Heiya again, everyone!

Curie: You know that's not a real word, right?

You know muses should be seen or not heard?

Curie: If you can't hear me, you can't write.

If I can't write, you don't get paid.

Curie: You don't pay me.

... That's irrelevant! I'm here to write! And these lovely ppl did not come here to see me fight with you.

Curie: Suck up

Bitch!

I discovered my puter can do HTML!!! ~happy dance~ So, here's my lovely story, totally readable.

italics - thoughts, words stress

Secret of the Owl Hawk

Chapter 1 - Return of Keri-bird

Kokoro stroked her fingers through Sayia's hair and watched her sleep.

My whole life had only one meaning, she thought. And that was her. Now... I have to save the world... She looked up at Dart, who looked away. He hadn't said anything to her and she didn't want him too. This wasn't something easily discussed. "Dart... I..."

"You lied to me," he said softly. "There's nothing to talk about." She bit her lip and swallowed tears, then nodded.

"Fine." There was a screech and Keriaira dove through the window. She landed easily on the end of the bed. "Keri-bird, where have you been?" Images flashed in her mind, places seen only from the sky, land and ocean. "Martyl..." she murmured. "You went and saw Martyl. How is her child?" The image of a sickly child came and went, but the background grabbed Kokoro's attention. A tall needle like tower protruded from the water, ominous and dark. "That... that place..."

"Koro?" asked Dart. Her eyes narrowed at nothing and she growled.

"I know where he'll go from there," she said. "That's where we need to be." She laid Sayia down and stood up, grabbing her broken staff from the wall. "Come on. Time to go."

"Koro, what-?" He was cut off as she breezed past him and out the door. His blue eyes narrowed at her retreating form. You lie and you ignore me, he thought. What happened to the Koro I knew? He glanced back at Sayia and shook his head sadly. People change and lives go on...

"The Signet Spheres." Rose looked up at Kokoro, who paused halfway down the stairs, and nodded.

"That's where he's going next. He has the first one," said the Darkness Dragoon lightly.

"Zenebatos, then? The Law City." Both women nodded simultaneously.

"What about Mayfil?" asked Miranda, breaking into the conversation. "He could go there as well."

"No," said Kokoro. "See, when the Signet Spheres were placed, it was done so that one couldn't be found without finding another first." She stopped and chewed on her lip. "But Zeig knows all the locations."

"We need to split up," said Dart from the top of the staircase. "Some go to Mayfil and some to Zenebatos."

"But how do we split the teams?" asked Meru. "Just see who wants to go where?"

"I'll go to Mayfil," said Kokoro. "Albert, you, Miranda, Haschel, and Meru come with me. You'll be the strongest if anything should attack us there."

"The others come with me to Zenebatos," said Rose. "Koro."

"Hmm?"

"What do you plan to do if Zeig should attack?"

"Fight him," said the woman firmly. "It's the only option."

"What about Sayia?" asked Jarian, coming in from the kitchen. "I know I shouldn't intrude, but she's gonna worry if you leave again, Koro."

"Jari, I don't have a choice," said Kokoro. "I'll come back, I promise."

"That's what you always say, Koro," murmured Jarian. "But this time, I do not know how far I can believe you." Kokoro opened her mouth to say something, then thought better of it and looked away.

"I must do this, Jari. I have no choice."

~*~

Kokoro tightened the saddle strap around the bag and checked the other bindings as well. Something nagged at the back of her mind, but it could have been any number of things. The fact that she was leaving in the cover of darkness so Sayia wouldn't know she was gone or that she was heading down the same path to Hell she had followed in the past. Any number of things...

Keri swooped down and landed on the wrapped edge of Kokoro's staff, protruding from the saddle.

"What?" asked the human girl. An image of Rose and Dart, mounted on their horses, flashed across her vision and she growled. "Let them go," she said. "They have their mission." Keri screeched and Kokoro rolled her eyes. "No, I'm not being stubborn. I have no reason to see them leave. Dart hates me and Rose knows very well where I am. If she wanted me to say good bye, she'd come to see me herself." Kokoro swung herself into the saddle, upsetting Keri's perch. The bird resettled on her shoulder and made an unpleased sound. "Hush. You're not hurt." She kneed the beast forward and rode quietly towards the front of the house. Just as she rounded the corner, she heard the sound of retreating hooves. Be careful, She thought. Please. Be careful.

"Are you ready, Koro?" asked Haschel. She gathered the reins in one hand and nodded, shifting in the saddle.

"Jari, watch Sayia," she said. "We'll return as soon as we can."

"Be well, Ryu Kokoro," said Jarian. "Don't do anything stupid. Any of you."

"We won't," said Albert. "There will be people here at first light to help you move, Lady Jarian, if you still wish to move into the castle."

"Thank you, your highness."

"Let's go," said Kokoro. "We'll make it in good time if we catch a boat to Fueno before the end of the day." The others nodded. Soa, let this be worth it...

Chapter 2

"What do you mean full? There's no one around!" said Miranda fiercely. Her eyes flashed angrily. "How can you be full?"

"We are, ma'am," said the captain, a tall gangly man with a crop of salt and pepper hair to match his beard. "I'm sorry."

"Please," Kokoro all but pleaded with a look at Miranda. "I'll pay any price. We must get to Fueno."

"Any price?" repeated the man with a hungry look, his eyes trailing over Kokoro. Inwardly, she sighed. How could he even think like that? She didn't look the least bit presentable, in her dirt covered tunic and pants and streaks of what she could only hope was dirt on her face. After a particularly nasty fall from her horse into some reeds along a creek earlier that day, she looked, and smelled, like a gutter child.
"What did you just say?" inquired Miranda between gritted teeth. Kokoro raised a hand. The woman had become increasingly protective since discovering who Kokoro really was.

"Look, friend," said Kokoro, forcing herself to be calm. "We need a boat and we need it immediatly. If you can't provide us one, then direct us toward someone who can." The captain rolled his eyes and motioned down the pier.

"A man called Carlais, he'll give you ride enough to Fueno," he said, then turned away as if they'd never been there. Kokoro nodded and turned to conference with the rest of the group.

"If this man Carlais can't give us ride, then we're basically up the creek without a paddle," she said grimly.

"Let us hope he can," said Albert somberly. Kokoro gripped the reins of her horse and gently guided it around and towards the direction the man had pointed them in. A few empty pier slots down and they came across a fit and trim little thing with the words "Sunset Dream" painted along the bow in deep black letters. "Is this it?" wondered Albert, looking at the others, who all shrugged. "Hello!"

"Hullo!" called a voice from inside. A moment later, a tall man stepped out, his black hair tied back in a smart horse-tail, but his eyes were full of humor. "What can I do for ye, ladies and gents?"

"We need passage," said Kokoro. "To Fueno."

"Fueno? I be, milady. I was just heading there. But ye will have to leave the beast behind. I cannot fit all of ye on my boat." Kokoro nodded, but gently stroked the nose of her mare.
"We'll have to find a place to stable them for a bit then," she said. "How long can you wait?"

"Ay, my business tisn't urgent... but two days."

"Two days is fine. Thank you."

"Tisn't a problem, milady." He bowed deeply and tipped his hat. "Shall be a fine fair trip with three beauties aboard. And it twon't be boring, if you gents know a good dice game or two."

"We might, sir," said Albert with a smile. "In two days, Lord Carlais?"

"Ay, never twas there a seafarer who be lord of anything but his ship and sail. Call me Carlais, simply so. Twas the name my mam gave me and strike with down if I don't love my mam with me very soul. Two days, good company. And maybe more if ye give me fair warning."

"Two days, sir," said Kokoro with a small smile. "No more, I promise you." He gave her a secretive, knowing smile.

"And the promise of one such as you is as good as all the gold in the land, milady," he told her softly. She gave a small start and narrowed her eyes, but his grin only grew. "Ye had best be off if ye want to find a place for yer horses. See ye in two days." She clambered back over the side of his boat and disappeared inside. Kokoro felt a strange lump in her stomach, but Meru pulling on her cloak drew her attention elsewhere.

"Koro, where are we gonna stable five horses and with what money?" she asked. Kokoro pushed a strand of hair out of her face and smiled.

"Money isn't a problem, Meru," she replied. "But the placing is. I have no idea were to find a bloody stable anywhere."

"I'm up for riding in the countryside," said Albert. "We may find a place out there, or at least someone who can direct us to one."

"Not too far out, though," said Haschel thoughtfully. "Most likely, we'll be walking back."

"Agreed," nodded Kokoro. "Alright, come on. If we find a place soon enough, we can be back in the village for dinner and a good night's rest."

I know... short. But I feel I need to post this and start on the next part while my muses are still alive and well... :) Remember... please review. It makes for a happy authoress... and an unhappy authoress kills of characters...