I sat with Cinnamon on the garden bench on Albin Elved (Monday), eating my lunch and talking about all the beautiful flowers grown here, who was trying to be the class clown, and who was just being plain stupid. Whenever I talked with Cinnamon, I felt like I could laugh out loud and be free.

"So, Yokka, are you going to join any clubs?"

I pondered it for a bit. There weren't that many clubs to begin with, just a tailoring club, healer's club, and an adventure's club. I admit, I love all three of those clubs, but I felt like I couldn't do them and still juggle my homework, part-time jobs, and the chaos that was starting to build at home after Aunt Jenny's sudden appearance.

"I'm not sure," I finally said, "I might not have time."

Cinnamon nodded, "I'm pretty busy too. But I'm thinking about joining the archery club."

"Archery, huh? You really love archery don't you?"

Cinnamon just smiled and stared at the white marble fountain.

"Well, you're really good," I said.

"You're good too."

"Thank you."

"How does it feel to be the daughter of warrior parents?" he asked.

I blushed, "Well, its great and all, but they expect a lot from you."

"No offense, Yokka, but your parents don't seem like the type to force their expectations on you."

I laughed, "You're right! They don't! But it's not the expectation from my parents, but from the people who know my parents that want me to be as great as or greater than them…"

"Ah, it makes sense now," said Cinnamon tipping his head back, "You don't like disappointing people, so you feel like you have to succeed, right?"

I nodded. He hit it right on the nail.

"Yeah, I sometimes feel that way too."

With that said, the bell rang and we headed off to class.

I was still thinking about his words when I walked to the General Store in Tir Chonaill. I really don't like to disappoint people, I thought, it's true! How did he know that? The thought itself sent me to another realization, my killer sixth scent never detected him! It's how he's always able to sneak up behind me and scare me! Just what kind of person is he that knows my emotions and can literally do a killer sneak attack? He was an elf, just like me, but different in some ways. That's all he was. Right?

I walked into the General Store and was greeted by a wonderful smell: a combination of vanilla and cinnamon. It reminded me that I didn't really eat my lunch, and I was hungry!

Walking toward the back of the store, I saw a frazzled Malcolm frantically searching through box after box. When he saw me, he smiled, "Oh good, you're here!" He stood up and wiped the dust off his apron, "Sorry about the mess, but I lost an order for a Tork's Hunter Suit in one of these boxes."

Typical Malcolm. He commonly misplaced the most important orders. Tir Chonaill wasn't a super rich town, so the General Store doubled as a Clothing Shop.

"Do you need help with something?" I asked.

"Yes, well, I have the order ready for a tank top and bell bottom set. For Bebhinn at the bank. Could you take it to her? While I, you know," he jerked a thumb to the overturned boxes, "Sort out this mess and find that order."

"Right," I said. I took the clothes from the shelf and headed out the door. After a long hot summer, the air was starting to cool. Leaves turning their brilliant shades of brown, red, and gold and birds weren't chirping as vividly anymore. The air was crisp, cool, and a bit foggy from last night's rain.

The ground felt cool beneath my thin leather uniform shoes as I walked toward the bank. Then, I could hear pounding, getting louder and louder. I squinted through the fog, trying to see the direction where the pounding was coming from. It sounded like hooves, definitely a horse.

Before I knew what was happening, or could think fast enough, I felt myself the next minute, airborne. I heard a scream, and a horse whinnying in confusion before my head, and then the rest of my body landed with a loud thwack! on the cold cobblestone.

I winced as a sharp pain jabbed at my head. My head throbbed uncontrollably and I swore I could see stars. Not a good sign. Even worse was the rest of my body. I think that when I fell, I twisted my back and landed wrong on the cobblestone floor. My body hurt everywhere! I closed my eyes and tried to breathe. In, out, in, out.

Two pairs of feet walked toward where my body had gone limp.

"Oh my goddess! You killed her!"

"I didn't kill her! She's an elf, so she's built tough.

"You weren't built tough."

"Hey! I so am!"

I pried open my eyes to look at the two figures standing over me.

"Oh look! She's awake!"

"Hey, are you okay?"

"We didn't mean to hit you."

"Yeah, we can't see a damn thing in this fog."

The two girls before me were both tall with sparkling pale skin. One girl had silvery white hair, cut short into a cute bob that perfectly shaped her heart-shaped face. Her eyes were ice blue like Aunt Jenny's, but had warmth in them. She was wearing a white and sky blue Cores Healer Dress. Her ears, long and upright, protruded from her hair.

The other girl had long, straight brown hair and large green eyes that was a perfect combo to her round face. She was wearing a black and pink Cores Ninja Suit.

"Are you alright?" the silver-haired girl asked again.

"I-I think so," I replied trying to stand up.

The two girls helped me to my feet. I wobbled a bit as I tried to stand straight, then gave up and draped an arm over the brown and white thoroughbred.

"What are you doing?" asked the brown-haired girl.

"A part-time job for Malcolm. He asked me to send this tank top and bell bottom set to Bebhinn."

"I'll do it!" exclaimed the silver-haired girl, "You look like you might faint at any moment."

At first, I hesitated to letting them do my part-time job for me. After all, I didn't even know them! But they assured me that they would explain the situation to Malcolm and collect my pay and give it to me. They even offered me a ride home! Such kind people.

As the silver-haired girl took the tank top and bell bottom set to Bebhinn, the brown-haired girl helped me onto her horse.

"Again, I am sooooo sorry for hitting you with my horse. Your head and body must really hurt."

I nodded then winced. Even nodding my head was painful.

"By the way, my name is Anaid. And the girl doing your part-time job is my younger sister, Neema."

"Nice to meet you. My name is Yokkaichi."

Anaid tilted her head, "What a strange name."

I pressed my lips together and said nothing.

After Neema delivered the clothes to Bebhinn (who, according to her, put up a bit of a fit when she saw the bill for the clothes), Anaid summoned her own horse, hopped on Neema's, and told Neema to sit on hers, creating a horse chain. The horses galloped from Tir Chonaill, to Duglad Aisle Logging Camp. From Tailteann to Emain Macha and finally the Sen Mag Residental Area. The horses trotted to the sixth section, and we finally arrived at my house.

Anaid helped me off Neema's horse and I walked to the porch while fishing for my house key in my inventory bag. But before I could even get out my key, the door burst open and out came mom, her eyes wide at the sight of Neema and Anaid.

Anaid smiled brightly and held out her arms, "Jadiana! It's so good to see you again!"

Instead of running into the hug, mom pulled me close to her, "What'd they do to you?" she asked in an icy tone.

"Um, they kinda, uh," I took a deep breath, "Hitmewiththeirhorse."

"What!?" bellowed mom.

"It was an accident!" protested Neema, "We couldn't see well through the fog!"

"Yeah," piped in Anaid, "And I think you should heal her. She said her head's hurting pretty bad."

Mom narrowed her eyes, "I knew something bad would happen!"

"Please don't be mad at us!" said Neema on the verge of tears.

Mom's face softened a bit, "Okay, so it was an accident?'

Neema and Anaid nodded.

Mom sighed loudly, "Okay, then, I'll overlook it."

"Yay," said Anaid, "But I don't see why we can't see our niece."

Of course! I thought, these two are my aunts!

"Yes, these are your aunts," said mom as if she read my mind, "Anaid is my older sister and Neema my younger."

"Oh," I whispered. It was all I could say.

"Well you have homework, right?" asked mom.

Truth be told, I had already finished before I even went to my part-time job, but from the look my mom was giving me, it was a desperate plea to get out of the conversation. Whatever happened between her and her sisters in the past, must've still bothered her, and talking to them seemed like pure torture.

"Yes," I finally answered.

Mom nodded and ushered me inside quickly.

"Bye Yokkaichi!" said Neema and Anaid in unison.

"Bye Aunties!" I said as I waved good-bye.

When mom got me inside and closed the door, she turned to me, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, really," I said. Which was half true. My head didn't hurt as much, but my body still hurt.

"I do have a question," I said.

"What?"

"Why am I just now meeting my aunt's?"

Mom sighed, "Well, they're not exactly…normal."

I giggled, "I know that."

"It's just that…when you were born. We wanted to raise you as normally as we could. Without the trouble Jenny, Anaid, and Neema would most likely give you. So we told them they could see you at birth, and possibly some birthdays, but not on a daily basis."

I could sort of understand. If I had to deal with today and Samhain throughout my life, I didn't know how I would turn out.

"Another question," I said, "Do I have any uncle's?"

Mom smiled, "He is probably the most normal out of the other three. Unfortunately, he's always too busy to see you or me. But anyway, he's my older brother, the eldest in the family."

"Will he come by surprisingly too?"

"Actually, I invited him for dinner tomorrow."

I smiled, "Sounds good to me! As long as there's no surprises. I think I've dealt with enough so far."

I should have never said that.