A/N: Hope you like the changes I've made in the story so far. Please review.


Turning the two walked over to the Grocers and filled up on ingredients. Once done the two headed back towards the Inn. Seeing the crowd was still there, Lucil decided to listen in on what they were squabbling about.

"Nothing... Every last scrap of food in the storehouse has been stolen."

"This has happened time and time again since those fires up North. You think maybe some deserters hiding out up there have started to come here looking for food?"

"Or it could be the work of the Dark Wings, too."

Frowning Lucil wondered if this village would be able to afford to buy food if there's kept getting stolen. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the fruit vendor running up, "I just heard that Kelly's place got hit."

Finally everyone seemed to take notice that the two were standing there. Relieved Lucil waited for them to move aside so they could get in. She let out a small squeak as the fruit vendor grabbed a hold of her. Snarling the man jerked her towards him, "I heard that the Dark Wings are two women. Is that why your here?! Returned to the scene of the crime have you!"

Tear tried to pull her away her face frantic, but the man named Kelly grabbed her to, "That's it I'm taking you to the authorities."

Restrained the two were dragged into a house above the Inn and thrown down onto the ground. Slowly getting up Lucil met the exotic red eyes of a man in a military outfit.

"Rose, we've got trouble."

A plump auburn haired man turned away from the man to look at the man who had pushed her to the ground. "Hush! We've got an important guest from the military here. Calm down!"

The man named Kelly grabbed her by her hair and another shoved Tear into her. "How can we be calm?! We caught the ones who have been stealing our food! We caught the Dark Wings!"

"It wasn't me! I haven't stolen anything. I am not apart of the Dark Wings" Lucil rebutted as the man jerked her painfully by her hair.

"They have to be the ones responsible, and I heard from Sally that the Dark Wings were two girls and a guy. There obviously part of the group." another man butted in.

Hitting the man behind her in the stomach forcing him to let go of her Lucil straightened and pulled her hair over her shoulder and away from his grabby hands. When he tried anyways she slapped his hand and angrily retorted, "I am not your damn thief! Just because we are newly arrived does not mean we are the center of your damn problems!"

"My, my, what a lively girl. Let's all just settle down first, all right?" Rose spoke in a motherly tone. Tear herself looked about ready to yell at the ones manhandling them as well.

"Yes, Please do." the red eyed man said right into her ear. Lucil jumped spinning to face the man who had invaded her space. He had almost a teasing look and Lucil noticed him looking her up and down. While the look was mainly calculating there was a certain amount of interest there as well. Lucil held back her blush as she considered the dark haired blonde.

"Colonel," Rose gasped surprised as she took his empty cup.

Head tilted she questioned the handsome man, "May I ask who you are, sir?"

Light flashed off the man's glasses hiding his eyes. Pushing up his glasses the man offered her almost a flirty smirk, "I'm Colonel Jade Curtiss, Third Division,, Malkuth Imperial Forces. And who might you be, my dear?"

"I'm Lucil and my friend is Tear. Wait.. Did you say Jade Curtiss? As in the man who has published The Fonon Series." While she had considered the man attractive before; learning his name left her nursing a small crush.

"My my you've read my work? I'm flattered," the man smiled coyly as he teased her. It took everything Lucil had not to ask him to autograph the book of his that she had on her. Sadly the book had the Baticul Royal Family emblem on the inside of the cover.

Blushing she smiled at the man as she met his ruby eyes, "I learned everything I know about the Fonon Artes from your books. It is delightful to meet the person who wrote such brilliant work."

Jade nodded thoughtfully at her and opened his mouth to speak only to quickly frown. His eyes narrowed as his hand shot past her face before she could even blink. Turning she met the eyes of the man who had yanked her hair earlier. Jade hand was clutching his wrist stopping him from what had clearly been another attempt to grab her by her hair again.

Ignoring Jade the man looked at her angrily, "Don't think you can flirt your way out of this Dark Wing Bitch!"

"We are not with the Dark Wings. The Malkuth Military forced the real Dark Wings to the other side of the Roltero Bridge," Tear interrupted before the incident could escalate further.

Jade released the captive hand and subtly placed himself between her and them as he focused on Tear, "Ah... I see. So you were the two travelers from earlier."

"What is all this about, Colonel?" Rose asked confused by the events.

Jade turned to face her as he nodded in acknowledgement, "Just as Tear said, a group of bandits thought to be the Dark Wings fled toward Kimlasca. I can assure you that these two are not with them. Not only that the Dark Wings are made up of two men and a woman not two women and a man."

"They don't appear to be mere food thieves either," a new voice interjected causing Lucil to snap her head towards it in startlement. The owner of the voice was a green haired boy wearing some type of formal white robes.

Jade turned his attention to the boy immediately, "Fon Master Ion..."

Lucil looked at the boy with renewed interest. This was the Fon Master? Wasn't he supposed to be missing? The boy stood in the doorway a moment longer as he observed the scene before him. Entering he answered Jade's unspoken inquiry, "I was a bit curious, so I investigated the food storehouse. I found this in the corner of the room."

Ion held up a piece of pink fur as he walked to hand it to Rose. Rose studied it before speaking in shock, "This is fur from a sacred cheagle."

Ion nodded, "Yes. A cheagle is what probably raided your food stores."

Proven innocent Lucil leveled a chilling glare at the man who had been practically abusive towards her. Beside her Tear was rubbing the hand-shaped bruises on her arms as she considered the men with a narrow eyed stare. The man who had grabbed her hair looked mortified and extremely ashamed of his callous behavior. "Now who were you calling a thieving Dark Wing bitch?!"

"Well, sounds like that takes care of that. I think you all have something to say to these girls?" Rose spoke her voice displeased as she looked at her own villagers with disappointment.

Kelly was the one to speak, "...I'm sorry. With all the burglaries lately. I've been a little on edge."

"Sorry for accusing you," another man interjected.

The man from the apple stand bowed slightly, "I'm sorry that I accused you to begin with. It's just I knew the burglar had to be a stranger and when I saw you eavesdropping. I assumed you were the thieves returned to find out all we knew about you."

"When I arrived I noticed that you all were blocking the entrance to the Inn. If you hadn't moved since then. Then they were probably not so much as eavesdropping as merely waiting to get by you. These people have obviously traveled a great deal today and simply wanted check in for a bed tonight," Jade was regarding the men with an exasperated look.

Rose decided to intervene before they all fell into a squabble, "Do you think you can forgive them, sweetie?"

Nodding not wanting to deal with anymore for right now all Lucil could thing of was resting her throbbing head on a comfortable pillow. Rose nodded her head in satisfaction, "Glad to hear it. Now, I have business with the colonel. I'll think of a way to stop the cheagles. So all of you just go on home for today."

Dismissed she followed the villagers out as she headed for the Inn. On the walk there Tear finally voiced her puzzlement, "Why is Fon Master Ion here?"

"I know I more concerned why he is here fine if he is considered missing. The day you attacked. Van was planning to leave to go search for him." Lucil replied as they arrived at the Inn door.

"Really? That's news to me. I wonder what is going on. He didn't look like he was being held captive," Tear remarked her brows furrowed. Frowning Lucil opened the Inn door. If Ion was being held captive then surely they wouldn't let him roam so freely that he was able to sneak into the storehouse. Most likely The Fon Master was merely conducting confidential business with Malkuth.

Both Lucil and Tear halted as they saw a pig-tailed raven haired girl dressed in pink with some weird doll strapped to her back. The girl was interrogating the Inn Keeper, Kelly. "Have you seen the person I was with? A boy, pretty short? Kind of out of it?"

"Sorry, I was away from the Inn a little while..." Kelly replied apologetically as he gestured his sincerity with his hands. Lucil nearly snorted.

Pouting the girl placed her hands on her hips as she shook her head in fond exasperation, "Honestly, that Ion! Where did he run off to?"

"Ion? As in the Fon Master Ion? He's at Rose's place," Lucil looked at the girl curious at how she knew the Fon Master. The girl thanked them, but before the girl could leave Lucil couldn't help but ask, "Why is the Fon Master here? I heard that he was missing, so why does he seem to be here, perfectly okay?"

"Ack! Are there rumors like that floating around?! I have to tell Ion!" She gasped out as she charged past Lucil and out of the building. Lucil frowned at her question being ignored, but it seemed she worked for Ion and her surprise at the rumor of him missing was genuine. Most likely there had been some kind of communication error and he merely didn't know that people were looking for him.

Tear turned to her, "She appeared to be a Fon Master Guardian, so I assume Ion's journey is officially recognized by the Order of Lorelei."

"I never thought someone so young would have such a high position. She must be quite talented. I wonder how they got their wires crossed bad enough for Van to think he was missing?" Lucil wondered aloud.

Sighing she noticed a man selling items off in a corner of the Inn's reception room. She hope he sold a real metal blade as all she had was a training sword. Buying a Cutlass she sold her old sword. Tear joined her and soon they were stocking themselves with apple gels, orange gels, and life bottles. Once done they turned to the Inn keeper.

"Sorry about earlier. You can stay here free tonight. It's the least I can do," Kelly announced. Nodding the two entered the room. Inside Lucil placed her things on the table beside her bed and laid down.

On the bed she watched Tear pace, before she turned to her, "Tomorrow, we'll head for the Kaitzur checkpoint. With the bridge out, that's the only way back to Baticul. We also have to do something about passports. I hate relying on the fact of Duke Fabre pulling some strings."

Nodding Lucil couldn't get over the events of the day, "Could we possibly check out why the Cheagles are stealing food? Everyone seemed so surprised about Cheagles stealing the food, so I'm curious as to why their acting out of character."

Tear regarded her with a slight shake of her head, "Why?"

"A few years back I slipped into my father's study. I found a report of a mob of villagers lynching a doctor, because three women gave birth to stillborn under his care. Later they found out he hadn't done a thing to the women. Instead the girls had picked some berries that they thought were Bengal Berries. Ends up they weren't and the mild poison killed their children. Those men attacking us today reminded me of it. I was terrified that we were going to be killed too. Just think if Ion and Jade weren't there. We would either be dead or on our way to stand trial right now. All because we just happened to be the strangers who walked by at the right moment, "Lucil explained. Tear looked thoughtful and a dawning realization seemed to cross her face, like she had never considered that the villagers would actually attack them.

Getting Tear's agreement they both went to sleep.