if it weren't for her application, he would believe that she was pure light. Still, never has an application been wrong and so the beautiful spyguy learns to not trust his internal feelings for the ray of Sunshine that he now controls even while he is fascinated by it.

The Weaponsmith on the other hand sees Sunshine and remembers his youth. Several times and in several ways the Weaponsmith tries to convince Purity to help him relive his youth, unsuccessfully.

The E-Wizard can not help but be charmed by Purity's brilliance and deep in his cynical heart the secret longing that sunshine exists starts to bloom.

The Dark Queen examines Purity with the intensity of a scientist, a bug and a microscope.

The Mad King tries to discredit Purity at every turn, recognizing instinctively that she could change the order of the dungeon world and all of his kingdom.

************

"It is nearing the end of Purity's initiation into the deep and dark dungeon world when she hears the fear inspiring roaring for the first time. It shakes the Weaponsmith's Den and all of his instruments of destruction.

"What was that?" Purity asks, frightened. It sounded a little like the Mad King bellowing but it was deeper.

"That my Sweet," the Weaponsmith sighs and replaces fallen tools, "Is the big bad Daddy-O. The biggest and the baddest of them all."

"Who?"

"If I told you that, I would have to dismiss you." the Weaponsmith replies as he leans forward toward Purity. "And I sure wouldn't want to do that. What do you say, you and I go discover a new using for the grinding stone?" he offers lecherously.

Purity smiles and the Weaponsmith basks in the Sunshine rays, "You are so sweet. One of these days I'm going to take up on your offer." with a quick peck on his cheek she leaves his Den, taking the light with her.

"I sure hope so," the Weaponsmith whispers as he touches her kiss spot. "I sure hope so."

....

Purity approaches the E-Wizard's console unafraid. She is the only one in the deep and dark dungeon world with the password that allows instant entry into the E-Wizard's console.

"E-Wizard. Did you hear the terrible roaring? What is that?"

The E-Wizard's glazed eyes pull themselves away from his holoscreen. "What?"

Purity sighs, the E-Wizard does so love his holoscreen. "That terrible roaring. What was it?"

With a nervous glance, the E-Wizard shuts down his holoscreen and stands. "Is he back? Oh Dear, Oh Dear. I must hurry. I mustn't be late. Must hurry. Must hurry." and leaves as he is straightening his robes and muttering to himself.

Purity sighs and seeks out her mentor.

....

"Mentor?" Only to herself does she refer to him by spyguy and only in her dreams is he beautiful spyguy.

"Yes Purity?" the beautiful spyguy looks at Purity standing hesitantly in his doorway. Always she is unsure of coming into his cave. As if she knows what he thinks of doing to her in here, with her, for her... With a mental shake the beautiful spyguy pulls himself back to the matter at hand.

"I was wondering Mentor, what was the roaring that I heard earlier? No one will tell me." Purity asks while she watches him, drinking in the sight of him to be re-examined later when she is alone.

"Ah. The roar. Yes, I heard it also. It is the Dragon."

"Dragon? But those are just myths. There is no such thing as Dragons."

The beautiful spyguy looks at his ray of Sunshine and wonders who is right. Is there no Sunshine or is there no Dragons? Just for a moment he wonders, what if there is both? But his loyalty to his King and Queen returns and he stands taller.

"I will soon go to fight the Dragon and believe me, he is real."

************

Nikita sits at her laptop and reads all that she has written. Once again it's 2 o'clock in the morning, 1:51 a.m., to be exact, she is semi-dressed and wondering what the hell she is doing up. The Flintstone's theme song is playing in the background and she realizes that somehow she has the Cartoon Network on.

The earlier parts of this story just flew through her and she could only catch them and put them on the laptop. Now she is stymied. Who is the Dragon? What is she going to do to save the beautiful spyguy from his darkness?

Nikita gets up and wanders into the kitchen. Searching through her cupboards which are full and yet contain nothing to eat she tries to decide if she should get dressed and go to a 24 hour store. Maybe pick up some cheesy poofs or some goldfishes. With a sigh she closes her cupboard doors and looks at the floor. If only she knew how to save Michael, the beautiful spyguy that is. If only ...

...

Nikita puts the story away for a couple of days and spends the time observing Section for telltale traces of her story.

Walter propositions her and she could swear that he mentions the grinding stone; Birkoff spends all of his time in front of the computer staring into the electronic world, oblivious to the going ons of the rest of Section; Operations issues orders, yells and smokes; Madeline watches, notes and analyzes and Michael... Michael broods.

Nikita despairs of solving her storyline problems and saving the beautiful spyguy.

Then one day, the Dragon arrives and so does salvation.

************

"For days the roars of the mighty Dragons shake the deep and dark dungeon world. Purity watches in bemused wonder all the building, planning and preparation that scurries on around her.

The Weaponsmith is busy making a golden armor and the lance that will pierce the Dragons' heart for the beautiful spyguy. He is so busy, he doesn't even have time to make a suggestive glance or remark at Purity. When she does show up in his Den he puts her to work shining the completed pieces of armor.

The E-Wizard is completely absorbed in researching past battles with Dragons and theorizing and creating new battle plans. When Purity approaches him, he puts her to work running simulations and correlating data.

The beautiful spyguy trains, trains and trains. When Purity approaches him, he looks at her with sad hunger and returns to training.

Meanwhile, in the distance the Dragons roar and starts to light the deep and dark sky with puffs of fire and smoke.

...

At last the day arrives for the confrontation. The E-Wizard and Weaponsmith help the beautiful spyguy into his armor while Purity stands by and watches. She knows that this may be the last time she will ever see the beautiful spyguy and her heart clenches strangely.

She had thought that her secret wish was to return to the world above, to the unstrictured freedom that was once hers, but now she knows she will feel no freedom without the beautiful spyguy; she will feel no light without the knowledge that he is by her side. It is a lesson that hits Purity hard but hits true.

Before he can don his helmet, Purity approaches her mentor for what may be the last time. As she approaches him, the Weaponsmith and the E-Wizard fade into the woodwork.

"Beautiful Spyguy." she says forgetting herself, "You will be careful won't you?"

The beautiful spyguy looks at his ray of Sunshine and inhales her beauty and light. She must be memorized before he leaves, for this could be the last time he sees her.

"I will do my duty." the beautiful spyguy answers stoically. He must allow no thoughts of weakness to enter.

Purity looks at the beautiful spyguy and into his eyes of fathomless green and reacts without thinking. She throws her arms around him and kisses him with her heart on her lips.

The beautiful spyguy feels an incredible sense of lightness and joy from her kiss and then it is gone.

"Come back to me, Beautiful Spyguy." Purity whispers and leaves before she embarrasses herself and him by clinging and crying for him to not go.

....

A curious silence fills the deep and dark dungeon world as the beautiful spyguy leaves to confront the Dragon with Purity's kiss on his lips and in his heart.

At loss as to what to do, Purity wanders around the dungeon world aimlessly for several hours and finds herself at the entrance to the Weaponsmith's Den.

"Ah, Sweetness, I knew you'd roll in eventually." the Weaponsmith greets her. By his side sits the E-Wizard. With a timid smile, Purity walks in and looks around. As she avoids the knowing look of the Weaponsmith she sees that the E-Wizard is eating some red long stick that appears to be a favorite of his. The E-Wizard nods at Purity and pats the empty seat next to him, inviting her to sit.

"Take the weight off." the Weaponsmith seconds the invitation.

Purity sits and looks at the Weaponsmith, "What happens now?"

He looks down, apparently going through several options and then back up at her, "We wait."

Purity stares at him in astonishment, for some reason she was sure that he would have something they could do, not ... nothing. "Wait! I can't just sit and wait! I have to do something! I have to help the Beautiful Spyguy!" Purity yells as she jumps to her feet and starts to rush out of the Weaponsmith's Den.

The Weaponsmith and E-Wizard catch her before she can reach the doorway.

"You can't help him! This is something he has to do on his own. His demons." the Weaponsmith says as he enfolds the suddenly shaking Purity in his arms.

"His demons? I don't understand." Purity proclaims as she allows herself to be lead back to her seat.

With a sigh, the Weaponsmith adjusts his bandana and rubs his hands together. "I guess the time has come to tell you the tale of the Mighty 'Chelle."

************

"The Mighty 'Chelle?" Purity questions as she sits down.

The Weaponsmith clears his throat and looks above Purity's head as he begins to recite the tale of the Mighty 'Chelle, "Once, a long time ago, the King and Queen of the world had a party to celebrate the death of the last Dragon. It was a hard fought battle and it had taken many lifetimes to eliminate the Dragons but at last they were gone.

During this party, the Wise and Wonderful 'Chelle stated, unwisely, that she had always sorta liked the Dragons and could never really understand the need for war with them. 'They had such interesting accents', she stated.

The King and Queen of the world heard this statement and became furious with the Wise and Wonderful 'Chelle. They proclaimed her a traitor and banished her from the kingdom, despite protests from all who knew her.

The King and Queen of the world listened to these protests and decided that their subjects had turned against them. (The war with the Dragons had long since robbed them of their souls and humanity.) As a result of this, the King and Queen declared that all who lived in the world were just slaves to do their bidding and all who rebelled would be dismissed.

The Wise and Wonderful 'Chelle was escorted to the edge of the world, but before she left, she placed a magical curse on the royal family. "May you experience all that life has to offer and may you become what you are in your hearts." The King and Queen of the world scoffed at her and her curse and threw her over the edge of the world.

Darkness settled on the world and the people became slaves.

Then one day a fierce roar was heard from the royal deck and the people looked on in fear as their King and Queen transformed into Dragons before their very eyes. The royal Dragons began to rampage and pillage, destroying what little the people had. As this reign of terror continued, it fell to the Prince to destroy his own parents and restore peace and productivity to the world."

The Weaponsmith pauses and helps himself to some Kool-Aid, his favorite 'Scary Blackberry'.

"Go on, go on!!!" Purity and the E-Wizard urge, both listening raptly.

"At the time, it was believed (hoped) that the Mighty 'Chelle had only cursed those who had banished her, but as the years rolled on, each new King and Queen would lose their souls and humanity and so they would transform into Dragons, which they were in their hearts. It is now tradition that when the Dragons come, the Prince must go and destroy his parents with the knowledge that he will take over until he turns."

Purity looks at both the Weaponsmith and the E-Wizard, "The Beautiful Spyguy is a Prince?"

They nod.

"Why didn't anybody tell me?" she thinks of all the times she had probably insulted someone of royal blood while complaining about the tyranny of the dungeon world.

The Weaponsmith and the E-Wizard smirk at each other, "Because he wanted you to love him for himself and not because he was a Prince." they state in unison.

Purity blushes.

"How does the legend end?" Purity asks to find out and also to divert attention from herself.

"It is still the Prince's duty to slay his parents."

"How sad for the Beautiful Spyguy." Purity whispers.

They three of them are silent for a moment, until the E-Wizard looks up suddenly and speaks, "What a minute! Didn't the Mighty 'Chelle speak of a way to lift the curse?"

The Weaponsmith scratches his head and thinks, "It could be. I don't remember what, but you could be onto something."

The E-Wizard rushes out of the Den muttering to himself about how he was sure that he had seen some data to that effect.

************

Purity listens to the now resounding roars and terrible screams that echo through the deep and dark dungeon world. It seems as though the sounds of battle has been going on forever.

Since he had ran out of the Den, no one had seen the E-Wizard. Purity wonders if he ever found anything that would save the beautiful spyguy from his fate.

Suddenly the sound of silence rips through the dungeon world. Whatever was to happen has finally happened. Purity runs to the entrance of the Dragons' Cave and waits for either the triumphant beautiful spyguy or a quick release by the Dragons. As time passes she fears that maybe the curse would end in the most simplistic way, neither was victorious.

At last, on the horizon a lone figure appears, the armor no longer gleaming brightly but now a dense black, it's blackness drawing all nearby light into it and absorbing it. The beautiful spyguy staggers towards the entrance to the deep and dark dungeon world and Purity. His eyes locked on the burning brightness that glows off of her, a beacon to his dark lost soul.

With a cry, Purity runs to the beautiful spyguy and throws herself at him. He catches her and hugs her tightly to himself despite his common sense that tells him that he can never have her. Purity banishes such thoughts from his mind by covering his face with kisses all the while crying and smiling. At last she calms down and stops kissing him to just look at him. As their eyes meet, Purity sees that the beautiful spyguy now has ghosts living in his eyes and her heart hurts for him.

Together they walk back into the deep and dark dungeon world. The inhabitants of the world are waiting for him and a collective sigh of relief is released as they realize that, for a while anyway, their world was free of Dragons again.

....

"You can return to the world above. I release you." the beautiful spyguy says to Purity while looking out over his kingdom. It has been several days since he has slain the Dragons and life had returned to normal for the deep and dark dungeon world.

"What?" Purity asks stunned. "But, you love me and ... I love you. I love you!" she states.

The beautiful spyguy is quiet for a long miserable time. This is the first time the words were spoken between them but there was no denying it. He straightens and turns to look at Purity, "Be that as it may, you are released." his heart hides behind a wall and sobs in it's loneliness.

Purity walks closer to the beautiful spyguy and asks, "Why? Why would you banish me?"

The beautiful spyguy gives an exasperated sigh and turns away from her, "Because of who I am. Because of the blackness of my soul. Because one day I will become a Dragon. If you stay, I WILL make you my Queen and when I do that I will doom you to becoming a Dragon also. You MUST leave. You are RELEASED!" he thunders quietly. Unlike his father, the beautiful spyguy is not a bellower but his voice rings even louder than any bellow.

"I can never be released." Purity whispers as she moves up behind him. "I am bound to you. I love you." she says as she runs her fingers through the beautiful spyguy's rich auburn hair, "Such is my heart."

The spyguy releases the breath he did not know he was holding and leans back into her hand. "I'm glad. I don't know if I could have let you go." he whispers.

As they stand together, hand in hand, quietly looking over the people and contemplating their future, the E-Wizard runs into the room, "I found it! I found it! There is a way to break the curse!"

The beautiful spyguy turns around, "How?" he questions with quiet intensity. His thoughts entirely filled with protecting Purity from the consequences of his selfish desires.

"The Mighty 'Chelle left a riddle that tells how to break the curse. All we have to do is solve the riddle and then do what it tells us to do and the curse will be broken."

"What is the riddle?" Purity asks, her heart beating with hope.

"Inside, outside/one and the same/brightness and dark/must join name to name/freedom granted/my claim to fame."

************

While the E-Wizard devotes himself to the task of decoding the riddle, plans begin for the wedding of the beautiful spyguy and Purity. It will be a gala event, full of splendor and pomp and circumstance. All of the deep and dark dungeon world becomes involved in the plans.

...

On the day of the wedding, all of the inhabitants of the deep and dark dungeon world are busy with the decoration preparation and the party finals. Purity is dressed in a gown that sparkles and glistens with her movements. The beautiful spyguy is dressed a somber dark suit of armor that gleams with hidden fire. All of the dungeon world gathers for the celebration, all except for the E-Wizard who is still slaving away decoding the riddle.

Yells of joy ring through the kingdom as the new King and Queen stand on the royal deck surveying their kingdom. The new King holds his hand for quiet and the crowd waits with baited breath for his pronouncement.

"This day, I accept my fate and become your King. I ask that Purity become my Queen." Cheers drown him out and he waits with a rare smile for the noise to die down before continuing.

"She has accepted and so Purity is my Queen. As a gift to my Queen and as something that is long overdue and owed to the people of this kingdom, I grant you your freedom and return of your citizenship. I do so in the name of the Wise and Wonderful Chelle, long mistakenly banished. Her family has all rights and titles restored to them!"

It is now impossible to hear anything as the cheers thunder throughout the kingdom as the citizens of the deep and dark dungeon world realize the gift that the King has bestowed on them. The new King looks at his Queen and is blinded by the utter happiness that illuminates her smile. With a soundless cry she throws her arms around him and kisses him. Once again, the beautiful spyguy feels a sense of lightness and joy fill him, except this time, it stays when the kiss ends and he allows love to enter his heart.

At the very moment the beautiful spyguy realizes that love now resides in his heart, a great rumble is heard throughout the kingdom and the sky darkens and splits asunder, allowing, for the first time in it's history, a ray of sunshine to enter the dungeon world. All stare agape at the wonder. All except the new King and Queen, who smile at each other and walk back into the Royal Deck, happy in their choices and unconcerned that the curse had been broken.

And they lived happily ever after.

The End

*WHEW!!!*

************

Nikita sits back and reads the last paragraph. Well she saved the beautiful spyguy and maybe, just maybe, she realized how to save Michael. With a sigh, she saves the story and closes her laptop. Only time would tell if her theory would work.

******NYAH, I'm finished.******

Dedication: To 'chelle for the first line and some great help when I ran out of ~happy~ thoughts around Chapter 14, I appreciate it!

Information: Nikita's inspiration (Chapter 14) comes from the activities of my storyline "New Regime"

Answer to the Riddle -

"Inside, outside/one and the same - acknowledgment by the beautiful spyguy that he is not beyond love - brightness and dark/must join name to name - wedding of dark and light - freedom granted/my claim to fame - return of citizenship and rights in the name of the Wise and Wonderful 'Chelle -

P.S., I'm taking a break, thanks for all of the replies everybody, see you!!!!

Send suggestions and comments to ranma.