Act One: The Boy and his Eevee
Scene One – The Arrival
The small ringing of a bell barely fell upon the clamor of an already-bustling tavern, a singular noise to fall upon deafened and drunken ears. Brief illumination of the setting sun through the doorway glanced off the frame as a traveler entered – scarcely noticed, and quietly grateful for it. A few of the patrons saw his light, golden hair and forest-green eyes that oddly flickered in the ethereal evening sunlight, or the small shape that accompanied him.
A small, fluffy Pokemon walked gracefully at his side, its fur glistening in the soft candlelight. Its large, expressive eyes darted around the room, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. The Eevee emitted a gentle, inquisitive chirp, its ears perking up as it detected raucous voices and the clinking of glasses.
The atmosphere inside was heavy with the mingling scents of sweat, alcohol, and roasted meat. A jovial group in one corner had a pair of Jigglypuff, their round bodies bouncing along with the laughter of their trainers. At the bar, a burly man nursed his drink while a Growlithe lay lazily at his feet. A pretty barmaid waved him over from behind the counter. An elegant Pokemon sat at her side, a slender one with piercing blue eyes and a sophisticated air as it observed the newcomers with a watchful gaze.
"Welcome, stranger," the bartender greeted him, offering him a warm but weary smile. "You look like you've had quite the journey. My name's Caryl, and this is my Meowstic. What can I get you?"
The boy smiled politely to her and offered a hand in greeting. "I'm Ryoku Dragontalen. This is Snacks, my Eevee. I was hoping for a room for the night. And something warm to eat, if it can be afforded."
Caryl giggled. "Snacks? What a cute name!" The Eevee hopped up onto the stool, then onto the bar in response to its name, chirping at Caryl. She scratched under its chin, and its leg thumped the table so hard that the glasses on it rattled. In the meantime, her Meowstic lifted a small hand and a key levitated to it from behind the counter. "And we've got a few rooms available. You're in luck, my dear; I've got one with a lovely view of the town."
But Ryoku's gaze had drifted back to the doorway, as if expecting someone. "I had a friend with me," he murmured after seeing her curious look, softly scratching behind Snacks' ears. "He told me some about the surrounding area and… its ways. I don't really know where they went. They were right behind me. I guess I can find my way, though."
He didn't sound so sure of himself, but his demeanor and the affection he showed his Eevee… by Arceus, was Caryl's poor heart ever beating fast! She distantly wondered if his friend was a girl, but recalled where she was before she asked such an imposing question. Remembering her duty, she plucked the keys from the air that her Meowstic had been levitating near her for almost a minute, now giving her quite a dry look.
She had to bite back a smile as she turned back to Ryoku and dangled the key teasingly in the air. "Six gold, friend. Three of 'em get back to you once the room's checked over in the morn."
Ryoku fumbled for the gold satchel at his belt. At a glance, oddly, Caryl didn't notice any Pokeballs. Did he have the one for his Eevee stashed away somewhere?
When he pulled out his gold satchel, Caryl saw how noticeably fallow it was. Her heart sank a little. Did he even have enough for the room? The lusty part of her mind reacted like the world was ending. Somewhere, she felt like she needed this boy to stay here with her. She ignored the fact that the inn was hardly accomplishing just that, but she would entertain the thought.
She was so enraptured by her conversation with the Defender, she didn't notice some chairs nearby scraping back. Someone overheard their conversation.
"Puny gold satchel for a trainer, methinks."
Ryoku's head inclined toward the voice, but he didn't make eye contact. His Eevee turned and sat quietly on the table, eyes on the bigger men who approached. Caryl tried to shoot the man a warning glance, but he didn't have eyes for her – that was unusual. Usually she was the apple of this inn's collective eye.
Two burly men approached the counter. With one of them came a scrappy-looking Houndour that inched out from under the table, plumes of smoke exhaling from its nostrils. It snarled menacingly, its jagged, red eyes burning with a malevolent glare. The Pokemon's black fur was matted, its teeth sharp, a testament to a hard life it must have led with its less-than-savory trainer. The other man was accompanied by a Machop, clenching its big fists to mirror its owner's aggression. It was a powerful and rough-looking creature, muscles rippling beneath its bluish-grey skin. Its eyes gleamed with anger as it flexed, clearly ready for a fight.
"Think he's got more in that bag, Bruno? A trainer's gotta be loaded, I say. People talk of all the places you lot go. All the riches you must've gathered."
Ryoku clutched his bag a little tighter, but rolled his eyes. "Not unless dry bread and a sleeping roll are hot commodities in this place."
The speaker cut his laughter short and redacted a little. Normally, any man Ryoku's size would balk and hand over their belongings, no matter how meager. Caryl winced. Trainer or no, this guy wasn't smart to talk back to a couple thugs like this. As if in response, he beckoned to his table, where three more men got to their feet. One had a small, purple Ratatta with scars all over its body. A purple-and-white Ekans slithered alongside him, one-eyed and hissing lowly. A fuzzy, grizzled Mankey tossed itself from the back of one chair, chittering angrily as it hopped over.
"Think you're witty, kid?" the thug demanded. One of them grabbed Ryoku's arm. His Eevee opened its mouth, but Ryoku silenced it with a quick look. Other than that, Ryoku didn't show much emotion at being grabbed so roughly. If anything, his nose wrinkled a little. Drunkard wasn't the kindest odor, Caryl knew. "I've half a mind to fight some sense into ye. Who d'ya think you're yappin' back to, kid?"
Ryoku's eyes rolled so hard, they might slip from their sockets. "Half a mind? That can't be too much, coming from a nameless thug in a bar."
That was all it took. The one gripping Ryoku's shoulder dragged him off his seat, and his Houndour lunged from the ground, fangs glistening. With the speed of a fish, Ryoku sidestepped out of his grip, ducking underneath the incoming Houndour to reappear on the thug's other side. The Houndour realized its error and panicked, but it couldn't stop itself from landing straight on the incoming Mankey. The angry monkey chittered, trying to disentangle itself from the Houndour.
The Machop closed in, coming at Ryoku with a heavy haymaker. Ryoku spryly ducked under the blow, causing the Machop to stagger and nearly stomp on the Ekans, which hissed angrily at him. Snacks emitted a cheerful, almost mocking, chirp.
Ryoku glanced at his Eevee for half a second, then narrowly dodged as a screeching Ratatta lunged at his throat. In this instance of hesitation, the Machop grabbed Ryoku's arm in its muscled grip. The boy wriggled like a fish out of water, his eyes only widening now. Did he really think he could outmaneuver five Pokemon alone? Granted they weren't the smartest or most carefully raised, but they were used to brawls like this.
The one who started the brawl sauntered up to Ryoku, now surrounded by all the Pokemon that hissed angrily around him. Caryl's breath caught in her chest, and she signaled to her Meowstic to ready itself. She hated times like this. She and her Meowstic were capable, but she stood no better chance at stopping this than the boy did.
"Your lot aren't so high and mighty after all, are ya?" the thug slurred his words, closing in on Ryoku like he, too, was a wild Pokemon. He spat on the ground, just shy of Ryoku's boot and near the hissing Ekans as the trainer struggled against the Machop. The entire inn was fixated on the brawl now, but not a soul rose to the newcomer's defense. This group was more than a little infamous around here.
Ryoku's Eevee looked ready to lunge, and Caryl kept a calming hand on the smaller Pokemon. This didn't look like a fight the Eevee could hold any sort of ground in. But when her glance flickered to the Eevee, she thought she saw a fiery glint in its eyes.
"You swoop in from Arceus knows where, expecting the common folk to offer ye aid and supplies. Well, looky here. I caught meself a foolish trainer. And I'm gonna let the rest of ya get my message."
He raised his fist, and all the Pokemon reared to strike. The Houndour drew back its head, flames birthing within its dark maw. The Ekans coiled and hissed, ready to strike. The Ratatta screeched, ready to leap from the ground, foam bubbling at its fanged mouth. Mankey chittered angrily, hopping from foot-to-foot as it clenched its wiry fingers. The Machop only needed to restrain Ryoku with a single hand, and it rose its other, readying a karate chop.
Ryoku's head flinched away, and Caryl winced at the same time. She actually liked this boy, and here he was, forced to watch as a bunch of angry drunks decided to take out their anger on trainers against him.
The next sound came as a barrage of noises, almost like steel-on-steel that ricocheted off every wall. The noise confused Caryl, so she glanced up fearfully.
In an instant, a single Pokemon had blocked and parried all five of Ryoku's oppressors, a hawk-like Pokemon with metallic feathers, gleaming with a greenish-steel finish. Steel feathers stood up on its head in an array, but its body was mostly resemblant of a Pokemon Caryl recognized. It was a Syaotoan Braviary, known to be different for their steel plumage. And there were only few people in the village, currently, who owned one of these.
A young man had the thug by the arm. Among the entire bar, he'd been the only one who saw something unjust and decided to act. Will Ramun – a crusader from a distant kingdom called Syaoto, and owner of the unique Braviary he called Valor. He stood taller than many men in the bar, but didn't have the beef of the other drunks. He was closer to Caryl and Ryoku's age, though his sapphire eyes gleamed with acquired wisdom. Standing in his dark green tunic, he towered behind the man who he restrained like Giratina itself.
Will pushed the man aside as casually as one could do while Caryl tried to hide a giddy grin. Ryoku's mouth twitched to hide his own surprise and relief. Not a soul in the bar stirred, save the Braviary that kept itself lightly airborne in front of Ryoku, its steel wings spread wide.
"Now, now," Will reasoned, though his eyes narrowed as he turned around to address all the drunks. "This is a public place, a respite for trainers and townspeople alike where food and drink are served – with little complaint about your vulgarity. If you seek a battle, may I suggest the Old Forest? Pokemon lurk there that could use the might of some fierce trainers." He looked down upon the man he'd tossed aside, who struggled to compose himself. "Though if you were worthy of such battles, I suppose you wouldn't be starting one-sided battles in a bar. Bytold needs trainers of stature, not petty bullies."
Ryoku rubbed his hands, reddened from where the Machop had restrained him. He sized up Will as though trying to decide if he were friend or foe. The five Pokemon that had been about to attack him circled him and the Braviary, but looked hesitant. I hadn't seen what sort of maneuver it'd used, but it backed them all off with ease. All five Pokemon had new scrapes and cuts. The Houndour bit a steel feather out from its front leg, growling lowly.
Will tilted his head toward Ryoku, who stared open-mouthed at him. "Get down."
Half a second later, in an eerie tandem, both men and Pokemon lunged. The men all rounded on Will, while all the Pokemon tried to attack Ryoku and Valor. Valor threw its head back and unleashed an eerily metallic cry that landed hard upon my ears.
Will dropped to the ground as Valor shot into the air like a jet. Will knocked one man off his feet and smashing into a table. Valor shot a jettison of steel feathers at the Ekans. Several struck true, and the snake hissed angrily, slithering back. As Will brought his elbow into another man, sending him into a chair that promptly splintered, Valor got lower and brought its beak raining down hard upon Machop, hurtling the fighting Pokemon into the man who'd destroyed the table.
Will pivoted in unison with Valor as both struck out. Will pivoted and brought his full weight into the midriff of an attacker, sending him stumbling into the last attacker, just as Valor ensnared the Ratatta in its talons. With a spin, it clipped its wings into the Mankey that hurled itself at the Braviary. As the Mankey stumbled back, Valor released the Ratatta with an untold amount of strength straight into the Mankey, sending them both slamming into the far wall.
The once silent bar now erupted with wild amusement mixed with fear as the brawl sorted itself out. None dared to step in and support the thugs and their rowdy Pokemon, but none dared help Will and Valor, either. Caryl knew they had it covered, anyway.
As Will raked his gaze around the room, his eyes fell upon the Houndour that had scampered away from Valor – and now prepared a wicked flamethrower in its dark fangs. Valor wheeled around just in time to see the dark-rimmed flames surge to life, making short work of the distance between them.
But in the chaos, unseen by Caryl or Ryoku, Eevee had dashed up to support Valor. Emitting a fierce chittering cry, the Eevee stepped up to block the attack – and, to the shock of all in the tavern, it changed form.
Its tiny frame shimmered and transformed, and in the blink of an eye, it took the form of a majestic Vaporeon. Its glistening aqua-blue body seemed to be made of pure liquid, adorned with soft fins and an elegant tail. The soothing aqua glow emanating from Vaporeon's body shimmered before the incoming fiery onslaught. Its large, expressive eyes exuded a startling calm confidence.
The room fell completely silent as everyone watched in awe. The fiery attack raged against the Vaporeon's watery defense, but it held strong, not a single wisp of smoke escaping from the defensive barrier. The flamethrower gradually waned, extinguished by Vaporeon's resilience without causing harm.
With regality and grace, Vaporeon's mouth opened, its fin-like appendages raised, and unleashed a torrent of pressurized water. The stunned Houndour had no defense as the water struck it with incredible force, drenching it and blasting it sizzling across the floor, emitting a pained whine.
Perhaps even more shocking, the Vaporeon's form shimmered back into that of the smaller Eevee, panting heavily but triumphant. I saw Will studying the curious creature, an intrigued smirk on his lips. Even so, he looked grateful. A fire attack unguarded on his Braviary would have been critical. Only Ryoku gave his Eevee an odd look, almost like he was disappointed in it. But when the Eevee turned back to him and dashed over, emitting a chittering cry, it evaporated into a smile.
"I believe this is finished," Will said sharply to the room. "All of you, dispatched so easily just by two Pokemon. I have seen better fights when I was a school-lad. Apologize. Then perhaps I shall allow your leave."
The man who'd instigated the fight growled under his breath. However, seeing all his friends and Pokemon incapacitated, he had no choice but to drop his fists to his sides and let out a gravelly sigh. "Sorry, kid," he muttered, just like a child forced to make up at the schoolyard. "It's the drink, y'know. Makes us harsher than we mean."
Will gestured to Ryoku, who held Snacks in his arms and managed a wry smile as his Eevee snuggled into him affectionately. "S'alright," he said softly, coming over to stand next to Will. The soldier glanced at his Eevee most curiously, but it looked just like a normal, adorable Eevee now. "No real harm done, I guess."
With a nod aimed somewhere between the two boys, the thug went to rouse his friends, and they all recalled their Pokemon. Only once they all were shuffling out of the tavern did Will approach Valor, who came to a soft landing on the floor of the inn. It was considerably smaller and sleeker than the normal Braviary, of which Caryl had only seen in illustrations. He gave his bird Pokemon a once-over before smiling, patting it on the head, then tapping its shoulder with its Pokeball. The Braviary was sucked away into the ball, which Will clipped back to his belt. The ball holding his Braviary was green and brown, and two more balls sat next to it, but looked ordinary.
"Thank you," Ryoku said to him, still holding an affectionate Eevee in his arms. "For, uh, saving us, I guess."
Will grinned. He looked older than Ryoku, but not by much, and handsome in a different way. "Not at all, my friend," he assured Ryoku earnestly. "Their idea of an even match hilariously differs from that of the norm. No offense, but even you and your… unique, Eevee stood very little chance alone."
Ryoku smiled sheepishly, ruffling Eevee's hair. "Yeah. Unique."
Will then turned to Caryl, who'd almost forgotten she'd readied her Meowstic to help before Will's timely interference. "My apologies about the damages. I can supply some gold to cover it."
Caryl shook her head. "No, not at all. We've got a rule of 'last man to touch it is responsible'. By all accounts, that'd be the men who took flying lessons in here a few moments ago. They'll be back."
Will hid a smirk behind his hand as he returned his gaze to Ryoku. Their eyes locked for a long moment, staring at each other with some kind of quiet acknowledgement. Even Snacks looked at Will seriously, but not with any distaste. Caryl waited patiently, anxiously wondering if this had something to do with her. Yet, something about the atmosphere made her wonder if these two knew each other.
It dispelled when Will offered his hand. "My name is Will Ramun. I am a crusader from Syaoto, on expedition with a small platoon of soldiers led by Field Commander Lancet Cooper."
Ryoku shifted Eevee in his arms to offer his own hand. When they shook hands, Snacks darted out to stand on their combined hands, chirping happily. "Ryoku Dragontalen," Ryoku said, ignoring his Eevee and looking a little abashed now. "Um, Trainer, I guess. Of Brooks."
"Brooks?" Will studied him. "Oh. Not Brooklyn, I assume. You do not look or act the type as far as I see." Ryoku only looked confused, and Eevee retreated to stand unsteadily on his shoulder, so Will went on. "A Trainer, though. Interesting. Your kind are more likely to appear in places such as my home, not the smaller villages in Harohto. You… must be headed to the Capital, I wager. You are a new trainer?"
Ryoku nodded. "Yeah, new," he agreed. "I ran into someone when I arrived, who guided me this far with the knowledge that I should head to the Capital. Something about the Pokemon League."
"Ah, to register properly as a League Trainer. A smart move." Will acted quite curious of the boy and his unique Eevee, and the boy didn't seem to understand half of what he was saying. Will's brow arched a little. "Someone met you? As in… when you arrived here?"
Ryoku only looked confused still. "Uh, yeah."
Will shook his head, chuckling to himself. "How different you are from most trainers I have met." He murmured this mostly to himself, and Ryoku looked offended. "I see. You have been hurtled into this life, have you not? And I wager it has to do with your Eevee."
Ryoku nodded. "Snacks. And yeah. It was a hasty decision."
"Snacks?" It took Will a moment to realize he must be referring to his Eevee, who happily chirped again, swaying in its precarious spot on Ryoku's shoulder. "Well, alright. You say you make for the Capital? A journey of at least three days through the woods for one unfamiliar with the trails, and… I presume you know not the trails." Ryoku shook his head. "There is also the option to scale the cliffs to the far west. You would avoid much of the danger, but you look ill fit to climb rocks. You seem to have little in the ways of supplies at all. In fact…" His gaze shifted to Snacks. "…Do you not have Pokeballs? Is your Eevee not in it's own—"
Ryoku was starting to look a little abashed with his lack of knowledge, and a little frustrated. Eevee clambered down from his shoulder, and he clutched the little Pokemon tightly. "No – I don't have Pokeballs, I guess. Don't worry about me and Snacks, and don't go telling me I can't go forward without them, because I can and will prove you wrong. As long as the forest isn't swarming with drunks, I think I'll be fine."
A bit startled at his tenacity, Will chuckled. "No, I would say the forest has anything but angry drunks. Perhaps one or two who are quite lost." He adopted a serious expression quickly. "Wild Pokemon roam there in an array of strengths and fortitudes. For one with such a young and inexperienced Pokemon, I would worry. Trainers tend to bring lots of Pokeballs and catch Pokemon in the outskirts of the woods, or in the Bytold Woods to the south. Training your Eevee would also be highly beneficial. I would say you should evolve him, but…"
Ryoku's brow flicked up. "And Pokeballs cost money? Because I honestly don't think I can even afford a room at this inn, let alone some burly bodyguard. Perhaps I should go call back those drunks."
Will chuckled, and Caryl's heart sank in her chest. The poor kid didn't have much going for him, did he? Besides that unique Eevee of his, he had scarcely a few coins to his name. He was currently giving Will quite the defiant look. No matter what the experienced outdoorsman might tell him, he would forge his way through the Old Forest. Caryl hadn't gone far into those woods at all, and only with her father and an armed escort. It was a dangerous place, even for her and her Meowstic – more so than her bar, if that was believable after what transpired.
"Hold for a moment," Will told Ryoku, and he went to a table in the corner of the bar. A day bag rested on the chair. Caryl honestly couldn't recall if he'd been there before the brawl broke out, or whether he snuck in during the conflict. Regardless, he returned after fishing out a gold satchel from the side pocket. It looked far chunkier than Ryoku's, and the trainer was already giving him a look of defiant protest as Will fished his fingers into it on his way back. A few poorer drunks at the bar eyed the wealthy satchel, but they must know they could never wrest it from Will's mighty hands.
Rather than try to offer it to Ryoku, he slid some coins across the counter. "Two rooms for the night, please," he told Caryl. To Ryoku's questioning gaze, he smiled. "I am certain of little in life, my friend, but I can tell you and… Snacks… would face a mighty trial in those woods alone. As of late, they may be even more dangerous than normal. In the morning, we will speak with my team in the village and see about guiding you through the woods. If you must face those trials, then you should not do so alone. If naught else, I will accompany you myself."
Ryoku looked completely taken aback. Even Snacks emitted a shrill little chirp as though it understood. Whatever Ryoku'd thought Will might offer, it wasn't this. "I-I don't have enough gold to hire some expert ranger team!" he protested. "I don't… I don't know how this works…"
"You do not," Will replied with certainty, but he smiled. "It does not matter. There must be a reason for our meeting today. Perhaps my time of ambling around this village comes to an end. I will guide you myself, one way or another. We will make some stops tomorrow."
Ryoku and Snacks' heads tilted as one. "What sort of stops?"
The tone of his voice made Caryl turn to him again. Curiosity and eagerness battled aside his hesitation over Will's reasoning. A spark formed within him. The promise of a journey. The look of brightness in his eyes, coupled with how he held Snacks, made Caryl's heart do somersaults. The look of an adventuring boy was certainly an appealing one.
Will scratched his chin airily. "I will have to speak with my team," he murmured, "and we will stop by the markets. Perhaps the blacksmith. The owner is a friend of mine, and I am certain we can strike a deal for some rudimentary equipment for you and Snacks. You could certainly use some Pokeballs, and luckily for you, I also know how to craft them in the wild."
Ryoku's brow flicked back up. "You can make them? And… but, I don't have that much money…"
Will smiled at him, putting a hand on his shoulder with an easy smile. His idle hand tickled Snacks' chin, which the Eevee most appreciated. "Worry not about the details for now, my newfound friend. And trainers tend to find money most easily. We can worry about the specifics on the morrow. For now, you and your furry friend ought to get some rest. Night falls fast here, and a fit sleep will make for ease of travel."
Ryoku just nodded, bouncing on his heels. Snacks looked up at him and emitted an excited cry. Neither looked like they needed the sleep much at all, despite their narrow escape from a rough situation. It sounded like his whole day had been all colors of odd. The adventure ahead of him would, no doubt, be an even greater trial, Caryl knew. Pokemon of all types prowled the Old Forest, along with the raiders and brigands who were rumored to be capturing Pokemon in the northern forest. She knew, too, that more dangerous Pokemon haunted the woods. The bounty board at the Center always had some manner of terrifying wild Pokemon with a price on its head for its capture or culling. Caryl shuddered at the very thought.
She caught herself. She still clutched the key her Meowstic had fetched for Ryoku some time ago, now having left a red imprint in her hand from how tightly she'd clutched it. Her psychic cat Pokemon was tapping its feet on the chair, little arms crossed, its two white tails and curled ears twitching in annoyance – a second key dangling psychically in front of it, apparently for some time. Giving her comrade an apologetic smile, she took the key and offered both to the boys.
Ryoku's hand touched hers as he lightly plucked the key from her palm, and she met his gaze. His eyes were breathtaking, especially when he was close enough to touch. Now, with nothing else between them, it was like seeing the sun break through the clouds, and she saw everything. His fear for the journey ahead, of some dreadful tasks inevitably laid out ahead of him – and the forest was just the start. His tavern brawl wouldn't hold a candle to the horrors beyond. Caryl heard stories of the outside world and some particularly monstrous Pokemon. Stories of the horrors of the southern war, of the horrific and haunting Pokemon in the woods across the mountains, and especially those from the kingdom of Syaoto. Even Will had told some worrisome stories about fearsome Pokemon he and his team encountered over the years. At least this brave soldier was going with him. That fact could shed some bravery to piggyback on Ryoku's fear. It went unsaid, but Caryl sensed something unworldly waited ahead of him. A reason that Ryoku Dragontalen braved fights with thugs, plotted his way through dark, wayward woods. He had something to fight for – and Caryl wagered it had a lot to do with that odd little Eevee in his arms.
"Thank you so much," Ryoku told Caryl politely, clasping his hands together in some strange, unfamiliar bow. Snacks mimicked the motion in its own way, stepping onto the counter. And when Ryoku lifted his head again, Caryl could no longer see past the shields in his eyes.
"Of course," Caryl managed with a shaky smile, as though dealing with intriguing and attractive trainers coming this far south was the norm for her. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask!"
"I'll be fine," he assured her with a dreamy sort of smile, the corners of his eyes like intricate fans. "Thank you."
"Y-Yeah," she stammered back, quickly losing grip on her emotions. Ryoku Dragontalen and his Eevee were a rare pair, she knew, and they slipped from her grasp as if she tried to cup the river against her chest. She couldn't explain why, but she felt this meeting was important. He would remain in her mind for a long time, even as he walked away with Will up the stairs, Snacks chittering happily on his shoulder. The kind soldier had already thrown his arm around Ryoku, engaged in some kind of topic that made Ryoku chuckle and glance back. She watched them go, wishing she could be the one taking him up to that room.
It was with a heavy sigh that she returned to her duties. The life of adventure, of romance, of promised danger and, most importantly, a spot next to that boy – it wasn't for her. Her father needed her and Meowstic, and she needed to stay here where it was safe.