"You guys," Gukko said, sitting in front of all his siblings. "I have something serious to say- Sunny's not coming back."

Saki began to bawl, setting off a chain reaction.

Hejaat gripped Gukko's throat, magnifying his voice over the roar of the crying siblings.

"Sunny has gone to train to be a Summoner. We will all meet again, I promise," he called as the sniffing subsided.

"Everyone get to bed," Hejaat commanded before the crying could start anew.

-

"Everyone says that we're a waste," Hejaat sighed, setting down the cup of debris-infested water.

Gukko looked up from where he was leafing through the torn brochure he found in the gutter. "Huh? A waste of what?"

"Talent." Hejaat took a sip of water. "If they think so badly of us, why don't they lend a hand? And what are you looking at?" She craned her neck, trying tosee the other side of the Nerson's Produce and Farming Supplies crate. "Gukko, you know that we can't..." her voice trailed off as she saw the brochure.

Gukko scanned the title again. Clan Center Inoformation Kit. Enrollment forms included. "I know... But I can still dream-"

"Greetings, friends, I've returned to annouce that my ass is back here and my mission was a success!" a voice called from the doorway (Actually, what was a doorway a very long time ago... Now just... A way.). Raven strode in and landed a sack of gil and an ornate sword onto the table. "Enough for one month, if we're careful," he added.

Hejaat smiled. "You're back! Tell us about it!"

Gukko smiled broadly. "Tell us! What happened, from the beginning?"

Raven smiled again. "When I got there, the beehive was much worse. It was as big as-" he spread his arms out, "this! And remember when Daddy told everyone about the time when your Father got sent on a mission, and he came back red, puffy, and stung from the War Wasps? Well, he told me something about using smoke to shut them up. So I kinda assumed-"

"You ASSUMED?" Hejaat and Gukko roared at once.

"Yep. Worked like a charm! Unlike Sir Aukku!" Raven nodded. "So I got my reward. It'll sell all right."

Gukko eyed the blade. It wasn't made for the touch Engagement work, more of the ceremonial type, but it would do fine in the hands of a trained Fighter, or Gladiator, or Mog Knight...

"Gukko, I think you're drooling," Hejaat observed.

Gukko hastily wiped the spit off his chin. "Um... Well, we better all get our rest," he said awkwardly.

Hejaat smiled amusedly.

-

"Boy, hurry up! You won't get anywhere at your sssnail passse!" the sailor yelled.

Gukko heaved the crate full of perfume and body oil back onto his back. "Okay, sir, sorry," he called, shoving the crate onto the cargo hull and pushing it from there.

-

"Look, we know you're just a lwitty bwitty kiddy, so we'll go easy on you, but give us the bag," the man said. Hejaat tightened her hold on the bag of a few gil. Obviously they thought it was of value.

"Nope," Hejaat said. Normal mages never used spells until they learned them. But Hejaat just made up her own. "Good bye," she said and waved as a cloud of burning particles appeared between her and the thieves. She hopped away, hopefully safe... But she would never know the side-effects of a non-standard spell... She merely hoped it didn't have anything to do with blue lumps and red polka dots like last time.

-

I feel so fortunate now, coo... I have a good life, and I love my life... I'll update soon!

-MakoStreak