Chapter Five: Union of the Destined

As Sai was sitting in his room, he wondered why he'd run from the people in the tavern. After all, they'd seemed like good people. He paced back and forth around the room, feeling guilty about making Kitsune use some of his magic and get injured. "Hum," he said softly, "maybe I should seek them out and introduce myself. But the two girls... how am I going to handle them without freaking out?"

He sighed. "I guess I will just have to put my attention somewhere else." He made his decision. "First thing tomorrow, I will find them all, and explain. I just hope they're not too mad at me for spying on them." Sai sat on the bed and prepared to meditate.

Sarino wanted to go and talk to Kitsune more, wanting to ask a little more about magic. Sarino was a Shamanist, but he needed more skills than just that, didn't he? He was moderately talented, but still needed a lot of work.

"Kitsune-san?" Sarino hurried after the man, who was heading rapidly towards an inn, the only inn in town. "I... wish to talk to you, if I may?"

Kitsune stopped suddenly just outside the inn, turned, and looked at Sarino. He said curtly, "What is it that you want to know? I just remembered that I left a troll sleeping, and I should attend to it before it gets away. If you would like to join me, I would like the company. It does take several hours to prepare a troll, and it will be too late to get a room by the time I return.

"You are all welcome to join me, but if you do not wish to come, then we should meet here in the early morning." He said this rather loudly, so that even the patrons of the inn could hear him.

Sarino nodded slowly, not wanting to see something get killed, but wanting to go along with Kitsune all the same. He wanted to ask many questions, but didn't know where to start.

"Umm...," he began, his long elven ears tilting downwards and his face looking rather childish in his confusion. "...What kind of magic do you use?"

"I don't want to sound like I'm tooting my own horn here, but I can use all types of magic, and I know almost every spell. But the most powerful ones will kill me. What upsets me the most is that I never really got to use any of them.

"But that's not the point. I have a knack, I guess, for everything. I don't have the skills to create my own magic, but I can learn from others. That's how I managed to master all magic in only five years. The same goes for my weapons skills. I picked up on the quarterstaff," he tapped his staff on the ground, "in a few months.

"But I talk too much and I grow weary. Keeping that troll asleep has taken more effort than it should have. Well, I am off. Are there any coming with me?" He looked around at the others, then began walking towards the woods, hoping someone would follow him. I hate being alone these days, he thought to himself. He began to walk away as if lost in his own thoughts.

Sai heard someone speaking loudly outside the inn. He looked out the window, and saw that the group from the tavern had arrived. He smiled. "Hum, that guy knows I am here. Why else would he say anything that loud?"

Sai heard his stomach growl. "Well, I guess I will be going out anyway. I can't face talking to that group as well as my fear of girls on a empty stomach." Sai got up and left his sword on the bed. "They might get the wrong idea if I come armed," he said to himself.

Sai walked out of his room and locked the door. He took a deep breath. "Father, give me guidance... and don't let me dishonor the Clan...." He went downstairs to the inn's main lobby, and stared at the four people who'd come from the tavern -- no, three people. The Kitsune man had apparently already left, but the others were renting rooms at the inn anyway.

Sai took a deep breath. "This is it. Oh, please, don't let me freak out because of the girls...." He could feel his face turning beet red. "I haven't spazzed out yet; I just hope I can keep it that way...."

He made his way to the inn's restaurant area, and sat at a table, still keeping an eye on the three others. "Hum. I wonder how long it will take them to notice me." Meanwhile, he patiently waited for someone to come and take his order.

After getting a room for the night, Sarino looked over and spotted a man sitting in the restaurant section nearby. Strangely enough, he was staring at him, Filia, and Skye. Sarino was naturally curious about people, and he decided he wanted to talk to this person.

Skye went outside after renting her room, and Filia went straight upstairs, so Sarino walked over to the stranger. "Umm..." he said as he walked over. "You seem to be taking a great interest in us," he said, smiling brightly. "Is there something you want to say to us?"

Sai looked up at the elf. He smirked and offered a seat. "I guess I'll tell you," Sai said to him. "I was walking on my way to the next town when I heard you guys arguing or something in that tavern. I am always curious about people and stuff, so I watched you from the trees. I was about to be on my way, though, until that other man just came out of nowhere and collapsed. I heard his story and I was surprised. I decided to follow your group, in hopes that I can finally find the two things I am looking for."

Sarino's eyes widened when he read the man's lips. "Wow." he said, sitting down in the offered seat. "Well, you and I have a common interest. I'm interested in people too." Sarino was innocent as usual. He then asked, "So, why do you have such an interest in us?"

Skye wandered around the town a while, pondering to herself. That man, Kitsune.... He didn't seem to care whether she had ESP or not. That, or he had classified it as an illusion of sorts. It was odd. Although most people had no idea she had psychic powers, those who did basically considered her a freak.

She noticed she was once again standing in front of the inn. She heaved another sigh and entered. Sarino was sitting at one of the tables with a young man who she'd never seen before. She approached them with a smile. "May I?" she asked, indicating a vacant seat.

Filia checked out her room briefly, then came back downstairs, noticing that Skye and Sarino were seated in the restaurant. No wonder, they hadn't eaten yet. She came over and took another vacant seat that was next to Skye. She looked around the table, and laid her cheeks in her hands. Her eyes floated around the table as she wondered about the young man who the others were sitting with.

Sai's face turned red when one of the girls arrived and sat at the table with him and the elf. It got even redder when the other girl joined them as well. He tried to cover his blush, hoping neither of the girls would see how embarrassed he was.

Sai suddenly realized he hadn't answered the elf's question yet. He quickly said, "You guys impressed me. One of my clan's specialties is stealth. It is rare to find one of us when we are being careful not to be seen. I can tell great things about you people."

He abruptly glanced over at one of the girls, and felt his face burn even more. Oh my gosh, he thought to himself, I can't believe I haven't freaked out yet.

Looking back at the elf, he asked, "So, what kind of magic do you do?"

Sarino had to read the man's lips, and managed to catch all of what he said. "My magic is mainly Shamanism," he replied quickly, making up for the lag in his reaction time. "Why do you ask?"

Skye was a little miffed at being ignored by the stranger. He never addressed her, nor looked at her. Instead he continued chatting with Sarino.

She drummed her fingers on the table a moment, then smiled to herself. She decided the best way to understand this person was to explore his mind a bit. So she let her mind link to his, and slowly his thoughts flooded into her mind. She let her brain digest the information and then broke the link.

Skye began giggling....which eventually led to laughing...which then led her to going into hysterics. The others looked at her strangely, but Skye couldn't restrain herself.

"Sai," she gasped, "you're... so *giggle* silly!" She went into hysterics again. Not wishing to completely embarrass the young man, she hid her face in her hands, still giggling.

Kitsune wandered off though the woods, a little miffed that he had to make the trip alone. "I almost made some friends," he thought, "but no matter, friendship is ultimately meaningless. However, they did say they were willing to help me.

"I don't know why I told them my story, I just sort of felt compelled to do it. That bothers me. Also... who was spying on us, and what did that person, if it was a person, want? I don't like it. I will just have to keep my guard up."

On his way, he stopped to fill up one of his containers with water. "I hope this lasts. I was careless with that troll, and I was especially careless when I cast that summoning spell, losing consciousness like that. And then that girl, Skye; what did she do to me? It felt like our minds... touched." He frowned. "I can't have her discovering my secrets -- however, maybe she can unlock some of my memories that are hidden from me...?"

When he got to the troll, it was still asleep. He drew his hidden sword out of its hiding spot, and with one swift stroke, decapitated the creature. He went to work with the painstaking process of cleaning the bones before grinding them between rocks.

He worked for many hours, not finishing until after the sun had set. When he was finally done, he sat against a trunk to rest and to think some more. "That Filia... she is more that she appears to be. I wonder what her secrets are. She seems nice, but there is something about her. She is driven by something.

"That Skye, she is a little out there; she seems to be just right to set up as my tool. I need to learn about her powers, and find a way to use them to my advantage. She seemed to like me, though; that could get in the way. I had better not get too close.

"And that elf; he was a little too interested in my magical powers. It's a good thing I lied about what I can do; I need him to think I'm weaker than I actually am. But casting that spell; that was quite a display of power. I had better come up with a good excuse...."

Sai looked at the furiously giggling girl for a moment and thought, Hum. Why did she say I'm silly? I haven't said anything funny. Sai started to think for a moment. Maybe she thinks I look ugly. Sai sighed. I am not surprised.

Sai looked back at the elf and said, "Well, I am searching for new magic to learn. I left my clan because I am not that good at magic, and they make fun of me for it. I've been trying to learn new magic to make up for it."

Sai looked again at the still-laughing girl. Then Sai remembered all of his friends and family laughing at him. A tear trickled down Sai's left cheek.

Sai looked out the inn's window. The sun was starting to set. He got up, not caring that he hadn't eaten supper. "If you want to talk to me about anything I will be on the roof of the inn for the night," he said abruptly, then walked outside, where he clambered up to the roof, sat down, and thought for a while.

Sarino followed the young man outside and watched him climb up to the roof. Not wanting to push things, the elf sat nearby and watched the sun set. It was a beautiful night; he brought out his flute and played as the stars came out and made patterns of light in the sky.

It was an hour or more before he felt the thud of the young man jumping down to the ground and coming to sit by him. He put his flute down. "I know how you feel," he said gently. "That is why I learned magic, to make up for being a failure to my father."

Sai wiped the tears off his face and smirked. "Well," he said, "that's one thing we have in common. I wonder what else. By the way, I didn't catch your name."

Sarino laughed, even though he had to crane his neck to see the man's lips as he spoke. "My name is Sarino Airstone," he said, smiling brightly. "And you are correct, we seem to have a lot in common with each other. I didn't really catch your name either."

Sai looked at him. "My name is Sai Knifedge. By the way," he said, "that person who calls himself Kitsune. Why is he with you guys?"

Sarino looked thoughtful for a moment, his eyes looking to the scenery around him instead of at Sai. "He's not really with us; we just helped him," Sarino said thoughtfully, yet innocently. "I don't know why he's with us, or what he wants, but personally, I'll help anyone in need. Therefore, I'll help him."

"It's getting late," Kitsune thought to himself. The sun had set a while ago, and his job here was finally done. "I had probably better check on the rest of those guys. I need to convince them to help me. I have to discover who I am, and I'm running out of time. The wise man said that on the day of my twenty-fifth birthday, something devastating would happen to me, and that is only five cycles of the moon away. Well, I had better get going."

He walked back to the inn, and was surprised to see Sarino and a strange man talking outside. Suddenly the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. He gripped his staff tightly and checked his supply of 'medicine', then walked up to the man, pointed his staff in his face, and said, "Who are you?"

Sai smirked and swatted the staff away. "Hum," Sai said. "Edgy, aren't we?" He rolled his eyes, then offered the newcomer a seat. "Kitsune, right?" Sai held out his hand. "Nice to meet you."

Skye closed a leather folder of papers with a sigh. "Glad that's out of the way. I don't know why I still bother with studying, considering I left the Abbye to get away from work in the first place." She stood up from her bed, stretching her arms.

Sauntering to the window, Skye pulled the curtains back and looked up at the moon. Her gaze instinctively shifted from the gorgeous sky to take in everything below. When she spotted Kitsune, Sarino and Sai talking outside, she frowned a little. "It's odd," she muttered, "such a diverse group of people coming together like this...."

She had been tempted, ever since meeting Filia and Sarino for the first time, to go probing into their minds and find out about their past and their intentions for the future. But something inside reassured her their reasons would bring her no harm and there was no need to invade anyone's privacy. But with the introduction of Kitsune and Sai... it was just too eerie.

"Soon," she thought, "I may have to employ my ESP skills again. Something about Kitsune's demeanor... disturbs me. And Sai. Even more alarming."

She sighed again and went to her pack which was lying on the floor, withdrawing from it a change of clothes. She stripped out of her dirty pants and shirt and pulled on a lightweight, medieval-looking dress of a simple burgundy fabric. She loved the freedom of a dress, although she knew few others did.

Skye took off her circlet and gently set it in her pack, then put on a black leather vest with matching cuffs. Quickly slipping on her, what else, black leather boots, Skye left her room to meet the others downstairs. She needed to know if they were actually going to help Kitsune out, or if she should leave this city to continue on her own.

Filia was sipping tea in the restaurant. She closed her eyes, wondering what would happen next. 'I've met so many new people today, and they all seem to be in search of something. I wonder what everyone is searching for?' she thought. She knew she was in search of Lina; after all, it had been such a long time since they had last met! And then there was the task of finding the long-lost Princess Gracia of Saillune. And soon, very soon, she'd have to get back to poor little Val-chan.... She thought of the baby, and she smiled as she pictured his adorable round and chunky face. Oh, how she missed him... She shook her head. This was not the time to think of him! It would just distract her....

"We already met," Sarino beamed at Sai. "We had to help him." Sarino was poor at picking up whether or not people liked what he said, and he usually sounded so innocent that people weren't offended.

"I'm meeting so many people tonight," Sarino mused briefly.

"Just because you've met him, doesn't mean he is safe," snapped Kitsune. "There aren't many people in this world that can make the hairs on my neck stand on end."

Kitsune turned to Sai. "You. You're the guy who was spying on us, I can tell. Who are you working for, and why are you here? What do you want with us? You can answer freely or I can beat it out of you! Now start talking!"

Skye stole a glance out the window again to see Kitsune speaking rather argumentatively to Sai. She decided to join them and went downstairs.

Filia noticed Skye heading outside and got up, leaving her tea. She just didn't want to be left in the inn alone. She took the girl by the shoulder, and asked, "Sumi masen... where are we going?"

"To see what the others are up to outside," Skye replied. She went outside, Filia following right behind her.

"Kitsune-san, welcome back," Skye said when he'd finished snapping at Sai. "What are you discussing ever so calmly?"

She peered at him with her curious green eyes and then looked to Sai. She ventured to look at Sarino who seemed relaxed as always. "Definitely a diverse group," she thought to herself, waiting for an answer. She wished sometimes that everyone had ESP so they could all stop suspecting each other of evil intentions. Skye also wondered if anyone had picked up on her ability yet. "Hope not," she thought, and looked back to the group.

Filia followed Skye outside to join with the others. She looked at them, smiling brightly to each, but inside wondering about their intentions. She walked over to Sarino, and stood protectively by him. One of her hands rested close by the handle of her favourite weapon, a rather large mace, just in case things got out of hand. She brushed back her blonde hair, and glanced at the man beside her, smiling pleasantly.

Sai looked at Kitsune, amused. "Ohhhhh dear, you are scaring me." He rolled his eyes. "Now maybe if you'll quit acting like some kind of hero and start listening, I'll tell.

"Before you came along, I was walking through the woods, and I heard some kind of argument. Being bored and having nothing to do, I decided to see what was going on. I found these guys in that tavern, and watched them from the trees for a while. It wasn't all that interesting, so I was about to be on my way -- until I saw you come out of thin air and collapse. When I heard your story, I was curious, so I decided to follow you. There it is. That's my story. I have to say that dragon of yours was really impressive."

Sai looked up. "Hum. It's really dark; we'd better get inside." He stood up, turned around, and came face-to-face with the two girls. He hadn't noticed them approaching, being too caught up in his verbal duel with Kitsune. His face turned bright red. "LEVITATION!" he called out, and hastily flew up to the roof. "Uh, you guys go ahead. I will spend the night here, okay?"

Rill stretched his wearied self. With a tired yawn, he pulled himself up out of his languid drape across the tree branch. He sighed deeply out of sheer boredom. His purple scaled tail coiled and uncoiled about the wood limb methodically, as his long purple ears drooped listlessly.

He yawned again, covering his fanged mouth with a hand, the violet nails glittering in the dull light. Slitted eyes lidded, he rummaged about in his small side pouch. Taking the contents out, Rill procured several meagre coins. Sneering and growling in displeasure, he then hurriedly shoved the coins back into his sack.

Nose pointed delicately out, Rill sniffed the air. With a grin and hiss, he leapt from his perch and assuming all fours upon landing, darted out into the forest.

Filia looked up at the young stranger, now perched on the roof. "Oh, but won't you be cold?" she asked, a tinge of worry for this young man's health creeping into her voice. "Why don't you just come back inside with us?"

Sai looked down. "Uh... n... n... no, I am alright. I... I... will stay out here. I don't mind." Sai sat on top of the roof. That was unexpected, he said to himself. I'd better prepare for that more often. Well, at least I am safe now. He lay down and looked at the starry sky.

"Oh, alright...." Filia said, once again looking up at the young man, and then turning away. She took her place next to Skye again. Maybe something would come up in the conversation that she could join.

Sarino didn't know what was going on; he couldn't read anyone's lips at the moment. But secretly he was too proud to ask for assistance. "...." was all that came from him as he tilted his head slightly to try reading their lips again. His ears tilted downwards in mild frustration, and he was glad he wore a hooded cloak to cover them.

Skye gave the group a look saying, "That was interesting." She shook her head. "So, Kitsune-san, you were looking for help of some sort?"

Kitsune followed the young man with his eyes, then shrugged. "He is a little strange; maybe I came on too strong. Oh well. As long as we're all here, I do actually have a question to ask all of you. My village was named Dangarembga, and as I have already told you, it was destroyed five years ago. Do any of you know anything about that incindent?"

Skye shook her head in the negative, her long, blonde hair swinging to and fro. "I only know what you have mentioned of Dangarembga," she said. Although I could discover more in your unconscious mind if I only had the courage and trust to tell you of my skills. There is probably information of great importance to you that you've never even realized you knew, she added in her thoughts. But I can't trust you yet....

Skye went into deep thought after this comment, spacing out, and arguing with herself whether or not to help Kitsune ESP-wise. There was so much at risk if she were to tell him, yet she felt his intentions were somewhat sincere. She suddenly longed for a trustworthy companion to confide in. Being on her own had caused her too much stress lately....

As Sai looked off into the above and beyond of sky, a shadow befell him, and suddenly he was no longer staring up at the sky, but up at a curious looking boy.

"Yo," the boy, Rill, chimed. He was smiling his fanged grin, and his long ears twitched.

Sai sat up. "What the...?" he exclaimed. "Who are you, and how did you get up here? I mean, you just came out of nowhere." Sai raised one eyebrow as he looked at this boy's teeth. It just keeps getting weirder and weirder, Sai thought to himself.

Rill continued to grin his toothiest of grins, while sitting perched upon his hindquarters with the utmost of ease, hands curled like claws on the roof tiles beneath him. The brilliant slit eyes hooded themselves as they idly scanned Sai's form.

The purple tail slid to and fro over the roof's titles, a slight rattle accompanying the slithering action. Suddenly he started to crawl forward captivatingly, closer to Sai. He halted, his face a scant fraction away from Sai's own. There was a sultry chuckle, and a low purring from the sensuous boy. The scaled tail continued to sway slowly.

"Who am I, you ask? How sweet. I call myself Rill Tane. Won't you do the same?"

Sai raised his eyebrow. 'Does it get any weirder than this?' Sai thought to himself. "My name is Sai Knifeedge, and I want to know three things. One. How did you get up here? Two. What do you want? And three. Do you always act like this when you introduce yourself?"

The lidded eyes slid shut. "Sai," Rill hissed softly, "I like how that sounds. Sai." The eyes reopened, and bore deep into Sai's. A willowy and smooth hand reached out, cupping the side of Sai's face. "So you want me to answer, Sai? Answer your questions? Of course you do, why ask them if not for the purpose of receiving answers." Rill giggled lightly, "Forgive me, I stray from the matter."

Rill's other hand came up before Sai. "One," and Rill held up but one elegant finger, "I jumped, quiet an easy thing to do. Two," another finger rose. Rill seemed to ponder something before he spoke again, "let me leave that question, for just a moment. Move onto three for now." Thus a third and final answering finger lifted, "this is my nature. This is how I am. Now," the three digits fell lightly upon Sai's lips, and there they stayed with just a hinting touch. "Back to question two. I caught a scent that interested me. Though I fear yours is not the same, you still interest me, Sai."

The three fingers drifted away from Sai's lips and the hand came to rest on the other side of his face. Rill remained smiling, the bare tip of a fang peering out.

Sai started to shudder and was in shock. Why can't it be a beautiful girl who's interested in me?

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Scent? What kind of scent? And why are you interested in little old me? What I mean is.... Clearly you saw the others, and Kitsune is a real mystery. Maybe he would interest you more. I mean, I am just a normal human being." Sai sighed and looked at the stars.

"Sai!!" Sarino called, having moved away from the others to find his friend. "Where are you?"

Oh yeah, like you'll hear him, a little voice in Sarino's mind jeered at him. You're deaf, an elf who pretends to hear. Sure, you'll hear him reply!

"Sai!" he called again, stubborn as ever. "C'mon, give me some indication to say where you are!"

Skye looked to Filia in concern. "Perhaps we should aid Sarino, Filia-san? Sai seems to have a problem he may need help with." She wasn't referring to his phobia of girls, but rather she could feel the energy field of a stranger, somewhere close to Sai's. "Shall we?" Skye asked.

Filia nodded to Skye, a smile on her face. "Yes, I agree with you." She giggled; that poor boy! She winked at Skye; at least with her there, she had a companion to talk to.

A long purple ear flicked as it picked up the wandering cries of someone searching. "Others with you, is that right, Sai? I knew not that, moments ago. Thanks to you, I do now." The ears twitched again. "A companion must be calling you. It is rude to keep someone waiting."

Rill leaned in quickly and gave Sai a fleeting kiss upon the cheek. "Till we meet again, pretty Sai." In a flash he darted from the roof down off the tiles in a liquid motion and vanished.

Sai touched the place where Rill had kissed him. He looked at his hand and then balled it up into a fist.

Sai stood up. "That was weird," he said to himself. He looked down and saw Sarino right under him. Sai jumped down right in front of the elf. "Hey, what's up?"

Kitsune watched as Sai appeared out of nowhere. In a flash, a sword appeared in his hands, and what appeared to be most of his staff was lying on the ground. "Oh, it's just you," he said, relaxing. "You really need to stop jumping in and out. It might get you into trouble." As he said this, he kicked his staff into his hands, spun around, and his sword vanished just as quickly as it had appeared.

"While we are all gathered in one place," said Kitsune, "I have a favor to ask of all of you. The deal is that I am running out of time. In just five more cycles of the moon, something terrible will happen to me. I don't know what, but before it comes I want to discover my past.

"I have been on my own for almost five years now, and I have found nothing. Well, almost nothing. I have discovered a journal written by the same wise man who taught me magic. It has been magically sealed and I can't break it. There is one person who may be able to do this; I however don't have any information on this person other than that they live in Kytares City. I was on my way there until I had some unfortunate happenings and I met you people. So to make a long story short, will you help me?"

Sai looked at Kitsune. "Sorry to hear about all that." Sai listened to what Kitsune had to say, and nodded his head. "Okay, I am in." Sai then looked up at the roof where he had just met Rill, then shuddered. 'Maybe a quest like this will get my mind off of what just happened,' he thought.

"Why don't we all get some sleep so we can be refreshed in the morning?" he suggested.

"Okay," Sarino said, acting happy even though he was secretly ashamed of not being able to read Sai's lips fully. All he caught was "sleep... can be refreshed." But he caught the gist of it.

"I'm not going to sleep right now, though," he said calmly, leaping up into the branches of a nearby tree. He'd seen someone there before, just for a second, and he wanted to know what was going on. As well as to think and be alone. "I'll stay here for a little while; to think about things." He sighed as he leaned back and closed his eyes. "Good night, everyone."

"Sleep sounds like a fine idea," Skye agreed. She thought Sai looked a little... off course. But she knew not to use her ESP, remembering what had happened the last time she had done so. Skye didn't want to hurt his feelings again and she couldn't apologize, because that would only give her away. So she backed off, saying, "Oyasumi nasai." (good night)

Sai looked at the roof one more time and shook his head. He walked into the inn and went up to his room, where he took off his boots and his cape.

He took a good look at his cape, which had gotten all dirty. "Hum. I guess when I was laying down on the roof, it must have gotten dirty." He dusted it off, then put it on top of the bed.

Sai lay down on the floor. "I am not used to sleeping on a bed...." He looked up, perplexed. "Who is this Rill and what does he want? I am sure we will meet again." He smirked and went to sleep.

Filia made her way to the empty room she called her own for the night. She removed her cape and hat with a sigh. At least the day had not been that stressful, at least not anywhere near as stressful as when she had traveled with Lina. Sometimes, however, she missed those days....

She set her stuff upon the coat rack, and stretched with a tiny yawn. But instead of retreating to her bed, she walked to the window and opened it. It responded with a loud, creaking noise, which was to expected in such an old inn.

She took a seat next to the window. The breeze rushed through, dancing around the room, and making her hair tangle and turn through each golden lock. "Val-chan... don't worry, I'm going to come back home soon." She whispered out the window. "Mommy's on yet another adventure... what has she gotten herself into this time?"

Perched upon the windowsill, Rill peered through the dark with his acute vision. He had initially dropped there when �vanishing' from the roof top. It was one of his tricks to simply spend a night free of charge, while a too-trusting innkeeper barred the shutters open for travellers wishing a room that didn't smell stale and musty.

Rill had been positioned there for quite some time, watching the stars peer out of the darkness of sky. At home as he was with the nature surrounding, Rill still preferred a bed made from softer materials than a tree limb.

Upon entering the room via the window, Rill halted suddenly, sniffing the air. Refreshing as desired yes, but also something smelled very familiar that caused the corners of his mouth to curve upward in a sly grin. "Sai, Sai, Sai," he chanted whimsically and softly.

He approached the bed, and was disappointed to not find Sai sleeping within the pleasurable comforts there. He did spy Sai's cape though, and immediately pounced upon it like a kitten and rolled himself up in it, purring contently as he bound himself within the dusty material. Curled up on the bed, and completely entangled in Sai's cape, Rill drifted happily to sleep. He never did notice that Sai was asleep himself, on the floor below.

Kitsune looked up at the stars. He remembered how he used to gaze at them as a teen. He remembered how he used to live in his village, how he would go and play with his friends when he wasn't studing magic. He remembered a girl by the name of Ryosei, a dear childhood companion. He remembered her smile and her delightful laugh.

Suddenly, his memory changed scenes. He rembered the flames of the village burning, the screams of women and children. He remembered a shadowy figure of a man laughing and saying, "I've found you. Too bad you've been corrupted. I'll just make sure you can't come back to haunt me!" Kitsune remembered a staff hitting the ground, and making a clinking noise (one that would be intensely familiar to any Slayers season one fan, as well as Zelgadis).

Then, Kitsune flashed back to reality. He looked down at his fists. They were clenched and the knuckles were white. "I need to cool down," he said to no one in particular. With that, he looked wistfully at the inn, which had closed before he could get a room. He sat down by a tree trunk and got out his books from his travel sack. He pored over every tome and spell book for a way to remove his curse like he did every night, but he fell asleep before he could find it like always.