"They've gotten worse than before!" The King of Slayheim roared. "Isn't that weapon ready yet?"

King William sighed, rubbing his brow. "No, I'm afraid not. They are still working on it."

"It's been three months since you revealed the weapon plan to us!" The Queen of Desperado cried. "Is that pilot even doing his job?!"

"We need a more reliable weapon!" Slayheim said firmly.

"And where, pray tell, are you going to get that?" Springfield said coolly as he entered the room. "I apologize for being late, Your Majesty."

"Welcome, H-05." William nodded. "Take a seat. Where's Vassim?"

"Master Fulcani kept him, he'll be a little bit." Springfield said calmly.

"You look like you haven't slept in days." Desperado commented after a startled pause.

"Frankly, madam, I have not." Springfield replied. "This job is taking its toll on me, but we are making progress. Once the demons are gone, I will have a good, long rest. Until then, I've managed a few naps every now and then."

"Progress is good." Slayheim nodded firmly.

"But, you're only a boy. Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Desperado sighed. "William, are you overworking this child?"

"Madam, with respect, I ask you to worry less of my wellbeing and focus more on what the Demons have been up to. If I rest for as long as you think I should, the Demons would overtake us before we could finish." Springfield said calmly. "Now, if you are finished, I will make my report."

"I wanted to wait for Vassim." William admitted.

"As you wish." Springfield nodded obediently.

Just then, Vassim entered with Emiko Fulcani. "Sorry I'm late. Had to talk with Emiko here." He said, sitting down next to Springfield. "Where is the princess?"

"She is resting." William said calmly. "This project has tired her out. Now, your progress report?"

Vassim cleared his throat and set down a stack of papers. "Yes, the report. The Guardian Blade is growing more powerful and is getting quite accustomed to the power of the Guardians. It has gotten to be less of a strain on both Springfield and Princess Amelia, which makes things easier." He flipped to the next page, placing the former nearby. "We estimate the Blade to be complete in about a year, with how well everything is going."

"A year?" Slayheim frowned. "Why so long?"

"If we rush things, it could be mentally damaging on all parties involved." Vassim explained. "Do you want the princess to lose her mind?"

Slayheim sat back in his chair, silently fuming.

The door suddenly slammed open and a man ran into the room. "Apologies, my lord, but our scouts have reported a large amount of demons amassing in the mountains!"

An Elw came into the room next. "Master Emiko, Demons have gathered in the mountains around Rosetta! We think they are planning an attack!"

Emiko and William both stood up. "Send our soldiers to the mountains of Adlehyde and Rosetta and cut them down before they grow too numerous." William said firmly.

"Set up defenses and prepare to fire if they leave the mountains." Emiko said, nodding as he turned to leave the room. "I shall return to Rosetta. It seems I am needed."

William nodded. "Go quickly. We'll do what we can from here." He turned to Vassim. "We might need that weapon sooner. If you can?"

"We will do our best." Vassim said, nodding. "I apologize that the report was cut short."

"It's not your fault." William walked out with the other leaders.

Springfield sighed and stood up once they were gone. "Well, back to the lab, then."

"Would you like to talk with your family, first?" Vassim asked. "The princess is still resting, after all."

Springfield shook his head. "We must hurry. I don't need the princess as much anymore, I can talk to them myself now that we're completely linked through the Blade." He tapped his head and walked out of the room.

"Oh dear." Vassim watched him go.

Springfield headed for the elevator, but was intercepted by Colt walking out from a side hall. "Whoa!"

"Spring, you're back in town!" Colt grinned. "Can we hang out?"

"I'm sorry, Colt. I have to get back to work." He shook his head and stepped around him.

"Whoa, hold on!" Colt grabbed his wrist. "At least a meal together? I haven't seen you in months!"

Springfield looked at him, and then sighed. "…A quick one. And then I must return, so we can complete her."

"The Blade again?" Colt frowned, pulling him along. "You're so pale, have you been out in the sun at all?"

"Off and on." Springfield replied dully. "The lab is underground, Colt. No sunlight there."

"Geez, and I thought I had problems." Colt sighed. "How you doing?" He led him down the road and into a diner. "When is the last time you ate?"

"Mariel makes and brings me lunches every day." Springfield replied, sitting across from him in a booth. "Mariel understands how much the Blade needs me there with her all the time."

"You just mentioned two different women in the same sentence. One is bringing you food and focusing on your needs and the other is some crazy, needy bitch. You're sounding like Jaivan, man." He shook his head. "A girl on both arms and you haven't even gotten drunk yet."

Springfield chuckled. "Hey, be nice to her. She may be needy and have a temper, but she's sweet."

"And I thought Jaivan was crazy for talking to his ARM." Colt took the menu offered by the waitress. "You need some time away from her."

"I. Can't." Springfield said firmly. "I need to make her complete."

"So give her a ring already." The waitress commented. "And you better stop stringing the other girl along, heartbreaker." She winked. "Can I start you boys off with anything to drink?"

"Coffee." Springfield nodded.

"Same for me." Colt smiled. "Black. He likes a bit of milk in his."

"Alrighty." She walked off to get their drinks.

Colt watched her go, and then turned to Springfield. "You really do need some time away from her. She's consuming you, eating you from the inside out. She's like…a demon." He shivered.

"Don't say that." Springfield said coldly. "You don't know her."

"Yeah, sure. I don't have to know her to know I already don't like her, brother." Colt took his hand that was resting on the table. "She's killing you, and you're too fond of her to realize it."

"I had a girl like that once." A guy in the next booth over commented. "Took me finding her with another man to realize what kind of woman she was."

"I'm the only one who can connect with her." Springfield said firmly to Colt. "I'm the only one who understands her. If it's not me, then she will never be complete! She can never be what she is meant to be!"

"Here are your coffees, dears. Know what you're eating?" The waitress asked, setting down the coffee mugs in front of them.

"I'll have some hash browns and eggs." Colt said, looking over the menu.

"Just chicken soup for me." Springfield said, nodding as he handed her the menu.

"Alrighty." She took the menus and walked off.

Colt waited until she was gone and then leaned in, gripping Springfield's wrist. "I don't give a damn who ordered you to do what. Once she is complete, you give yourself a damn break and leave her be for a while."

"Colt…" Springfield sighed, pulling his hand away. "Never mind. You'll never understand. You're too simple-minded; you think that hitting things or running away will make all the problems go away. Even Wesson understands that's not the case."

Colt sat back in his seat. "I'm not simple-minded. I just worry about you. I see how thin you've gotten. I see the bags under your eyes. And I know that SHE is entirely to blame for both of those factors."

"Not her." He shook his head. "Them."

"Them?" Colt frowned.

Springfield nodded. "Yeah. The Guardians."

"Hm…" Colt sighed. "Well, I don't know what to say to that."

The food was brought and they ate in silence, neither of them knowing what to talk about. After they finished, Springfield started to pull out gella to pay the bill, but Colt had already set down the money and walked off. "…Colt?" He stood up and followed him out.

Colt stood outside the diner, staring at the sky. Springfield walked over to him, looking concerned. "Colt, are you alright?"

"…I'm just not sure how to help you, and it frustrates me." Colt looked at him. "You're slipping away, bro. Slipping away too fast for me to catch you." He suddenly threw his arms around him. "Promise me you'll come back after this is all over!"

Springfield blinked in surprise and then smiled, gently returning the hug. "I promise."

Colt held him for a bit longer, and then pulled back. "You better keep it. I'll be waiting." He smiled and nodded. "You better get going, then. Thanks for the meal, Spring."

Springfield smiled and nodded, running off to the castle. Colt watched him go and, for a moment, wished that he knew how to cry. 'I hear crying helps with parting…I've never been able to do it for anything but extreme pain, though.' He thought as he turned and walked down the road.