The group I traveled with had such a depressing air to it that I thought I would drown in it. Every one of them had lost something dear to them, or had their dreams crushed. Joachim and Anastasia were a little brighter than the others, but they still had some sort of regret or sadness about them that added to the thick, melancholic air. They would all try to hide it, but my damned powers made it all slap me in the face, pick up on their moods and sometimes even their thoughts. While I was grateful to them for giving me a place among them, to have a purpose, I kind of wished I hadn't come with them. Everyone else's misery was making my own magnify.

"So, Kisa," came a light voice from the other side of the fire. We had to camp out tonight instead of staying in a hotel tonight, seeing as we didn't make it to the nearest town before sundown. We were on our way to where Roger left his airship.

It was Karin who had spoken, most likely trying to break the stagnant silence that added to the misery around us. "Where are you from?"

"I'm from Russia, but my ancestry is German." I made a gesture at my blond curly hair and bright green eyes. "Germans are stereotyped to look like me. But you probably have heard that, since you're German. Koenig is a German name, isn't it?"

Karin nodded. "It is. Though sometimes I wish I was born under another name. It's a burden carrying the one I have." Her aura turned almost black as she dropped her gaze to the ground. She had lost her entire family. She was the last Koenig left. God, I hated my powers.

"You shouldn't feel so bad about losing your family," I told her quietly. Everyone else was asleep, each of us taking shifts to keep watch, and I didn't want to wake them. "It's sad, yes, but you have to think of how your family would feel if they knew you were blaming yourself over their deaths."

"How did you know I lost my family?" she asked, tears brimming her eyes. Her words were almost a whisper.

I gave her a skeptical look. "You had to have wondered how I dodge attacks so well with my...figure." I wasn't what people would call 'fit'. "The only reason I do so well in battle is because I have a supernatural sense of things." She should feel special being the first person in the world to know my power. The others didn't even know yet—I guess they just thought I was a naturally good fighter or something. I just figured that since this was a weird bunch, I'd fit in okay with my power out in the open.

"You mean...you can read minds?"

I hesitated. "Well, not exactly. It's not often I can read complete thoughts from someone unless they're incredibly strong, or I'm really close to that person. All I can tell you is that the sadness coming off of all of you is making me feel like I'm suffocating. I can relate to all of you guy's sadness, and that's why I know what's bothering all of you. Yuri lost his lover, Gepetto his niece, you your family, Anastasia is worried about her family, Lucia about someone back in Florence, Joachim about why he left home..."

"Why did Joachim leave his home?" Karin asked, intrigued.

"If you don't know yet, it isn't my place to tell. He might not want anyone to know."

She gave me a dejected look, then turned her gaze to the stars. "You say you relate to our sadness."

"Yes."

There was a long silence, and I knew that she knew that I knew that she wanted me to explain why, since I had my special gift to pick up on it. I sighed.

"Believe it or not, I had a fiancee."

"No way," she gasped. "But you're only 17!"

I laughed. "I thought for sure you'd be more surprised I had a fiancee because of my weight, not my age."

Karin shook her head. "Looks never matter in love. I guess age doesn't either, but I never expected someone so young to be ready to settle like that. Besides, there isn't anything wrong with your weight. Some people can't help it."

I liked this girl. "Thanks," I said, smiling. "It's nice to know someone thinks that. I get called a lot of ugly names because of my weight. It isn't like I eat a lot, either. My body just keeps storing everything up. A doctor told me a few years ago that I was born without the thing the burns the fat in my body during exercise, so though my body only stores a little bit from my food, it builds up over time. It's how I've gotten so big."

"Can't they just...I don't know, open you up and take out the fat?"

I shook my head. "Not many people live from surgery, because of infection. I get scraped up enough in fights, so there's no way I'm letting someone cut me open by my own free will."

"Well, all the stuff getting stored like that...it will have to give you health problems later down the line."

"I'll take care of it when I get those health problems, then. Though I don't see the point, since if I die, no one would really notice."

"We would!" Karin nearly shouted. I shushed her.

"Only because I'm traveling with you. It's hard not to notice someone of my size going missing."

"You're our friend," she growled adamantly. "We would give our lives to help you. It's hard not to get attached to someone you've been with for three weeks."

"Tell me about it," I murmured. "I hate myself for getting attached to people I meet. I'll just end up losing you all, just like everyone else."

Silently, Karin rose from her side of the fire and came over to sit by me, putting her arm around my shoulders in a sort of half-hug type thing. "You aren't ever going to lose us. Maybe someday we won't see each other for a long time, but we'll always be with you. Right here." She pointed to my chest, where my heart was. "All of us will always be in each other's hearts. Just like everyone you've met is still there. My family is in mine." She paused a moment. "Sometimes, I get sad thinking about how I won't see them for a long, long time. But remembering that they're out there, watching over me, it makes me a little happier. You just have to keep going on, doing what makes you happy."

I nodded. "You're right, Karin. But so help me god, I'm never going to fall in love again. It's one thing to lose close friends and beloved family members, but it's an entirely different thing to lose your lover."

Karin and I cast simultaneous glances over at Yuri. I knew what he was going through. I was going through it to. But Karin was right—I had to move on with my life. No one would be happy if they knew I was mulling over their deaths. I would lament the parting of my new friends greatly, whether it be because of death or just going our own ways, but I wouldn't let myself go through losing a lover again. There is no pain to describe what losing them was like.

"Hey, it's Anastasia and Joachim's turn to keep watch."

Dragging my eyes away from Yuri, I cast a smile at her. "About time! I'm beat. All of you guys's feelings has made me dead tired."

"And walking all day doesn't make you tired?" she asked, returning my smile.

"Psh, naw! You would know what I mean if you know what I had to put up with you guys. It's not like I can block it out."

Her smile softened a little. "I promise I'll try to be considerate of you from now on."

I shook my head. "It isn't like you can just shut off your emotions. Even I can't do that. Just don't worry about it, 'kay?"

"Alright," she replied with a nod. "Now let's get those two up so they can take over. We need our sleep, and we have a long flight with Roger tomorrow to Japan."