(Billytea, if this ends up with giant spiders running loose in Sang Sancre, I will be very, very cross with you. IJS ...)

Miracleman orders Hector to bring us some towels. Devouring jello demons is sticky work and both Knut and the Instagolem could use a wipe. Me, I just feel unclean from watching that much jello go down.

Miracleman seems distracted.

"Look, guys, it was nice of you to clean up the goo and all, but I've kind of got my hands full so. . . "

"We know that! Why do you think we're here? All hell or heck or I don't know what is breaking loose, and I wanted to do something about it!" I am not feeling particularly patient right now, so it's just as well that Knut interrupts.

"Things are out of balance, which does nobody any good. Penny here is into fighting evil. I'm all for a sound ecology. We came to you because you seem to be in the middle of things."

Miracleman looks thoughtful.

"What were you planning to do? I mean, what powers do you have at your command?"

Knut stares at the spider plant by the door. It pulls itself out of its marble urn and walks over to him. He gives it an absent pat and sends it home.

"I have a way with plants. Also, in case you haven't noticed, I'm huge and made of rock."

Miracleman nods and stares at me rather pointedly.

"Oh. I can make things. Do a few curses. Um. Teach English. Hit things with sticks. Look, I just want to do something, okay? Also, I think you're going to need all the help you can get. I think we should get people together. Have you seen Aimee?"

Hector giggles. Oh, hell. What have they done with her?

So, I've been a slug all day. Literally. It was sooo nice to get my powers back. I turn back to human and snap myself into an ensem that more reflects me me, not the dominatrix me that has been parading (and I'm not being vain, you can't help bu parade in that get-up) in for 15 years.

Low-slung jeans, boots, black lace t-shirt. I'm set. I throw on my leather duster (I really like it-won't give it up) and head out to the front of the castle or whatever it is that Miracleman has going on here.

Oooh! I think I hear Penny!!

I walk out and see a large puddle of green, what is that?

Hector is giggling. Must be Jell-o. With bits of fruit.

I decide to take a quick walk through the streets of Blood. Dagfari wants to come with me, but I persaude him that I should go alone. "I won't be going far," I tell him, "and we can stay in touch through the mind-link. I'd like to have some idea what sort of range it has."

//Miles and miles,// he says, gloomily. Why, of all the vampiric houses in Sang Sacre, did I end up with a depressed one?

"I'll be okay," I say, firmly, snatch my glasses up from the table by the door, and hurry out.

The roads are busy, and I stop to put my specs on- only to discover that they aren't my regular pair, but the magical set which allow me to see past and future. Ooops.

//I told you something would go wrong,// Dagfari says in the back of my mind.

I tell him, politely, to go to hell.

//Am already, lady,// he replies, //Demon, remember?// Fortunately, he does shut up when I threaten him with being given back to Miracleman.

Little by little, I adjust the spells in the glasses so that they are focused on one second- things are a little blurry, but better than nothing. I find an alley- this town's well provided with them- and stand at the entrance, looking into the future.

Now, due to the trousers of time problem, there are multiple futures availible for viewing at any one time. Slowly, I scan through some of the things that could happen- and realise I don't like most of them. One features huge numbers of green jello monsters. Another involves six thousand escaped mole rats, some of whom (in the best tradition of Blood) are naked. Yet another sees the town being run by someone I can only identify as 'gothygirl', a front for the real power behind the throne, a demonic rabbit. I think that perhaps the future needs a little help recovering its positive side.

With determined strides, I set out for Miracleman's. Time for some pay back.

"Let's see...plant-controlling rockman. Curse-wielding, hitting-with-sticks English teacher. Me. Hector."

I sigh. "Not much of an army."

"What about ita?" Penny B. asks.

"No telling. She could be on our side, she could be on the bad guy's side. All depends on what the 'balance' requires.

"Plus I'm being sued by the makers of Jell-O. And litigation tends to make friends scarce."

I lean over the chasm on the doorstep and knock carefully. After all, if Miracleman doesn't answer I can just run away, and claim he wasn't in.

"Jumpin' Jupiter! What now?"

I open the door, staff raised and blazing light. But it's Am-Chau and, as far as I know, not necessarily here to destroy me.

"Oh. Hi. How's the house working out?"

"It's, err, undead as normal. Look, I'm here to offer to join your army, if you'll let me off the debt. I don't like the futures I'm seeing at all."

"Uh. Sure. What the hell."

I let her in and show her to the living room. Introductions are made.

"As for a plan for our 'army', well...I don't have one.

Does anyone know a good lawyer?"

As I know Hector a little already, I go and stand by him. Not the best choice, perhaps, but it seems better than sitting next to someone as dangerous as- what were the names?- Penny and Knut.