REUNION 
                                a vignette 
                               by darkangel 
  
  
        LaCroix smiled, humming to himself as he energed from a decrepit 
hotel where he'd held a meeting with his Cousins.  They were looking 
forward to the next war, and for that he was glad.  He turned the corner, 
feeling like walking to the Raven rather than flying home.  He hadn't 
checked on Janette in some time... 
        He was so caught up in his plans for the war that he ran into a 
dark form which leaned against the wall.  The figured looked up, and 
LaCroix felt shock for the first time in a thousand years. 
        "Lucien, you're still too obsessive about your children.  Will 
you ever learn?" 
        "Julia?"  He squeaked the name, then tried to resume his normal 
voice.  "What are you doing here?" 
        She laughed.  "I haven't gone by that name in years, dear 
brother.  It's Stefani, now.  Has been for , oh, at least three 
centuries.  I picked it up in Greece.  It means 'crowned with glory.'  Do 
you like it?  And can't I pay a visit to my dear brother without having a 
reason?" 
        He was still recovering.  "It's just been so long..."  The last 
time he'd seen her was two years before his first child, Diana, had 
walked into the sun, and twenty years before he'd made Janette.  He 
remembered the night she'd been brought across.  Their father had married 
her to an old colleague to whom he'd owed a favour, and Julia had been 
miserable.   She had been the only sibling he cared for, and when she was 
dying in childbirth two years after he'd been brought across, he 
convinced his maker to save her life by bring her across.  They had been 
inseperable for the next century, making their first child together, until 
she had decided to see the world alone.  He had not heard from her since. 
        "Well, I was rather busy..."  She frowned.  "You don't look well." 
        "Just surprised." 
        She nodded.  "Well, I have to go.  It was nice seeing you..." 
        "You're leaving?  I haven't seen you in a millennia and you're 
going, just like that?" 
        "I'll be back.  I just have to go introduce myself to a few of my 
new recruits." 
        "Recruits?" 
        "Oh, you didn't know?  I'm on that silly list of yours, you know, 
the Internet one?  I'm with the mercenaries, and we just got a batch of 
fresh recruits.  I have to introduce myself." 
        "You're with the what?  But, what about the Cousins?"  His 
confusion made the woman laugh. 
        "What about them?  They have no spirit.  The mercenaries, 
however... now, THEY have initiative."  She smiled.  "See you later.  And 
if you like, I'll even let you introduce your Cousins to their Aunt Darkangel." 
        She laughed as she flew off, leaving LaCroix staring bemusedly 
after her. 
  
-- 
darkangel    steff@jbx.com   "fortune favours the audacious." --erasmus