THE CRUCIBLE

Chapter 5

The Heir Awakes

         "Oh God, Justin! What have we done!? He's dead!"

         Brian stood there with Hunter cradled in his arms. After his torturous trip down Memory Lane, his mental anguish was finally at an end. He lay where he had collapsed, in Brian's arms, eyes closed, limp, and still as the grave.

         "No he's not Brian. In fact, he's getting better."

         "What!? Justin, how can you say that!? Look at him!" Brian shook Hunter gently a bit for emphasis. Over the past few months, Brian had gotten used to Justin's strange, tranquil, and often enigmatic way of speaking. But now, at this stressful time, it was beginning to fray on his nerves.

         "Don't worry Brian! You see, this is the state he's really been in, all this time. He's not dead. Just sleeping. He must have remembered so much that the replacement was unable to take the strain. So he retreated back into sleep. There, you see?" Hunter had taken a breath.

         "Well, what do we do now?" asked Brian.

         "Well, first, we may as well make him more comfortable," Justin pointed toward the bed.

         "And then what?" Brian strode with his precious cargo into the bedroom to place Hunter gently on the center of the bed.

         "Then I'll try my sunshine again. Now that he's stopped blocking us, maybe I can finally talk to his mind. And then...well, and then we eat a whole lot of crow."

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         And so, a few minutes later, Hunter was once again on his back in silent repose. They watched as instinctively, his hands laced themselves over his flat tummy and a small peaceful smile curved his sweet lips as he at last slept and rested from his anguish.

         "Maybe we should let him sleep...for just a little longer," Brian said, smoothing his hair lovingly, "We put him through...just so much right now."

         "No. Remember, this is no ordinary sleep. Left unchecked it could last...forever. And the longer he lives with his false conceptions the deeper under he'll go. It's time to reach him...and tell him the truth."

         They both sat on either side of him on the bed. Justin gently lit up his sunshine and again put his thumb on his forehead and hand over the top of his head. He concentrated and sent his energy flowing down that way.

         "Hunter!" he called, "Talk to us! Come back to us! It's J and K!"

         "Please wake up!" Brian begged, Please wake up!" He held his hand.

         Slowly one of his hands came up into the shushing gesture. His eyes jerked open in that startling way again and showed only the whites of his eyes. "Shhhhhhhh...." he whispered, "Hunter's not here right now." His eyes closed again. His hand jerked out of Brian's and the other one came down and together they re-laced on his tummy.

         "I see," said Justin, as if none of this was out of the ordinary at all, "And who are you then?"

         Thankfully, Hunter's eyes now stayed closed as he answered, still in that breathy, whispering voice, "I....was summoned. You...can call me...Guardian."

         "We'd like to speak to Hunter, please," asked Justin briskly as if he were talking to a receptionist.

         "NO!!" whispered Guardian furiously, "He is sleeping, finally at peace, from the grief that YOU caused him! You will...talk to me! If I feel you have anything...relevant to say...I will relay it. I recognize who you are...CHARLATAINS! I will not fail in my duty! I will not let you hurt him again!"

         "And vice versa?" asked Justin, "You will relay anything Hunter has to say to us? Like an interpreter."

         "That is...acceptable." whispered Guardian.

         "So...that was you walking and talking Hunter around like some human puppet just now?" Justin guessed.

         "Correct," whispered Guardian.

         "Why?"

         "Hunter had promised the woman...3 days and he would...be ready for work. But he needed more time...so I took over...I could not foresee that she would...bring us here instead," said Guardian.

         "Hunter, please come back to us," Brian said brokenly," Please...we love..."

         Hunter's white eyes flipped open. "SPEAK TO ME! SPEAK ONLY TO ME!" he growled furiously, "How DARE you profane this temple by speaking his name! How dare you speak of love! Speak only TO ME!" His eyes closed.

         "We mean no offence," said Justin, "We are only eager to get our son back and healthy. We love him." He mouthed to Brian, "Best to humor him."

         "The flower is dead," Guardian relayed.

         "But in fertile ground, new flowers can grow again," Justin countered.

         Hunter lay still. Then, "Accepted. But it will take time."

         "We will wait. We will rebuild."

         "Why? Why...would you want to?" Guardian whispered for Hunter.

         "Because we love him and want him to come home with us."

         A pause. Then: "Liar....Facade!"

         "No Hunt...Guardian! Whatever! The people we were that night...the rich snobs...that was not us! THAT was the facade! The people who you got to know...The people who we are right now! That is the real us! And we love you!" Brian cried out.

         Guardian processed this.

         "He doesn't believe you. How does he know THIS isn't the facade and the snobs your real personalities? Why should we trust you now?" demanded Guardian.

         "Please listen," said Justin, "That night at the diner...we...mostly I..." he amended, catching Brian's furious look, "...wanted to test you one last time before we took you home. A test of loyalty. We...I wanted to test and see if you could resist the trappings of material wealth, to see if you could remain loyal to your friends, to your principals, to yourself. And you passed beyond all expectations. You had grown from a street hustler into a good and wise young man, worthy of the princehood. But I see now. I see now it was too severe and I'm sorry."

         "How can you test loyalty...with an act of betrayal?" asked Guardian.

         Both men were taken aback at this and had no answer.

         "WELL!!??" roared Guardian.

         "I don't know!" cried Brian. "I'm so sorry, Hunter! I'm so sorry!"

         "I'm afraid, I did not think of it that way either. I have no answer. Only that I'm very sorry and want him to come back," said Justin.

         "Suppose he had gone with you...suppose he had failed...the last test....Or failed the first...but passed the last two....Would you then have rejected him...for the sake of a single fault?...A single weakness?... Especially the one where....you tempted his...greatest vice? Do you realize how close...he came...to sucking Mr. Hood's dick...and losing all? And he would have lost all....wouldn't he?" Here Hunter's eyes snapped open and twisted, white and unseeing at Justin.

         "Yes...I suppose he would...at the time," said Justin in regret and sadness for what he had done.

         "You...are a cruel and unfeeling...creature," said Guardian. His eyes closed once more.

         " Do you realize...you would have lost him too?...If he had, he would never have returned to the Diner...but wandered the world...a vagabond...in eternal shame! A hustler for the rest of his life because you made him think...that was all he was...all he could be!"

         Both men were too horrified to speak.

         "Hunter...Guardian...sweetheart...I'm so...just so sorry! I'm so glad that didn't happen and if you ever come back to us, I'll spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you," choked out Brian. He could not sob but his cheeks were uncharacteristically wet.

         "Me too," Justin sobbed, "Oh, Hunter...Guardian...this is all my fault. I had no idea of that. I'm so sorry."

         For a long time Hunter lay like a cadaver.

         "I have...relayed your apologies. There is no answer. I do not...know how he...will respond when...he wakes up." Guardian whispered, "But I will release him...for now."

         "Thank you Guardian," whispered Brian.

         Hunter's eyes opened with a snap. "I said FOR NOW! The scales have been weighed...and now YOU...have been found wanting! Now you shall have to pass...3 tests of MY choosing! If you fail,...or if you cause him any more grief,...I shall take him back!...Any more tests, any more games...from you,...if you send him into another despair cycle,...I shall repossess him and this time...I will not let him go for 100 years!...Do you understand? Do you accept this fate?"

         "Yes, we will accept," they agreed.

         "But what are the tests? What do you want?" Justin asked.

         "Within the next cycle of the moon...The tests will be presented...in due time. You will not know...when they will be presented to you...so be aware and ready...at all times," Guardian said.

         Justin felt a fresh wave of sorrow as he recognized his own words parroted back at him.

         "I will be in touch....Goodbye."

         And Hunter's eyes closed again, he gave a VERY deep breath and exhaled and when he did he began to breathe deep and even. That small smile faded and he drifted into a real, natural sleep at last.

         Justin let his sunshine fade. "Hunter! Hunter! Wake up! Please wake up! It's Daddy J! It's Justin! Awake, my son!" And King Justin bent down and kissed him on the cheek

         "It's K. My real name's Brian! Please wake up son! Please wake up!" And King Brian bent and kissed his other cheek.

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         Well, I wish I could tell you that Hunter awoke, forgave his fathers, hugged and kissed them back, loved his room, went down to see the babies, accepted the crown that they had waiting for him and settled down to live happily ever after. I wish I could tell you that Guardian never showed up again and they never had to worry about tests or refinements or revenge or any of that stuff. I wish I could tell you that Hunter was never in any danger of falling into a twilight death ever again. I wish I could tell you they found a way for Hunter to turn into a merman so they could all holiday together under the sea in a golden city. And that he met all his mermen uncles who loved him to pieces.

         I wish I could tell you that they hired on the Remington twins as regents and Royal Advisors and that the Remingtons sold the boring box factory and they moved into the palace for good. And I wish I could tell you that Hunter awarded Debbie for helping him with so much money that she was able to expand the roller Diner into a fine dining restaurant that made buckets of money.

         Most of all, I wish I could tell you that they lived happily ever after, right there, right then, in a rich and prosperous life.

         Unfortunately, most of that never happened at all, only some of that happened partways, and only a few of those things happened at all, and not for quite some time.

         Sorry. But that would be a little too good to be true. What did you think this was, some trite, dime store, third rate fairy tale? Hells NO! This is a first rate, prime, Grade A bull shite fairy tale! So let's get shovelin'!!

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         Both kings kissed the boy they considered their son on either side of his face and lifted up waiting and wondering what would happen next.

         For a few moments, nothing changed. Hunter lay agonizingly still. Then, he stirred, groaned, groaned again as if he didn't want to wake up for school. His eyes flickered and then fluttered open at last.  

         "Ohhhh! Where am I? Where? Who? I..." He looked around caught sight of Brian and Justin. "YOU!!!" His voice was pure hate as he recoiled and sat up, backing up against the headboard as far away as he could from them. "You assholes! What have you done? Where am I? Did you resort to kidnapping me now? Am I to be your prisoner as well as your slave!? Well, think again! I'll fight you till my last breath and never stop trying to escape until I achieve liberty or die in the attempt!"

         "Calm down Hunter, no one is keeping you prisoner and you are no-one's slave. You just woke up from a long sleep. What's the last thing you remember?" asked Justin.

         "As far as you are concerned, the last I remember was kicking you to the curb and hitting a shoe with a baseball bat into the back of your snotty chauffeur's head. I think I knocked him out," said Hunter.

         "You sure did! He's still in the infirmary," said Brian.

         "Ahhhh, one of my finer moments, then," said Hunter grimly.

         "And then?" Justin prompted.

         "I remember you being complete snobby assholes!" Hunter replied viciously, "I remember you demanding for me to come home...kicking you out...I remember taking the weekend off so...so...I could...could...get over you," he finally amended. "I went to sleep at Debbie's...and awoke here. Where is here? How did you abduct me?"

         "Hunter, please!" Brian said, "You haven't been abducted. Debbie brought you here. After you went to sleep on Sunday, you slipped into a kind of trance...an alternate personality with amnesia. She brought you to us to help you.  Please son...." He reached out.

         Hunter slapped his hand away. "Don't...TOUCH me!" he screamed, "And you are not my Dad! Everything I knew, everything I wanted in a dad was just a...how did you put it? Ahhh yes, a facade!" he ground in hate.

         "No Hunter! That night in the cafe! That was the facade! We were pretending, to test your character one last time! But we are not like that! Everything you knew was true! We came back the next day to tell you the truth but you had already shut yourself away in seclusion. We know your sorrow has been very great, my son. We are so sorry. We knew you were going to be at work today and we were going to come get you but before we had finished breakfast Debbie arrived with you with amnesia. We have been struggling to regain your senses ever since. And now at last we have." Justin explained.

         "Those...those damn tests!?? You broke my heart over a stupid test? A game? That was...That's all I ever was to you? Some sick game?? Ahhh, yes, I remember now! You were slumming!" he spoke the word with intense scorn. "And what was I??" he had been dying to ask this question ever since the weekend, "A piece of garbage? A piece of trash to be dug out of a bin? A DUMPSTER BOY!?" he yelled.

         "No Hunter, NO!" Brian cried, "You're a better boy...a better man than both of us. And we were never slumming. That was the act, remember? We go to Debbie's all the time! Even before we met you, we still did!"

         Hunter sat hunched in a defensive ball as far away from them as he could. His eyes darted back and forth like a trapped animal calculating escape. Which he was.

         "How do I know this is true!? How do I know you're not acting all nice to lull me into a false state of security so you can switch back to your fancy pants personas!? How do I know that wasn't the real you? Which is the real you? I'll never know now! Never! Who the hell ARE you anyway?" he cried.

         "I am Justin Taylor-Kinney," said Justin.

         "And I am Brian Kinney-Taylor...K...for Kinney," Brian said, "We are the kings of Liberty Kingdom."

         "You!!! You're the Queer Kings of Liberty Kingdom!?"

         They nodded.

         "Oh my God! It all makes so much sense now! Those stupid morality tests...Oh we're SOOOOO Rich! Practically royalty!" he mimicked viciously, "Ohhh! You must have thought that was SOOOOO funny! Poor, stupid, clueless Hunter!"

         "Oh, Hunter! That wasn't so! We're so..."

         "Sorry!!?" he finished for Brian in that same horrible vicious tone that never left his voice now, "And for what? So you could make me your toy? Your pet? Some sort of protoge that...that would...grow up...razing people's houses or something!?" he was so angry he had given up trying to make sense.

         "No Hunter! We were in earnest! We wanted...want you as our son. As Prince of Liberty Kingdom." Justin said.

         Hunter was speechless with shock. A myriad of emotions ran through him. Outrage, anger, disappointment, sadness. And on the other end of the spectrum there was lust, desire, a strange, fierce pride and joy that he had WON! He had won the Prize! But the victory was hollow, the prize was empty. The flower of love that had grown over his heart was dead. He opened his mouth several different times to say several different things but in the end nothing he could come up with was good enough. Finally he just shut down, crossed his arms and said three words and nothing else.

         "Take me back," he said.

         "Hunter please! If you would just listen! We could..."

         "Take...ME...BACK!!" His mouth hardened into a grim line and he spoke no more.

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         And so, seeing they could do no more, the Queer Kings took him back.

         They led him out of the apartments, down the halls along the string, down the stairs, and into the courtyard. Brian summoned a golden Rolls Royce with the top down. The Rolls came with an elderly chauffeur with white muttonchops and a thick, white, walrus moustache. The chauffeur was instructed to take Hunter wherever he wanted to go.

         Hunter got in the car without a word and gave the man the instruction to take him to the Liberty Diner.

         Brian got in the car after him and enfolded Hunter into a hug. Hunter resisted at first and then just gave in to the inevitable and let it happen.

         "Hunter, I know you're very angry right now. But just know that Justin and I love you very much. Please try to take in that everything we said three days ago is completely false. No-one will be displaced...ever. We were not slumming. You are not a dumpster boy. You are my most precious jewel find."

         "Yeah...." Hunter sniffled, "A diamond in the rough!"

         "No, my son. You have been polished and now you shine as bright as the sun."

         Hunter sniffled again. "R- really??"

         "Yes, really! And if you accept you will NOT have to give up Debbie! She's here, almost all the time anyway! Wild dogs couldn't keep her away from those babies!"

         "What? Really??"

         "Yes indeed," said Justin, leaning into the car, "Where do you think she was going when she had you lock up, or just with "errands"?"

         "I didn't think about it! I was just glad to have the job. She was here, huh?"

         "Yup! Ohhh Hunter!" Brian squished him tight and rubbed his back. "I'm going to miss you so much! OK! We'll come see you tomorrow!" He hopped out of the car.

         "Wait! You just said you were going to miss me like you weren't going to see me for ages!"

         "That's how much I love you, my son! Tomorrow seems like an age to me!"

         And me too! I love you my son! See you tomorrow!" said Justin.

         "You know, don't bother!" snarked Hunter, remembering he was supposed to be mad at these men. And stop calling me that!"

         "Never!" returned Brian.

         "Ohhhhhhhhh!!!!!" Hunter seethed with frustration. "I am NOT your son! Step on it!" he yelled to the driver.

         And he did, the car peeling out with a squeal. Brian and Justin watched until it drove out of sight.

         "I want him," said Brian pleasantly, still looking after the car that was now gone.

         "I know, my love. He'll come around. I want him too."

         "No, I don't think you understand. I want him. I wanted him ever since I saw him in that alley the first day. All dirty and imperfect with the fear of God shining out of his eyes just like Michael after the spell wore off."

         "So this was about Michael!" Justin accused jealously.

         Brian sighed long sufferingly. "I said the fear of Michael. Look, Justin, the first thing I did when I found out what he'd done was punch him out and go find you. It was over. Period. That's why I was so surprised when you told me he was dead. I figured he was still out cold. But this isn't about Michael. Michael is gone! This is about Hunter and how I saw a needy, damaged boy and wanted him! And you wouldn't have him! I kept asking to take him home but you never really listened. Now, I want him, dammit!...And you are going to get him for me!"

         "Of course, Brian! I mean, we're both going to do whatever we can to..."

         Brian turned in a lightning move and grabbed Justin by his collar and yanked him up so that they were nose to nose.

         "NO! You're still not getting it!" he growled, "So listen up, you superioristic little shit! YOU are going to get him! You fucked with him and you are going to fix it personally! I am holding you responsible! You got to know me and sealed the deal in three weeks so that's what I'm giving you! You have three weeks to fix this and get him back! Or else!"

         "Or else what?" Justin quavered. He was sufficiently scared at this point and as well as a little turned on by Brian's show of brute strength. Was that wrong? Probably. Better to pay attention here.

         "Or you can hop back in the ocean...turn back into a fish...and swim back to that golden city! Because we'll be through!"

         "What!? Brian, no!"

         "Oh, Justin...YES!" Brian smiled ferally, "Now look! I love you to death, but I think we can both agree that over the last month or so I've put up with a lot and now, so has Hunter! I'm with Deb on this one! I don't have it in me to fillet you but I want him! I want him back in my arms as much as I do Gus or JR! And if I don't get him I can definitely throw you back and cut you loose! Got it!?"

         "Brian, I had no idea you felt like this! I'm so...so..."

         "I SAID DO YOU GOT IT!!!?" Brian yelled.

         "Yeah Bri. I got it." Justin answered humbly. It was the only answer to give.

         "Good." Brian released him abruptly and gave him a quick, searingly hot kiss. "I'm going to go check on the babies. Why don't you go work on that for a while? See you at lunch?" Brian turned on his heel and strolled on back into the castle whistling a lively but disjointed tune.

         "Sure Brian. OK!" Justin called out. But Brian was already halfway gone and didn't really hear. Justin watched him go, more than a little worried. Could it be he had pushed Brian a little bit too far in the mental department too?  Great Neptune, he hoped not. But still...he had never seen Brian show such drastic mood swings before.

         Very concerned, Justin headed for his studio. He did his best thinking in there.

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         Hunter spoke not another word all the way back to town and the Diner. His thoughts and emotions were still all in a jumble. Hate, anger, sadness, disappointment, self pity and yet a strange sense of elation, a kind of I DID IT!...wove through him. And through it all, he felt the grief he had struggled with all weekend. He had won the prize but it was empty because he no longer loved them. He was back at square one.

         And through all this, he felt weak and shaky, tired and yet unable to sleep as if he were being released from the hospital. At times, he would take a huge cleansing breath, feeling like he had been in a space for a long time with little or recycled air.

         At last, they reached the Diner. The Rolls pulled into the parking lot and stopped. Hunter hopped out.

         "Can I give the masters any message?" asked the kindly driver with the white walrus moustache.

         Hunter started. He had not expected this. Then he smiled ferally.

         "Why sure!" he started pleasantly, "You can tell them that they can..."

         The rest of Hunter's message is too filthy to print.

         "My word!" exclaimed the driver.

         "However," Hunter said, "Don't bother telling them if you're going to clean it up! Deliver it word for word! If you can!" Hunter laughed unkindly.

         "My boy, you'd be surprised what I can do!" said the driver, giving him a slow, deliberate wink of his own before driving off.

         Hunter was taken aback. Wow! Maybe he'd underestimated the old dude. Fancy that!

         Still feeling weak and shaky and a little queasy, he shuffled across the parking lot to the Diner and went inside.

         Everyone in the diner had watched him pull up and almost everyone recognized him and shouted hello.

         He waved back and answered in a weary way and then went to sit at the counter and wait for Debbie to come zooming out.

         Eventually she did and was overjoyed to see him.

         "Are you OK, sweetheart? Are you fixed?" she asked.

         "Well, I don't remember anything from this morning. I just remember going to bed Sunday night and waking up looking at those two assholes. But I remember everything else. But I think it'll be a long time before I'm OK...or fixed, as you put it."

         "Oh dear! I'm so sorry, Hunter. And I guess you don't remember from when I dropped you off but I said I was sorry. But I'll say it again. I'm so, so sorry for my part that I played in their stunt. I thought it was just going to be a personality test. I had no idea they were going to go that far. And by the time, I realized how severe it was, it was too late. I'm so sorry, Hunter, I never should have agreed."

         "You won't get any arguments from me," said Hunter, "But it's OK. Well, enough about them. Do I still have a job here?"

         "Of course, honey! You can clock in anytime. You apron and skates are in the back. If there's anything else I can..."

         "Maybe there is...Look Deb, I'm still feeling a little shaky and I was wondering...is there ANY way you'll consider letting me do my work in my shoes? Or another pair of nice shoes? Anything? Those skates really hurt my feet and I really don't think I could handle them right now. Please?" He wasn't bullshitting her...much. He still had that weak and shaky feeling in his knees and worst of all he still felt like he wanted to burst into tears at any moment. Good grief, what a girl he was turning into! But he couldn't help it. And if he could capitalize...heavily...on it, why not?

         "Sure, honey, I understand. Don't worry about the skates. And your shoes are just fine. Just go put on a apron and get crackin' any time!" She zoomed away.

         "Hunter took a few more deep breaths and then went into the back. He put on an apron and picked up his time card and let it hover over the time clock. Was this what he really wanted to do with the rest of his life? He thought about it for a minute and realized that as good a job as this was, as nice of a step up from hustling, it was relatively a dead end. He had nearly achieved princehood and now (NO!! He wouldn't think about that, not here, NOT NOW!!) regardless of that, what were the chances of moving up here? Waiter, cashier, cook, more waitering...Did he really want to end up like Debbie, cracking gum and bussing tables and taking orders and carrying heavy plates of food that he couldn't eat for the rest of his life?

         He shuddered. He didn't. But that was his life right now. He punched the clock and got to it.

Later...

         As usual the big and blustery Remington twins blew in the door.  They talked and chattered and laughed as usual. Hunter took their orders as usual, laughed with them as usual, watched them as usual...

         And then, it was if a lightbulb went off in his head. He looked past the fact that they were customers and remembered what they did for a living. They owned a business...a factory. They were businessmen. They understood what it was to get ahead because they were ahead.

         And so, when he brought them their food, he waited a bit for them to dig in and let some of that food take the edge off. And while they were eating and sufficiently trapped there, he took a deep breath and went over to them.

         "Are you enjoying your meals gentlemen?" he asked as if by rote.

         "Oh yes, yes," they answered.

         "Oh that's good. Mr Fred? Mr Red? I wonder if I might sit down and talk with you a little more...in a business capacity?" And so saying, he sat down anyway.

         "Oh..uh, OK," said Fred, not that he had much choice.

         "What do you mean, business capacity?" asked Red.

         "I'll be as brief as I can. I'd like to ask for a job. Any job at the box factory. You see, I've been thinking there's only so far I can go here and only so much Debbie can afford to pay me. I'd like to move up in the world but I don't think I can do that here."

         "But what about...Shouldn't they be here by...I mean what about J and K?" asked Fred.

         "You can dispense with that," Hunter said, "I know who and what they are now."

         "Oh. Well, you know what they were after then. Haven't you come to some...arrangement?" asked Fred.

         "Sorry boys. You're a little bit behind the times. Here's what you missed. Last Thursday, I asked them to become their son. I still didn't know who they were."

         "Hurray!!" they cheered.

         "Not so fast. You see, the next night when they came to pick me up..." Hunter proceeded to fill them in on the events of the third test. The Twins were properly horrified.

         "Suffice it to say, I don't want to have anything to do with them," Hunter concluded, "It seems I will have to make my own way in the world now. I know you. I trust you. And you're rich, successful. You can give me a job that can lead to something more. I can't stay with Debbie forever and I'd really like to be able to afford my own crap-ho - my own place." (Hey a little flattery never hurt no-one, right?)

         "Well, I still don't know," said Fred, "What do you think, Red?"

         "Hmmm, I dunno, either," said Red, "There's still an application...a resume....proper channels....that sort of thing."

         "I'll gladly fill out anything you want," Hunter said, "I don't have a resume. I haven't worked long enough to develop one. Basically, you've seen what I do here.  Before that, I was a whore," he said bluntly, "It's not something I'm proud of and it's not something I want to go back to, which is why I'm bothering you gentlemen. I realize I'd have to start at the bottom. I'll sweep floors, clean the bathrooms, anything to get my foot in the door. Anything. Please."

         The Twins looked over his shoulder, bent forward and whispered furiously, speaking in half sentences, finishing each other's sentences and starting others for each other and generally speaking in that strange twin language that some twins develop over a lifetime together.

         "I'm sorry Hunter. But you're just too young for us to hire you," they said, "Besides shouldn't you be more worried about furthering your education?"

         "I'm afraid there's no money in that. Or to put towards it," said Hunter, "Life is going to have to be my educator. Please! Just...just think it over."

         The bell rung as someone came in.

         Hunter was seated away from the door. "Have a seat and I'll be right with you! Read the menu have something ready when I get there! Don't waste my time and I won't waste yours!" he yelled in his typical server persona. "Well...thanks for your time," he said to the Twins.

         He got up and reached for his pad. "What'll you have?" he asked.

         "How about one son....to go?" asked a voice sorrowfully.

         "It was Justin.

         "Ohhhhhh, I'm sorry! We're fresh out of that! How bout an order of hot wings? To go!" he said pointedly.

         "Please, Hunter, can't you sit down for a minute and talk to me. Please?"

         Hunter rolled his eyes and huffed in frustration. "I have nothing to say to you! Besides, I'm trying to work! I have to earn a living!"

         "But that's just it. You don't need to earn a living! Please come home! Brian wants you back...so much!"

         "Hmmmm..." Hunter hummed unsympathetically, "So where is Lord of the Leather, anyway?"

         "He doesn't know I'm here. I wanted to come by myself."

         "Why?"

         To spend time with you by myself. To show you, I am not like...like I was on Friday. To apologize again and to explain a bit more. Please. Sit." A hint of a command. "You know you don't have to worry about work when I'm here."

         "That was before! That when you were wooing me...and God help me, I was wooing you too, because I wanted you to be my Dad. So much. I don't now. The flower is dead!" he declared dramatically hoping to shock and hurt Justin.

         But Justin already knew this. "I know," he said simply.

         Hunter was enraged. "Ohhhh!! I hate the way you talk! Nothing bothers you, nothing surprises you. It's like nothing I say has ANY impact on you! Don't you even care that I hate you!?"

         "Of course, I care! It's just I knew the flower you speak of is dead because you told me already."

         "I did? I don't remember."

         "You were asleep when you did. Sit and I will tell you."

         And so, more out of curiosity than anything else, Hunter sat. And Justin told him about his amnesic state, his breakdown and the Alternate personality known as Guardian.

         "Oh God! This is terrible! So what you are telling me is I'm basically crazy! You asshole! You literally drove me out of my mind with grief!"

         "No Hunter, I don't think you're crazy. Guardian is just there to keep you safe and comfortable. And soon he'll be gone altogether."

         "Once he...I give you YOUR tests, you mean!" said Hunter in joyful recrimination.

         "Yes."

         "Hmmm. Being crazy MAY have its perks!" Hunter said nastily.

         "Please! Hunter, you are not crazy!" Justin cried.

         "So you say. Well thanks for the little blow your mind session but as I said I have a living to earn. I need to get back to work."

         "Hunter, no you don't! Talk to me some more! Let's go for a drive!"

         "So you can lock the door and spirit me back to your castle by the sea!? No thanks!"

         "A walk then! Anything you want! Anything your heart desires!"

         Hunter gagged. When he had himself under control, he told him, "Get out. Get out now. I want to get back to work."

         "Oh, Hunter no! I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I forgot!"

         "Yeah?? Well, I didn't forget!! I'll never forget! Now...read my lips! My heart's desire...is...to...get...back to work!"

         "How do you think you got this job in the first place?" Justin said craftily.

         Hunter's head whipped around. "What did you just say?"

         Justin clapped a hand over his mouth. His eyes widened in horror over what he had done. But it was too late.

         "You little asshole! Did you just threaten my job? Is that what that was that was!?"

         "Hunter, no! Oh, I didn't mean it! Not really! Oh, I'm so sorry!"

         "Your Majesty! Did we hear you correctly? Did you seriously just insinuate that you'd take away what you had given this young man!?" Fred and Red slid their bulk out of their booth and towered over Justin.

         "Hi Fred! Hi Red No! Not really! I just wanted to keep him from leaving for a little while longer! I just...I just...spoke without thinking."

         You tried to blackmail him!" accused Fred, "King Justin! I am ashamed of you! Not only for the deplorable thing you did on Friday but for now as well! You have changed so much! Where is that shy, sweet boy we befriended at the banquet, those short months ago? The disadvantaged, scorned, and disabled youth we struck up a conversation with and found a wealth of talent within. We helped start and further your art career!"

         "I know Fred! I know. And I'm so deeply grateful. I always have been. I - I - I - I..." Justin quailed under his first friend's imposing stare. Oh Neptune! O damn! This visit was not going at all like he'd planned. Like he'd hoped. Hunter was still too full of anger and hate and now he'd made a terrible mistake. Brian was going to kill him!

         "And yet here you are, bullying someone who is in almost the same position you were. Shame on you! Right now, I'm ashamed to have you as my King!" He looked at his wrist. He pulled off his bracelet with the blue sapphire. "Here. I want you to have this back for a while." He dropped it on Justin's table. "Think about what you said and what you did. Think before you speak."

         Red pulled his off too. "Yeah. What he said."

         "Fred, Red, no!! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it! Really! Please don't give those back! They were my very first purchase! My very first gift to you! And besides, how will I know which one you are!"

         "We hardly recognize you right now! Why should you recognize us?" Fred asked angrily. "I tell you this! We will only accept these bracelets back if they are formally presented to us by the Crown Prince of Liberty Kingdom!"

         And with that they made their way back to their booth and said not another word to him.

         "Oh, and Hunter!" Fred said, "Anytime you want, come see our personal secretary, ask her for an application and tell her to label it Code 16!"

         "Code 16? What's that?"

         "Never you mind! She'll know!" Fred said.

         "Ohhhh!! I think I understand! Thank you, Mr. Remingtons! I won't let you down! In the mean time, it looks like I have to get back to work! You know....servant work!" he said for the benefit of a now bitterly weeping Justin. "Yes Sir! Good old fashioned servant work! I've got to bus tables! Take orders! Deliver food, piping hot! And take out the trash!"

         Justin's head whipped around when he heard the scraping of the bat being taken from its place from underneath the counter.

         Hunter advanced to the middle of the diner where he just stood there holding the bat and tapping the big end into his palm. His eyes blazed with hate.

         Justin got the message. He scooped up the bracelets and jammed them in his pocket, got up, and fairly ran for his life.

TBC