Thanks again to my reviewers, this is a note about editing so enjoy the chapter.

Chapter 4:Karen's first appearance

After finishing with his chores on summer 17th, Dante decided to go to the peak of Mother's Hill and practise the ocarina, as the Music Festival and Fall were fast approaching. He grabbed the ocarina from inside and whistled to Fable, but Fable did not come to his whistle, strange, she always came when he called. Dante pondered over where she might have gone for a while and finally decided that she had probably gone off exploring, but it still irked at him that she was nowhere to be found. Dante proceeded on his way to Mother's Hill.

At the peak Dante sat against a rock and played the song that he would have to play at the Music Festival, he played it through with no mistakes and continued to play. Soon approaching footsteps made Dante stop playing, they weren't the sound of Elli's footsteps, hers were more clumsily placed and Elli would have stubbed her toe or tripped by now. The footsteps came closer and Dante sat ready to defend himself if it was a stranger, this town never had strangers before he and some fellow named Cliff came.

Out of the bushes stepped beauty itself, Karen appeared and smiled slightly.

"I heard it was you that came to play up here often" She said with the smile reaching her face.

"Yes, I like to practise for the Music Festival, I will be playing in it as well this year" Dante said, ever word threatening to come out wrong as he became tongue twisted at the sight of her.

"Oh, maybe I can practise with you then, I also play a part in the Music Festival" She said taking a seat on the hard ground.

"What instrument do you play? I'm not accustom to anything other than this ocarina and a flute" He said worriedly, he hoped he wouldn't have to try and play alongside an instrument that he might not be able to play along with.

"I play the vocals, I sing in the Festival…I am guessing you can play with me singing" She laughed.

"Why of coarse, I'll start from the top, join in whenever you peel..FEEL!" He said, red colouring his cheeks.

Karen only laughed and gestured for him to start when he was ready. Dante began to play and almost got his fingers stuck in the holes of the ocarina from loss of concentration, her voice was so beautiful, like the sounds of a goddess singing her happiness, it made him lose his concentration and fret over getting the song right. He played the song perfect, much to his surprise, and she sounded beautiful alongside the music.

"Thank you, I needed to practise, and I still do, as you can tell, my voice does not carry properly if I don't practise enough before I sing" Karen said to him, his mouth almost dropped to the floor, she thought that was not perfect!

"Well, I come up here often, whenever you feel you need practise, come to my farmhouse and I will come and practise with you up here, or there if you wish" He said, the words stumbling out of his mouth, he really did not have enough practise with talking to girls.

"It's a deal, I'll drop by in about a week then, I am busy until then…is that ok?" She said questioningly.

"It's fine, see you then" He said trying to suppress his joyous smile.

Karen got up and left, he could hear her footsteps as she walked away, she was a good climber, he gave her that, and she had great footwork in the mountainous areas of Mother's Hill.

Dante climbed down the mountain and returned to the farmhouse. He made an entry in his diary and went to sleep, this time he was not thinking about his past, this time he was thinking about the future.