[Jacob]

*Setting: They sat at the dining table, the lights turned down to a dim glow. Allowing for a more calm and loving atmosphere. Ethan was sat opposite his father and the mother sat at the end of the table. They were eating Chicken, mashed Potatoe and Brocoli. Ethans father was a musculer man who had black hair and was starting to grow abit of a goaty. His eyes were blue and features dark and intense. He shovelled the food into his mouth readily, munching loudly. He was sat in his uniform with his high-powered rifle rested against the table, the nozzle pointing skywards.*

Father: "So...what'd they say?"

His mouth was full and as he spoke Ethan could see the half-chewed up food getting tossed around inside. Causing him to lose his appetite abit.

Ethan: "Not much...They just asked me stuff."

His father nodded and stabbed the last slice of meat with his fork, picked it up and stuffed it into his mouth. He then pointed his fork at Ethan and began talking again.

Father: "You know...when i was a lad...we had to go through an obstacle course, with dogs chasing us, before we were allowed to join the ranks. Tough shit it was an' all..."

He swallowed satisfied with what he had just eaten. Ethans mother was still in the midst of finishing off her mashed Potatoe.

Father: "How about i show you around the base after your scan? You know, as a sorta birthday presant..."

Ethan looked up, trying to think of an excuse of why he couldn't go and as he attempted to stutter an excuse his mother interrupted.

Mother: "I'm sure you'd love that wouldn't you, Ethan? Yes. You can meet all the Training Officers and the Head of the Training Department..."

She smiled softly and then rose off her seat, reaching over the table to pick up her husbands empty plate. Ethan picked his up and handed it to her, silently cursing them both for not listening to him for, what seemed like, the thousandth time.

Ethan: "Will the scan hurt...?"

He attempted to change the subject, just he wouldn't have to lie about 'looking forward to going'. Looking up his dad shook his head gently and smiled.

Father: "No, not if you dont try and hold anything back. When i was your age i had a friend, dont recall his name, but i remember that he had stolen some clips from his dad. Anyway, when they began scanning him he held back...and the more he held back the more they cranked up the Chair. Until they had increased the power so much that his Brain got fried. Heh. Was his own fault..."

The mother turned from heading towards the doorless kitchen entrance and tutted.

Mother: "Dont tell him such stories, he'll be dreading it now. Dont worry, Ethe. You'll be alright, just relax and dont think of anything or try and block anything out..."

As usual his parents hadn't helped him overcome his fears or doubts about such a proceedure. Climbing off his chair he smiled gently, humouring his fathers poor joke.

Ethan: "M-May i be excused, please?"

His father looked at him unusually, studying his body movements intently.

Father: "Whats wrong? Usually you cant wait til dessert..."

His son nodded gently, replying with a soft tone.

Ethan: "I just feel abit woozy, thats all. It'll probably be nothing and be gone if i sleep for a while..."

His mum poked her head from around the doorway, a slightly worried expression on her face.

Mother: "You sure your ok? You look abit pale..."

Ethan nodded again and wandered towards his room, leaving his parents wondering what was wrong with their only son. Whilst he left his dad stood up and walked towards the kitchen, rolling his shoulders as he did so.

Father: "Strange...He usually waits til he's had dessert before he saunters off..."

He entered the kitchen and wrapped his right arm around his lovers stomach as she placed the last of the white dishes into the dishwasher. She stood up, closing the dishwasher door as she did so.

Mother: "Well, he did say he was feeling off. And he did look it..."

She typed in the settings on the machine and then pressed 'start'. She then turned around to face her husband and kissed him gently on the lips.

Father: "It still doesn't seem right. He was ok til i mentioned the Chair...You dont think he's hiding something do you?"

He turned his head away to the side, looking at the metallic surface of the dingy kitchen. His lover wasn't put off by his coldness however and continued to kiss him on his neck and cheek.

Mother: "Of course not, we brought him up properly...Whats he gonna hide from us? He knows that if he's out of line we'll come down on him like a tonne of bricks..."

She stopped briefly to state this but then began to kiss him again. He acknowledged her advances this time and met her lips with his, his left hand rubbing her tender thigh.

Father: "You...have...a...point..."

His words were uttered inbetween his kiss' and gently his mouth went down to the side of her neck...

***

With the door locked and parents, obviously, occupied Ethan had set up the candles again in basically the same way. The only difference being that the candles he was now using were white. Once again he was sat on the floor with his legs crossed and back straight. His breathing calm and steady. The flame of the candles burned happily, as if somehow knowing that they wouldn't end up quite like their black counterparts. Lifting a scrawled on piece of paper up to the gentle flame of the first candle he whispered something gently, not wanting to disturb his parents, although he knew that, that would be unlikely.

Ethan: "I ask of the deities above and below, help me with my worries. My secrets are close to being opened and so i ask of you to hurry. Allow the Chair to malfunction, do what you will. But dont allow it to find out my secret, or i will be forever ill. So mote it be."

The flame seemed to jump at the tiny scrap of paper that had 'Chair' scrawled on it in red biro. It fed eagerly on the 'food' turning it to nothing more but ash. As he watched it disintergrate he then reached behind his back and pulled out another scrap of paper. This one had 'Secret' on it. He then leant over to the second candle and touched the paper unto the flame.

Ethan: "This wish i ask you to grant will be my second favour. The secret i once said...Oops..."

He stopped a third of the way through his incantation as he remembered that he hadn't blown out the first candle. He grabbed hold of it by the mid-section and blew the flame to extinction. Setting it to one side and allowing himself to start again.

Ethan: "Ahem...This wish i ask you to grant will be my second favour. The secret i once said now needs to be dead and i ask that you allow the Chair and all who operate it to not give it a second notice. As the flame devours each letter allow it to be wiped from my mind, as the flame devours each letter force me to forget, as the flame devours each letter...make me innocent again. So mote it be."

The scrap of paper went up quickly and bits of ash floated gently to the ground. This time remembering he leant over and blew the candle out, he then moved it to join the previously blown out one. For the final one he took a deep breath and closed his eyes, the smell of burning infiltrated his nostrils but that was by far the least of his troubles. If he didn't get the last incantation correct, he could lose the only thing that gave him hope...Slowly he produced another piece of paper, this one stated 'Remember'. Moving it towards the flame he focused all his energy, focused all his essence on the single white candle.

Ethan: "The third favour i ask of you is that you restore my memory back. After their deeds have diminished and my progress passed allow me to remember what i have done that i so wished to forget. Set my mind right again and remind me of my love and also progress i made by being intertwined with you..."

He jolted his head up and looked at the ceiling, imagining that his energy was being boosted and that his spell was going to work.

Ethan: "So mote it be..."

(OOC: Sorry for the crapness and thx for the support and shtuff...)