Felinis: Hi long time no update. This happened because 1 this fic has me doing a lot of game dialogue backtracking, because this first conversation and the inn scene are actually part of the game. Yeah a lot of this is detail checking and coping the words to see how much I can play with it as is. 2 I'll See You When It Rains needed an update and frankly that fic isn't nearly as complicated. 3 I need a computer when I work on this because I have to look at wikis, scripts, and vids to make sure I'm following things correctly and I've only had my phone most times. On another note thank you to the person who pointed out scenes I left out in the last chapter. I'm fixing that. When I write this I write everything in small scene increments and often out of order. I believe those scenes got mixed up ended up behind the start of the chapter.

As they made their way down the road to Deidon Hold Estelle asked about Repede as soon as she felt it appropriate. Yuri had to admit the warrior dog was a rather odd sight. "Yuri is this dog yours?"

He smiled at the question. Technically Repede didn't belong to anyone let alone Yuri. "Sort of, he's my partner Repede."

The dog barked and Estelle bowed her head. "Oh, nice to meet you to."

Yuri paused and muttered her words under his breath. "Did you actually understand what Repede was saying?"

Estelle raised her brow. "No…"

Yuri chuckled. "Yeah, I guess that was a stupid question." If Estelle could really understand Repede that would have been a miracle. Yuri often got tired of being the only one who understood what animals and monster were saying.

Now that things were slightly less hectic Yuri got to thinking. According to the map Estelle would be dropping off in Halure first while he went onto Aspio. After he got back the aqua blastia he'd head home and look into Hanna Quin.

He was finally close to some answers.

"You're…" Estelle stopped. "You're not like what I expected."

"How so?" He kept on walking keeping a straight face.

She kicked a stone on the road. "Flynn… he mentioned that once that you were… well…"

"Not entirely human?"

She kicked the stone further and nodded. "Yes. I thought that you'd look more… like a Krytian." Estelle halted and examined him feverishly. "Or maybe you do and I just can't tell!" Then she stopped again and sheepishly held her hands together. "Um… what does a Krytian look like anyway?"

Yuri raised a brow. "You've never seen a Krytian before?" Sure, he'd only met one once before, but he at least knew what they looked like. But, then the nobility had never been fond of Krytians and The Great War had led to them being basically pushed out of the Empire entirely. Not much was known about what went on in the war or the politics behind it, but there was one thing that Yuri tried to forget.

Krytians were seen as enemies of the state. They were arrested and detained, but not killed outright. No, it was worse. They cut the antennae from their head and the Krytian victims fell apart. They wiped out any settlements and made them second class citizens. Humans went on a man hunt for Krytians that finally ended when Yuri was eleven. The viciousness had died down, but nothing could change the damage or controversy.

Estelle shook her head sourly. "They look just like normal people only their ears are long and they have antennas sticking out their head." Yuri wasn't a Krytian though. "If it bothers you to be too close-"

"No!" She exclaimed and then recomposed herself. "I mean, I don't care that you're half-Krytian. I just wasn't sure what to expect." Estelle pouted her lips. "I'm a little disappointed actually."

"How so?"

Estelle kicked her stone again. "With how everyone in the castle talks about Krytians I thought they'd have horns, sharp claws, and big pointed teeth." Repede snickered and Yuri hid his amusement behind a smirk. Two out of three ain't bad. "But, you seem just like any other person."

"Sorry to disappoint." Yuri was freakier than a Krytian could hope to be. If he was lucky then Estelle wouldn't have to see it. They kept on. Diedon Hold was about a day's walk from Zaphias so if they kept pace they could reach the city soon. His head still hurt and he wanted to sleep, but that wasn't an option. As the time went on and their feet got sore it became clear they'd need a place to sleep soon.

There in the setting sun setting up tents were two travelers. Tents were being pitched and a fire pit was being set in the center. A woman with auburn hair set down a crate once she caught sight of them and came running over.

"Hey traveler! Need a place to stay?" She said.

Yuri nodded. "If it's not too much trouble."

"Not all! This here is the 'King's Adventure Travel Log!' a traveling inn." The woman proclaimed proudly. "I'm Karen one of the owners." Karen pointed to a sour looking man helping set up tents with messy green hair. "That guy over there is my brother Rich."

Estelle's eyes widened in bright curiosity. "A traveling inn? Oh, my! That must be dangerous."

"A little, but we try to give travelers on the road a place to sleep at night. You both look so tired." Karen looked at Yuri and her mouth widened. "And, oh, you look so pale! You should rest now!" She scolded. "What would your wife do if you got a cold?

Estelle's face turned a deep red. "Wi-wife? I- We're not-"

Yuri rolled his eyes. "Do we look married to you?"

Karen shook her head frantically and bowed multiple times. "Oh, I'm sorry!" She bowed again. "I'll go get the tents ready!"

Estelle tried to say all was fine, but the woman clearly wasn't listening. Yuri shrugged and plopped himself on the ground next to the wagon.

Repede cocked his head over at Estelle who was examining how Karen pitched up one of the tents. "Now will you tell me why she's here?"

Yuri kept an eye glancing at the girl as he started his conversation. "Long story short she ended up tagging along with me after my prison break. She's looking for Flynn and once we get to Halure he can take care of her."

"Good." Repede huffed. "Ever since she showed up you started smelling stressed. Do you need me to watch you?"

Yuri nodded. "Yeah it bothers me. I know you can't see it, but she's like a sea of red aer."

The dog sniffed him and then looked back to her. "Stay yourself. Got it."

Yuri grinned softly. "Yeah, yeah. I'm on it." He ran a hand over Repede's head. "I'll be fine." Yuri leaned back and just relaxed. He shut his eyes and the nagging voice droned through his skull in a soothing way.

Poison.

Danger.

She'll kill you.

Kill her.

Kill it.

Kill.

Kill.

Kill.

KILL. KILL. KILL.

KI-AHHHH!

Yuri's eyes snapped open to find Repede's teeth digging into his calf. "Fuck!" he growled and glared down at Repede. The dog's eyes were furious. "What the hell Repede?" Yuri shook the dog off and bared his teeth back in rage.

"Yuri?" Estelle's body looked like it was shaking. Yuri finally noticed how his hand, no claws, were out stretched like a predator. His body standing in a strange crouch.

Repede barked. "You were doing it again!"

Yuri straightened himself and looked down at Repede. "Really, Repede? It was just a stupid game! No reason to go using your teeth." Yuri huffed and gripped at his leg. "Ouch!"

"Game?" Estelle said cautiously.

"Yeah. Repede likes to wrestle." The dog looked like he was about to protest, But Yuri stared him down. "But, he still gets carried away."

Estelle sighed in relief. "Alright. It's just for a moment there you scared me."

Yuri smirked and playfully bowed. "I apologize for scaring you m'lady."

Estelle chuckled. "Apologies accepted." The sun was at its last rays and Karen and Rich had finally set up the camp and were bringing over trays of dinner. "This is nice. I never thought I'd get to travel and see a sunset like this."

"Just wait till you get to Halure. I hear it's beautiful." Yuri relaxed himself again and tried not to focus on the sting of Repede's bite. He focused instead on the bowl of stew and bread he'd been handed.

Estelle kneeled next to him. "You've never been?"

"No. I only left the barrier to head to the small towns that were nearby. I think the furthest I ever made it was Diedon Hold." Yuri looked at the sky and wondered how it looked to Estelle. The red glow of her darkened his sky and her stench pinched at his nose. "I never left long anyway."

"What was it like growing up in the Lower Quarter?"

He snorted. "Flynn never tell you?" She shook her head. "Figures. It was hard. It's still hard. You always fight just to make it by. I was lucky enough to be picked up in the nicer part of town."

"Picked up… oh… I see." Estelle brushed a lock behind her ear.

"It's fine. I lived in a church for awhile. Then Flynn's mother came in a dragged me back to her home." Yuri smiled fondly at that memory. He really did miss Norien. If she was around still there was no doubt in Yuri's mind that she'd be proud of Flynn. "I can't believe Merlwe gave me a farewell."

"Merlwe?"

"A crabby old woman who always hated me. She even told me to say my prayers." Yuri chuckled bitterly.

"If that's the case, then she must not really hate you." Estelle beamed as she took a bite of her soup. "This really good."

Yuri stopped and bit at his bread. "Why would you say that?"

Estelle pondered a moment before answering. "Because, if she really hated you she wouldn't bother telling you to pray. Praying is something you ask for people you love or those you hope to save."

Yuri nodded and curled his lips around a spoonful of soup. "You're right. It's pretty good." Yuri could understand this, but the idea that Merlwe liked him was absurd. It was more than likely that she wanted Yuri to save himself because he was a halfer. He could live with that.

They ate in a comfortable silence and went to bed in a comfortable silence. Yuri laid on the sleeping mat starring up at the tent ceiling. The voice was still there and Repede was still watching. He was almost afraid that if he slept he'd get lost again. Yuri tried his hardest to not drift off into dreams and slumber, but soon fell.

Felinis: Now I want soup