"If you don't mind," Roger said, getting their attention.

"Are you still here?" Celly said, a hint of irritation in her voice.

Roger ignored it. "What was that all about anyway?"

Celly shrugged. "It's not my fault she won't accept the truth."

"Must you constantly pound it into her? How much does it matter whether or not she thinks she's real or fiction? You say she's got a job to do. So she has. She's my concern, not yours." He glared at the two.

They glared back. Dion tensed. He let go of Celly and stood in front of Roger. It was as though neither was willing to back down. They stood, glaring at each other.

"You're still not supposed to be here," Roger said.

"That is none of your business."

"And Susanne is none of yours."

Dion was quiet a moment, then he finally relaxed and chuckled. "I get it," he said softly. He shook his head. "Who'd have thought... Roger, who could have almost any woman in the world, literally." He laughed again and turned back to Celly.

"And what the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" Roger said coldly.

Dion said nothing more as he and Celly walked away.

Roger wanted to run after him, wanted to rip an explanation out of him. Of course, he could always go to the Council... but Roger had no doubt that Dionysus would finish whatever he had started here, regardless of the Council.

Roger started to follow Susanne, then turned and decided to take a different route. Susanne always seemed to follow set patterns, even the paths she traversed to and from her classes. No wonder this whole Otaku business was so hard on her.

He almost missed the girl in the dark purple mac running across campus towards the bus stop. What the hell...?

"Susanne!" he called, but she had already disappeared around the corner. He ran after her, and made it to the bus stop just as the bus was pulling away. Roger swore roundly and began looking for a cab.