Chapter II: The Normal Lives of Heroes

They left Dragnier soon after and made a pit-stop at the ring of flowers nearby.

Teepo had the time of his life with the faeries. It took everyone at least an hour to introduce them all to Teepo, and then it was time to actually have some fun. Teepo was amazed at the fact that Ryu had helped the faeries build their home so well. He gave his friend a sidelong glance, remembering the night in Dragnier and was no longer surprised. Ryu had changed their world, just like he would change the rest of it. Whether he meant to or not. Teepo thought for a moment that he might have been jealous of Ryu's power, but just thinking about Myria and the outside world that he knew so little about made him realize he was really glad he didn't have it. He felt bad for Ryu. The fate of the entire world now rested on him alone. The faeries were teasing Nina and Ryu about of their relationship. Ryu and Nina both turned a flaming red. Teepo grinned. At least Ryu was still himself.

Ryu hurried to Teepo, barely escaping the giggling cacophony of faeries and began to give Teepo a tour, showing him the Music room, the Antiques display, the Fortuneteller, and—Ryu waggled his eyebrows at Teepo—the Casino. Teepo laughed until he cried as he watched Rei and Ryu go at it in the Casino trying to win each other out of the money they shared anyway. Nina and Momo were playing a non-betting game with three other faeries, all deeply engrossed in their cards.

After an evening of heavy partying and a morning of sleeping in, they all headed back to Dragnier so they could take the teleporter to the Colony. They decided beforehand however, instead of just taking the Colony teleporter back to Steel Beach or Wyndia, they would stop by Yggdrasil first. After all, they really needed to talk to it concerning…lots of things. It was their first step towards normality.

The group camped for the night outside the Yggdrasil. It was after Teepo and Nina had retired for the evening that Momo approached Ryu with her question. Momo watched the solemn dragon in the firelight, sensing something different about him. She had sensed it since that night at Dragnier during the last toast, but she had kept it to herself. Ryu was Ryu, no matter what. After all, she had known this man since he was a boy. She stopped. How amazing. Time surely flew…where had it all gone. She felt like she had missed some of that time, hadn't she? She shook her head, stood up and walked up to Ryu stopping beside him.

"Ryu?"

The young man turned to Momo with a smile. "What is it, Momo?"

She sighed and stared into the night. "You and Nina are really close… What are you guys planning to do once we get back to Wyndia? What will her parents say about you two?" She paused and bit her lip. She knew she shouldn't be asking stuff like this, after all, in the end it wasn't really her business. But Ryu and Nina were her best friends; they were like her kid brother and sister. She wanted to make sure they would be okay. "I know they don't like you at all… How can you be sure everything will be all right? I know Nina's a little scared."

Ryu smiled and turned back to the night beyond the camp. "I can only hope it'll be all right, Momo. We love each other," he whispered, closing his eyes against the impact of his words. "I'd like to think that nothing is impossible when we feel this way. She loves me…despite everything," he whispered. "I hope her parents will accept us. And if they don't, we'll have to try to change their minds. I know getting their approval is very important to Nina."

Momo shook her head. "But it's going to be so hard on you two."

Ryu shrugged. "She is the someone specifically for me. I want to be with her always. Even if her parents say no."

Momo smiled and took Ryu's hand. Her eyes crinkled with her smile and Ryu smiled back. "You're like a little brother to me, you know. You and Nina and Peco were like the siblings I never had. You two will be together, Ryu, I know you will."

"I certainly hope so, Momo."

Momo nodded her head and released his hand. She began to make her way out of the camp and Ryu called after her. She smiled and waved. "I'm only going to the spring! I'll be back! Don't worry!" And she turned and went off.

Rei had heard the entire exchange. Pretending to be asleep outside of the tent he had heard every word… including the sadness in Momo's voice when she told Ryu that he and Nina would make it. What the hell had that been all about? Was she worried about them? Rei could see why. Something had happened to Ryu over the course of the last couple of weeks that just made him…well, more than just Ryu. Not that he wasn't Ryu. He still was. He just seemed…more.

Rei shrugged it off and got up. He headed in the direction that Momo had vanished, not really intending to go after her. He needed some time to think on his own, about what would happen once they got home. Everything was so different now from they way they had all left it. He wasn't sure where to begin.

And who knows what could be out at this time of night. He could think with some privacy—as long as the nosy engineer didn't spot him—and keep on eye on her so that way she didn't get into trouble. After all, what kind of idiot goes to a spring in the dead of night to take a bath? Rei climbed into the nearest tree and headed in the spring's general direction, at an easygoing pace. What on earth was he going to do when he got home? Rebuild his old place? Would Teepo and Ryu come to live him again? Or would Ryu try to move to Wyndia so he could be close to Nina. Not that the Yrall Region was that far from Wyndia or anything—but still. And what would they do now? As kids they made their way of life by stealing. Rei made his way of life as an adult by stealing and revenge. Ryu and Teepo haven't really had a chance to live yet. What were they going to do for a living? Going back to stealing wasn't going to work. Especially not with one of them dating the Princess of Wyndia. No stealing then.

What on earth could they possibly do for a living?

Rei stopped in mid-thought when he heard a voice singing softly through the air. Surprised, he followed it. And as he followed it he came to the clearing where the spring was. The singing voice was Momo? Rei couldn't believe it. She could sing? That voice… Well, she did have a nice voice (when it was screaming), but he hadn't thought she could carry a tune.

He saw the shimmering spring beneath the moonlight. He silently eased his way till he had a clear view of the spring and woman singing in the midst of it. He was prepared for a million things. But not for the sight that greeted him.

Momo's hair hung down her body—loose and wet—it shifted when she moved, long and heavy. The ends trailed above the water, moving with the ripples she was creating. He watched as her arms moved up and combed the wet mass of hair, her humming adding even more magic to the spell she was weaving over him. Rei couldn't even breathe…until she turned and he had a side view of her. He drew in a harsh breath, as his body became as rigid as the tree he was hiding in.

Droplets of water clung to her skin. Her hair flowed as she shook her head, ears twitching as she combed the hair even more. Her arms lifted and stroked down her hair—stretching her body, allowing him to see all of her that there was to see—her voice still hauntingly humming.

Rei closed his eyes harshly and faced skyward. She wasn't just beautiful… She was breathtaking. No wonder she hid beneath the massive clothes, braids and glasses. Even with them she was already beautiful, if she ever took it off…she could kill you just by looking at her. She probably didn't even know how beautiful she really was. Which was all right by him. If she ever knew… He didn't want to think about that.

But this realization did nothing to improve the heat in him. Her voice was tempting him… Rei couldn't take it. He turned back around to see her pouring water over her skin with a small cloth. He watched, fascinated as the water slid down the smooth skin and his hands clenched. He was itching to touch her, to kiss her…and amazingly enough to see if the mouthy engineer he knew still existed inside the exquisite casing.

He was losing his mind, he just knew it.

Momo's head snapped up and she abruptly stopped humming when she heard the groan. There hadn't seen any monsters…maybe now they were deciding to show themselves? She slid beneath the protective waters—just in case monsters got any ideas—and she quickly made her way to the shore, grabbing the thick cloth and wrapped it around herself. She reached for her glasses and put them on hurriedly. She heard leaves rustling and began making her way to the bazooka, one hand still holding onto the towel.

She grabbed a hold of it and waited for something to come at her. She stood there, waiting for at least ten minutes for something to happen, but nothing did. She put the bazooka down and looked around for any indication of something there. But she heard nothing. Momo wasn't sure what to make of the situation. Had there been a monster or… Had someone been watching her? Her face paled and she quickly gathered her things.

Maybe she still wasn't as alone as she thought she was.

The next day Rei was irritated with himself. They were getting ready to speak with the Yggdrasil, but he just couldn't deal with it. What was wrong with him? Why did he have these reactions toward the damn engineer? Why was he even being irritated by it now? He had no idea the answer to these questions, though something inside him kept taunting him and telling him that he did know the answers…he was just to stubborn to listen to them and believe them.

Momo was not in her best mood either. She still wasn't sure what had been watching her the night before, though she had a sneaking a suspicion (from the lack of any other culprits) that it had been Rei. But as to why the tiger man would have been watching her was beyond her. Still, since she wasn't sure, she didn't accuse.

His irritation was also confusing. If he had been watching her, why would he be irritated? He would just be taunting her with her lack of safety precautions. It didn't make sense. So it couldn't have been him…could it have?

So as the group approached the Yggdrasil—Ryu, Teepo and Nina side by side—and the irritated Rei on the other side of Teepo, and Momo the confused and wary next to Ryu, they had no idea what was about to happen.

The huge tree grew over them and the group held hands as they waited for the Yggdrasil to speak to them. They didn't expect the soothing voice that emerged in their minds. My friends.

Momo's bad mood and Rei's irritation faded away. Everyone sighed happily with the sound of the voice.

I know why you are here. You have come because of your questions. Because I was once the friend you called Peco. And because of Teepo. Your questions will be answered—and my love for all of you shared.

Yes, I was the healing voice inside of Teepo's mind. The one that gave him back his life and his family. He had been manipulated by Myria because of his ignorance of the Brood, but because his love for his family and his regret, I was able to restore the life to him that had been taken away. Teepo and Ryu—you both are brothers—never let anyone stand between you again.

Momo.

Momo lifted her head at the sound of her name. This was Peco.

You took care of me for the years I was with you. You did not have to do so. Your heart is kind and gentle and I was given the love within you that you could never give to a real sibling. To you I was a little brother to be protected and taken care of. I thank you for your love and kindness and I return it. Thank you, my sister.

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

Nina.

Nina looked up at the big tree and gave it a smile just as huge. Peco!

You were with me when you were young. Your compassion had you looking after me and caring for me. You didn't just me for what I was—a mutant and freak. You were tender and kind. As an adult, you never forgot me. Continuously cared for me, if I was ever in your presence. Your love was requited.

"Peco-chan…" she murmured, wiping away the tears with her hands.

Rei.

Rei scratched the back of his head, not really sure what to do.

I did not know you as long as I had known the others. You were a brother to Ryu that had been lost. You were surprised by me, but were unjudging. You saw the love everyone had for me and you willingly gave me the same. You respected me and took care of me. Knowing I was a friend and a companion. I thank you for that comradery that made me your friend and your equal, despite my lack of speech and my appearance.

Rei grinned at the tree. "Wish you could still be portable."

Ryu.

The young dragon was already crying. "Peco…"

You were always a tender soul, who just as easily as Momo and Nina gave me love. You respected me and loved me. You fought by my side and cherished me. You gave me peace, love and respect, and I gave you the same. You were as eager to see me, after years of being apart as I was to see you. You all are like my family, in a way I had never before experienced until now. We were like brothers. We are like brothers. We are now one and the same you and I. Watch over this land and its people with me.

And thank you. For everything.

"You're welcome, Peco. I'll come visit. A lot."

Teepo.

Teepo looked up, confused that Yggdrasil had decided to speak to him.

Do not be confused, young dragon. Rei and Ryu are as much my family as they are yours. Since I was to leave them, only being a part of their lives as much as the world around them, instead of as the gentle, sleepy onion mutant they had come to adore, I wanted to give them a gift. I would give them the brother they lost—and I hoped that you would cherish your time with them as I have. We are much alike, you and I. I hope that you will adore them all, as I have adored them.

Teepo wiped away the tears with his arm. "I will. I do."

The great tree eased away from their minds and faded back to a place they knew they could not follow. Only Ryu sensed Yggdrasil's presence and he knew why. They were very similar now. Both entities with the power to watch and take care of the world. Together they would help each other. Ryu got onto his knees and pressed his forehead against the mighty tree. He could feel its wisdom, its life. He knew he would always be with Peco in a way, perhaps more so than everyone else would. He could feel all the dragons in his blood humming with the great tree, all of them as much a part of the earth as the tree. He felt a tender hand on his head and felt his soul ease. No matter where his fate would lead him now, he would always have his friends all around him.

He pulled away from the tree, tears streaming down his cheeks. He looked up at Nina, whose hand was still caressing his head. He smiled up at her and she helped him up. He wiped away his tears and turned to the rest of his friends—his family. They were all just as teary-eyed. He grinned at the lot of them.

"Let's go home, guys."

Rei stared up at his old home with Teepo and Ryu at his side. They had parted ways with Nina and Momo at Wyndia. Nina returned into her castle ready to face her parents. Ryu had wanted to accompany her, and the entire group had agreed, but Nina would have none of it. She wanted to be able to talk to her parents first. Alone.

They had respected her wishes, but Rei could see Ryu's shoulders fall and his heart hurt for his friend. Nina had held Ryu then and had told him once things were settled she would come to him and bring him back to the palace to meet her parents on more amiable terms.

As Nina had walked away, the three men suspected they would never see the Wyndian princess again. Ryu had been depressed the entire way back to their old home. Rei had already decided that he would keep Ryu and Teepo's minds busy by keeping them working.

"All right, guys. Let's hop to it. Let's get some stuff from Bunyan and from town and start fixing thing rundown piece of crap up."

Teepo grinned at Rei. "The rundown piece of crap we call home."

"Yeah, that one."

"But Mother, Father, haven't you heard a word that I've told you? I couldn't not go! I told you the entire story. You know that I wouldn't have left if I hadn't thought that it was absolutely necessary. I had to let myself be Nina before I could be 'Princess'!"

"You shirked at your responsibilities. You left your home—twice!—without a thought to your dear parents or what it would do to them to have their only child gone, for months at a time, doing who-knows-what!"

"Mother—I was saving the world!"

The king stood up. "Enough. Out of both of you." He stared at his daughter and wife, making sure they kept silent. He turned to Nina. "We listened to your tale, Nina, and I know there's still so much of it you haven't told us. It makes no sense to me, if this Ryu didn't con you into killing some poor woman who he thought was god, why on earth would she have wanted him destroyed? I do not know the importance of this boy, or why he has influenced you so." He sat down. "Why don't you stop hiding the truth, Nina? You want your mother and I to believe what you did was right and just, and that this Ryu with his companions are not the evil people we believe them to be. As of yet, all we have is this foolhardy quest to prove it. Or are you hiding the fact that we're right?"

"I am not!" Nina shouted standing up to face her father. "You don't understand and even if I explained it to you, you would jump to the wrong conclusions!"

"Well, we're reaching the wrong conclusions anyway, even without this information we would not understand. It seems you cannot prove that these people are the heroes you make them out to be. If they have such dire secrets then perhaps they are not the people you think them to be."

"Father, I know who they are. I've traveled with them. Faced death with them. I trust them with my life, with everything that is myself! Why won't you trust me?"

Her mother got up and went to Nina putting her arms around her. "We trust you, love. We just do not trust them, nor what they have put into your head."

"They haven't put anything into my head!" Nina yelled pulling away from her mother. She turned to them both, hands clenched. "Fine. Here's a little bit of what I haven't told you. I love Ryu. I love him. And he loves me. Everything he did as a child was to protect me. He saved me from Balio and Sunder. I ran away from home so I could be with him. He left me here because I would be safe. He wanted me to stay. But I came along anyway so I could protect him. Because I wanted to be with him. I left the second time because of him. I'd spent ten years of my life thinking he was dead. Do you remember how hard I cried when I came home? It wasn't because of what I had experienced—not really. It was because I thought Ryu was dead! I didn't want to believe it, and the only reason I got over it was because I had convinced myself that he wasn't!" She took a deep breath and took another step back at the look of horror on her parents' faces. "I delved myself into my princess duties. I tried to make it up to you and tried to assert myself enough as capable in case Ryu returned to my life. He did. He came back. We were so happy to see each other, but we restrained ourselves because of the circumstances. I wanted you to accept him. To see the man he is. The good, gentle soul who was only searching for the reason why his race was annihilated. God destroyed his race. I saw God, Mother, Father. I saw God. I'm not lying to you. Why would I lie? We fought God, we found out why God destroyed Ryu's race. Because God was afraid of their power. Of their huge power that could've destroyed the world." She took a deep breath. "God overlooked the fact that Ryu's race were one of the most gentlest in the entire world. That if there was ever a race that would never have destroyed the world it was they. God still had them destroyed. Ryu is one of the sole survivors. We had to meet God. And God was insane. God needed to be destroyed in order for the world to grow. We did that. And by the end of it all, Ryu and I were so in love, it hurt us to come back home because I knew this would happen!"

Nina took a deep breath and glared at them. "You don't know anything about him or about my friends. Yes, Mother, Father, my friends. And you cannot judge them without knowing them. You cannot call yourself just rulers of Wyndia if you judge them without knowing anything. You weren't with them. You didn't share laughter, tears, pain, relief, or love with any of them. You didn't go through a desert with them. You didn't fight battles with them. You didn't share dinners with them. You didn't pitch in to rent a room from an inn. You didn't hear the stories of what happened to them. You don't know their pains, their sorrows, and their loss. You don't know the hell they had to endure and survive. You cannot tell me I don't know them. You don't know them. You know nothing of them. So do not presume to tell me who they are."

Nina turned around, tears streaming down her cheeks and ran out of her parents' room, not wanting to even look at them anymore. She didn't want to deal with them. They didn't know anything, and they didn't want to know anything. She thought they would trust her enough to let her convince them. To let her bring Ryu, Rei, Teepo and Momo so they could get to know them and know that they weren't the horrible people they thought they were. But her parents were unmoving.

Nina left a note on her door. She lied to her parents again. She didn't want them to torment her friends because of her. She needed someone to talk to. A friend.

Mother, Father.

Forgive me for my outburst, but you two cannot tell me I know nothing, when I am the one who has endured so much. I'm going to the tower to speak to the Engineer there. Princess duties. Do not assume. Do not ask. Just trust me. Let me do what I need to do.

I am Princess of Wyndia. I have not forgotten that.

I have never forgotten that.

Nina

Momo looked up from the experiment she was working on and saw Nina standing at her door, tears in her eyes. "Oh, Nina…" Momo knew immediately what was wrong with the princess. She held out her arms and Nina threw herself into them, weeping. Momo cradled Nina's head against her and whispered tender words, trying to give the younger girl the most comfort she could offer.

Momo had known the king and queen probably wouldn't have been very open to hear what Nina had to say about her friends. The princess had tried. Momo could hear it in Nina's broken sobs.

She waited until Nina had cried herself into hiccups and then led the girl into another room, sitting her down on a large comfy chair and beginning to make some hot cocoa. Hot cocoa always helped in situations like these.

Momo gave Nina the cup and sat down beside her on the floor, watching Nina take sips and slowly relax her trembling body. "They didn't listen, did they?"

Nina shook her head. She brought the cup down to her lap, wrapping her hands around it, absorbing its warmth. "They still think I'm being manipulated. They don't understand anything. I don't know how I can possibly get through to them that Ryu and all of you aren't the evil people they think you are. I told them the whole story, and they still won't believe me or accept anything that I say."

"Did you tell them Ryu and Teepo were dragons?"

Nina shook her head and then brought the mug to her lips for another sip. "If I told them that they'd never let either of them on Wyndia soil ever again. Doesn't matter what they did or what they're like or who they are."

Momo nodded, agreeing silently with the princess. Dragons could be very imposing. Better for no one to know what they were. Just because Rei, Nina and herself could accept them without a problem doesn't mean that the rest of the world would. "Do you have any other ideas as to how to get them to understand?"

Nina shook her head. "Not a clue. My parents are hard-headed." She smiled ruefully. "Probably where I get it from."

Momo smiled with the princess. "Well, I'm sure there has to be someway for your parents to get to know them without thinking ahead of time that they're bad guys. Is there anyway they would meet us."

"Never." Nina took another sip of her cocoa. "They think I turned out this way because of all of you."

"Well, you kind of did."

Nina chuckled hoarsely. "Yeah, I guess so, huh?"

Momo grinned, putting her hands on her hips and nodding. Her ears twitched happily. "Good, I got a laugh out of you. Once you start not feeling depressed anymore, we can put that princess brain of yours to work and we can figure out a way to make this happen. I'm sure Ryu wants to see you again, and I don't want you to give up because your parents are stubborn."

Nina sighed, shoulders slumping. "But it seems so hopeless. They won't allow anything. They barely allow me to talk about all of you."

Momo patted her knee. "Now, don't give up. That's not the Nina I know, Princess or not. You love Ryu, don't you?"

Nina blushed. "Yes…"

"You want to be with him, right?"

"Yes."

"More than anything?"

"More than anything in the entire world."

Momo nodded. "Then I'm sure we can come up with something. Remember, we're the two smart ones of the group. If we put our heads together I'm sure we can come up with something to make your parents see the light, before they get desperate."

"Get desperate?"

Momo nodded. "Rumors in the Coffee Shop say that there's someone who's been waiting for you to come home so your parents can introduce you to him and maybe set up a marriage."

"What!"

Momo waved it off. "It's just rumors. I don't know if it's true. But if it is, we've got to get our behinds out of the Techno Age." Momo winked at Nina. "After all, nobody would be a better king than Ryu!"

Nina blinked at Momo for a full minute before widening her eyes. "Oh, dear. I had completely forgotten about that aspect of it. I just wanted Ryu and I to be together, I hadn't thought… Well, I hadn't thought far enough ahead to realize that he'd become king one day if we stayed together…" Nina blushed, "and got married." Nina grew quiet and stared down into her mug. "I don't know if he'd want to become king."

"He wants to be with you more than anything, right?"

Nina looked up and blinked at Momo. She blushed again. "Well, yeah…"

"Then I don't think he'll mind being king." Momo grinned. "Besides, he seems to me to be the kingly type, with all that Prince of Dragons stuff."

Nina nodded. "I suppose so…" she murmured.

Momo wrinkled her nose. "Is something wrong with that?"

Nina shook her head quickly. "No, nothing!"

Momo had the sneaking suspicion that Nina was hiding something from her, but she didn't press the princess. After all, she was pretty good at getting information out of people. She was sure the princess would spit it out eventually if Momo was clever enough. "Okay then. So are we going to put our heads together and try to come up with a plan to get you and Ryu together despite your parents?"

Nina nodded. "Okay, Momo. I don't know exactly how we're going to do that at all, but I'll try to come up with something."

"Well let's work on the obvious first. We need a way to get your parents to hear about them yet not hear about them."

"Huh?"

Momo stood up, hands on hips and paced her room, ears twitching all the while. "Mn. Yes. We need to figure out a way for your parents to hear good things about them without really knowing who they are in relation to you. That way they'll get to liking them and getting to know them without the bias beforehand."

"How are we going to do that? After all, they've seen Ryu."

"Yes, but when was the last time they saw him? They didn't see him at Wyndia a couple of months ago. They only saw you with Rei."

"True… They haven't seen him since he was a child."

"And do they know what Teepo looks like?"

"Not really."

"Well, there you go!"

Nina shook her head. "But how will this help? All they have to hear is their names and they'll know who they are."

"Well, then they won't have to say their names," Momo said.

"How are my parents going to get to know them if they don't know their names?"

"Easy! They just have to hear of their good deeds. They keep hearing about these two young men, brothers—one with blue hair, one with violet—who keep helping people and are doing a great job and are just the sweetest and strongest and best people in all of Wyndia! They don't know their names, just know of them. Eventually, when their reputation gets good enough, they'll want to meet them and then they'll find out their names to their surprise! And then they'll reconsider their previous assessment."

"I don't think that'll work…"

Momo was deflated as she turned to Nina. "Why not?"

"If my parents found out it was them, then they'd think Teepo and Ryu were trying to trick them into believing they were good and trying to con everyone instead of just me," Nina said with a sigh.

Momo wrinkled her nose. "Your parents are just a wee bit too hard-headed and a couple of sourpusses, aren't they? No offense."

"None taken. They are."

"I see."

Silence.

"Well, how about this," Momo began again after a moment. "How about they hear all this good stuff about them and then hear that you and the blue-haired one make an adorable couple. The people want you two together because you're so cute and you're so in love and your parents, even being sourpusses, will have to accept it because the people love him and you together!"

"Won't work."

Momo pouted. "Why not?"

"Because I told my parents that I loved Ryu and that I'd always love him. They'll know it was him the moment they hear about this blue-haired guy and I together and being in love. Either that, or that I'm fickle and don't really know what love is for me to fall so easily in love with someone else."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"I can see where this can become difficult…"

Nina nodded.

Momo stamped her foot and then slammed a fist into her palm. "I've got it!"

"It probably won't work."

"Now, don't start that, Nina. If you get it into your heard that nothing we try will work then it never will and you either have to give up Ryu or give up Wyndia. And do you want to do that?"

Nina shook her head slowly.

"I thought not. Now hear me out."

"Okay."

"How about if someone they know and trust—other than you—was talking about the two of them in a good way. Praising them. Just absolutely loving them to death. Without telling the king and queen who they are exactly, because he wouldn't know, he'd be telling them of Ryu and Teepo's wonderful personalities. He'll see you and Ryu together and think that you two are adorable. Maybe even suggest that as a marriage arrangement without really knowing that you two are already involved. They trust him, believe him. And if they do find out who Ryu and Teepo are, this guy would be firmly on their side, saying that he knows them and understands them and they couldn't be the people the king and queen thought them to be. Being someone they trust explicitly, they'd have to believe him and give Ryu and Teepo a chance. By then, the people approve of your relationship to him, and the king and queen don't know until after they realize that it's Ryu that the people approve. That way they have absolutely no choice but to give Ryu a chance!"

Nina looked up at Momo. "But who would we get to do that?"

Momo shrugged. "I don't know anyone in the palace. Who do your parents trust that way, in a way that would never question him or his perception of people?"

Nina shook her head. "They only person that they know is an excellent judge of character and they totally trust is General Montague. He's general of the Wyndian army."

"That's perfect!"

"How so? Wyndia's army hasn't really done anything but train in years. Only the generals and the other higher ranks go over treaties and travel around a little. How would he get to know Ryu and Teepo? There's no reason for them to ever meet."

Momo leaned down to Nina, grinning from ear to ear. "How much you want to bet that they haven't gotten any decent jobs yet?"

Nina rolled her eyes. "Considering they've never had jobs to begin with, I'd bet they aren't even close to having any."

"Then considering what they're best at…"

"Fighting?"

"Exactly! What possible jobs could a couple of fighters get that would allow them to meet with a general and get in good with him, and at the same time, not letting the king and queen know of their existence?"

Nina leapt out of her chair. "Soldiers! They could become soldiers for Wyndia. The pay isn't great, but the food's good."

"Exactly!"

Nina began to pace back and forth. "That would also give me a reason to actually be able to see Ryu on a regular basis. That way people start noticing him and me." She giggled. "More gossip goes around the barracks than they do at a woman's mahjongg game!" She grabbed Momo's hands and gave them a squeeze. "This may just work! My parents trust anything that General Montague says about someone. He's been able to sniff out a bad apple from yards away. Our army is the best in the world because of him. If he's singing Ryu's praises, then they can't argue with him. They'd have to believe him!"

"And if they start telling him about Ryu's 'sordid' past with you?"

Nina clapped her hands together and whirled around happily. "The general has accepted crooks into the army because he felt they had good potential and kind hearts and just had to be straightened out a little. Half our army is made of people with bad histories. That's probably where they're putting McNeil if they don't execute him for his smuggling crimes. Cleaning the barrack toilets or something." She gave Momo a hug. "Oh, Momo! This could work! This could very much work! General Montague will stick by his impression of Ryu no matter what my parents say. And they'll know he's right. He's never wrong about anyone!"

"See! I knew we could come up with a solution if we put our heads together!"

"You're giving me too much credit, Momo. You came up with the idea." She gave Momo a kiss on the cheek. "And a brilliant idea at that!"

Momo chuckled and blushed. "I'm glad my pea-brain could be of some use for something other than machines!"

Nina blinked at Momo for a moment and then grinned. "Speaking of which, here we are talking about Ryu and Teepo, but what about Rei? Should he be included in this too? After all, we want my parents to like them all."

Momo snorted and waved it off. "No, that tall, furry idiot can't have a part in this. For one, everyone would recognize him. He was actually with you in the palace. He'd give the entire plan away just being as conspicuous as he is. Besides, he doesn't have as nice a personality as Ryu and Teepo. All your general would say is that he needs to be whipped into shape. I'd agree and let it happen if it weren't for the fact that he'd muss up the entire plan by just being there."

Nina giggled. "I see. So I guess Rei would just have to find a job on his own then? Without our genius help?"

Momo let out a laugh. "Ha! Without our help he wouldn't have been able to find his way out of the stupid desert! Let alone a job."

Nina grinned. "So what about you, Momo? Do you have a job already?"

"Of course!" Momo said, moving some hair behind her ear. "I've got a job already. It's a little erratic, but it's something."

"Oh, really? And what's that?"

"Repairing busted machines, of course! Given there's not that many to go around, but I repair what's broken. No matter what it is. Even wagons!"

Nina wrapped her arms around Momo's shoulders. "Well, how about this idea for a job, Momo? How about you come to Wyndia, and set up shop there. My parents won't know who you are, they don't really care about machines all that much, and you can also have free access to the Wyndia library. Some of the windmills are down too. I'm sure you can get them back up and running. You can fix the machines in Wyndia whenever they're broken—and they break a lot—even try to figure out how the teleporter at the bottom of the castle works. I'm sure if anyone can make another one, you can."

Momo sighed. "I think those teleporters are beyond me."

Nina shrugged. "You can't give up, Momo. I know if there's anyone who can do it, it's you! You're the best engineer in the world."

Momo chuckled and whapped and Nina's hand. "Oh! All right." She looked around her tower. "I don't know if I can leave here, though. This place is still where I grew up." She sighed. "I'm going to miss it here."

Nina grinned. "I'll make sure the place I find you even has a lab and plenty of space for a library."

Momo turned to Nina and grinned. "Sold!" She gave Nina a brief hug and then pulled back. "I should still do my experiments on crysm here. Not there. Remember that it draws monsters. It'll be better to do that here."

Nina nodded, agreeing. "But I'm sure we'll keep you busy with all the machines breaking down in Wyndia all the time that you'll be lucky if you have a spare moment for crysm!" The princess squealed and gave Momo another hug. "Oh, this is great! Now you can oversee your fantastic plan and I have you close by to talk to! Without having to sneak out of the palace."

Momo blinked and then gave Nina a sly look. "Nina… Did you sneak out of the palace again?"

Nina stuck out her tongue. "Not really. I left a note."

"That said…?"

"Well, not exactly a lie and not exactly the truth either."

Momo sighed. "At this rate, your parents will always believe that we are the ones who corrupted you beyond redemption." Momo chuckled. "But then again…we are!"

Nina grabbed Momo by the hand. "Yes, you did. Now come on. Let me help you pack. I'm sure there's plenty here to pack!"

Momo blinked. "Wait! What? Already? But—" Momo was cut off and Nina hauled her away. The princess was giggling the entire time.