Anya watched as Stas sat up in a panic and scanned the room for potential dangers. Mainly for anyone who could be infected. The sight saddened her. It reminded her of what she desprately wanted to put behind her. This feeling she had was unbearable, and it drove her to do something she wasn't fond of doing. She moved forward, got down on her knees, and gave him a tight hug.

Anya hated touching people outside of fighting, and that included displays of affection towards her close friends. But Stas was different. They were brothers, family. (a/n Technically brother and sister now) Though they weren't family through blood, it made no difference whatsoever in how close they were to each other.

"Stas"

"Yeah? What is it?"

There hug had lasted a good ten minutes. Way past the line comfort.

"What's the last thing you remember before I put you in the chamber?"

"*sighh* I remember some kids in a cave. I remember feeling angry and sad. And then I did something very stupid and reckless. Then you put me in the chamber and now I'm here. It's a bit patchy but I remember the big stuff."

"Is that all you remember?"

"Yeah...no wait. I- It wasn't just me and you. There were two more. Mari and- and- the other one. What was his name? Shit. It's like right there. I can see it. Uhhh."

"You always were the forgetful one. His name was Cho."

"Riiight. Cho. I totally knew that. Hey I was the funny one."

"Like hell. I was the funny one. You were the bald one. Maria was the childish one and Cho was the silent one."

"THE BALD ONE!? I-I-I-I-I have plenty of hair!"

"Right right, ok. Whatever you say baldie."

".......I'd strangle you to death if I could."

"But you can't. Soooooo I win!" She even struck a pose. Maybe she was the funny one.

"As much as I would hate to tear you away from your little victory, what's going on over there? And who is that girl?"

"Wow Stas, my machine must've really done a number on you. I would expect you to at least be able recognize your own daughter."

"My daughter?"

Anya stared as Stas as if she was waiting for the gears in his head to piece it together.

"Holy shit! Just how long was I gone!"

"Too long. Way too long."

----------------------------------------

Planet Homeward. Exactly two million years ago.

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After finding those children, the peacekeepers were at a loss. They didn't know what to do. The situation was a hopeless one. Either they kill the children and completely eradicate the 'parasite' or they spare the children and risk exposing what's left of the deities to the 'parasite' once more.

In the end they made their decision. A selfish and irresponsible decision. They spared the children. Killing Gods and Goddesses, some of whom were friends, who had lived their lives for tens of millions of years was hard enough, but killing children who hadn't even been give the chance.....was damn near impossible.

The problem they faced in doing so was that the kids were still infected. So for the next few decades the peacekeepers dedicated every moment of their time to the reasearch and development of the cure for the 'parasite'. As well as preventing the childrens' conditions from getting worse. Very young deities did not need followers because the planet itself provided them the energy they would usually get from their followers; up until a certain age that is, then they're on their own.

But even with all of their efforts, no cure was found and it wasn't possible to keep the children alive forever all by themselves. At times they considered going to others for aid, but recognized the futility in doing so. It would waste time they don't have to search for those with no hostilities towards them. Not to mention that there were still those sought to kill them. You honestly can't expect to exterminate thousands of Gods and Goddesses, most with friends and families, without making enemies.

During the course of their experiments however, numerous magic fueled techniques and constructs were created. This included a special chamber that had the potential to keep the infection at bay; that was their theory anyway. It also included a method to transfer the infection to another living person. It wasn't what the peacekeepers expected, but it showed that progress could be made. 

This time that the peacekeepers spent with the three children allowed them to grow close to one another. The heartbreak they knew they would soon experience would, at times, make the question if letting themselves grow close to the children was worth it at all.

Since most deities recieve their names from others, some through their followers and others by their family or friends, the three children who had no contact with anyone else were thus nameless. Which was why after much debate the peacekeepers had settled on three names for the children to choose from: Belv, Gren, and Tor.

The first to choose was the purple haired little girl. She chose Gren without even consulting with the other two. They would have said something against it, but the other two children were kind of terrified of Gren's wrath. The second to go, after consulting with the young boy was the smallest girl with blue hair. Belv chose her name simply because she thought it sounded cute. The green haired boy, Tor, on the other hand was glad that he got the one he wanted. In his opinion, the other names were too girly and he would have been quite embarrased to have either one.

Shortly after getting their names, tradgedy struck. It seemed that those Gods and Goddesses who were out for revenge had managed to hunt them down. They were out for blood. No one would escape, at least not with their life.

With very little time, the peackeepers and the children worked together to fortify the cave with a heavy duty barrier. It wouldn't hold for long against a group that size, but just long enough to get somewhere else. The peacekeepers anticipated this assault happening and set up an teleportation array beforehand. With but a thought the cave had been cleared out and the array no longer visible.

Standing in a clearing with not much breathing room, one of the peacekeepers sang a hurried chant that drew the dark markings off of the childrens' bodies and onto his. With his body immobile from the burden of the infection, he was as good as dead if he was there when the pursiers caught up. But the other three would never allow that. His body was put into the special chamber that was then sent away using another teleportation array. 

The remaining peacekeepers were well aware that their pursuers were no longer at the cave and were instead heading straight for them. As previously planned the children were to go with two of the peacekeepers while the last stayed behind and fought the pursuers off to buy them time.

The last sight those that were in the array saw was several hundred figures appear in the skies above and the one lone figure preparing to make her last stand.