New Beginnings

School Day

Xena didn't get any sleep. She stayed up trying to get free of her bonds, but the crystal wouldn't budge. Pained tear tracks stained her face as she glared darkly at her counterpart, "Have you come down here to gloat?"

The wolf ears were tilted down, a hand hovering above her core, "Are you cold?" She asked, a kind of softness in her tone. The blonde was too shocked to respond, but let out an appreciative sigh when a gentle warmth washed over her. "I meant what I said, you are my other half. That doesn't mean I'll let you go free and ruin everything, but I do care."

Xena flinched away from her hand as she wiped away the tear tracks, "My sanity hasn't left me yet, blondie."

She looked up into her counterpart's expression and smiled a little, "They have changed us." Fire snorted, a smirk on her lips, "Yes, they have." Her arms wrapped around the blonde's shoulders, "I am malevolent and your extreme, but I still love you."

Xena's eyes went from enraged red to their usual rose gold, "I don't agree with your methods or morals, but..." She nuzzled the wolf's neck, giving her a light kiss, "I love you too; our sanity won't last long though Yandere."

Yandere sighed, pulling away, "I know, but this was the only way for me to keep mine longer. You know how I hate being locked away or watched Tsundere."

Tsundere nodded, leaning back into her seat, "It'll be business as usual soon." She smiled warily, as did her opposite, "I was hoping this could last longer, my light." Fire remarked.

Xena shook her head, "Get upstairs and go to school, you deciteful prick." The wolf girl smiled before walking away, her tail wagging gently. The blonde laid her head against the back of her chair, "Don't go insane..." She muttered.

.o.0.o.

Fire reluctantly went up the stairs, wanting to stay with her counterpart, but her core pulled her into the other direction. She sighed lightly, putting on her carefully crafted mask before opening the basement door, "You were right Phantom! Nothing attacked Xena or me so our signatures are definitely hidden!" She chirped.

The ghost prince smirked, "My being right does happen occasionally." Fire couldn't help it, he walked into this one, "Well even a broken clock is right twice a day."

Danny snickered while Phantom scowled, "Are we sure that she's the benevolent one?" The prince asked jokingly.

The wolf hybrid almost burst out laughing at that, "I'm pretty sure I'm the benevolent one." She said, but thought, 'I could be wrong though.' Fire almost regretted not letting Xena do her thing. Giving into her insane impulse was so much easier. She was the planner, yes, but there was really no plan this time.

Danny went over to Phantom and kissed his cheek. Her core pounded against her ribcage for a moment as her eyes darkened for a split second. The plan was to keep Danny safe and away from others, the steady beat of her core reminded sternly.

She smiled, "Well, come on! Or we'll be late!" Yandere ran to the door, hearing two pairs of feet following behind her. Fire's ears twitched down, remembering Xena's words, 'Don't go insane...' She internally sighed, 'I'll...' Another loud beat of her obsession extinguished whatever she'd been thinking, '...protect Danny.'

.o.0.o.

The day went on as usual, but a few more jocks went to nurse. A couple that had called Danny a freak and a few that decided to pull on Fire's tail.

When asked about it she said she was trying out new costume ideas, but that she couldn't take the tail or ears off because they were glued down. It also explained why she yelped whenever someone pulled on them too hard; pull on the tail or ears the glue pulled on her skin. No one questioned it further.

.o.0.o.

Fire was just grabbing some things from her locker when she felt it. The ache in her chest that signified someone was with Xena. She narrowed her eyes, everyone had been there today, which meant that Mikey was with Xena. The wolf girl shook her head, "Too soon..."

The wolf closed her locker, a sense of betrayal already taking root, "Give me a chance blondie..." Another thin string of sanity snapped. Her gaze went straight to Danny as she smiled, only after that looking at the rest of the group, 'Give me a chance to claim what's mine.'

.o.0.o.

"So, how long until we get to be reunited?" Xena asked, looking up at the redhead.

Mikey shrugged, "Charlie is working on it. It should be done in a few days." Xena bit her lip, "Can he go faster?"

He looked up from his book with a raised brow, "Why are you so eager?"

The blonde sighed, glaring lightly, "I don't exactly like the idea of losing my sanity, thanks." Tsundere looked away, "One of us will lose it faster than the other and I don't want it to happen." 'Yandere, I hope you haven't done anything stupid...'

Mikey tilted his head. Even with their signatures hidden, he could tell something was a little off. He hadn't felt a sense of foreboding when he walked in and that sense was still absent, even now. After a second he shrugged it off, Xena had been a good actor. Who was to say she wasn't one now?

.o.0.o.

Fire felt herself slipping. Her act hadn't slipped, oh hell no, but everything else? Yep, it was slipping.

It all started at lunch. Danny and Phantom were sitting close to each other, which didn't happen often. When it did though, it was usually nauseatingly sweet and full of "subtle" flirtations.

"So," Sam interrupted her train of thought, "you're only one part of Fire?" Yandere nodded enthusiastically, matching Xena's behavior when excited, "Yep! Benevolent half at your service!"

Wes raised a brow. Fuck, had he noticed something already? "Why are your ears and tail still out?" He asked quietly. Oh, that was an easy answer,

"I can't retract them. Xena has the choice of bringing hers out, but I can't get rid of mine." Fire replied just as quietly. "Makes it easier for Xena to hide in plain sight, but for me? It makes it harder for me to protect because I stick out too much."

The red head took a moment before nodding. Fire nearly sighed in relief. Yeah, she was the planner, but she had to gage every reaction from him very carefully. He had a thing for investigating stuff and that wasn't good if the objective was going to succeed.

Another string broke, "I'll watch Xena tonight so you guys don't have to worry too much." She chirped, "It's better for us to be close anyway."

Tucker looked confused, "Why?"

The wolf girl's expression grew sombre, "If we stay together more then we'll keep our sanity for longer." The subject wasn't brought up again.