FIFTY-ONE

It was nearly midnight as I sat by the fire poring over the map we'd brought with us, and what I saw there, I didn't like. We'd sat around for long enough, and now we needed to lay out a plan for getting outta the marshes tomorrow, especially in light of what I'd just seen. I sighed and motioned for Red to join me, and he padded over.

"We've got a problem," I said.

Aerith blinked. "What's wrong, Cloud?"

I frowned while Red looked at the map. "Trouble, if what we barely escaped from today is anything to go by."

"Three lakes, much larger than the first," he noted.

"Shit!" Barret swore, his eyes wide. "You think there's more of them damn snakes hidin' in there somewhere?"

Red nodded. "I'd say it's a distinct possibility."

Tifa glanced worriedly at us. "Can't we go around them?"

"They're all spread out about twenty miles south of us," I shook my head. "And the ground's likely as bad there as it was today, on all sides. If we try to go around all that, it'll take too long, and we may run outta food. We'd better start rationing it anyway."

"So what do we do?" she asked.

Red gazed intently at the map. "There may be a way through, but it won't be easy and does pose some risk."

Aerith looked at him. "What do you mean, Red?"

"The map shows a narrow strip of land running in between two of the lakes," Red answered. "Although they are quite wide, much more so than the first one we encountered, they are not as tall, and I don't think it will take more than thirty minutes for us to get through. Perhaps half that if we hurry and keep the chocobos at a run."

"And the third lake?" Tifa wondered.

I tapped the map. "It's a bit further south than the other two, closer to the edge. Just as big as the others, but no easy way past it. We'll have to follow the shore and hope for the best."

"We should stick close to the trees if we can," Tifa suggested.

"Agreed," Red said. "However, if Cloud is right and the ground is as treacherous and unstable as it was today, we may have no choice but to stay near the water and the dangers it may hold."

Aerith glanced at her staff. "I can use my earth magic to help us get through, too. Make us a path, you know?"

"Good idea," I told her. "Watch your energy, though."

"Will do!" she promised.

With our plan set, we settled in for the night. As always, I took the first watch while the others went to sleep, the girls going into their tent while Barret went into ours and Red curled up near the dwindling fire. The air was filled with soft sounds—a light wind, crickets chirping, the splashing of a toad in a nearby pond. The marshes were, as Aerith had said, a place with a lot of life. I could hear it all around us as I sat in the gloom and watched quietly over the others.

After Lydia had taken a happy bow and left the arena, I sang some more songs from LOVELESS, maybe a half a dozen or so—Sarah easily had the most out of anyone in the play, being the lead heroine, so there had been plenty for me to pick from. And I'd spent a lot of time earlier this week setting up tonight's program. I sang a lot of fan favorites and even cracked a few jokes in between songs. The crowd loved it, and the place was filled with their cheers, laughter, and applause. And as much fun as it was for them, I was having a blast, too.

But all too soon, the concert came to an end. I'd have kept on going all night if I could've, but I knew how much was still ahead of me with the start of my own long journey tomorrow. I knew I'd miss this, being in the limelight again, entertaining people and making them smile, but I was sure this wouldn't be the last time. And at least now, I could leave on my own terms, with the way open for me to go back when the time came, when I was ready to live this life again.

"Well, guys," I smiled after all the cheers and applause from my last song had faded. "It's been a whole lot of fun, and I'm so glad I could be here with you all tonight. It means more to me than you can know. But I'm afraid our show's just about over."

I went on, slowly looking up at everyone. "But before I go, I wanna thank the Trio for inviting me hold this concert. And all of you for the generous donations you've made to help the Sector 7 survivors. Thank you so much. You're gonna make a difference."

I felt a lump in my throat and blinked away a tear. "I know that I've been away for a long time. Wasn't my choice, but I had to do it. And… I have to go away again. Away from this life that I love, and from all of you. And I don't know when I'll be back."

"But I will come back one day," I continued, my voice steadier now as I wrapped things up. "I promise. And when I do, you'll see me up on that stage again. But until then, take care, everyone. You've been great, and I can't wait to see you all again. Goodnight!"

Amidst thunderous applause and another standing ovation, I took a bow, waved at everyone with one of my best cheeky grins, and left the arena. Wyatt was waiting for me at his usual spot by the main gate as I emerged from the tunnel, and he fell into step beside me as I made my way toward the elevator to head upstairs.

"You were really great out there, Jessie!" he told me. "I watched the whole thing. Absolutely incredible!"

"Thanks," I smiled.

He tipped his hat to me. "You bet. There's probably already a crowd up there waiting for ya, so I thought you might want some help getting through. You gonna stick around for a bit?"

I nodded. "A little while, yeah. I wanna give people a chance to see me up close and say hi. Maybe sign some autographs and take pictures. I've really missed that, to be honest. Not so much for myself, but seeing how happy it makes them, you know?"

"I get it," Wyatt agreed. "And the staff and I'll try to keep it orderly for ya. Everyone loved you tonight, Jessie."

"They made me really happy, too," I admitted.

There was definitely quite a crowd upstairs, just as Wyatt had said, and they surged toward me almost as soon as I stepped off the elevator. Fortunately, Wyatt and a few staff members were able to slow everyone down, get them organized into a line of sorts, and give me a little room to breathe. So I hung out in there for a while, lingering by the wall near the souvenir stand where there was some space.

Wyatt and the staff had everyone take turns to come and meet me, either one at a time or couples. Most of them had something for me to sign, and I noticed that the guy running the souvenir stand was selling flyers for a few gil and getting quite a few buyers who, in turn, brought them to me for an autograph. Not a bad little arrangement. I posed for some photos, too, and it was fun chatting with everyone. I noticed that quite a few of them were the women I'd helped save in the sewers, who had come here with their families and friends.

When Lydia stepped off the elevator a few minutes later along with her parents, she waved happily at me and tried to slip outside, but then people started to recognize her from our duet and went to see her, too. Her eyes widened, and for a moment she just stood there, shocked and utterly unsure of what to do. So I giggled and brought her over to stand with me as her parents looked on in approval.

"Welcome to the club," I teased.

Lydia laughed nervously. "Thanks… I think."

When Biggs showed up with the others and saw Lydia and I doing our little meet and greet with our fans, he chuckled and Wedge blinked in amazement while the girls waved. Kunsel just smiled, understanding completely. I knew that he was remembering all the times he'd seen me do this kinda thing on the plate. While he and Biggs kept an eye on the crowd with Wyatt, the girls browsed through the souvenirs and Wedge got himself a bite to eat from the snack bar.

Eventually, I said my goodbyes to everyone and left along with my friends, but not before posing for a picture with Lydia and signing one of the flyers for her. Then I hugged her and we headed out, smiling and waving at the people still there. Once we were outside, we each went on our way, Lydia going home with her parents. I knew I'd see her again in the morning before I left town, and so did she. Lydia chatted excitedly with her mom and dad as I watched them go, and I don't think her feet ever touched the ground, she was so giddy.

As for us, Kunsel and I headed over to Madam M's massage parlor while Biggs, Wedge, Lena, and Marissa went back to the inn. Just as I'd expected, Madam M was already there waiting for us inside along with Sam and Andrea when we went in. And from the smiles on their faces, the news was as good I'd hoped it would be.

"Hi, guys!" I grinned. "So how'd we do tonight?"

"The donations have been most generous," Andrea answered.

Madam M nodded. "That's putting it mildly. Suffice it to say, Jessie, the survivors of Sector 7 will have plenty of help coming their way, and soon. And they'll know it was because of you."

"All that matters is that they get what they need," I said. "Thanks so much for all your help. For everything."

Sam tipped his hat to me. "Ain't a problem, Jessie. You done a lotta good in this town, and we're much obliged to ya. With Corneo gone, it oughta settle down here some, I reckon."

I smirked. "Good. Still a wild party town, though."

"Always!" he laughed. "Anyway, you just lemme know when you're ready to head out in the morning an' I'll go ahead an' take you an' your friends back to Sector 5 myself, free of charge."

"Thanks," I smiled.

Kunsel shook his hand. "We appreciate it, Sam. Thanks."

"You're welcome," he said. "See ya then."

With that, he left, idly tossing his coin in his hand as he ambled on outside. And then Andrea paid me my prize money. Although I'd won a hundred thousand from the tournament, I only took eighty. The rest went to the donation fund for Sector 7. I'd have given more, but I had a long, dangerous journey ahead of me, especially once my friends and I met up with Cloud and the others, and I knew we'd need plenty of cash to cover all the expenses we were gonna have during our travels. So I'd use what I'd won to help finance our quest.

"Well, I guess that's it, then," I said. "Thanks, Andi. I'll see you and Madam M in the morning before I go."

He smiled, then held something else out for me. "Of course, Jessie. But there is one other thing. Young Lydia told me she was kind enough to show you some… rather interesting footage of Cloud from when he was at her shop. I assume you enjoyed it."

I grinned. "Oh, you bet!"

That had been an understatement. When I'd stopped by her shop a few days ago, Lydia had eagerly led me into the back and shown me the recording of Cloud walking through the store in his dress while Aerith showed him how to be more ladylike. We'd both laughed so hard it had taken a while for us to breathe and compose ourselves. And Aerith had been right, of course. Cloud had been so pretty!

"As I thought," Andrea chuckled. "In that case, I believe you'll find this quite amusing. It's security camera footage from the Honeybee Inn and the performance Cloud put on there."

"Seriously!?" I gasped, my eyes lighting up.

He nodded as I took the thumb drive. "Oh, yes. He did very well, I must admit. His sense of rhythm is quite good for a SOLDIER. And he was a remarkable vision in that dress."

Madam M smirked. "It was definitely entertaining, that's for sure. I was impressed with how well he kept up. And how convincing he was. I don't think anyone ever suspected."

"Wow!" I laughed. "Thanks, guys. I'm gonna plug this in as soon as I get back to the inn and watch Cloud put on those moves. He's in for a whole lotta fun when I see him again!"

"I don't doubt it," she agreed. "We'll see you tomorrow, then."

I nodded and waved. "Night, you two!"

On the way back to the inn, I explained to Kunsel what Cloud and Aerith had done here in Wall Market and why, and he laughed as I told him all about the dress and dancing. And once we were there, I wished him and the others goodnight, slipped into my room, got my tablet out of my belt pouch, and plugged the drive into it. Then, once I'd changed into some nightclothes, I plopped into bed and watched that wonderful footage of Cloud dancing the night away.

I laughed so long and so hard that tears leaked from my eyes, and I decided that I had to show this to Tifa. She'd seen him in his dress, but not dancing to the music on stage. I knew she'd just love it, and though Aerith had actually been there herself and seen it already, I didn't have any doubt that she'd enjoy a repeat viewing.

That done, I yawned, put my tablet aside on the nightstand, killed the lights, and settled in to get some sleep. I'd had a long day, and I still ached a bit here and there from all the injuries I'd sustained throughout the tournament, especially in the battle against the hell house. It wasn't so bad, though, and I fell asleep thinking of Cloud, so glad now that I'd finally be on my way to see him again.

We set out early the next morning after a quiet breakfast. The rain had come back during the night in a light drizzle and went on while we broke camp, untethered the chocobos, and got underway. Dawn hadn't arrived yet, but the sky was starting to get lighter in the east as we rode off, Cloud and Aerith just ahead of us as Barret and I followed behind. Red, as always, was up front, scouting out a path. If we were lucky, we'd be outta the marshes by the end of the day.

We rode quietly through the swamp, trying to avoid alerting any of the monsters that lived here. We'd seen a few now and then during our journey through this terrible place, but the chocobos had outrun them easily, so we hadn't really had to fight very much. Occasionally, Aerith would guide us with the map, and Barret would check our direction at times with the compass he carried, and together with Red, they kept us heading southwest as much as the land would allow. As the hours went by, we went on, our eyes on our surroundings.

We didn't see anything at first, but we'd just stopped for lunch by a small pond—not nearly big enough to hold the Midgarsormyr—when we heard a soft, dry hissing split the air. Just seconds later, half a dozen snakelike creatures burst out of the water and slithered toward us. Each of them was about five to six feet tall and half that thick, with dark blue scales, bright yellow eyes, and with a rattling tail that was split in two at the end. Were they the Midgarsormyr's young? I couldn't be sure. They were still clearly dangerous, regardless.

I flicked my wrists, and the long mythril claws of those new gloves Biggs had given me sprang out instantly. Then I rushed in, pummeling the nearest crawler with a flurry of stabbing punches while Cloud took down another with a few quick cuts and Barret yelled and filled a third with bullets from his gun-arm. Aerith spun her staff and let loose with a blast of fire magic while Red ripped into the monsters with his claws. The snakes bit at us and tried to wrap themselves around us to squeeze us, but we kept them off without much trouble.

Then I decided to try out that little trick Biggs had told me about. I concentrated on my chi the way Zangan had taught me—the focus and power that drove my attacks—and channeled it into my mythril claws. A moment later, as I held my arms out before me, a large, glowing ball of bluish-white energy emerged in front of them, hovering there above the ground almost like a will-o-wisp.

It struck at the crawlers that we hadn't already decimated, blasting them with short, sharp bursts of power every few seconds. Between all that and our weapons and magic, we dealt with the rest of the monsters without much trouble, then moved on for a little while before finding a somewhat dryer place to finish our lunch.

It was only about an hour or so later when the ground ahead of us began to get even softer and wetter than it already was, and I knew that we were getting close to the twin lakes. We slowed down, got quiet, and grew more alert, putting aside the little conversations we'd been having to pass the time. Aerith used her earth magic to harden the mud where it was particularly tough to pass or go around, but she only did it if we couldn't find another way forward.

After maybe ten minutes or so, we came out of the trees and found the lakes. A narrow strip of land ran between them, a natural bridge of sorts. It looked to be about fifty yards across and stretched on well out of sight to the far shore. We all looked anxiously at the water, but there was nothing, at least that we could see or hear. If more of those terrible Midgarsormyrs were in there, I hoped they were sleeping and wouldn't wake up. We'd be in real trouble if they did.

At a nod from Cloud, we all set out, my heart pounding the whole time. The natural bridge was full of mud and choked with reeds. I don't think any of us actually breathed as we slowly made our way along. My eyes darted constantly back to the water, but still nothing showed itself. I kept a tight grip on my chocobo's reins just the same, not wanting her to bolt if any of those snakes did appear.

After what felt like an eternity, we finally reached the far shore and slipped back into the woods. None of us relaxed until the lakes were at least a mile behind us, though. But even when we started talking again, we still kept our voices low, and we kept moving for several more miles before we felt safe enough to stop for a break. Although we'd passed the twin lakes safely, I couldn't help feeling uneasy.

There was one more in our way, and probably the most dangerous of them all. The storm clouds hanging in the air didn't do very much to reassure me, either. The frown on Cloud's face told me he felt the same way, and the others weren't much better off. We all knew we had to get past this last trial to escape from the marshes. I just hoped we'd be able to get through without encountering more of those giant snakes. But if we did, I promised myself I'd be ready.

I wasn't the least bit surprised to see that there was a bit of a crowd waiting for us when we left the inn early in the morning and arrived at the town gate. Andrea and Madam M were there, but not Sam. He was probably at his stables getting the chocobo carriage ready for us. Lydia and her parents had come to see us off as well, and there were a bunch of other people gathered nearby. Even Kotch was there, though I didn't see Scotch. Jules and Marcus had also shown up.

"So much for slipping out quietly," Biggs chuckled.

"Well, we're heroes now," Lena grinned. "What'd you expect? Kinda hard for us to be inconspicuous here."

Wedge blinked. "I've never been a hero before…"

"Oh, I think there are a lotta people in Sector 7 who'd definitely say otherwise," I winked, taking his shoulder. "The ones that you and Lena helped save before the plate came down, remember?"

"Oh, yeah…" he blushed.

Lena leaned in and kissed him on the cheek. "You're my hero, too, you know. Always. And don't you forget it."

Wedge hugged her. "I won't."

"So…" I smirked as my friends and I walked up to Andrea, Madam M, Lydia, and the others. "What's all this?"

"Just a little send-off, that's all," Lydia smiled. "We're just so grateful for everything you guys have done for us. Besides, do you really think I could let you leave without saying goodbye?"

I laughed. "Not a chance!"

"Indeed," Madam M said. "And we have gifts."

"Really?" I wondered.

Andrea nodded. "Tokens of our appreciation, you might say. Since you four are leaving Midgar today, we thought these items might be of some use to you on your long journey."

"Kunsel and Marissa were a big help," Lydia added.

I grinned at them. "You guys…"

Marissa's eyes danced. "We might have given them a few ideas. Just wanted to be sure you got off to a good start."

"Here, Wedge," Kunsel said. "Try this on and see how it fits."

He took a large, olive green kevlar vest from one of the Honeyboys that stood near Andrea and held it out. Wedge unslung his rifle, gave it to Lena for a moment, then took off his bandolier, had Lena hold it for him as well, and put on the vest, tugging the wide cloth straps firmly in place and buckling them nice and tight.

"Feels good!" he replied.

"It's a survival vest," Kunsel explained. "Tougher and more durable than what most Shinra soldiers use. It'll give you some extra protection during a fight and can even stop bullets."

Wedge shot him a thumbs up. "Far out! Thanks, everyone!"

"Lena, you're next," Kunsel smiled.

Marcus handed her a pair of sleek black handguns, each fitted with a softly glowing green materia orb at the back of the barrel. "These are for you, miss. Pegasus .45's, specially modified."

She gasped. "Oh, wow…"

"In addition to firin' just bullets, you can also fire materia-powered shots as well," Marcus went on. "One's fire, one's lightnin'. Other types'll work, too, long as they're elemental. Just flick the switch back here and pull the trigger. These puppies've also got a pretty large magazine and a whole lotta stopping power for their size."

"Sweet!" Lena exclaimed, twirling them. "Thanks!"

"Now you, Biggs," Kunsel went on.

Andrea snapped his fingers, and one of his Honeygirls giggled and handed Biggs a pair of reinforced black and white leather wristguards. He slipped them on, flexed his gloved fists a few times, then looked up at Andrea and the others with a grin.

"Nice! They feel pretty good," he marveled.

"Supernatural wristguards," Kunsel said. "They're designed to push your muscles to their limits and make you stronger. You'll hit harder in a fight whether you're armed or not."

Biggs laughed. "Kick ass! Thanks, you guys."

"And this, Jessie, is for you," Madam M smiled. She held up a small round medallion, gold inlaid with silver scrollwork around a six-sided emblem. "It's a talisman. Timeworn, to be sure, but still potent. It's said that the Ancients themselves once used these."

"What does it do?" I wondered.

She carefully put it on for me. "It makes you somewhat resistant to most forms of magical attack, reducing their ability to harm you. Such protection will doubtless prove helpful."

I drew her into a hug. "It will, M. Thank you."

"I have something for you, too, Jessie," Lydia added.

I blinked in surprise as she held up a bright blue materia orb. "Wait a minute… is that what I think it is?"

She nodded. "Yep! Magnify materia."

Being able to use my magic on every enemy or ally in range would definitely come in handy whether for attack or defense. After removing both materia from my mythril armlet, I put the Lightning orb into my belt pouch for safekeeping, then replaced the Fire materia in one of my blaze talons with the Restore. Lastly, I filled the two empty linked slots in the armlet with the Fire and Magnify orbs.

"Awesome!" I grinned. "Thanks so much, Lydia."

She smiled. "Anytime. You've just done so much for me, more than I could've ever imagined or thought possible. That day you walked into my shop, you changed my whole life."

Kunsel smirked. "She's got a way of doing that."

I chuckled, remembering every bit as well as he did how I'd walked into Goblin's Bar one night years ago back on the plate during my days in LOVELESS. It was where we'd first met and where our romance had started. Of course, I loved Cloud now, and Kunsel was just a close, dear friend. But the memory was still very special to me.

Her eyes getting wet, Lydia threw her arms around me. "Goodbye, Firebrand. I'm really gonna miss you."

"I'll miss you, too," I told her, a little choked up myself.

"You'll come back?" she asked.

I winked. "Count on it. You'll see me again."

After holding each other tightly for a moment longer, we finally let go, Lydia blushing and trying to blink the tears away. I have to admit, I was a little misty-eyed myself. But I smiled anyway, encouraging her as best I could, and then started saying the rest of my goodbyes while she exchanged hugs and farewells with Biggs and the others.

I started with Marcus and Jules. "Thanks for all your help. No way I'd have been able to get this far without you."

"It was our pleasure, Jessie," Jules said, taking my shoulder.

Marcus offered his hand. "Good seein' ya again."

I shook it. "Same to you, Marcus."

"I hope to see you back in the gym one day," Jules added.

"Oh, I will be!" I smirked. "I've still gotta beat you at pull-ups, after all. You're practically a machine up there!"

He laughed. "Well, I am a trainer. I know a few things."

Moving on, I went to Kotch next. I had to blink when I got a good look at him to make sure I wasn't seeing things. I hadn't noticed earlier because my attention had been mostly on the others, but at some point after the tournament had ended, he'd shaved off his mohawk. He didn't have his sunglasses on, either, and his dark brown eyes looked more at peace than I think they had in a long time.

"Hey, there," I grinned. "Love the new look!"

Kotch chuckled. "Thanks. Just… wanted to cut my ties to the past, you know? I need to put it behind me."

I understood. "That's really good, Kotch. I'm happy for ya."

"Thanks. Kick ass out there, okay?" he said.

"Definitely!" I winked. Then, growing more serious again, I pulled him aside so we could talk privately for a moment. "Hey, Kotch. Think you can do me a favor while I'm gone?"

He nodded. "Sure, Jessie. What do you need?"

"Look after Lydia for me," I told him. "Her parents, too, but mostly her. She's not used to all the attention she's getting now, and it can be a lot to handle, especially with her being so young. And while most fans are harmless enough and mean well, there are always a few wackos out there. Not to mention scumbags like Beck and his pals."

"I'll keep her safe," he promised.

I knew he would. "Thanks, Kotch. I appreciate it."

He ran a hand lightly over his shaved scalp. "I owe it to her. To the whole family, really. So I'll make sure nothing happens to them. They'll be okay, Firebrand. Just do what you gotta do."

With that done, I told him goodbye, then did the same with Lydia's parents, Sarah and Gant. I hadn't been entirely surprised to discover, as I'd gotten to know them, that Sarah had been named after the character from my play. LOVELESS had been performed in Midgar for decades, and with as old and as popular as it was, a lot of women had shared the name over the years. Knowing Lydia's mom was one of them made me feel even more connected to her and her family than I already did. And I think they felt the same way about me.

Madam M smirked when I turned to her. "Well, my friend, care for one last palm reading before you go?"

"Why not?" I laughed.

"Hmm…" she murmured as she studied my hand. "A long road lies ahead of you, Jessie. Dangerous and dark, for you more than most. But I can't say why. Only that a shadow lingers over your path. Friends will be left behind, but you'll gain others."

I shivered. "Not exactly the fortune I'd been hoping for."

"I see what I see," Madam M sighed. "And there's one more thing I can tell you, although I wish to the planet that I was wrong. But… I see blood, Jessie. Either yours or another's, I don't know. I'm not certain it's even been decided yet. But it's there. And…"

"And what?" I asked.

She slowly let go of my hand. "I don't know how or when it will be shed… or whether it's from you… or by you…"

My eyes widened, and a chill raced down my spine as the meaning what she was saying hit me in the face. That I could possibly… but no, I'd never… there was no way! I reminded myself that it wasn't for sure, that she herself didn't know. But even if I didn't do… what she believed I might do… either me or someone close to me wouldn't see the end of this journey. And I didn't like that, either.

"Shit…" I breathed.

"I'm sorry, my friend," Madam M told me, not any happier about it than I was. "I wish I had better news."

I nodded. "It's alright. Better that I know, at least."

She gave me a small smile. "Indeed. And remember, the future isn't set. It can still be changed. And if anyone can accomplish that, it's you. Good luck, Jessie. I hope we'll meet again one day."

"Me too… Meridel," I said, hugging her.

Madam M chuckled at hearing her first name. "I see you still know what the M stands for. Very good."

I grinned. "Still waiting on the story."

"You'll get it when you return," she promised.

And lastly, I turned to Andrea. "Thanks for everything, Andi. You came through for me again, just like on the plate. And for the people of Sector 7 as well. I'm not gonna forget it. And I'd love to do a dance with you on stage when I get back. Just like old times!"

He smiled. "I'd like that as well. I was glad to be of help, my friend, and to see you again these past weeks. Take care."

After shaking his hand and saying a few fond words to the crowd, I waved cheerfully at everyone, promised again that I'd be back someday, and headed out through the gate with my friends. Sam was waiting for us at the chocobo stables nearby, the carriage ready to go. The six of us climbed inside, and we got underway. As we left Wall Market behind, I thought about all that had happened there since we'd first arrived three weeks ago. I'd hardly been able to stand back then, let alone fight. And now… so much had changed, and not just me.

"You know…" I admitted as we rode away. "I think I'm gonna miss that place. It kinda grows on ya after a while."

"That it does," Kunsel agreed.