~*~Scene One~*~

Night, around 10 o'clock, storm clouds, wind, slight drizzle, and cold. Late October or Early November.

The scene opens with a view of a tavern. Focusing on the sign above the front entrance, it reads "Murasaki Natsu" which means Purple Summer in Japanese. The only way to get there is a long dirt road which leads to another country-like paved road. On the outside it looks old and rustic, made of wood and stone. There is a small bridge in front of the tavern which leads to the front entrance. A small creek flows under the bridge with large rocks, pebbles, and fish. This creek leads to a large pond that's around the back of the tavern. There is a large rock used for diving assumedly, and the pond is also used for swimming and fishing purposes. Off of the main path, which goes to the front entrance, there is a smaller narrow pathway that is lined with tall kerosene lanterns that leads through the woods. There are two lantern-like posts, one on either side of the front door, which are lit, with kerosene. The tavern is about 4 stories high, which includes a basement.
The first floor is like any other bar, consisting of a bar and plenty of barstools, tables, and chairs. The bar area drops down about two feet into the floor from the main dining area of the first floor. Small steaps lead down to the bar. The bar is circular with bar stool all around and the car area floor has tall tables and stool. The dining area consists of the tables and chairs. Spiders and cob weds seemed to have made their homes among the old, rusty chandeliers that hung from the ceiling and the rafters over the years. Each table has a few candles used for lighting, but making it seem more dreay. There are sconces on the walls which contain kerosene lamps that light up the room with an eerie feel.

A woman enters the tavern, carrying a small bag. Low music plays in the background. She seems cold and tired, slightly damp from the drizzle. It is mid-fall, ready for snowfall. As she looks around other people in the bar start to stare at her. She takes notice and walks over to the bartender. She wears a black cloak, hooked at the neck, with the large hood over her head, which is most likely what rouses suspicion, but her left arm is tucked away under her cloak while her right carries the bag. Her eyes seem to glow from under her cloak, like cats eyes in a dark room. Setting the bag on the counter, she stands in front of a bar stool and takes off her hood revelaing a mane of fiery red curly hair which tumbles down to her waist. Giving her head a slight shake, she pulls a lock away from her face, revealing a small stud in her lower right ear lobe with a chain attached which trails up the side of her ear and hooks to another stud in the top tip of her ear.

Woman:    (She looks at the young attractive man, slapping down some coins on the bar.) Excuse me, sir, I need a room. (The bartender looks at her, lost in her beauty and magnificent eyes, curious as to what her journey may be. It's not often that a woman like her stumbles into a place like this alone.) Sir???

Bartender: (Fumbling a bit with his speach.) Yes, m'lady. I believe we do. Are you going to be here long? I don't think it's quite fit for a woman....

Woman:        I didn't ask about what you thought... I just want a room...

Her forceful yet to the point attitude brings a smile to the tired young man's face. He walks away from her to a plaque on the all and picks off a key. As he does so she studies him a bit. He's about 6ft. with long jet black hair pulled back in a pony tail with interesting bright silver streaks running through it. She barely caught a glimpse of his eyes, but she immediately noticed the way they looked, a grey color, eyes that looked like they held a lot of secrets, gone on many journeys, smart yet sexy, daring eyes.

Bartender:    (Handing the key to her, he tries making small talk, noticing the way she's looking at him.) There's only one room left. We get a lot of people passing through here this time of season... hunters mostly.

The woman takes the key and in one swift move she heads for the stairs. Looking back at the man, she tosses him a plush smile, and then ascends up to her room. Something about this woman makes the man very curious, curious to learn more about her, get into her life in some sort of way, that he is unable to understand.
             The second floor is separated into several rooms, about 10 or 15, which are rented out to the travelers passing through. Each room consists of a full sized bed, some with double twin beds, miscellaneous furniture, and a small bathroom area. Most of these rooms are identical.

            The woman wanders around upstairs a bit, slightly lost, and then she bumps into an old man while turning the corner.

Old Man: Are you lost, dear?

Woman:      Kind of... Do you know where... (looking down at the tag on the key) ...room 13 is?

The old man directs her where she needs to go. Feeling rather foolish for issing a room she had passed by several times, she entes the room, closing the door behind her, letting go of a small cat, which had been what she was hiding with her left arm under her cloak. She probably wouldn't have snuck the cat in if it hadn't been for the few times she had to spend the night out in the cold because she brought up the fact that she had a cat with her. As she lets her feline friend go the cat lets out a small, low meow. Standingin front of the woman the grey short haired cat looks up at the woman with his amber eyes as if asking permission to wander around the oom freely. The woman nods her head slightly as if in approval and the cat sca
tters off cautiously sniffing out the room.
               The woman sets down her bag on a chair by the door and removes her cloak, hanging it on a hook in the wall. She wanders over to a table which is situated next to the left side of the full size bed and switches on the light, letting out a sigh.
               The cat jumps on the bed, prancing over toward the woman. Looking up to the woman, the cat meows again.

Woman: I guess we won't be doing magic here. We need to stay here a while. So you better get comfortable, Akira. (The woman bends down slightly, petting the cats shinny grey coat. Akira begins to purr and as the woman pets him, he rolls around on the bed and sticks his tummy up in the air.) I don't know what I would do without you... (The woman wanders off into thought, sitting on the edge of the bed next to the cat.)

The woman sits on the bed, thinking to herself about the past. She places her hand on her neck, toughing cold metal. She wears a necklace around her neck which had started feeding it's power to her body, making her feel strange, unaware of how this had happened to her or why. All her battles and experiences have all brought her here, to this mysterious tavern. Her quest was to find out why. Why all this had happened to her, a no body. She was an average woman, always worked hard for what she had. Now she found herself unsure of where her place was. She had worked hard for years, trying to fit in. She had ended up very wealthy at the age of 18, for her family had left her a great deal of money. And now she was stuck here at this slightly run down tavern. There must be something important here which had lured her. But what?

The next morning... (8 or 9 AM)

The woman sits up in bed quickly, hearing a loud noise. Letting out a small sigh, she is thankful for this because she seems to have been having a nightmare. The loud noise startles her, making her rise out of bed quickly and run downstairs, due to her past occurences with such things. Hopping out of bed she slips into her slippers and runs downstairs. Everything seems to be alright and in order. She sighs again, noticing the bartender staring at her, locking eye contact between the two of them. She breaks the stare and plops down at a barstool. She looks around the room and notices that the staff is cleaning up the first floor, getting it ready for the guests to awaken and come downstairs for breakfast, morning coffee, and chit chat. Returning her gaze to the bartender, she smiles.

Bartender: (He greets her with a smile.) Well don't we look spiffy this mornin'.

She looks down and finally realizes she is still in her nightgown, a white cotton gown that is slightly see-through, worn out lookin. She begins to blush and stumble with her speech as she explains.

Woman:       I, uh, heard a loud noise. Sounded like uh, uh, a bomb.

Bartender:   (Smiling at her stumbling.) No that was just Sarah. She's not quite sure how to run a vacuum cleaner. (He says with a chuckle.) Mind telling me what your name is, dear?

Woman:       (smiling) Hikari Mahou. (Reaching out her hand to the man as in greeting.)

Bartender:   Just call me Tatsu. Can I get you anything Ms. Mahou? (Shaking her hand and then releasing it, beginning to wipe off the counter.)

Hikari:     Call me Hikari, please... and a glass of orange juice would be great. I'll be down in a few. I think I should go change. (The woman gets up off the stool and heads upstairs.)

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