Komui had no idea why his precious little sister came home in tears that afternoon. She had burst through his office door crying her eyes out. She could barely talk as she hugged onto him seeking comfort. He had no idea what had happened and she didn't seem able to tell him so he just held her gently, softly whispering ambiguous words of comfort to her. Once she had calmed down, she explained what happened.

She quickly went over the proposal and her reaction to it even quicker, but Komui still didn't understood what happened. His sister was in tears and he was leaving later that night to go present his new propositions to the head of the Black Order. He had to be there for her, Lenalee came first.

"I'm canceling my trip." Komui said.

"No!" Lenalee said, coming out of her hysteria in that moment. "Don't let me stop you. I know this is important to you. I don't want to hold you back."

"I have to be there for my dear sister." He said back, not budging in the slightest. "I'll cancel it and stay home with you. You shouldn't be alone right now after the ordeal you've just been through."

"You could help so many people," she cried almost before the words were even out of his mouth. "And you've been so excited for it! You've worked so hard! You'll be back in a few days anyway, right? I can wait until then, I'll be fine! Please! Please go for me!"

Faced with his sister's desperate pleading, Komui gave in. "Alright, but I'll be back before you know it." Smiling at each other with all of their hearts, Komui and Lenalee enveloped each other in another hug. Through all of his affection for his sister, one major thought surfaced in his mind. That octopus will pay.

"I'll be back before you know it. Two or three days tops." Komui called to his sister as he entered the carriage sitting down on the seat next to the door. With one hand on the door and ready to pull it closed, the other waving to his sister waiting outside their house.

"I know you will!" Lenalee said, smiling happily as if she hadn't a care in the world, but Komui knew she really didn't want to be left alone for too long. Not now. Still, he gifted her with his best smile and pulled the door shut effectively cutting him off from his precious sister for the next few days. He heaved an internal sigh. I miss you already, Lenalee.

The carriage pulled away leaving Lenalee in the dust, alone with their home. Komui watched through the windows as the carriage carried him through the town. After a while they began to exit the town. The carriage would have to travel for a while to get to his destination. Komui leaned back on the seat in an effort to relax, but he still kept his eyes on the passing scenery beyond the window. Not long after Lenalee came to him crying, but still insisting he leave for his trip, Komui had told her to lock herself in the house for the time being or she might run into Lord Mikk.

So he wants to be my brother in law, huh? Not likely! Komui was still sulking over the fact that he couldn't protect his sister. I wasn't there for her when it happened. What kind of brother am I? Komui thought, dejectedly. He was caught up in thoughts like that when it happened.

The carriage driver had taken a detour through a forest when the carriage's axle broke. Specifically, it was the forest that was on the edge of their village, but no one ever went into it for some reason. Maybe the reason had something to do with how creepy it looked. The woods they were in were the most decrepit Komui had ever seen (though he hadn't really seen a lot).

It was still a good few hours before night would fall, but in these woods it seemed like perpetual night. The tall, dead trees reached their barren branches up to the sky, blocking out every trace of light and plunging the area into eternal darkness. The area was cold like an icy wasteland and so quiet that even the wind dare not disturb it. The only sounds were that of dead grass crunching under Komui's feet.

"What's broken?" Komui asked as he came around to the front of the carriage. The carriage driver was on the ground in front of one of the wheels, looking at it. Komui wasn't very good with simple structures like carriages, but even he could tell that the wheel was broken beyond repair. The top half of it had broken off and and the wheel was currently hanging off of the carriage like it might break apart at any moment.

"I'm sorry," The carriage driver apologized wholeheartedly. "I thought that cutting through these woods would save more time, but I didn't expect the path to be this bad to drive on. I guess when they say 'take the road less traveled by' they weren't talking about this one." The man sighed loudly and somewhat pathetically as he finished.

Komui fixed him with a stern yet sympathetic gaze. "I can see why you might want to come this way. However, perhaps in the future you could try to think things through and foresee these issues or at least bring a spare wheel."

Looking up at him seriously, the carriage driver nodded at the suggestion.

"What's your name?" Komui asked him. The man answered immediately.

"My name is A. Krory." Komui smiled at the introduction.

"Well, Mr. Krory, I'm going to walk further through the woods and see if there is another town. Then I can buy supplies to fix the carriage or send help."

Krory stood up hurriedly. "No, sir! I cannot allow you to go alone! I will come too." Even though Krory looked so adamant, Komui tried to persuade him to stay behind saying that he should keep working on the carriage, but still Krory… "No! I cannot allow you to stalk these woods alone. Besides, there is not much else I can do with the carriage until we get the parts to fix it so there is no reason we both can't go." Krory finished.

"Alright then." Komui breathed figuring that he wasn't going to win the argument. "We'll both go then." With that, the pair began walking further into the forest in search of help.

~ I know the chapters in my stories don't always seem to progress quickly, but I get an A for content, right? ;) ~