�Looks like we�ll be heading this way�� What Silvanus had said the night before must have still plagued his mind. He was all ready to go, his armor donned and his sword resting in it�s sheathe.
Rosa pouted. �Aw, can�t we get a little more sleep? It�s so early!�
Laine laughed at her. �Same time as when we get up for school.�
�So? I was looking forward to sleeping in.�
Singe glared at them. �It was your choice whether to come or not. You can go home if you want.�
Rosa frowned at him. �I�m just trying to lighten the mood�� She turned away and began getting her stuff ready. She looked up at Suvi, who looked like she just got up.
�Mmm�� Suvi mumbled as she went to the bathroom to splash water on her face. She looked into the mirror into her reflection. �I look like a mess�� She turned away from the reflection.
Laine threw on her magician outfit. She loved to wear it even outside of school. It was rather comfortable. She turned to look out the window and heard Rosa giggling like mad. She turned around. �What�s the matter with you?�
Rosa�s face was almost complete red. She pointed at Laine. �Your outfit�s ripped.�
�So?�
�You might want to take a look at it.�
Laine turned and looked down. Down by her butt, a large tear went down the middle. She jumped and turned her back to the wall, smiling embarrassed. �Heh� Um� Thank you Rosa.� She scooted off into the bathroom, grabbing some other clothes along the way.
Silvanus watched Laine move away, not hearing or seeing what they were talking about. �Odd�� Laine finally came out of the bathroom, wearing a different set of clothes.
�And those were my favorite, too!� She tossed the ruined clothes into a bag.
Silvanus walked over to Singe. �Are you ready to go?�
He turned to Silvanus. �Yeah. Is everyone else?�
�I think so.�
�Then I�ll be outside.� Singe checked his sword and walked outside.
Silvanus watched him go. �Poor guy� He really should at least open up to someone sometime.� He walked out the door as well, followed by the rest of the gang.
After everyone got organized outside, they began to walk where the instructions said to go. It would take a few hours to get there by foot.
�Isn�t there a faster way?� Laine looked at the others. �We�re gonna be all day!�
Singe shrugged. �Can you teleport us?�
�No� Only old guys can do that!�
A few hours passed, all the while, the friends talked the whole way. It was the only thing that kept them entertained. They finally caught sight of a house, and broke into a run, hoping it was the place they were looking for. Silvanus got there first and knocked on the door, impatient for an answer. A few moments later, it was finally answered by a thin looking man.
�Yes, how may I be of assistance to your group?�
Singe looked at the man. He took a good look at him to make sure this was the person he was looking for. He wore a silk, dark-blue robe that covered some outfit, the likes of which he had not seeing before. His hair was odd, a short, bluish-dark color. His eyes were the only thing that seemed normal with humans. Regular brown eyes. His face gave Singe the impression that he was tired for some reason� But the oddest thing about him was what he was holding. One hand clutched a book with thin fingers, the other an odd looking doll. He wondered if he was a voodoo doctor or something. Hairs lined his chin in the form of a goatee. �Um� Hi, is a man by the name of Toulouse there?�
�What is your business with him?� The man eyed them cautiously.
�I have a message saying to look for someone by that name at this location� You�re him, aren�t you?
�May I see the message, young man?� Toulouse opened his hand, awaiting the note.
�Eh. Fine.� Singe handed it to him. Toulouse read over it quickly and handed it back.
�I�m sorry about your loss.� He bowed slightly.
�I intend to get even with the guy�� He stopped himself from going into a psycho fantasy, where he would ramble on and on about how he was going to do it in the greatest of detail. �So, are you Toulouse, or not?�
�Yes, I am. I see your father directed you to me.�
Singe looked around at the simple home and land. �You don�t get many visitors, do you?� The room inside was messy, the looks of someone who never got around to cleaning.
�I do not. Solitary life is a peaceful one. No distractions for what I may do.�
�So, you know how to fight? You can teach us?�
Laine ran up and smiled. �And you can teach us magic, too? Magic school is soo boring.�
He looked down at the girl. �I can, but learning magic is always� boring� when you study it.
Laine frowned. �So� no such thing as it just appearing in your head?
�Of course not. Many wizards dedicate their entire lives to the ways of magic. It is not an easy thing to learn, you know.
Singe looked impatient. �Well, we�re here to learn, and since I�m the only person left who can beat that thing, I say we hurry up with it.�
Toulouse sighed. �Such an impatient child� Fine. Come with me. It is getting late. For now, we rest, but when tomorrow comes, I hope you all are ready for the training you asked for.�
Rosa sat down on a chair inside the house. �Anything to help out. Besides, we can�t put the burden of the world on Singey here!�
Singe had sat down by the chair, leaning against the side. He looked up at her when she said that. �Excuse me?� She giggled.
Suvi looked around the house and sighed, leaning against the wall of the little shack. It was too small for her tastes� She wondered if the guy who lived here was a bum� He better know how to use a katana, because she wasn�t going to change her weapon anytime soon�
After a few hours, they had all eaten dinner, consisting of some meat, probably pork, grilled over an open fire, some rice, and steamed vegetables� Toulouse hadn�t made any attempt to make it easier with magic. Laine wondered if he even knew how. It seemed everyone doubted him. Toulouse stood and bid the group goodnight, exiting to his own private quarters. He had laid out some mattresses for the group, and a futon. Everyone had trouble adjusting to it.
�You gonna sleep there, Singe?� Rosa was turned toward him in the group�s makeshift bed. He was sitting against the wall, in thought of course.
�Yeah� It�ll be too cramped if I squeeze in there.�
�No need to be uncomfortable, though.�
Laine was listening in to the conversation. �Ya wanna sleep with him so soon?� Rosa�s face turned red very quickly. Her look was one of shock.
�H- - Hey! That�s not true!� She watched Singe from the corner of her eye. He had made no reaction to what Laine had said. She wondered if he heard her.
Suvi interrupted, a bit cranky about missing sleep. �Hey� We got a big day tomorrow. Think we can pipe down and get some shut eye?�
Silvanus turned slightly. �I have to agree. No way we�ll make it if we�re falling asleep standing up.�
�Yeah. Okay.� Rosa nodded. Laine did the same. Sine made no response. Maybe he had fallen asleep already? Soon, the room was quiet, the burning of the candle dissipating as Silvanus blew it out. They were all tired from the walk, and each one of them secretly hoped it wouldn�t affect them.