Marron's POV

I went to sleep anyway. I laid on the couch bed and quickly drifted off to sleep.

"WAKE UP!" someone shook me awake and I opened my eyes. My blurry vision made out my best friend, Pan.

"Why?" I groaned.

"I can't find Reyu!" Pan panicked. I sat up and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes.

"Maybe she's sleeping. Like I should've still been." I pouted.

"No. She said she would protect me." Pan gasped and begun pacing. I saw Pan's mom do this a few times when I wen over their place. She acts just like her mom. "What if they took her?!" Pan raced out the door.

"PAN!" I yelled chasing after her. Pan looked up into the trees and frowned. Suddenly her mood brightened.

"Marron. Today is my birthday!" I looked at my raven haired friend, her eyes sparkling.

"Too bad we can't get you a birthday cake." I folded my arms. A smile spread across her face.

"I got money from my house before I left. We can like, buy me a cake." she rushed back into the cabin.

"Isn't that dangerous?" I yelled. Pan came back outside with a backpack and a bunch of dollar bills in her hand.

"Think of it as a quest." she told me and begun to walk away. I followed Pan reluctantly.

"This is the best bakery ever." Pan exclaimed leaning on the glass seperating her from the deserts.

"Pan get off the glass." I muttered nervously seeing the old man glaring at us.

"But they look so good." She stood up fully and addressed the man. "Hello sir, can I have a small strawberry cake with vanilla icing?"

"800 zeni." Pan smiled and gave the man some money from her backpack.

"This is only 799 zeni." The man grunted. I saw Pan's eye twitch. I reached in my pocket for some money before Pan stopped me.

"No problem sir." Pan reached in her bag and found some more money. She smacked it on the counter and the register shook. The man glared at Pan more and Pan glared back at him. I looked down and saw that Pan still hadn't released the money from her hands.

"Pan let the man take the money." Pan growled removed her hand. The man took the money and went to box the cake. I saw that the marble counter had been cracked. "Why don't you wait outside and I'll bring the cake." Pan nodded her head slightly before stomping out of the bakery.

"Poor service, but delicious food." Pan said finishing a slice of the cake. We had stopped next to a random tree since Pan was anxious to eat her cake.

"He was doing his job, Pan." I told her, taking small bites of my own slice.

"Really though? One zeni? I should have called the manager." Pan grumbled. There was a small piece of cake left in the box. I finished my slice and closed the box when Pan tried to take the last slice.

"We have to save the cake for Rea." I told her.

"No we don't. You don't even know her name. It's Reyu. So... she doesn't need any." Pan tried to reason.

"Pan, that has nothing to do with anything. It's the thought that counts." I stood up. I grabbed the box and Pan followed suit.

"No it's not. We don't even know where she is. The cake could go bad." I shook my head at this.

"I'm sure Rea-"

"Reyu."

"Reyu, isn't missing. The cake wouldn't go bad. It's not even hot outside and you have a cooler."

"Marron-" Pan started. She stopped as she heard a rustling noise. "Someone's following us." she whispered. I felt the color leave my face.

"Let's hurry back then." I whispered back.

"They'll follow us back." I grabbed Pan's arm in fear as I heard a twig snap.

"Pan let's go. We have to-"

"No. Stay here. I can handle this."

"What if it's those guys from yesterday?" I asked panicking. Pan was quiet at this. "Pan?"

"Shush." I saw a bush rustle near us and I freaked out.

"AAAAAAH!" I screamed and ran in the direction of the cabin, with Pan in tow.

"Marron calm down." Pan said, trying to plant her feet against the ground to slow me down but it didn't work. I tripped over a rock and Pan fell too. "Uf!"

I shot back up and pulled Pan up with me. We reached the cabin shortly after and I realized i dropped the cake when I had fell. I ran inside with Pan and slammed the door, releasing her from my grip. I panted and stood against the door.

"Oh... my..." I gasped. Pan laughed at me and I glared at her. "What's... so... funny?"

"You should run like that in gym class." she laughed.

"Seriously Pan? We could've... died." I caught my breath.

"I'm sorry, it was just so funny. Ha..." Pan walked backwards toward the firepit. Her eyes rolled in the back of her head and she fell backwards, right next to it. I rushed over to her.

"Pan?" I asked worriedly. I slapped her across the face. She didn't move. I shook her. She didn't stir. "Pan!" I grabbed her face and her eyes fluttered open. They were completely black.

She closed her eyes and groaned as black swirls began to decorate her face, trailing from the center of her forehead to her chin. The black swirls went down her neck and trailed along her arms to her fingertips.

"Open the door little girls!" A feminine voice boomed. I stiffened and grabbed a stone from the edge of firepit. "I saw you come in here kids. OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!" At this the door flung open. I shut my eyes and without thinking, I chucked the rock. I heard a muffle groan. I opened my eyes and saw a woman with her hands covering her face. She was bent over and her sea green hair hung down. She looked up and glared at me with snake eyes.

"You brat! I don't like killing kids, but I'll make an exception for you!" The woman's pale hands were covered in blood as she walked toward me. I grabbed another stone and threw it at her, which she easily caught and crumbled. "You got me once kid, not again." She grabbed my by the front of my shirt and pulled me up. She swung me and I hit the wall next to the door. I looked up and saw her standing over me with purple energy in her hand. She bent down and brought her hand to my face. I could feel the heat of the energy and I closed my eyes in fear. After ten seconds of nothing I opened my eyes.

Another woman had appeared and had snake eyes pinned to the wall by her throat. The new lady had dark skin and shoulder length black hair. She was fairly muscular and had white energy in her hand which was pressed into snake eyes' stomach. Snake eyes hissed before going silent. Her eyes were closed and the dark haired woman let her fall. The white in her hand grew. She added another hand and I saw only white. When the room finally came back into view, snake eyes was gone. My rescuer was standing over me and offered her hand, which I accepted.

"Are you Reyu?" I asked. The woman nodded her head.

"Do you plan on staying here with Pan?"

"I guess so."

"In that case you need some training. I can't protect two people. Well I could, but you should be able to defend yourself."