And this wraps up the second arc. Anyone still reading this? XD

Beginnings
By Neko-chan the Mewse
6/14/12

Guy couldn't really bring himself to care when the plant life started to attack him. All his friends were gone anyway, so it wasn't as if anyone would miss him. He laughed brokenly, thinking about how pathetic he was, needing someone to take care of and now even Mieu was gone. He really didn't have anyone.

When it became obvious that the vines merely wanted to drag him off somewhere, he dropped his sword and gave up without a fight. Maybe this was what had happened to his friends. Maybe this way he'd get to see them again.

"—so I'm assigning you a guard, just in case." Emperor Peony said and Guy nodded along absentmindedly. "Guy? Are you listening?"

Guy blinked and gave the emperor a tiny lopsided smile. "Yeah, since it's obvious that I'm the last of our group, you're having me guarded."

Peony smiled back and reached out to give Guy a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "I'm sure things will clear up eventually but until then we just can't take that chance." Peony looked far more worn down than before Jade's disappearance. It was obvious the ruler was distressed by his friend's disappearance and he was putting as much effort as he could into preventing Guy from vanishing as well.

"I'm the only lead you have left, aren't I?" Guy said in a deadened voice. "If I disappear as well, you lose all chance at recovering Jade and the others."

Peony winced. If he had taken Jade's disappearance badly, then Guy had taken his friends' absence ten times worse. "I care about you too, Guy."

"It's alright, your Majesty," Guy bowed. "I'm happy to be of service. I do have a request though."

"What is it?" Peony asked curiously.

"Ah, Luke's cheagle, Mieu, was only supposed to stay with us for a year before returning to the forest. If you don't mind, I'd like to escort him back personally."

"Of course you can," Peony said, "as long as you take the guards with you."

Guy sighed but relented with a nod. He owed it to Luke to make sure Mieu got back to the forest safely, even if he had to take a few guards with him.

Since the Cheagle Woods weren't very far to travel, he decided to leave the next day so that the guards would have enough warning to pack supplies. The walk was uneventful and rather quiet, Guy's somber mood bleeding over to the people around him. At the edge of the forest, he turned to the guards and said, "I'll be fine for a few hours. I'm just gonna take Mieu back to his colony and then come back. " When the guards shifted uncertainly and glanced at one another, he snapped, "I want to say goodbye to my friend without all of you hovering. Feel free to come after me around dinner time but I'm certain I'll be back by then." That said, he scooped up Mieu, who had been bouncing alongside him, and trekked into the forest.

"Mieeeeu, Master's friend is angry," Mieu squeaked. Guy realized that the squeak was more from being squeezed then from any feeling of nervousness and quickly loosened his grip on the cheagle. "What's wrong?" Mieu asked with big sad eyes.

"Ah, it's nothing to worry about," Guy said, scratching the back of his head with his free hand. "I just miss Luke and the others."

"Where did Master go?" Mieu asked innocently, not understanding how much the question hurt Guy.

"I don't know where he went," Guy said, "but I'm going to go find him."

Mieu instantly perked up. "I'll go with you!" he chirped.

"You can't, Mieu, you're going back to your colony, remember?" Guy prompted. "Don't you miss them?"

Mieu's ears drooped. "But I miss Master too."

"I'll bring him here to visit you when I find him, okay?" Guy reassured him. "Don't worry about Luke—I'll take care of him." Mieu didn't respond, simply looking down and nodding gloomily. Guy rubbed the fur on top of Mieu's head and neatly sidestepped a hungry wolf.

He didn't bother with any of the natural monsters wandering about in search of a meal. His priority was making sure Mieu got back to the cheagle tree safely and charging into battle alone would most likely jeopardize that.

Guy had always functioned best when he had someone to take care of. It was rather ironic, considering he had been born as a noble when his personality was much more suited to that of a servant. He just cared too much. It was one of the reasons he had offered Anise a place to stay—with her around to take care of, his mind was much clearer. He wasn't quite sure what he'd do once he'd safely escorted Mieu to back to the cheagle colony, but he was certain he'd think of something…

"Mieeeeu," Mieu whined. "It'll be okay. You'll find Master, right?"

"Yeah," Guy replied rather gloomily, "I'll find him. I don't know what'll happen if I don't."

"Is Master in danger?" Mieu asked in alarm.

Guy blinked and then shook his head. "I don't know. I'd like to think he's just held up someplace—but in that case that means I'll have to whack him when I do find him." He looked about and made a left, certain that it would take him to the Cheagle Tree. Sure enough, it appeared and he walked over and gently placed Mieu down by the entrance. "Here you go. I'll miss you, Mieu. I'll bring Luke by when I've found him."

Something about his expression must have been off because Mieu chose that moment to become clingy. "Y-you should stay for food! We have good tasting grass, mieu!"

Guy laughed. "I need a little more than grass to fill me up, Mieu. But thanks for the offer."

Mieu just knew it would be a bad idea to let Guy walk off so he tried again. "Mieu, just stay for an hour or two!"

"I have to get back to the guards or they'll come looking for me," Guy said. "It's okay."

"M-mieeeeeu," Mieu's ears drooped and he pat Guy's leg. "Bye then."

"Don't worry, I promise Luke and I will come visit." Guy reassured the cheagle. Mieu's ears perked and wiggled a little and Guy couldn't help a tiny smile. He stood and stretched his legs a little, feeling them tingle slightly from the awkward crouch he had just held. He smiled down at Mieu before quickly turning and walking off. He knew that if he kept talking, their goodbye would only be prolonged.

Mieu's ears drooped as he watched Guy walk off into the forest. He stayed put even after he could no longer make out Guy's figure between the trees. With a tiny sigh he turned to head inside the tree. That's when he heard the crash of clumsy people walking through bushes. Curious, he bounced the direction Guy had just left in. He almost ran into one of those armored people. The knight was alarmed but quickly recalled that this was the cheagle the person they were assigned to guard had been carrying. "You there," the knight called, "have you seen Gailardios?"

Mieu cheeped in fright before stuttering, "N-no, he just left,"

The knight paled and turned back the way he came. The trees were too thick to wander very far off the path, so where had Guy gone?