There was something strange about the journal of her mother. The bulk of it focused on this place, Shadow of the Sun. The rest read much like a diary. The most interesting stuff involved her mother and her father and how they met. Though, the pages with the 'good stuff' worthy of a romance were all missing, except a noticeable jealousy directed from Leehalt. The end of the journal covered up to Virginia's own birth. About that time it was seemingly no longer used.

That led her to theorize much Clive would as she made her way across the wasteland about why the journal was where she found it. From what she gathered she believed that her mother was researching something herself at one time. This, Shadow of the Sun place. Virginia was unsure if her father knew though. It would seem that she was looking into this place even before marrying her father since Elakatrina had crossed out her maiden name to put in 'Maxwell' in the front of the book where one puts their name.

Now, as for why it was where it was in that locker she came to another theory. She went with the simple reason. Her mother was probably traveling with her father while he was working with the Council of Seven which would make sense. When her mother became pregnant with her she probably would no longer do that. At the time she put that journal away in a locker so it would be safe before going to Boot Hill.

From what Virginia understood of the maps and other stuff she was headed for a place between Sunset Peak and Gunner's Heaven. As she made her way pass the mountains she stopped a moment to get a breath in. A pebble fell to the ground from a nearby rock formation. Jutting out form the rock's shadow was what she saw a human one. She was being followed! She knew it! By who? And for how long?

She was ready to go over there and find out, but decided against it. It may be no one, and if they were really concerned with her they would have come out or attacked by now. She just figured that it was another Drifter who was cautious about her. She was the same. When she would see a Drifter on the plains she would hide away or avoid contact because you never know just how others will treat you.

She made her way to Gunner's Heaven to talk to Ortega. As she met them she started off her questioning. "Have you ever heard of, Shadow of the Sun?"

"Hmm. If I recall the myth right, they say the guardian of desire, Lucied, had gone there by using the Caves of Barren to the northeast of here."

With that she left Gunner's Heaven. However, as she was leaving she felt a chill pass by her. Something all too familiar was here. She knew it was the shadow, but when she looked around the room she saw many Drifters and could see none that fit the build of the shadow. Shaking it off she left. At that a hat was raised and an eye watched her do so. The one in the hat stood up from the floor where Virginia had failed to look and followed after.

The Caves of Barren were dangerous. That was an understatement. She was headed into a place where strong monsters were known to frequent and traps filled the walls. Still, she recalled the myth Ortega had told her. Lucied went this way to get to the hidden (legendary) town of Lamuria. And, she had the medium for the guardian of desire in her palm, so she felt it only destiny that she make it through unscathed. There was one odd things she noted. It was the echoes that filled the caves with each of her steps. Sometimes they were there and sometimes they were not. It was like someone was stepping at the same time as her that made it seem like echoes. It was much too dark to have a proper look around, and she was not intent on being on the other end of a monster's fangs or claws so she continued onward with a cautious stride with a slight flapping off her dress as a foul cold wind went through as well as it just swaying back and forth as she walked.

A gun shot! She looked around. It was not her own. In the distance there was a howling as if a monster had just passed on. She trembled a bit. "C'mon Virginia. You're better than that. It's nothing you need to be afraid of. Just a random noise that goes to your head." She muttered with her hands lingering by her ARMs now. And, there was light ahead of her. She climbed some steps that seemed to go on forever and in multiple random direction until she came out at the end.

When she did exit though, she felt a weird swirl feeling in her stomach. She was upside-down! Or at least she would think she is. She was in inner-Filgaia. There was a red sun above (below) her and ground under her feet (above her). It was like she was walking on the underside of the land above. She did not totally grasp this and was quite confused. Still, she was standing in a plain, and it was as if she were on any other one on Filgaia, but the sun was different. And, the sky was a pitch black. She just continued on after glancing at the journal. It gave clues that she was meant to head to the north.

She walked for what seemed an eternity and hunger set in, but that did not slow her walk. Then she became thirsty, but she found a pond of clean water and drank from that. It was water just like any other. As she went on though, she grew tired, and then, she also noticed the temperature grow colder. It was becoming night she figured since the red sun was departing.

Using some wood and her Tinder Crest she started a fire and set up camp. For dinner she ate some random monster she had found not too far off and cooked. It did not taste good, but that was not the point of eating. She could see her breath for what felt like the first time in her life, and so she took out a blanket and warmed up by the fire while leaning against a rock formation. Then she her shifting of a foot. She was not standing. Her feet were not touching the ground since she was not sitting in such a fashion. It came...from above her. Atop the rock.

In as much stealth as possible and without her blanket she made her way around the rock with her ARMs drawn. Climbing upward in the same fashion. Crouched at the top of the rock was a man. She recognized his outline as the same that had been following her. It was time she felt to get the upper hand on their relationship. By that she jumped out at the man who in shock simply fell off the rock landing almost in the fire after a roll. She just stared down in shock. She killed him. She did not want that!

"Ah, you bitch." He muttered as he stood. "That hurt you know!"

Wait. "J-Jet?"

"Whatever." He brushed himself off. "I guess that means I can use this fire then." He turned to it and took out a pan and made himself a small meal as she climbed down and joined him by the fire. Just staring at him as she returned to her blanket. It was silent, and when his food was done he looked to her. She was staring right into his eyes. He looked at her confused. "Uh, what? Do you want some?"

"No, I ate."

"Yeah, I saw."

"Exactly, why were you seeing."

"Why...was I seeing? Uh, because it just happens when I open my eyes."

She hung her head low. She hit herself in the head for either saying such a stupid thing, or for his not understanding her. "I meant, why were you watching me?"

"That's real simple."

"You were following me."

"Uh...no, that would be untrue." He ate his food quickly.

She crossed her arms with a 'humph'. "I've noticed you following me."

"No, that wasn't me. You're mistaken." He flatly said in all seriousness. Or, was he? You can never tell with Jet.

"You're more talkative it seems."

"Well, I haven't talked in a long time...so...I don't know..."

"You like talking now?" She wondered.

"Well, I guess, since I never have anyone to talk to, I sort of like it, now. Before today—this very moment—I had not spoken for two years." She gaped at him. "Yeah, that's a long time. In that time I have made no noise. The only one may be a snore from here and there when I sleep in a bad place."

"What are you doing here, Jet? This is the last place I would expect to find ANYBODY."

"It's easy. Treasure."

"Treasure?"

"Sure, you remember how I love that stuff."

She looked at him cautiously. He seemed too intent on making her believe that he was here for treasure. "Why were you up there?" She eyed the rock.

"Well, uh, it's cold, and I saw your fire." He replied rubbing his mop of hair.

"Why didn't you just come and join me then?" She vehemently asked. If she could she would shake him by the shoulders until he was dizzy.

"I...don't know." He looked away as a breath from him moved about the air. A shiver was visible in his hand, but it was being forced down everywhere else. "I was really only just investigating." He lied.

"Is that the truth?" He nods. "If...you're heading for Lamuria too, why not join me?"

"No thanks."

"You didn't even think about it!" She protested.

"Don't have to." He simply replied.

"C'mon Jet. I know you're cold. You join me and you can have a nice warm fire whenever you want." She persuaded with a seductive face.

He glanced at her. Looked away. Stared at the fire. Looked to her face. To the fire, and back to her. "Fine. Whatever. We can join back up together...for AWHILE NOT, I REPEAT NOT FOREVER!" He made his point known. She just gave him a warm smile and clutched her blanket tighter. A cold wind flickered the flame of the fire. Jet closed his eyes to fight off the cold. The fire was not enough.

It was silent for some time and the only change was the moving flame, the occasional blinking of eyes, the way each of them would glance at the other every so often, and the breaths that show in the air. "It has been a long time...since I've been with anyone."

"You?" Jet muttered in shock.

"Yeah. I...I guess I'm sort of like you now. A loner. A lone wolf." She went on to say placing her face in the warm blanket. Her nose was feeling nippy.

"I...just never saw you that way. It's not right." Jet simply said, and that was it. The end of one discussion.

"I have never felt so cold." She said with a sigh.

"Living where we do we never got around to feeling so." Jet commented. "Weird experiencing new things, eh?" He looked away putting his face into his scarves and wiping his running nose. "Whatever."

"Aren't you, cold?"

"No."

"Your nose is running. Your nose is red too."

"No, that doesn't mean anything."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Forget about it."

She stared into the fire. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep now."

"You'll just end up falling asleep eventually." Jet noted and slumped forward.

"Why not lean against the rock here with me? You don't look comfortable, and you won't sleep well that way."

"I'm not going to sleep."

"You should. It'd probably warm you up."

"I'm not cold."

"Jet." She said softly. "I am. And...I heard that you can get warmer by sharing body heat." She blushed and look away.

"That's a whole other question Virginia." Jet replied.

"Oh?"

"Wait,"

"What?"

"I'm coming over." He scoots over towards her and sits to her right.

The two sit there in silence leaning on the rock. "Well, uh, do you want to share the blanket with me?"

"No."

"Okay."

They sit for a few more minutes in silence. "I, uh, no, okay. Yeah, sure." She hesitates and gives him a raised brow. Following she gives a giggle. "Hey, what? Why did you laugh?"

"It's...just that I find you amusing."

"Why?"

"It's not an insult, so don't worry."

"I wasn't." He glanced away. "Anyway, the blanket?"

"Okay." With a smile she let's lose the blanket and moves over to wrap the blanket around him as well. He touched it lightly before finally making it come back to Virginia. Looking away he sat there with her. It was oddly silent. Then she let out a yelp. "Ah! You are so cold Jet! Why'd you say you weren't?" He continued to look away. "Ah, you and your dumb pride."

"It wasn't that!" He snapped.

"What was it then?"

"I don't know...pity?"

"I don't grant pity Jet."

"You'd think I knew that by now, but, no." He muttered.

"You're as cold as the air that came from that doll Gallows had." She remarked.

"Then why do you still lean into me? If I'm so damn cold don't touch me."

"But...then you won't get warm." He let out a slight gasp. Like he realized something.

"Virginia?"

"Yeah?"

"I...want to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"Well, for the past five years I...uh," He glanced away. Should he really tell her now? She would get mad. He knew she would. Either that or be disappointed. "I've been...Following...up on the Council of Seven. Yeah, I've been looking into all of what they did. Found out some new things."

"Oh? Like what?" He let out a relieved breath.

"Uh, well," He scratched his head. Would it have been safer to say the truth? At least then he would not have to search forever in his mind for a lie like this. "They were also a band."

"A band? Jet, they were? Seriously?" She balked at the idea of her father being in a band playing drums, guitar, or—shudder—a banjo. "You're joking!"

"You're right, I am."

"Well, what was it you really found out?"

"Uh, the Secret Garden was actually part of the Yggdrasil project."

"Was it? I guess that would explain why that place is still with plants and all." Virginia mused in thought, Jet sighed in relief. She believed it. That time it was a believable thing. "Do you think it will be warm again?"

"This is probably night. I'm not sure if it's night in the regular Filgaia, but, whatever. We have to adapt."

"So, that means that eventually it will be warm again in the morning?"

"Yeah."

"Would you mind if I put my head on your shoulder?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, okay." She looked for another way to sit comfortably. He watched her.

"No, wait, yeah, you can, put it there. I...uh, thought you asked 'Can I put my head on your shoulder?', and not, a...would you mind...one." He faded off while looking away.

"Thanks Jet." She shifted her body and lay her head on his shoulder. "You really were always kind."

"Uh,"

"Don't worry, I'll never tell anyone else."

"Uh,"

"Tomorrow we'll head for Lamuria and then Shadow of the Sun, so be sure to get some rest in too." She urged as she closed her eyes. He sat there looking away for a long time after she had gone to sleep. His tense body finally relented and he relaxed. He looked to the fire. After a period of time looking there he finally looked at the sleeping woman's head on his shoulder. Right, woman. She was not some stupid annoying girl anymore. Of course, she may still be annoying to a point still.

"Damn, why did she have to jump me? I shouldn't have weakened like that and needed the fire." He commented quietly. He placed his cold face in her hair and decided to sleep as well.