Gazing to the ceiling, rather the viewing glass that seemed prominent in each room she had been so far in the palace, Umi considered Ascot and Megor’s words carefully giving each her fullest attention. Megor, though ready and able, she assumed seemed to jump at all situations full force relying on his surroundings for cover, and supplies though having been through Cephiro once no twice before she was inclined to go with the native of the land. Her sapphire eyes dimmed in the early morning sun slanted down to those around her.

Ascot would use his seijyuu but … Umi looked over at the Bal with a hint of guilt in her eyes. If his friends, weak with illness, could not be used than she would wait, gladly wait. “Megor I have no doubt that you can easily help us out with food in sortages but I would also like to prepare before leaving the palace. We really do not know what we will come across… the hearts of the people are confused and frightened right now.” She could have left the sentence unfinished or even the thought but Megor did not, was not from Cephiro so he would not know that the monsters that lurked about the land were from the very hearts of the people they sought to protect.

“Lets go and pack up first. I would like to leave before tonight though…” Umi rubbed her hands over her shoulder armor for a moment. “Megor do you have weapons and armor?” His dressed was as flimsy as hers had been upon arrival but with Clef or the armory so close that could be remedied though she had a sinking sensation he would decline the offer of either.

“Ascot, I hope we will not have to use your seijyuu if we do not need to. If they are sick…” She shook her head. “Okay… lets go and get ready!” Her heels clicked when turning around. For in some hast it seemed that half of the gathered had just woken up including the Bal. “Armor, weapons, food, and other supplies…”

Megor nodded. "I can understand you need to prepare. Go do that. I'll be here waiting. As for weapons and armor, if my fists and my body cannot serve as my own protectors, then I am better off dead anyway." He said closing his eyes. "I don't use such things. I have my own power to rely on. If that's not enough, then I don't deserve the right to continue fighting."

*

Red eyes appeared in the darkest corner of the large room. A few occupants of the throng still lingered well after the small man had ended his speech. A sight, if you will, for sore eyes the owner of the eyes mused. He particularly watched one group before adverting his gaze to another. Four… five? There seemed a very high percentage of none- Cephirean’s helping the natives.

Ragyn appeared in his solid form hovering just above the ground a little in a seated position. A smile plastered on his pale face completing the eerie effect of his mainly all white garb. An angel or demon, he had decided long ago to fall into the ranks of those of the darker worlds. If Clef could assign missions than so could he. Each one in turn would be a suffering loss for the minute man.

“Two men playing chess? A strong battle of wills is it not little mage of Cephiro?” Ragyn let his voice carry only loud enough for those in the room to hear. Those who cared, any ways. Tired already Ragyn watched a few figures turn sharply in his direction.

*

The door opened slowly while creaking badly alerting all those around of a badly needed oiling. An ancient if not but already rotting old man answered the door. His skin stretched and taunt over tissue thin bones, which poked out as if trying to make an escape from the man’s body. Leather though the skin seemed and even felt like it was just as thin and worn over as his years would see fit in a farming community.

“Can I help yous young ones?” Yellow white eyes upturned to the two youths at the elders door. Clef, being over 700 hundred, appeared as a young child while each and every year of this man’s life appeared as a wrinkle on him. Extensive crows feet marked the sides of his eyes from laughing and harsh realities around him.

Clef, who had overheard Umi’s requirements, treaded to the group. “Perhaps I can help you…” he met Megor’s eyes, acknowledging him with a solemn nod. “Although you are strong, the perils awaiting you all are grave.” Closing his eyes, he meditated, collecting his will together and fusing it into a single prayer. “Bestow Armor!” Automatically, black shoulder guards hugged Megor’s torso, and a falchion of dark mineral appeared at his feet. Similarly, the others received armor suited for them: Zazu was suited with gray and greenish arm bands and shoulder guards, Autozonian in style, whereas Quatre was outfitted by armor similar to Sandrock’s color and design, as well as a curved blade, and various weapons were dispersed among the groups. Panting, Clef jerked and propped on his staff as he ended the spell. “Use this as you wish. If you had no need for them…” he shot a glance at Megor, “…leave them. As for food…” he put a hand to his forehead and groaned. “I…am unable to do presently… Although I’m sure you will find the supplies you need in the castle kitchen.” He gave a weak smile to Umi, and passed over the rest of the group. Clef’s hair bristled on the back of his neck as he sensed an evil presence. “You!” he exclaimed as Ragyn’s eerie voice echoed through the hall.

Kyle smiled and nodded. "Yes, we're here for investigation purposes, sir. We've had reports indicating that there were strange happenings around this particular area. If you would not mind, we would like to ask you some questions regarding ma--"

"Jeez, Kyle, we're here to help, not be the Cephirean Police Department!" Chad said loudly rolling his eyes. "What he's trying to say is that we heard from Guru Clef that some crazy things have been going on, and we'd like to see what's up, if you don't care." Kyle turned his head in anger to his brother. He kept on and kept on interrupting him, and causing him to lose his cover. Kyle gritted his teeth and kind of grinded them a little. Tension was starting to form between him and his little brother, and fast too.

Megor shook his head. "I don't need it, I assure you. I'm more than strong enough for any challenge this world or any other may present!" He said disarming the armor Clef had gifted him with. Soon afterwards, a voice was heard. Megor then turned to see a man in all white floating with a smirk on his face. "You must be the one we're after, right?" His cloak blew a little, no wind was in the room however. "You have got to be kidding me. We're doing all of this because of him?! I don't feel like waiting! You, my friend......Are about to realize what it is like to feel the pain of a thousand hells!" Megor shouted throwing off his cloak and shooting towards Ragyn. "The Desert Ghost shows no mercy and if your life is valuable, neither should you!"

“How very tactful…” Ragyn gleamed. “And I would prefer if you called me Ragyn instead of ‘you’ my dear mage.” His eyes darted to the youth gliding his way. “Once more amusement, once more easy to dismantle your Cephirean threats.” Mayhap Ragyn did not feel the need of his powers or in a show of arrogance he decided to best the boy with his own physical skills.

Taking the youth’s speed into account he side stepped allowing the boy to pass him on the inside bringing Megor’s back near Ragyn’s chest. Megor’s momentum took him just past Ragyn adding to Ragyn’s current advantage over the youth. In mid stride Ragyn grabbed the boy’s neck while simultaneously placed one hand on Megor’s chest. In conjecture with the previous arm moves he swung his front foot forward and hooked Megor’s front leg reversing the momentum backwards into a half sweep and half throw move.

In amusement Ragyn stepped back into a cat-stance, watching Megor hit the ground on his back. His eyes slanted like a contented tiger settling down before a feast of deer meat. “I would suggest keeping your chin down and your fists up. Also your reaction time is very…slow.”

Emphasizing his words with actions, to test Megor’s reaction time, Ragyn brought his right leg, his front leg, up in a half crescent kick and then swiveling it so that it came down straight in from of him with the heel of his foot about to slam down on Megor’s skull.

*

“Barrier Summon!” From across the room, Clef’s orb studded staff was aimed at Megor, and Ragyn’s foot struck the invisible obstacle with a crackle of protest from the magic barrier. “Cephiro will never fall to you!” he yelled, his pale purple eyebrows dropping determinedly, a bead of exhausted sweat trickling down his cheek.

******

Kyoko stared down at the communication device that Ferio held in his palm before she turned her eyes to him, fully prepared to 'do the honors.' Just as the young woman parted her lips to agree, a violent shiver ran up her spine, followed by a feeling of alarm which she could not shake off. She stood before the two of them, eyes widening as she drew a hand up to her heart, shocked by the quickening pace of its beating. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. How or why she had this feeling, she did not know, but there was no questioning that something was amiss.

Taking in a sharp breath and closing her eyes, Kyoko fought to regain her calm demeanor, all the while trying to place what the cause of this new forboding was. Heart still pounding and now incased in worry, she parted her lips again and spoke to her parents in a tight, whispery voice.

"Perhaps we should wait...I believe that Clef-san has his hands full at the moment..."

Megor, in a fit of rage. Shot at Ragyn even faster than before, but hit the barrier that surrounded him, the barrier, preventing his access to the one he was previously bested by. "I WON'T HAVE YOUR HELP, MAGE!" Megor yelled out in anger as he placed both hands to the barrier trying to break it or at least attempt to move it. With no luck, Megor stood there panting. He used way too much speed to go at Ragyn. He let his own ego get in his way, and his decision to go at someone or something he knew nothing about. He realized his mistake and upsettingly smashed his hand into the ground in a fit of rage. "DAMN!" His words echoed throughout the halls of the castle, his anger being known by all. He had been made a fool of, and that wasn't something that was going to slip from his memory anytime soon!

“I was trying to be fair Madoushi.” Ragyn bit into his lip a little in an uncontrolled show of fury. “However once more Cephireans show they do not understand the rules of combat leaving one on one when so directed!” His eyes hardened on the small man than roamed the room. “Meddle in my affairs, learn all that you can learn but you will not defeat me this time, I swear never again!”

Ragyn pulled himself back from Megor with only the barest hint of a dark gleam in his eyes foretelling of something to come. “Your not the only ones with magic…” Ragyn tilted his head down to the trapped youth. “Dark Void!” He waited a moment as a cold darkness swirled around Megor before engulfing him in a airless, freezing void. It was a rather simple spell. “I’ll deal with you later…” He motioned towards the other lingering groups including Clef before dissipating into the air like a spirit from the astral plane.

Cold. Hard to breath. Emptiness. These are the thoughts that swam through the head of Megor Ryuuzaki. As he floated in a void of noting but black, he gazed about. Nothing, no one. Once more, he was alone, trapped in a darkness that almost reflected his own. Was he dead? Was he in hell? Where was he? He floated in place for what seemed to be hours, yet was merely moments. He blinked in confusion. Was he defeated that easily? Was he really that weak? Megor bowed his head and closed his eyes in disappointment. He would now have the chance not at all to finally know what family he did know. Or that's what he thought. For also in this void, there lay a power so secretive, so hidden from all planes and worlds that no one could even comprehend it's existence any longer. He felt it immediately. The cold eyes, the darkness sweeping over his entire body. A power not quite as powerful, but just as fearsome as the one he had just come in contact with. What could it be? Megor turned to face an exact image of him! But---different. This Megor seemed to be bigger, more angrier, more powerful, everything! It was as if he was the ultimate warrior! Megor shockingly watched as the image of himself floated there emotionlessly, his arms crossed, both arms covered with scars from battles. His face was not much different. He opened his mouth at last and allowed words to escape his lips. "What is most important to you?" He said in a very frightening tone. His voice was dark and raspy, kind of like his own, but...different. Like it was more experienced, more evil, more-violent, than the man he had thought he had become. Megor almost couldn't speak from this feeling of fear, yes fear. The feeling had never been known to him until this day. Was it even day? Megor finally responded. "I'm a warrior, yet I'm also a brother, and now a member of a group, it seems. My first priority is to get this problem of Cephiro settled so that I may one day perhaps- get to know my own family. What's left of it." The darker version of himself winced in disgust. "Wrong answer-I'll ask again. What is it that is most important to you?" He said, this time growing more upset. Megor angrily responded this time. "I did not stutter! If you wish to change my answer, then feel welcome to try!" he said aloud preparing to fight. The "shadowed" Megor sneered. "You have the guts, but you do not have the power. You have the ability, but you do not apply it. Why is this? Why is it you let someone such as Ragyn dominate you in such a way?" Megor's eyes twitched. "You didn't fight him! So who are you to talk?!" The Shadow Megor grinned. "You obviously do not realize how strong I am. Fighting is more than just strength! It's more than just being powerful! Fighting is an art of skill! Not energy or rage! It's more! Much more! I have learned this through my own experience. And through that experience, it cost me my life, my very body in which I fought with, all because I gave into the darkness." Megor stared at the Shadow Megor and then tilted his head in confusion. "I don't understand. You are me. How did you ever have a life of your own? Am I not who I believe to be?" The Shadow Megor turned and grinned. "You are who you believe, and much more. Do you honestly believe that other dimensions do not exist? Where there are other Chads, and Megors and Umis? There are dimensions in which peace reins supreme, alternate realities in which Umi dies in the first Cephirean adventure she had with the Magic Knights! Future in which the Chad is miserable and has to put up with countless attacks from an alien race in which you couldn't even comprehend! You are merely just a being making a difference. And after these few moments. You--will--make--that--difference." The Shadow Megor's eyes glowed. "It has been long since I have had the chance to fight. Long since I have used my power for anything at all. But now it is different. When you leave this void, I shall go with you. We will be unified as one Megor Ryuuzaki. I cannot guarantee you that it will bring you happiness, but it will bring you what you truly need to survive. Strength, skill, knowledge. Everything all wrapped into one warrior." Megor shook his head. "I need no assistance from you. You just want out for your own selfish purposes." The Shadow Megor glared angrily. "If that was the case, do you honestly believe I would cower so low as to lie to someone weaker than I am? I am doing this to atone for a sin I committed long ago against my own team-mates and even my own sister. I have something to make up for, and I intend to do it. Where my rival, my worst enemy ever to grace the grounds of Earth and Cephiro both, was given a second chance at life, I was not. I was cursed to remain here for eternity. But you will now give me the liberty I desire, so that one day I can return to my own dimension, my own world, my own sister, and re-gain her trust. Is that so much? Is it so hard to accept greater power and to also assist one that--" The Shadow Megor stopped for a moment. Like Megor, he had never asked for help in his entire life, or beyond it. Pride was cutting lower and lower as he told of his handicaps. No matter. It was pride that got him killed, and it would not happen twice. "Is it so much that you help me and gain from it?" He almost shouted the words. Megor sighed and closed his eyes. "You're right, I suppose. Let us unite as one warrior and attempt to do this world a little justice. Let us join together as a one-man army and destroy the one that has disgraced me so!" The Shadow Megor smiled and nodded. "This time, the starters will be in Cephiro, not Earth." Megor shook his head. This Shadow Megor made little to no sense, but his power was well worth the union alone. The Shadow Megor turned into a black energy and slammed into Megor's chest and into his body, going even deeper and eventually fusing with his very life force. Now Megor stood alone, an aura of pure power emitting from his body. He was now much stronger than Chad could ever have hoped to have been. Jamar would be very proud of his son at this moment. For now his decision wasn't just about himself. It was about getting something done in favor to another world. A world he wasn't even native of. Megor's cloak slowly formed around him, this time, it was of a black color, not brown like before. Megor's raven-black hair was slightly longer now, and his eyes glowed red with anticipation. "So this is what it feels like...To be able to feel the power literally running through one's veins." Megor placed his hands out and closed his eyes. He started slowly chanting a spell of his own. One that had come to mind out of seemingly nowhere. The Shadow Megor had seemed to have learned much magic from his studies on the outside world from within this void. But how did he see that outside world? Certain mysteries would have to remain mysteries, as Megor did not question his newfound knowledge of some magics. He now had a defense. Something he could fall back on if necessary. Soon after he had chanted the spell, the doorway opened to Cephiro again. The dark warrior stepped through, his new cloak flowing slightly behind him. He turned to face everyone and smiled somewhat of an evil smile. "So are we ready to go or what?" The portal closed to the void as he crossed his arms yet again under the cloak, glancing once at Clef, then at Umi, then at Ascotto. "Your monsters need their rest, Ascotto. Let's take another form of vehicle to get around faster instead, shall we?" He said still grinning somewhat. "I suggest a type of transportation spell or relic so we can get this done quickly and efficiently."

***

Nova had a expression of uneasiness on her face as she, Hikaru, and Mackey walked through this town, searching for the tavern. She whispered to the other two girls. "I never once imagined that there would a place like this anywhere in Cephiro...I hope we find this man we're searching for quickly so we can live as soon as possible..." As they entered the tavern, she looked around at all the people inside, taking extra care not to draw too much attention to herself and her friends.

The girls entered the tavern, eager to get out of the stench and unholiness that was the village outside. The tavern wasn't that much better but at least there were fewer dead people here. The front office was rather foul looking and appeared as if it hadn't been swept in months. Across the smallish room stood a desk at which there sat an otherwise moderately attractive woman wearing too much makeup. At their entrance the woman looked up and greeted them with a cheerful, yet obviously strained "Hello, there! What can I do for you?" The mannerisms of the woman behind the desk were tense and her face, despite her best efforts, betrayed a sort of painful sadness. Mackey noted the other lady's mode of dress and thought it a bit revealing considering that she herself would not have gone back outside wearing anything more flattering than a circus tent and a bag over her head. And Mackey did not view herself as having been blessed with an incredibly attractive face or figure. It was obvious to her, though maybe not as much to the other two girls, that a receptionist at an inn in this part of town did not get paid much and that this lady had thought it in her best interest to pursue a slightly less reputable nighttime job. Mackey did not live in the nice part of town back in Tokyo, but at least there she didn't regularly wonder if a woman's excessive face paint was meant to hide the bruises she incurred while on the job. She remembered the honest but hopeless face of the guard on their way into town and suddenly really wanted to go home. That was when it hit her that she might never see her cramped little apartment again and that she was trapped here in the middle of this forsaken town on this unfamiliar planet in the middle of this absolutely nonsensical war.

She might then have decided that she was screwed except that she was Mackey Muchitsujo, who is apparently too cool to ever worry over silly things like that and absolutely almost always knew what she was doing. Smiling and pulling herself out of her selfish little panic- fest she walked over to the desk so that she could speak more closely with the receptionist and not have to talk across the room in case someone might be listening.

"We're looking for someone, a man by the name of Rashara. He wouldn't happen to have shown up already, would he?" It seemed a bit risky to mention the Yil by name, but the girls didn't know anything else of him other than his possession of a particular book and that information would most definitely be unwise to give out. If anyone was listening they were hopefully not listening too closely.

*

Great surprise and pleasure, lowered in impact by the garish makeup, showed itself in the form of brightened eyes and a half open mouth. The pleasure hinted that Mackey was one of the few so far, in her whole life, to have addressed her in such kind words without derision. Such words to people who led such lives full of shame went a long way. "You mean the Yil?" From the look on the young woman's face, it could be taken that the Yil Rashara was a man of good stature and disposition, sharply distinct from the ruffians of Leiyo. The receptionist craned a once graceful neck towards a door to the right and behind her rotting desk. "He was through here minutes ago, asking if three young ladies had called for him yet. When I told him no, he went right in. He's probably waiting for you in there."

When the three girls left, the receptionist-whore's eyes followed them fearfully, as if harboring knowledge of the lairing human beasts that lurked within. The Yil Rashara was a kind person; he had been the only other one who'd ever treated her nicely. And those three girls, for but a single joyous minute, had made her feel like a worthy human being again. Tears glistened in her eyes as she interceded for the old man's safety and the three girls.

Those same eyes cast themselves down once more as a gang of roughs came up next to her desk and rudely inquired as to another gang's presence.

As they spoke thus, from the open doorway the thugs had come from, sunlight pouring onto the floor dimmed and totally darkened. But no cloud had covered the sun. A shadow, a monstrous blot of extending blackness that betrayed a living presence, had seeped out of the streets and into the tavern. It slithered swiftly across the floor, a chrome serpentine figure, and merged with the darkness past the inner doorway the trio only seconds ago had gone.

The receptionist-whore paled and blinked, having seen or thought she'd seen out the corner of her vision, that same sable mass passing her desk.

A thick grayish green haze hung over the main bar room beyond another doorway at the bottom of the stairs, at which the three girls instinctively covered their noses. Conversation in hard rough tones filled the air, from whispered to stentorian, punctuated at intervals by bold laughter. More games of gambling were in progress, though fewer compared to the ones aboveground. Other gangs, greater in terms of numbers and weapons than those outside, occupied the tables, throwing dangerous challenging glances across the room to where another gang resided, fingering their displayed weaponry. Scantily clad women stayed by the side of those toughs who seemed to be the gang leaders, hoping this relationship would get them prestige and respect. In one corner by the bar itself, a band of five pixies belted out a bouncy tune via tiny woodwind and percussion instruments. They were actually talented, as some of the thugs in the bar tapping their feet in accompaniment to the music attested. The band was so good; they seemed to be playing as if their lives depended on it. Very likely it did.

The smoke in the room originated from pipes and cigars spewing out the by-product of Autozamian opiates. Groups of one to three addicts occupied the smaller tables. One of them was so far wasted he had four cigars stuck in his mouth.

As the trio headed for the bar for inquiries, random dialogues made it to their range of hearing.

Dialogue 1 Random Thug 1: Oi, scuttlebutt at the capital streets sez the Magic Knights're back. Looks like the gov'ment gettin scared and shakin in deir boots with da war dey gonna use dem to stop it. Might be on deir way here, y'know.

Random Thug 2: Heh, just let em come for a visit. Dey'll be so full of knives dey won't hav time ta holler. Hear all three of em are sexy lasses too. Sure'd want one of em for me wife.

Dialogue 2

Random Thug 1 : Da new bartender's not Jal Keiran, is it? What the Creator's bones is he doin here, wipin glasses and whippin up shots?

Random Thug 2: Dat's wat I thot too. Maybe he beat so many fyters in da rings and became da champ dat he got tired. Nobody can have a fist- ta-fist beef wit him and win. Y'can punch him in the face twenty tyms and he'll ask for more...and take you out in one good strike. Won't make a diff if you bring a weapon, he'll take ya on anyway. One o his latest opponents had a huge warsword, an he boxed his teeth out and broke his arm.

The aforementioned bartender raised his head from wiping a glass as the trio of girls approached. He was very tall, easily rivaling the ideal basketball player. He was of a browned complexion. They noticed his hands, knuckles in particular, were hardened and calloused, as if they had struck all kinds of surfaces over a span of years and adapted to it. He wore a brown tunic that was just beginning to look a bit small for his broad muscled features. His ruggedly handsome face was every inch as rough and tumble looking as the denizens of the tavern, but there the resemblance ended.

For right then, after looking at the trio a bit harder, smiled a kind welcoming smile.

"Morning. You three're the ladies looking for Yil Rashara?" A well developed finger, which by itself seemed to possess the power of a normal man's punch, gestured across the bar to a far table, whence sat the man they had come to meet. "Can I get you anything?" the gentle giant added.

Yil Rashara looked up from a heavy tome with strange scrawling words, ancient Cephireanese it would appear. He was not the slight child the Yil Clef appeared to be but neither was he as grown in stature as Jal Keiran or Dal Lafarga. Youth bright eyes glistened with an inner light in the dim and dank air of the bile tavern. Rashara grinned easily brightening the darkest thoughts of the three girls when he made eye contact. He stood up revealing that he, himself was just as tall as the wind Knight had been when she first visited Cephiro.

A disgruntled paradise bird squeaked persuading Rashara to curb his excitement at meeting a Magic Knight. “I am terribly sorry Sorra.” The bird settled the ruffled feathers on it’s back accepting his apology before nibbling a lose strand of hair that fell away from his circlet. Like Clef, Yil Rashara also wore a circlet with a blue moon stone embedded in the center. Very gently Rashara bent, closed his book, and then made his way towards the girls with the book. “Keiran I do not mean any disrespect but I think it best if we do not dally long in the tavern. I had hoped it would be less crowded…” Lowering his voice so that the girls and Keiran could hear him only he whispered, “There has been much talk of the Knights here. Much talk but none of it has been pleasant. I am afraid for your lives for there are people here looking to destroy all that is good and all that will help.”

His electric blue eyes meet Hikaru’s. “I trust that we will get to talk in private outside beyond wayward ears and eyes.” He leaned back nodding at Keiran. “Thank you but I’ll take these lasses now.” Sorra, his light green paradise bird groomed more of Yil Rashara’s silvery blonde hair.

**

The old man grinned. “Come in ,come in boys.” The elder motioned Skyhawk and Chad into his mud bricked house. “Now tell mah what is troub’lin you?” He raised his hand. “There is strange things on the wind…evil.” He meet the gaze of Skyhawk. “Everyone is worried…”

**

“Wha…” Umi blinked. Megor had only been in the black bubble for less than a minute but he had emerged different, changed. “I… shouldn’t we more worried about what just happened?” She looked over at Ascot for support then shook her head.

“If we leave than I guess we should do so now but…” Umi closed her eyes. How was Megor planning on travel if they were not to use one of Ascot’s friends. “Lets go…”

A concerned frown darkening his countenance, Ferio watched as a shocked expression crossed Kyoko's features and the girl seemed to freeze with some sense of alarm. "Kyoko?!" He reached out to steady her just in case, glancing at Fuu in confusion then back at the former. "Kyoko, are you okay?"

When Kyoko spoke, the tone of her voice made it obvious that she had felt something utterly disconcerting. But what could it have been? "What do you mean? Can you sense something happening back at the palace...?" Ferio asked worriedly.

He took a deep breath, fists clenching at his sides as he shook his head, and added, "There's nothing we can do now but to try and finish our mission as soon as possible. Then we can get back quickly and make ourselves useful over there."

***

Having finally managed to calm down the tremulous beating of her heart, Kyoko smiled back at Ferio and Fuu, hoping that she hadn't worried them too severely. Inside, she couldn't help but fight the longing she had to hug her father. He was the same in the past as he was in the future. As a child if she so much as stubbed her toe, her father would instantly jump to find out if she was okay. The thought that he was so concerned, even if he didn't know who she really was, made Kyoko have a sense of deep comfort.

"You're right, Ferio-san. I suppose it would be best. Let's get going then, shall we?"

She looked towards Fuu and then Ferio, waiting for their acknowledgement as the feeling of trepidation she had fallen in to slowly dissipate. She could only pray that everyone back at the palace had not befallen any harm.

"Sure thing." The Jal Keiran grinned his understanding, though registered no clue of any knowledge of Hikaru's identity by the look on his face. He reached below the bar and began to mix a fiery whisky blend for a whispering pair of lovers, as sincere as lovers could be here in Cephiro's badlands. Out the corner of his eyes, he noticed one thug seated at the bar beginning to make a leering grasp for Mackey. "Hoy..." There was the thwack of a street club on the bar before the thug, and the the sneak looked up to see a glaring muscled giant. "Y'after a drink or what? You're wasting seats and keeping the paying customers away. This ain't a Creator-cursed brothel, chum."

The street club was merely for bartender's formality. The dangerously muscled hand that held it were where the true danger lay. A hand that could shatter metal or worse yet, human bone. The would be offender noticed that.

The thug meekly ordered a Cephironian beer and shambled away upon payment. Rashara and the trio were making ready to initiate their leave.

Megor nodded. "Let's. We're wasting enough time as it is already. I'm ready when you all are. Ascotto? Are you ready?"

Skyhawk smiled a little. "We're here to investigate this wind you speak of. Can you explain a little more about it, sir? It has caught the attention of many people and we are here to make sure it doesn't cause you any more problems."

Chad grinned. "Yeah that's pretty much the story! So what do you need us to do, sir?"

Fuu gave a sigh of relief as the young Kyoko looked up. For the brief moment of trauma her heart had skipped a beat. Hoping for the best she turned toward the floating city, her eye's reflecting all of it's wonder. She smiled and grabbed Kyoko's hand, she didn't know why but this girl was special. Even though they had just met Fuu knew there was something...bonding, between herself and this girl. Tugging forward and slipping her other hand into Ferio's she began to walk. She looked down at her feet, her smile turning into a slight grin. "Well, my ankle's a lot better. Lets go!"