"How do you feel about seeing him in person?" Marcus asked.

"Very funny."

"He's serious," I add.

"You guys are going to Pyron?"

"Yes. Kairo has something that belongs to some friends of ours. We need to get it back. You would be extremely helpful on this mission. If you need to think about it-"

"I'm in!"

"You understand this isn't a road trip to Los Vegas, right?" Miku asks.

"She knows and she's excited," Rio confirms.

"Look Isabelle, reading about a Demon and taking him on face to face is different," Marcus warns.

"I know it sounds crazy but I think I could really help you guys. I've been looking for this opportunity for many Cycles now. I can do this."

"We don't doubt that. But we want you to know about the danger you will face," I plead with her.

"I'm ready. I want to help."

"Are you sure?" I ask again.

"Yes. When do we leave?"

"Later tonight."

She smiles. Jay, who's been surprisingly quiet, asks a question.

"You're the first Angel I've met that wears gla.s.ses," Jay says.

"I read a lot."

"Yeah, ok. But Angels have perfect eyesight. I mean it's like a trillion times better than humans. How many books could you read to actually require gla.s.ses?"

"A hundred thousand, give or take."

"d.a.m.n! So, what, you don't ever get to chill?"

"That's how I 'chill.' What could be more fun than a book?" she asks innocently.

Jay looks dumbfounded. I playfully jab him in his side. The rest of the team holds back laughter.

"Yo, I would love to show you what's more fun than reading," he says slyly.

"No thanks."

"Oh, you're seeing someone?"

"No."

"Then, what's the problem?" he pushes.

"Well, um..."

"You don't date Guardians? You think we're all players?"

"Honestly, just you," she says, looking around at everyone at the table. From that point on, the two go at it as if we weren't there.

"Yo, why you try'n to do me dirty? You don't even know me," Jay says, highly offended.

"I've read about you in the Splash."

"That mess is garbage."

"So you don't read it?" she asks.

"No. Well...I browse."

"Well, it's not just them. Everyone says you're the love'em and leave'em guy."

"Who says that?"

"The ones who've loved and left I guess. Look, I'm not trying to be mean or anything, it's just that I'm looking for..."

"For what?"

"A guy who's...ugly."

"What the h.e.l.l does that mean?"

"I mean, you're a very handsome, attractive guy; too much so. You look like the centerfold for 'hot n perfect.' Everyone knows, the hotter the Angel, the bigger the jerk."

"True," Miku agrees. Her eyes widen. I don't think she meant to say that out loud. Jay glares at her and returns his attention to Isabelle.

"So you aint feel'n the kid cuz he's fine?" Jay admonishes.

"I'm just saying I date guys who aren't so...polished; guys who haven't practiced smiling in the mirror."

"First, I don't need to practice; this is all natural. Second, maybe if you'd stop being so judgmental, you'd be able to do more than read about peoples lives. Maybe, you'd actually have one."

"I'm sorry if I'm not gushing all over you, Guardian. I know you're supposed to be the Justin Bieber of the Angel world but that just doesn't get it for me."

"Seems like you haven't 'gotten it' in awhile."

"Is your ego so small that rejection from a stranger causes you to lash out like this?"

"What about your ego? You think you're a better Angel than me just because you don't get around like I do?"

"Who says I don't?"

"Oh, I'm sure you and the other librarians get really crazy. I heard you guys have even been known to dog ear the page!"

"Why don't you just go off and do like your kind usually do: flirt with some brainless girl who has to write directions to the Light in the palm of her hand so she won't forget."

"I'd rather her be dumb than uptight. I mean for real, it would be easier to get Lucy into the Light than to get you to loosen up."

"Look, I don't date guys like you. Nothing you say will get me to change my policy."

"Yo, I don't even want you no more!"

"That took five minutes. I'm guessing that's the longest you've ever been with a girl?"

"Say what you want but just so we're clear, I don't flirt with every girl."

"Ha! You've scoped out every chick in here, including the one on the poster."

"She's holding cake. I like cake."

"Yeah, I'm sure you do..."

"ARGH!" Jay barks.

Best. Argument. Ever.

Jay is absolutely livid. He stares back at Isabelle, who is fuming. The two stare at each other as if to kill the other. Then Isabelle leans back in her chair and smiles.

"So, you're saying you're not the kind of Angel who flirts with everything that flies?"

"That's right."

"Care to prove it?"

"h.e.l.l yeah."

"You'll have to go the rest of the day and not flirt with anyone."

"You gonna follow me?"

"No, I have a friend who makes Truth Stones. It's a very basic version of Rio's powers. It looks for one emotion: Desire. I have one here."

She takes out a small bracelet with black stones strung together.

"It's held by Samson string. So only my hand will be able to untie it from your wrist."

"This is gonna monitor how much I flirt?" Jay asks.

"Yes," Isabella says, just as she exchanges a quick glance at Rio. I look at Rio as if to ask what's going on. Rio suppresses a smile and shakes his head.

"We just met and you're already try'n to tie me down..." Jay says.

She places the string of black stones around his wrist.

"How does it work?"

"Every time you feel desire, one of the stones will turn blue. There are twelve stones in all. If we meet tonight and all the stones have turned blue, then I was right."

"Fine, but when we meet up and all the stones are still black, I want an apology so heartfelt, it would make Omnis weep."

"Fine, whatever," she says, as she gets up and heads out the door.

"Can you believe that chick? How dare she act like I can't control myself?" Jay asks.

We all look away from him.

"What y'all try'n to say?"

"Nothing. It's just that you're very...friendly," I say gently.

"C'mon baby girl, don't do me like that."

Before we left the diner, three of the stones had turned blue.

We ignore Jay's ranting about how the stones must be defective and head over to Tony-Tone's shop. As usually, he has on an obnoxious Hawaiian T-shirt and chain. He greets us with his arms wide open. No one on the team is eager to hug Tony-Tone, but I don't have the heart to leave him out there with his arms wide open. So I hug him back.

"Hi Tony," I say, as he squeezes me tightly.

"You know, I gotta be honest, I didn't think you guys would remember," Tony says to us.

"Remember what?" Ameana asks.

"Ha, ha, very funny. Like you don't know today is the anniversary of my original death."

"Tony, we didn't know," Miku tells him.

"Oh. So you never got the evite?"

"Ah, no," Rio says.

"I guess that's what happens when I'm in your spam folder."

"Sorry," Miku says.

"Oh. And I'm guessing there's no gift?"