Roger abruptly stopped when he ran into something. He looked up into the angry face of Dionysus. "What the...?" he asked when Dionysus cut him off.

"Dare?" the silver-haired man asked.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Dare?" he repeated again. Roger was put back by the fire that burned in Dionysus' eyes. He always knew the silver-haired Guardian to be rather level-headed. In fact, the only thing that set him off was danger to... That's when Roger saw what Dionysus was wearing.

Dionysus had not changed his clothes since he had found Celeste bleeding to death, and his immaculate white outfit was splattered with blood.

"Dionysus... what... what is this all about? Who are you talking about?"

Dionysus gritted his teeth, his hands unconsciously forming fists. "I want to know who did this. I want to know who did this to Ce-ko."

"Did what to--"

"Roger? Did you just feel that?"

Roger nearly smacked himself. Of all the times for Susanne to come looking for him! He risked a glance over his shoulder and saw all the Otaku of Susanne's side standing in the doorway.

"We all felt something and came looking for you," Susanne said. "What's... oh... god..."

Yup, she had seen Dionysus. There were assorted gasps of shock. Dionysus' eyes immediately sought out Mercy and he strode to her. He was about to grab her when Orion came out of nowhere and grabbed him. Roger took hold of Dionysus' arms as well.

"Dionysus! Calm down!"

"Iie! She's the one! She's the one who did it! It's all your fault!"

"Nani?!?" Mercy asked. "What are you talking about? I didn't do anything!"

"What's going on here?" Anaera demanded.

"He's cute," Kristsi remarked. "Is he my Guardian?" she asked innocently.

Everyone shot her Look Number 212, what-the-hell-are-you-thinking. Meredith took hold of her friend's arm. "Uh, no... he's spoken for already."

Dionysus had finally calmed down. Orion and Roger shared a look and finally let him go.

"Explain yourself," Roger said. "What did you think you'd accomplish by barging in here like that? And why in the hell are you covered in blood?"

Dionysus did something that surprised them all. He slumped down in a nearby chair and covered his face in his hands. "Whose blood do you think this is?" he asked softly, his voice almost cracking with emotion.

"Oh... god..." Susanne muttered. "Celly's?" Everyone in the room shot Look Number 54 at Mercy, did-you-do-that. Mercy unconsciously took a step back.

"I didn't do anything to her except give her that black eye! She's the one who nearly killed me!"

"Wait a second!" Orpheus interjected. "An Otaku can't kill another Otaku! It's one of the Rules!"

"Kill...?" Meredith and Kristsi said together. The two stood together, shocked by this turn of events.

"Celly's not... is she...?" Mercy asked. Orion put an arm around her shoulder. Though they were enemies, no one deserved...

"No, she isn't," Dionysus answered, his head hanging still. "And you're right, Orpheus. Otaku can't kill each other."

"Then, the blood..." Roger said. In his mind he shuddered to think what he would do if her ever found Susanne injured... or worse.

"Ce-ko... Ce-ko tried to kill herself... she slit her wrists..."

The silence in the room lengthened.

"Was that what we felt?" Meredith asked. "She tried... to kill herself?" Her mind reeled. Celly? Celly wanted to hunt everyone down, she thought. She wouldn't give up like that!

"But... but..." Anaera stuttered. "Celly is a warrior! She of all people should know there's no honor is committing suicide!" Slit her wrists? Celly? The one who attacked first, no matter what the odds? The one who thought it was fun?

Dionysus just sat in the chair with his head hanging. "It was my fault... I should have been there for her... I could have done something..."

Roger growled and shook Dionysus. "Snap out of it, man! This is why you were kicked out by the Council! You've lost all your objectivity where your Otaku is concerned!"

Dionysus sprang out of the chair and decked Roger, anger sparking in his grey eyes. "Don't you *dare* tell me what I can and cannot do, Roger! I've been a Guardian even before your *great*-grandparents were even in diapers! I know what I have to do! The Guardian's Council can go to hell... and you can too."

Roger stared at the furious man, unable to say anything.

"Don't think I haven't seen it. I, of all people, can tell when it's about to happen, and it's already happened to you." Dionysus placed a meaningful glance at Susanne, who tensed. "She doesn't even know what I'm talking about, does she? Well, it doesn't matter."

Dionysus made his way towards the door. He looked at the Otaku and Guardians who were in the room. "All I can tell you is this... killing herself was the only way Ce-ko could find to get out of this damned Game. I don't know who or what caused her to try seppuku, but when I do..."

Dionysus let his phrase hang ominously.

The door crashed into the frame.

TBC...