Just another day in paradise. The thought lingered in Rikimaru's mind as he lay looking up into the clear skies above him, by the small pond planted at the northside of the quaint village of Seika. He took a deep breath of the cool morning air and then rolled onto his side to face his childhood sweetheart Aimi, taking a moment to take in her porcelain beauty.

His hazelnut eyes followed her long flowing black hair that fell to the small of her back and then worked their way back up taking in her form, complimented by a deep red, one piece dress which had white roses intricately worked in to it.

It had taken him three months of serious saving to buy that dress, cutting out his usual lunchtime feasts that would sometimes stretch into four figures of potch. He even lost some of his muscle mass. He smiled and she finally caught his loving gaze, smiling back before reaching over, touching his rugged auburn side burns and gently kissing him.

It was at this point in his dream that Rikimaru would wake with moist eyes and a crushing sadness aching in his heart. He tried to focus on the hustle and bustle of the city of Gregminster to distract his thoughts as he struggled to rise from the cobbled road next to the city's largest inn. The potch he had set out from Seika with had run dry quickly thanks to his large appetite, he thanked his large muscles for that. The price of a lean body, he would muse.

His large six foot, five inch frame finally found balance and he dusted down his sky blue kimono, gifted to him by his beloved. He picked up his large two-handed tachi blade and inspected it before being interrupted.

"Excuse me, sir? What on earth are you doing out here?" said a sweet voiced woman. Rikimaru turned to face a small, plump woman with a confused expression on her pale, round face. He quickly deduced that she worked at the inn and luckily had no idea of the previous night's escapades in the inn down the road, which resulted in him sleeping outside this inn.

"I, uh…" Before he could conjure up a lie his stomach roared in hunger. He began to blush and the small woman chuckled.

"You better get yourself in here. I will have Antonio cook you some breakfast." She said, smiling at him. He couldn't believe his luck.

"Lead the way little lady." He said cheerfully.

The inn was twice the size of the one he had skipped on the previous evening. Rikimaru looked around in awe, he had never been in such a large, elegant building. Two large crystal chandeliers caught his eye at either end of the front desk. The maid noted his expression.

"These were gifted from the McDohl estate after the war. Marvellous, don't you think?" She said, raising her hands towards them.

"Indeed. I have never seen anything like it."

"They are said to be from Crystal Valley in Harmonia," Said the woman, and on she went for a couple of minutes. Rikimaru's stomach growled. "Oh, my apologies. I just can't stop when I get started sometimes. Follow me, uh?" She raised her eyebrows, expecting a name.

"Rikimaru, ma'am."

"Well I am Marie, Rikimaru. I am the proprietor of this inn," She bowed her head and then gestured towards the dining area. "Let's get you fed."