Welcome to Gaia! ::

"Cocky little twerp, aren't you?" Mephistophiles asked, grinning with Faust's borrowed face. "Faust VIII is a doctor. All of human kind he considers his friends. It would be a difficult thing, to destroy all humans while leaving all of a doctor's 'friends.' Unlike you, he doesn't seem to discriminate when it comes to what kind of company he keeps. That Manta Oyamada, for instance. I have an inside connection to Faust's most fervent thoughts and desires, you know. A dream that's right up with his wish to resurrect his wife is to have that ordinary human boy for a son."

Mephistophiles' grin widened, only slightly less creepy than usual on Faust's face. "He would butcher babies to see her again. I think that with a bit of persuasion, he'd be all for using Netsubo's abilities. So, I think that what you're angling at is, if we let you live, you'll help Faust get what he wants, therefore helping us secure what we want, which is..."

"...his soul," said Beelzebub, obviously hurt that Mephisto was stealing his thunder.

"Yes," said Mephistophiles, rolling Faust's eyes. "So... nice talking, Hao. Be nice to Faust VIII when he wakes up, 'kay?" the two demons disappeared, and Faust slumped to the ground like a marionette whose strings have been cut.

Faust moaned, stirring slightly. He came to, raising himself to a sitting position and blinking disorientedly. When he saw Hao, he gasped and scuttled backwards. "What... you... you aren't dead!" he said hoarsely.

Faust narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "I don't trust you. I don't even trust my demons. How could someone with a heart as black as yours bring back my.... my..." he growled like a trapped wolf. "Even her name is like poison on my lips, when it is connected with yours, Hao!"

Faust took a deep breath. "I've tried everything," he said slowly. "Believe me when I say, everything. Why haven't I heard of this before?" The desperate longing in his voice was impossible to hide.

"I can't believe you're asking me this!" Faust said, in anger and frustration. "Sacrifice? I've said many times that I'd be more than willing to sacrifice myself for Eliza, but my authority ends there! To put another in harm's way, even for Eliza..." he fought with himself, twin streams of tears running down his cheeks. "I don't think I could do it. I'd sooner die myself, and join my beloved in death." Even though he was saying the morally correct phrases, however, he still seemed to be considering Hao's question.

Numbly, Faust wiped away the tears. He felt broken, like his very soul had been fractured. What a choice... to achieve what he'd always wanted by damning himself and murdering an innocent child, or to live in loneliness, pain, and fruitless striving for the rest of his undoubtedly short life.

Ren trecked up the mountain side with Horo slugging behind him.

"Dude aren't we there yet?" Horo complained.
"No," Ren replied agressively, "and the more you ask the longer this search will seem."

((^^;; Sorry I have NO idea where we are...))