*Reia's POV, the next day*
"Reia, can you go to the General Store and get us some rice?" Ember asked as I thought about what happened with Morpho the other day.
"Reia?"
/Morpho...I want to help you...I really do.../ I thought as I stared off into space. /...Y'know what?...I will help you!...I don't care what I'll have to sacrifice, I'll help you, starting today, Morpho!/
"Reia!" Ember's voice yelled as I snapped back into reality.
"Gomen ne, Sis!" I said as I grabbed my money bag. "I'll be back!"
*In town...*
"Thanks, Doug-san~!" I said as I put the 18 [yes, 18] bowls of rice in my bag and walked out.
/Now to find Morpho,/ I said as I ran to the place that I thought he would be living at.
/Let's hope he's here./ I walked inside the inn.
"Hello, welcome to our inn! How may I help you?" A woman asked me.
"M'am, I'm looking to see if you happen to know if Morpho is booked here."
She looked through a small log for a moment and then came back.
"Yes, but it seems he's not here at the moment," She said. "But I'm sure he'll be here for his daily evening bath."
"Thank you, Miss-"
"Lin fa."
"Miss Lin Fa." I walked out and stood there thinking.
/He could be anywhere,/ I said to myself, and then a smile played itself onto my lips.
/And I know just the place.../
*Summer Lake, Morpho's POV*
/Why am I here again?/ I asked myself as I stared at my reflection that was of a indigo butterfly monster with crystal-blue wings and smokey-grey orbs that seemed to be in deep thought.
/...Oh, yeah, so I can find out why I'm like this.../
"Morpho!" I heard Reia's voice yell from nearby.
/No, no, she can't see me like this!/ I started to panic, and then I hid in a nearby bush. /She'll think I'm a Monster, she'll get everyone else, and We'll...we'll... lose our home.../
That's when she walked to the lake.
"Oh wow..." Her eyes widened at the sight of something. "This is an Emery Flower..."
She gently picked the flower and put it in her bag, and I heard something rustling in a tree that was above me.
"AHH!" I heard Reia scream as something pounce on her.
I leaped out of the brush and attacked the monster with a pair of thorn daggers that I had, it dodged the first attack and bit me on the arm, but then, I got it the second time, sending it to the forest of beginnings.
I then checked on Reia, who wasn't hurt, just startled I suppose.
"You're...so...beautiful..." She said as she reached out to pet me.
I backed away from her, afraid that I would hurt her.
"I'm friendly, don't worry." She said, and she scooted close to me, and reached out again.
I let her pet my head, and to tell the truth, it felt pretty nice. [no wonder Woolies love this, and with a brush too!]
"So, what monster are you exactly?"She asked as I shrugged.
"Can you talk?"
I shook my head. [not in this form really]
"Hey, can I call you 'Ao' since you don't have a name?"
I nodded.
"Okay, Ao~!" She smiled. "Ao, you're hurt! Let me see."
I pulled my arm away.
"Ao, I'll fix it for you," She looked into my eyes. "Trust me."
I looked into her turquoise orbs for a while, and then I let her touch the wound.
"All done." She said as she wrapped her handkerchief sround the clean wound.
"Do you feel better?"
I nodded.
"Really? I'm glad." She got up and put her backpack on.
"See you later, Ao~!" She sang as she walked away.
I touched the small orange-colored cloth.
"Bye, Reia..."
*That night, Ember's POV*
"Reia, where have you been?!" I asked my little sister as she looked down at her boots.
"I was out in the forest," She said. "Then, I was attacked by a monster, but then Ao saved me, and we became friends."
"Who's 'Ao'?" I asked.
"Ao's a blue-colored butterfly monster," She explained. "He had the most beautiful of wings."
I sighed.
"Anyway, I'm glad you came home safe and sound, Reia," I said as I handed her a bowl of rice. "Now let's eat, shall we?"