Festival of Fire

by RockyRoadSmith

When the Searchers find themselves at a quaint festival, turmoil seeps from the group when a young man suddenly shows affection toward Holly. As secrets unfold, however, there may be more at stake than just emotions.

3. Chapter 3: Stage Two - Growth

Onto more boring writing! Yay! XD

I'm just not getting the hang of writing good flowing chapters yet, this is a struggle for certain. I really appreciate you guys bearing with me throughout my "learning how to write" journey! X3

This takes place after the episode "The Sand Assassin, Renocraft" and right after the start of "Magic Stone Mayhem".

Festival of Fire

Chapter 3: Stage Two – Growth

As the sun slowly crept up from its hiding spot behind the mountains, a chorus of birds began to emit a serene tune to signal the start of a new day. The streets of the town, which had become empty with the burning of the last fire the night before, suddenly began to come to life as humans and monsters alike set up their shops and prepared for another day of the festival. Most of the traffic came from around the largest building in the town as the hefty amount of travelers staying at the inn came out to join the festivities. The sun's gentle light reflected against the side of the inn and even with blinds covering the windows, the light still seeped into the rooms of the colossal hotel.

A room full of tired travelers was filled with a rare atmosphere of silence, one that was not usual for the group of anti-Moo rebels. Genki was buried in a heap of blankets with Mocchi still latched on to his chest, the young monster making it so the usually energetic boy was stuck in one spot. Holly's chest rose gently as she slept soundly with a peaceful Tiger sleeping at the foot of her bed; the wolf monster still ready to protect the young girl from any potential danger. A bed over, Hare was completely burrowed into the comforter with only the tips of his ears sticking out to indicate there was a sleeping monster in the bed. Due to the beating he had taken the night before, Suezo was still nursing a ruthless headache and was completely passed out, drool dripping out from the corners of his gaping mouth as he snored. Golem barely moved as the rock giant stayed in a deep sleep, enjoying the comforts of indoor sleeping for once instead of having to sleep outside due to his massive size.

It was a truly peaceful scene.

"GET YOUR CUP JELLY HERE!"

"BAY SHRIMP! NICE AND FRESH BAY SHRIMP FOR SALE!"

"HONEY CANDY! COME GET SOME HONEY CANDY!"

Instead of catching up on some much needed rest, the room of once sleeping travelers filled with tired moans as the group was abruptly woken up by the shouts of eager shop owners hoping to make an easy sale.

"Wha… whaz goin' on?" Genki slurred as the disoriented boy sat up in his bed, causing Mocchi to flop over onto of the comforter like a discarded bean bag. The baby monster remained fast asleep, however, and subconsciously dug further into the cozy blankets.

"Uhhh, I… I dunno. I just… uhh… I dunno," Suezo moaned as he clutched his pounding head with his tongue. "Holy Phoenix, my head is gonna explode…"

"Aw, man! The one time we get the chance to sleep in comfortable beds, we can't even fully enjoy it!" Hare complained from inside his blanket burrow.

"It's okay, it gives us a chance to look around the festival for supplies, right?" Holly spoke groggily with tussled hair and a tired smile as she turned to face the group's leader for his input.

Genki suddenly felt wide awake at being addressed by Holly and when his eyes connected with the young girl's drowsy ones, he couldn't help but gulp nervously. Holly looked anything but tidy at the moment, with her messy hair sticking up in all directions and pillowcase marks faintly showing on her flushed cheeks. The young girl tiredly rubbed her eyes before letting out a small yawn and stretching her stiff arms at the same time like a rousing cat, clearly still a bit sore from the long journey. Even though the young girl looked disheveled, Genki found she looked adorable in her disarrayed look. Pretty, even. As the thought crossed his mind, the young boy immediately turned his attention away from the wielder of the Magic Stone and towards the hibernating Mocchi still flopped over in his lap. The baby monster, unfazed by the commotion outside or the noise inside the room, still slept soundly and was definitely not in a position to answer any questions from Genki. Quickly, the young boy then turned to Golem, instead, to get Holly's attention off himself.

"I agree with Holly! What do you think, Golem?" Genki speedily asked.

"Golem thinks… that is a… good plan… We may find… items that will… help us on our… journey if we… look in the market…" Golem's voice, which was already loud compared to most, was amplified by the large room and the lack of sleep of the group.

"Stop talking, Golem! Your loud voice sounds like dynamite detonating inside my skull!" Suezo barked irritably while gripping his hurting head.

"S-sorry…" the rock giant whispered apologetically.

"Golem's right, though. This is a good opportunity to stock up on supplies while the stands are still full. If we wait until the end of the festival, most of the useful supplies could be sold out," Tiger nodded in agreement.

"We should split up and look around then. We need food that won't perish quickly and is easy to transport. We also need medical supplies since Suezo clearly needs medicine for his head and we're completely out of bandages thanks to a certain member of our group always running into battle without letting me come up with a plan first…" Hare's eyes narrowed at the only human boy of their group.

"H-hey!" Genki scowled.

"Anyways, how do you want us to split up?" Tiger questioned.

"I think Golem should stay behind to look after Suezo until we can get him some medicine for his head. The streets are really packed right now, anyway, since everyone is trying to get a good deal on items so it'll be hard for him to move around the festival right now. I think its best he stays here and watches over our, ahem, champion. Is that okay with you, Golem?" Hare asked the rock titan with a wink.

"Yes… Golem will happily… look after Suezo…" Golem replied enthusiastically.

"Phoenix, help me. You guys are trying to get me killed…" Suezo mumbled from underneath his mountain of blankets.

"Great! Once we get Suezo some medicine and he's feeling better, then you'll both be free to explore the festival, just for now this is the best move," the rabbit monster explained.

"That sounds… good to me…" the large rock monster quietly agreed.

"So, let's see how to divvy up who gets food and who gets medicine…" Hare mumbled to himself while tapping his foot on the floor.

"I think you and Tiger should get the food while Genki, Mocchi, and I should get the medicine," Holly suggested casually.

"…huh?" Genki was so surprised by the suggestion, all he could do was stare at the young girl as his mind tried to process her proposition.

"W-what?! Why?! I'm not getting paired up with that flea-bitten mongrel!" Hare shouted defensively while pointing at the blue wolf monster.

"For once, I agree! I'm not working with that rotten cheat!" Tiger snarled.

"STOP SHOUTING! MY HEAD IS SPLITTING OVER HERE!" Suezo suddenly barked callously, his bloodshot eye poking out from under the blankets to shoot the group a venomous glare. "NEXT ONE TO SHOUT WILL GET A SPIT ATTACK TO THE FACE!"

"S-sorry, Suezo," the rabbit monster whispered apologetically before turning his attention back to the wielder of the Magic Stone; his voice a little lower than before. "But I'm not going anywhere with Tiger, of all monsters!"

"Yeah! I'm not going anywhere with that con artist!" the horned canine monster growled in the lowest tone possible.

"You guys, please calm down. I know it's not your ideal situation, but it makes the most sense. Tiger has the best sense of smell in our group so he can detect when food is good or is spoiled. We need our rations to last a while because we don't know how close the next town is and we might not always get lucky finding food out in the wilderness. Remember every desert we've travelled through? We may not always have food available to us so the freshness of what we buy is really important. We don't want to end up fighting over one apple like last time," Holly explained calmly while eyeing Hare with a little annoyance. The rabbit monster was one of the members of the Searchers who joined the infamous battle over one apple, which still remained a story of shame for the group due to the pathetic nature of the situation.

"Okay, and I get that. But, why do I have to go with him then? Why not you, Genki, or Mocchi?" Hare questioned with a scowl.

"You're much faster than any of us since Genki won't be able to use his roller blades in the crowded streets and you're much better at bartering. You'll be able to search each food stall for the best deals before Tiger wastes his time looking at products that are overpriced and ends up missing out on better priced goods. Don't forget, we're still pretty low on money since we won't be receiving our prize money until after the festival is over. This means we're still budgeting based off the small amount of money we came to this festival with, so finding the lowest prices is incredibly important right now," the young girl replied earnestly.

Hare scowled, eyes burning with frustration and combativeness. Of all the ways the rabbit monster would want to spend his day at a festival, this was not one of them by a long shot. Being partnered up with Tiger was something that didn't usually occur in the group due to the obvious nature of their volatile relationship, so Hare wasn't prepared for the sudden matchup. The rabbit monster raised his hand as he prepared to retort Holly's explanation, attempts to form a comprehensive argument calculating rapidly in his head, before he proceeded to let out a weak sigh as his head came back blank. His thoughts suddenly flashed briefly to Genki and the discussion they had the night before, and the rabbit monster only felt more obligated to cave in to Holly's proposition.

"…we don't have much of a choice, do we?" Hare moaned dramatically.

"Don't worry, all you two have to do is get food for our journey. Once you come back here with that, you two can split up and do whatever you want. The more you work together, the faster it'll go and the sooner you can do your own thing," Holly noted.

"…fine. Fine! I'll do it, but only because it's necessary. After this, I'm gonna enjoy the festival my own way!" the rabbit monster announced while crossing his arms.

"Agreed. Let's get this over with so we can see less of each other," Tiger grumbled.

The entire conversation, Genki stayed quiet. His eyes stayed glued to the sleeping form of Mocchi in his lap; his mind racing with confused thoughts.

'Holly chose me to go the market with. Maybe it's for a reason…? No, stop! She explained it already. It's just because these pairs make the most sense. It's not anything special or something. All the stuff Hare said last night is wrong and everything is normal between us. Plus it's not like we'll be alone, Mocchi will be with us. It's just the three of us getting supplies, nothing more,' Genki thought anxiously to himself.

"Hey, Genki?"

Holly's voice snapped Genki out of his thoughts, and it was then he noticed the rest of the group was already getting ready for the day. Holly was out of bed and with Tiger's help, had just finished making the bed so it would look tidier. Once done, she turned her full attention back to the leader of the group, and Genki couldn't help the small smile from creeping up on his face from seeing the wielder of the Magic Stone run her fingers through her messy hair.

"What's up?" Genki asked, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"Mocchi looks completely wiped out, probably because the tournament yesterday. We should let him sleep in a little longer so he won't be tired and can enjoy the festival when he wakes up. He really earned it after everything he did for our group yesterday. I'm sure the two of us can handle getting medicine anyways, don't you think?" Holly smiled brightly.

"Just… Just the two of us?" Genki croaked out.

"Yeah, I think between the two of us, we'll be able to find what we need. Unless, you don't think it's a good idea…?" the young girl trailed off.

"N-no! No! It's fine! Mocchi definitely needs sleep and we're a good team! The best team! We'll find everything we need, no problem!" Genki announced with vigor and a nervous laugh.

"Hey guys, not to cut you off, but the staff must have finished cleaning your clothes. They left these at our door," Hare carried over two bundles of clothes and handed them off to each respective owner. Before walking away from Genki, however, the rabbit monster leaned in close with a scheming glimmer in his eyes and a lowered voice. "The only reason I didn't argue more about having to work with Tiger is so you can have some time alone with Holly, otherwise I would have fought this arrangement until the sun went down. Don't let this time go to waste!"

Genki's face flushed beet red, and he immediately snatched the clothes from his friend's hands and pushed him away with a nervous laugh partnered with an annoyed smile. "Hahaha, thanks for the clothes, Hare! You're always so helpful."

"Yes, thank you, Hare," Holly smiled before heading to one of the lavished bathrooms and taking one last glance back at Genki. "Let's get ready for a great day!"

Genki clutched his bundle of clothes and gulped nervous. "Y-yeah! A great day…"

---

The narrow streets, still swamped with eager salesmen and potential buyers alike, felt suffocating as Genki and Holly just barely squeezed through the crowd with their sanity intact. Although being back in their normal clothes made exploring the busy streets easier than the formal wear they had on the night before, it was still difficult to push through the sea of festival attendees.

Genki winced as he felt someone's elbow push into his gut before another person's shoulder hit into his own while passing by, causing the proclaimed leader of the Searchers to stumble forward. A fast moving arm linked with his own to prevent the young boy from falling to the ground, however, and Genki smiled as he looked up to lock eyes with his savior. Holly flashed him a bright grin, one that was impossible not to mirror, before helping the young boy steady to his feet.

"Are you okay, Genki?" Holly asked with concern.

"Oh, yeah! I'm fine! It's just pretty crowded around here. I guess I have to be more careful," Genki replied with a wryly smile.

Genki's stomach let out a moan of protest, the lack of breakfast making itself known, and the energetic boy's instinct was to grasp at his noisy stomach. Before he could move his arm to do so, however, Genki felt his gaze drift down to his arm, which was still linked with Holly's. A wave of heat crept up the back of his neck and he couldn't help but think how nice it felt to be so close to her. The skin of her arm was warm even through the sleeve of her shirt and he wasn't sure why, but having their arms linked was oddly calming. With an awkward cough, Genki clumsily pulled his arm away from his friend and turned his attention away to anything but Holly's presence. If the wielder of the Magic Stone noticed his discomfort, she didn't let it show.

"Are you feeling hungry?" Holly inquired.

"Yeah, why?" Genki asked quizzically.

"Even over the crowd, I can hear your stomach," the young girl replied with amusement.

"Oh! Hahaha, I guess it's been a while since we ate anything," the energetic boy blushed sheepishly.

"That's true. How about we grab some breakfast before we buy the medicine? We passed a small diner not too long ago and the market shouldn't be as crowded once the morning rush is over. People come to these markets more to buy festival food and souvenirs, not so much to buy medicine, so we don't have to worry about rushing to find a medical stand like we do for buying food. I don't think we'll make the best choices when shopping if we're running on empty stomachs, anyway," Holly suggested.

Genki blinked in surprise, not expecting the proposition. The young boy couldn't think of a time where it had only been he and Holly eating together, and he felt a small flicker of joy ignite in his chest. The idea of having a meal with just Holly sounded like a dream, especially since it was usually the two humans plus five hungry monsters hovering over one pot of homemade stew, where there was no chance to just talk and enjoy each other's company. Mealtime for the Searchers was more like survival of the fittest, for it was always a battle for everyone but Holly and Golem to fill their empty stomachs the fastest. As Genki thought about the other Searchers, however, he remembered the other two members of the group who were off finding supplies and he suddenly felt a pang of guilt come across him.

"I dunno… Hare and Tiger wouldn't be too happy knowing we're enjoying breakfast while they're stuck working together," Genki chuckled softly.

The dense crowd around the two Searchers was unyielding, and Genki let out a weak 'oomph' as a large purebred Zuum suddenly pushed between him and Holly, causing the two anti-Moo rebels to stumble back a few steps away from one another. The leader of the Searchers' eyes went wide as his companion disappeared from view in the mass of people, and even more so as more festival goers pushed through where Holly had once been standing.

"Holly!" Genki shouted, but the noise from the crowd made receiving a response impossible.

The young boy felt his heart plunge into his stomach as his conversation from the night before replayed in his head. He remembered Holly's look of concern as her eyes carefully scanned the crowd for any signs of danger; her relation to Moo now making her an easy target for the Baddies to locate. He also remembered easing her mind of these fears so she could enjoy the festival without having to look over her shoulder, knowing he and the other Searchers would be secretly looking out for her safety in an unspoken pact they had forged. At that moment, however, he had completely lost sight of the wielder of the Magic Stone, causing his anxiety to skyrocket as he whipped his head around in hopes of catching a glimpse of his lost companion.

"HOLLY!" Genki called out again, his clammy hands cupped around his mouth in a desperate attempt to amplify his voice.

"GENKI!"

The leader of the Searchers felt relief flood over him as he heard Holly's voice respond to his call and he whipped his head around to finally spot his lost companion in the crowd. A little further away, Genki could just barely see Holly in the busy crowd; the young girl looking around anxiously for him like a deer in headlights. With a determined glance towards Holly, the energetic boy ran forward before leaping over a purebred Worm like an Olympic contender and landing directly in front of her with a wryly smile; startling the wielder of the Magic Stone in the process.

"Oh! Genki! Thank goodness! I was getting worried!" Holly exclaimed with a relieved smile, her hand resting over her chest from being surprised.

"I'm just glad you heard me through this crowd!" Genki smiled while readjusting his hat.

"I'm glad, too, but I could have done without the heart attack!" the young girl motioned to where Genki had landed from his vault over the Worm, a calm smile still on her face even after being stunned by her friend's entrance.

"Oh! Hahaha, sorry about that!" Genki smiled with repose that matched his companion. "I think you're right, though! Let's go get breakfast so we can get out of this crowd! We're not gonna get much done with this many people around! Hare and Tiger can figure things out on their own!"

Genki was surprised when Holly extended her hand out to him to take; the sun reflected off her skin in a way that produced a pure radiance around her and gave her eyes an even more pronounced shine than usual. Genki's knees felt weak as their eyes met, and even more so when she flashed him a warm smile that could melt a glacier in winter.

"Let's not get separated again," Holly spoke tenderly.

"Y-yeah, we definitely don't want that…" Genki replied, his voice slightly shaky with nerves.

As if afraid to touch her, Genki hesitantly grasped Holly's hand in his own while mentally praying for his hands to not become sweaty. Just like back at the amusement park ruins, Holly's hand was warm and soft, even with the slight amount of callouses from the hard life she had lived up until that point. In all the anime and movies Genki watched in his world, he never understood why characters enjoyed holding hands with one another. Now, he was beginning to understand what the hype was all about.

"I think the diner is this way," Holly pointed back towards the way they came and tugged slightly at Genki's hand at the same time.

For once Genki didn't try to be the leader and, instead, only nodded his head numbly and let Holly lead the way.

The two Searchers didn't speak a word to one another as they navigated through the packed crowd, hands clasped tightly together to avoid being separated again. Genki couldn't help but stare down at their joined hands, a little unsure why something so trivial made his heart skip, and he turned his gaze away with an embarrassed scowl. The young boy then recognized the hanging sign of the small diner they had passed before getting separated earlier, and he couldn't help but feel relieved they were finally almost out of the swamped mob of early bird shoppers. With one final squeeze past a Scaled Jell (Jell/Dino) attempting to sell overly priced trinkets, Genki and Holly found themselves standing in front of the quaint diner door, in which they were quick to exchange relieved grins.

As Genki and Holly pushed through the diner door, the duo let out content sighs at finally escaping the crowded streets; the commotion of the festival not being something either of the anti-Moo rebels were accustomed to. At realizing they were still holding hands, Genki's eyes widened and he quickly jerked his hand away from hers in apprehension; the resulting cold feeling from the absence of Holly's hand subconsciously lingering on his fingertips. Genki could feel Holly's eyes on him, confusion laced in her gaze from the brash way he tore his hand away from her, but he avoided having to acknowledge it by pretending to find the cracks on the tile floors more interesting. The young boy's focus was entirely on ensuring the wielder of the Magic Stone couldn't see the flush ever present on his face from just thinking about the fact he had held Holly's hand at all, let alone for the entire walk to the diner. A part deep within him cursed Hare for his intrusion into his relationship with Holly, and he only hoped the strange feeling he was experiencing towards the brunette girl would eventually disappear, sooner rather than later.

"Ah! It's one of the tournament champions!" a purebred Dino wearing a chef's hat exclaimed with surprise, breaking the tension between the two Searchers.

"Oh! Uh, I honestly didn't do anything. Suezo is the one who deserves all the credit," Holly chuckled self-consciously.

"Nonsense! You two are a team, right? That makes you just as much a champion as Suezo himself! Please, both you and your boyfriend have a seat! Breakfast is on the house!" the dinosaur monster announced merrily.

"Really?! Are you sure?" Holly asked with surprise.

"B-boyfriend…?" Genki just barely squeaked out.

"Absolutely! Festival champions are always given special treatment, it's a tradition of this town. Since you and your monster companion won the tournament, expect a lot of free food during your time here," the Dino replied with a toothy grin while ushering the two humans to a table near the window, completely ignoring Genki's look of uneasiness.

"I really appreciate your kindness. Thank you so much!" Holly beamed while taking a seat.

Genki silently took a seat across from Holly, still feeling a little anxious as he looked across at his dining partner. The clear-eyed boy felt more frustrated at himself for feeling so conflicted; the outside stresses pushed on him from others, such as Hare and now the Dino, only making him feel worse.

"So, any idea what you want to eat?" the Dino restaurant owner asked, ready to write down orders with a small notebook in his claw.

"Some fish would be great, thank you. It's not often we get to enjoy fish, especially cooked by a professional," Holly replied.

"Alright, one fish meal for the pretty lady, coming right up. What about for you, young man?" the dinosaur monster asked while turning his attention to the young boy seated at the table.

"Tamagoyaki, please!" Genki exclaimed instinctively.

"Tama go what?" the Dino tilted his head in confusion.

"Oh, uh, hahaha. Sorry! Uh, I'll have fish, too," the leader of the Searchers scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"Alright, then! Two fish meals, coming up!" the dinosaur monster scribbled down a note in his notebook and sauntered off to the kitchen. After a moment, the Dino returned with two glasses of water, which he placed on the Searchers' table, before disappearing into the kitchen once more.

"I can't wait to eat! I'm so hungry, I'd eat Golem's cooking right now!" Genki joked with a smile.

"Hey, uh, Genki?" Holly piped up quietly.

"Hm? What's up, Holly?" the clear-eyed boy replied.

"What was that thing you asked for? Tama, uh, something?" Holly asked quizzically.

"Tamagoyaki? It's a type of omelet we commonly eat for breakfast in my world. Well, more like in my country. People eat all sorts of different foods from all across the world. What I eat in my country is really different than other countries," Genki replied before taking a sip of water. "I sometimes forget this world doesn't serve the same kind of food I'm usually used to, though."

"That's really interesting. I guess because of the first war with Moo, most civilizations in this world were destroyed and those that survived became very similar due to the lack of resources. So this world's cultures are much more alike to one another compared to how it is in your world, from what it sounds like. I wonder if your world is what this world was once like, before war devastated it," the young girl noted with interest. "What's it like in the country you're from?"

"Japan? I dunno how to explain it, honestly. It's all I ever knew before coming here so it's hard to think how different it is from other countries. I can say that it's a lot different than what I've seen in this world so far, though! There's definitely a lot more people living in the major cities. Like, way more people than I've seen in this world so far. There aren't any monsters in my world, though, which is one of the things that make this world so great!" Genki grinned, his nervousness from earlier dissipating.

"I can't imagine a world without monsters!" Holly smiled with intrigue. "What else is different from this world?"

"The environment is really different from here. Where I'm from, it doesn't go from big forests, to hot deserts, then snowy tundra, then back to another forest so quickly like in this world. The terrain varies a ton here! There're still some forests and mountains in Japan, but nothing like in this world. Japan is made up of lots of islands, though, so it's surrounded by the ocean!" Genki excitedly explained.

"Really? You come from an island? That must be really nice! I never even saw the ocean until after I met you and it took me by surprise how vast it is. Being able to go to the ocean so easily must be really nice," the wielder of the Magic Stone noted.

"It can definitely be great, but it can also be dangerous. Japan sometimes gets hit with huge waves called tsunamis that kill a lot of people and destroy a lot of property. I'm lucky I haven't been affected directly by it, but neighboring towns aren't always so lucky," the young boy replied.

"I'm so sorry, Genki. I didn't even think about the hazards that come from living on an island. That must be terrible for the people affected by such destruction," Holly replied solemnly, her gaze glumly drifting down to the tabletop.

At seeing Holly's expression waver, Genki immediately regretted turning the subject into a more negative direction. Thoughts of Holly's hometown being destroyed filled his mind, and he felt a dagger of guilt stab into his gut.

"But, there's a lot of amazing food from my world that I haven't seen in this world! Besides food from my country, other countries have bunches of different foods! Some places even eat food for breakfast that's more like a dessert!" Genki frantically changed the subject to avoid the atmosphere becoming bleak.

"Eating dessert for breakfast? Really?" Holly tilted her head in confusion.

"Yeah! Pastries and even pancakes topped with syrup!"

"Are those like apple cakes?"

"Yeah! Sort of like that!"

"But… why eat dessert for breakfast? Doesn't that make people feel less ready for the day? You need a hardy breakfast to start the day off right and to have energy for work. A breakfast that's like a dessert doesn't sound very nutritious," Holly kept her curious eyes locked with her friend's, all the while trying to make sense of what he was saying.

"They usually eat sugary breakfasts because they're convenient or just because they taste good," Genki admitted with a chuckle. "My mom would put me in a headlock if I ever ate like that, though! She always makes sure I eat really balanced meals, probably because she doesn't want to deal with my normal amount of energy plus the added sugar."

"That's something we have in common. My mother would have thrown a fit if I ever ate dessert for breakfast, too. We never had much sugar in the house anyways, and mostly had cheap to buy vegetables like potatoes and cabbage. We weren't very well off so we couldn't always afford meat and fish, but whenever we could it was the most amazing breakfast you could imagine. My mother would make the absolute best fish and potatoes you could ever taste and it always prepared you for the day," Holly smiled as her thoughts drifted to a better memory of her childhood.

"That sounds amazing! Most of the time my mom does a pretty good job cooking and even makes me snacks when I get home from school. Sometimes though, if she gets sidetracked watching daytime dramas on the TV, she'll be so distracted that she'll even burn water," Genki wryly grinned at thinking about his mother's sometimes absentminded nature.

"Your mother sounds like a good person," the wielder of the Magic Stone smiled. "But… what's a daytime drama? And what's a tee vee?"

Before Genki could ease Holly's curiosity, the Dino chef and his young Dino assistant burst forth from the kitchen carrying several large plates of food. Besides the two plates of fish they had ordered, the dinosaur monsters placed several baskets of bread on the table, three plates of finely sliced meat, a large bowl of boiled potatoes, a dish of caramelized carrots, a bowl of baked broccoli, two large pots of homemade stew, and several extra plates of seared fish.

Genki and Holly could only stare at the feast with mouths agape.

"Please, enjoy a selection of our most popular dishes! Hopefully it's a worthy meal of a tournament champion!" the Dino announced dynamically.

"B-but, sir! This is an awful lot of food! This could easily feed ten people! I can't accept so much for free!" Holly stared up at the chef and gulped anxiously.

"Nonsense! It's my pleasure, truly! Like I said before, you'll be getting a lot of free food during your stay here since you're one of the tournament champions! Please, enjoy the meal!" the purebred Dino smiled happily before giving a small bow and heading back into the kitchen with his assistant.

"This is an insane amount of food for just the two of us," Holly chuckled nervously.

"Well, let's dig in! We'll bring whatever's left over back for everyone else! This'll make their day, just like it's about to make ours!" Genki grinned hungrily.

Not having to be told twice, both Searchers filled their plates with a variety of different food, although Genki made sure to avoid the carrots. All the while, a comfortable feeling surrounded the duo as they ate and talked with one another, both appreciating the rare opportunity to enjoy each other's company.

"What's your favorite food?" Holly asked while stabbing her fork into a tender piece of fish.

"Mochi, I think," Genki managed to answer with a mouth full of food.

"Excuse me?! Mocchi?!"

"Ack! No! No! Not that Mocchi!It's called mochi! It's a sweet cake dessert from my world! It's not the monster, I swear!" the energetic boy laughed at the confusion.

"I… I see. That's an odd name for a dessert," the young girl replied with a relieved smile. "You had me worried there was something shady about you I didn't know about."

"Nope! Nothing shady here! Honest!" Genki smirked. "So, what's your favorite kind of food?"

"Hmmm… that's difficult. I think maybe homemade potato stew because it reminds me of home, but I also do like fish. Oh, but I also like apple cake a lot! I haven't had one since I was a child, but they're absolutely delightful!" Holly beamed before taking another bite of bread.

"I've never had apple cake from this world before. I know it's really different than from my world."

"It's so delicious! It's a dessert shaped to look like an apple, but it actually has an orange flavor! You absolutely have to try it! We'll have to look around the festival to see if any of the food stalls are selling it," the only female Searcher grinned.

Genki couldn't remember the last time he had the opportunity to talk with Holly like he did now, and he would by lying to himself if he said he wasn't enjoying every moment of their time together. Due to the nature of their journey, the duo rarely had the chance to talk for long periods of time about casual topics, especially themselves. It felt incredible to just talk; to open up and to learn more about one another. As Holly spoke more about herself, Genki felt himself being pulled into each word she spoke like a moth to an open flame. The young boy felt a smile cross his face as he listened to Holly talk about her village's food, and a part of him could almost picture what it must have been like living in the quaint town.

A bold question suddenly popped into Genki's head, and he felt an abrupt surge of confidence. All the conversations the pair had been having up until that point had helped to ease the atmosphere and to clear the air of awkwardness that had lingered earlier. Although he wasn't sure if his next line of questioning would be wise, the leader of the Searchers pushed through his fears and decided to just bite the bullet; his usual courageous nature finally surfacing even though his nerves were still elevated.

"Hey, Holly?" Genki piped up.

"Hm?" Holly swallowed a spoonful of stew. "What is it, Genki?"

"I was just wondering… Have you ever had, uh, feelings for someone before?" the young boy just managed to force his question out without vomiting up the feast he had just eaten.

"Huh? What kind of feelings do you mean? Do you mean, like… romantic?" Holly questioned, eyes piqued with interest at the sudden change in topic.

"Y-yeah, actually. I was just curious if you've ever, uh, felt attracted to someone," Genki spoke with faux composure.

Holly paused for a moment, chewing her lower lip with concentration, before answering in a calm tone of voice. "Yes, actually, I have."

"R-really? You have?" the clear-eyed boy couldn't stop his leg from shaking under the table.

Holly chuckled with amusement. "Yes, it's true. Is it so hard to believe?"

"No, not at all! I was just curious, is all. Since you've been on this journey for so long, I wasn't sure if you ever had the chance to fall for someone before," Genki played off the most casual tone he could muster.

"Why the sudden interest?" Holly raised an eyebrow. "Did Suezo put you up to this?"

"No, no! Nothing like that! I just figured since we have this chance to get to learn more about each other, it would be an interesting topic to talk about," Genki replied with an insecure smile.

"Well, I suppose that's true; talking about romance is a popular topic for people to discuss. Since my village was so small, there were a lot of gossipers who loved finding out that sort of thing and then announcing it to everyone," Holly chuckled at the memory. "What about you, Genki? Have you ever had feelings towards someone that go beyond friendship?"

Genki froze, his heart palpitating as Holly's question replayed in his head, and his mind raced to process what answer he should give. A part of him wanted to scream 'yes!', but another part of him wasn't even fully sure what the emotions he was feeling towards Holly even were. Instead, the young boy tore off a piece of bread and nonchalantly popped it into his mouth. "Nah, not yet."

Holly smiled. "That's okay, Genki. Someday, I'm sure you'll experience it for yourself, too."

"Yeah, maybe… So, what's it like to have feelings for someone?" Genki strategically redirected the conversation back to his friend in hopes of keeping the attention off himself.

"Well… I think it's different for everyone. For me, it makes me feel incredibly happy and filled with warmth. Sometimes, however, it can be painful and can leave me feeling like I'm missing a part of myself. It's also really nerve-wracking, but it's a feeling like no other," the wielder of the Magic Stone whimsically replied.

"That sounds complicated," Genki frowned.

"Oh, it definitely is. It's one of those very complex things in life that make you feel like you're losing your mind while also making you feel like you're on top of the world all at the same time," Holly beamed.

"Huh, now that's just really complicated! It doesn't sound like it's worth the frustration!"

"No, no. Trust me, Genki. It's worth every moment."

Genki blinked, still trying to process Holly's words, before taking another bite of the meat on his plate. His mind slowly went over each of the young girl's answers while trying to figure out how to prod further without making his friend feel cornered and possibly stop opening up to him. Genki could tell the information Holly revealed was something she probably had never shared with the others and from the bashful look on her face, she felt extremely vulnerable doing so. His curiosity only grew with each answer Holly had given him, however, and he was suddenly feeling like he had more questions than answers from the girl.

"So, this person you have feelings for... Is it someone you met on your journey to find the Phoenix?" Genki pried a little further.

"Actually, yes. Even with the terrible things that have happened on my journey, some of the best things in my life have happened because of it, too," the wielder of the Magic Stone spoke softly.

"What's this person like?"

"You're awfully curious, aren't you?" Holly asked with a playful smile before taking a sip of water.

"O-oh! W-well, we've met a lot of people on our journey so I'm just a little curious who you have feelings for. It's not Captain Horn, is it?" Genki's eyes narrowed.

"Pfffft! Hahaha! Oh, Phoenix, no! Don't even joke like that!" the brunette girl almost choked on her drink while not being able to stop the laugh from escaping her lips.

"So… who is it then?"

Before Genki could get a reply out of Holly, the doors to the diner flew open and a young man stumbled roughly in, several bags of festival goods hanging off both his arms. Immediately Genki felt a scowl form on his face as his eyes fell on Hunter, who looked a little disheveled from his journey through the massive festival crowd, and he secretly hoped the other boy wouldn't notice them. The collar on Hunter's blue jacket was unfolded and slightly unzipped, and he did his best to readjust his coat before anyone noticed. At seeing Genki and Holly, Hunter's eyes lit up and a grin grew on his face, although Genki didn't reciprocate the enthusiasm.

"Hey, guys! I didn't expect to run into you two here!" Hunter grinned while approaching the two Searchers.

"Yeah, I didn't expect to see you here, either," Genki mumbled.

"I almost didn't recognize you two now that you're in more casual clothes! The festival clothes really suited you, too," Hunter stated while shuffling around the bags in his hands before looking directly at the wielder of the Magic Stone. "You're just as beautiful as last night, though."

"O-oh! Uh, thank you, Hunter! What brings you here?" Holly asked shyly, a pink blush staining her cheeks.

"I'm just stocking up on supplies for my journey and I thought I'd stop for a bite to eat. I had to get some medicine for Surmal since Suezo's Tail Attack is a lot more powerful than it looks! Surmal's got a terrible headache right now and is being really whiney about it," Hunter chuckled. "But it's so crowded, I thought I'd take a break from all the chaos."

"Suezo has a headache from Surmal, too, so I guess they're even," Genki joked.

"Oh! If that's the case, take some of this medicine for him. It's the least I can do and I bought extra anyways," Hunter dug through one of his bags of festival purchases and clumsily pulled out a small bottle of medicine.

"Are you sure? We have to go out and buy more medical supplies for our journey anyways," the wielder of the Magic Stone replied.

"Yeah, it's my pleasure! It's just one less thing for you to have to hunt around for," the taller boy smiled.

"Thank you so much! I really appreciate it and I know Suezo will, too!" Holly beamed as she took the medicine and stored it away in her purse.

Hunter flashed Holly a bright white smile, one that made Genki roll his eyes, before his stomach rumbled hungrily. In response, the older boy blushed in embarrassment and rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

"Heh, my stomach is embarrassingly vocal this morning," Hunter blushed self-consciously.

"Would you like to join us for breakfast? The chef gave us a ridiculous amount of food, so there's plenty to go around," Holly offered with a warm smile, polite as always.

Genki whipped his head around to glance at Holly with displeasure at her offer, his heart sinking into his stomach at seeing her sparkling smile directed towards Hunter. Genki couldn't pinpoint the emotion reflected in Holly's eyes, but it was something that made him feel apprehensive. With a frown, the young boy looked back over to Hunter; mentally praying the other boy would turn down the invitation and leave the duo alone.

"Really? Are you sure?" Hunter blinked.

"Yes, of course! The more, the merrier! Right, Genki?" Holly asked while looking over to Genki for his approval.

"Y-yeah! Definitely! The more, the merrier… sounds like a great time," the clear-eyed boy replied with about as much enthusiasm as Golem at a water park.

"Wow, thank you! You guys are the best!" Hunter eagerly pulled up a chair between the two Searchers and hastily filled a plate for himself; the boy almost drooling from being famished.

Genki couldn't help but notice how Hunter was seated a little too close to Holly in his opinion; their legs almost touching and his arm brushing up against Holly's whenever he cut food on his plate. Genki's eyes narrowed in distrust and he forcefully swallowed the lump in his throat. He wasn't sure why it bothered him, but Hunter sitting so close to Holly made his heartbeat quicken and his hands to subconsciously ball into tight fists.

Luckily, no one seemed to notice.

"What plans does your group have for today?" Hunter asked in between spoonfuls of stew.

"Genki and I have been tasked with getting medical supplies while Tiger and Hare are getting food for our journey. Golem's taking care of Suezo since it's a little too crowded for him to move around the festival right now and Mocchi is actually still asleep," Holly replied. "The streets were so crowded, though, so we decided to get some breakfast to give it time to die down a little."

"When we're done eating, I'll take you to the medical stand I bought my supplies from so you can finish your shopping quickly. Besides shopping for your journey, though, do you plan on doing anything entertaining at the festival? It's a rare opportunity so you guys should live a little and have some fun! Don't just run errands!" Hunter smirked as he clumsily grabbed for a piece of bread while serving a few pieces of broccoli onto his plate with his free hand.

"Well, there is one thing I'd like to do while we're here. I'm hoping we can find an apple cake at one of the food stalls since Genki's never tried it before," Holly said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Wait, you've never eaten an apple cake before?!" Hunter gasped, stunned by the revelation.

"Nope, I've never had the chance," Genki forced a weak smile.

"We'll definitely have to look around the festival for a food stall selling them. They're really tasty! It's crazy because they look like an apple, but they're actually orange flavored! It's mind-blowing!" Hunter theatrically threw his hands in the air for added dramatic effect.

"Yeah, so Holly's told me," the clear-eyed boy replied flatly.

"Hunter, you mentioned you're traveling, too. If it's okay to ask, why are you on a journey? The roads are pretty unsafe with all the Baddies that are patrolling," Holly asked with curiosity.

"Oh, it's okay to ask. Surmal and I are trying to enter tournaments so we can make enough money to rebuild my family's ranch," Hunter replied with a mouthful of food.

"Rebuild?"

"Yeah, my family's ranch burned to the ground a few months ago so we need fifteen thousand golds to cover the all the expenses of rebuilding it," the older boy sighed while poking at the sliced meat on his plate with his fork.

"I'm so sorry, Hunter. I…," Holly went to speak up and Genki was certain it was to comfort the older boy with her own experience of her hometown being smothered to nothing more than ashes and graves, but instead she let her sentence fade in her throat. Genki looked over to his friend with sympathy, and he wished they were alone so he could cheer her up with a silly antic or a pumped up speech about defeating Moo. With Hunter there, however, the leader of the Searchers didn't feel much like talking and instead, remained silent.

"Oh, it's okay. We'll manage. I'm from Age Island, so getting resources to rebuild takes a little more effort since we have to buy a lot of materials from the mainland. My father did it once before, though, so I'm sure we'll be able to do it again," Hunter's voice was serious as he spoke, but he quickly flashed the two Searcher's a bright grin. "Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get so solemn."

"Please don't be sorry! Really, my friends taught me that talking about these hardships is the best thing you can do instead of bottling it up inside," Holly spoke with comfort.

"True, your friends are definitely right. Still, let's not dwell on the negatives because we're at a festival and we should be enjoying ourselves!" Hunter's mood did a complete flip, his eyes filled with energy. "You know, Genki, you mentioned yesterday that you've never seen a Garu before. Garus are native to Age Island, so that's probably why you didn't know what species of monster Surmal was when we first met."

"Huh, I guess that makes sense," Genki replied, a bit uninterested in anything the other boy had to say.

"I just learned today that Genki's from an island, too! I guess you two have that in common," Holly smiled.

"Really? Which island are you from?" Hunter questioned.

"Not one that you would know of. The island I'm from is as far away from here as you can get," Genki shrugged, voice impassive as he used his fork to push the remaining food around on his plate.

"He's from really far away, from a place I've never heard of before," Holly jumped in, easing the tension with a hesitant smile.

"I see. That's interesting! Where are you from, Holly?" Hunter turned his attention to the only female of the Searchers.

"I'm from Toriyama. It was a small village so you've probably never heard of it," the young girl replied with a hint of sadness coating her words.

"Toriyama? Isn't that the town that got completely destroyed by-" before Hunter could finish his sentence, his eyes widened and he gave Holly an apologetic bow. "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to stir up any bad memories! I ran my mouth without thinking!"

"It's okay, really. Please don't be sorry," Holly replied softly.

"You're a really strong person, Holly, to go through so much tragedy and still be as kind as you are. You're a really remarkable young woman," Hunter spoke admiration.

"Oh! Um, you're too kind, Hunter, but thank you," Holly blushed nervously while shifting her gaze embarrassingly down at the table from the compliment.

Genki watched the exchange and a lump rose into his throat at seeing Holly's face flush crimson from Hunter's words. The young boy could feel his heartbeat quicken as he thought back to his earlier conversation with his friend about romance, and he felt a heavy weight slump onto his shoulders.

'The person Holly said she has feelings for… It must be Hunter!' Genki felt sick to his stomach at the thought.

Genki wasn't even sure what Holly and Hunter were talking about any longer, for he was too absorbed in his own thoughts to listen. The young boy stared down at his empty plate, thoughts of his conversation with Hare the night earlier swirling in his mind and only forcing more insecurities to plague his thoughts. A part of Genki had to admit that, if Hare was wrong about his suspicions, the terrible emotions he was feeling from the current situation wouldn't make sense unless something else was at play. If Hare was correct about his hypothesis, however, it would mean his and Holly's relationship would never be the same again, for good or bad.

'Maybe Hunter's working for Moo, so that's why I don't like him. But… what if he's not? Why do I feel this way towards him whenever he's with Holly? Why do I even care if Holly likes Hunter? Does this mean I… I really do like Holly in that way? No, I… I don't know what to do! I need to talk to Hare!' Genki thought with a nervous gulp.

Genki looked over to Holly, who was still engrossed in her conversation with Hunter, and the young boy wanted to leave the diner as soon as possible so he wouldn't have to endure anymore torture. All Genki wanted to do was finish the errands they had and to get back to the other Searchers without Hunter tagging along.

"We should get going so we can get the medical supplies and get back to the rest of our friends," Genki abruptly spoke up to break up the conversation.

"I suppose we should get back to the others so we can give Suezo some medicine," Holly admitted.

Without waiting for Hunter's input, Genki waved his hands around frantically to get the Dino chef's attention, in which the dinosaur monster was quick to come to their table.

"How was the food?" the Dino asked happily.

"Everything was perfect! You're a wonderful chef! Thank you!" Holly smiled.

"Yeah, everything was great! Can we get all the leftovers bagged up?" Genki hastily asked.

"I'm so relieved! And of course I can bag everything up for you!" the dinosaur monster grinned proudly from the compliments.

As the Dino chef bagged up the leftover food, Genki watched Hunter carefully to get a reading on the other boy. Hunter didn't say a word and, instead, kept his eyes glued on Holly in a way that made Genki want to strangle him.

With one last bow, the Dino chef left several bags of leftover food on the table.

"Here, Hunter. Take a bag of food for Surmal," Holly offered, extending the bag out for the older boy to take.

"Are you sure? You've already allowed me to eat such a great meal," Hunter replied.

"It's no trouble at all. Surmal must be hungry by now and I'm sure he'll enjoy it," the wielder of the Magic Stone beamed while holding out the bag of food further for Hunter.

With a smile, Hunter extended his arm out to take the bag, and his hand gently brushed against Holly's in the process. The older boy paused for a moment, his hand resting ever so slightly on the young girl's, before he took the bag and flashed her a charming smile. Holly blinked in surprise, but didn't say a word.

Genki wasn't sure what was more infuriating; watching the scene unfold before him or, with the exception of Tiger, every time someone called him a "kid".

"See you later, Hunter! Let's go, Holly!" Genki hurriedly spoke while grabbing all the bags of leftover food and marching towards the diner door in hopes of ditching the newcomer.

"Wait! I know where the medical stand is, so I'll take you there to save you two time," Hunter offered with a smile.

"Uh, it's okay, really. I'm sure you have other important things to do and stuff. Holly and I can manage," the clear-eyed boy faked a smile.

"Oh, don't worry about that! I have no plans except getting back to Surmal, but he can handle himself for a little while longer without me. It'll give us more of a chance to talk and learn more about each other. Unless, you don't want to…?" Hunter trailed off, looking a little hurt.

"No, no! It's not like that! We'd really appreciate your help! We just don't want to use up all your time," Holly spoke up from her place next to Genki.

"Y-yeah, I just didn't want you to feel like you had to help us. Thanks for your help, though," Genki weakly sighed.

"Great! Let's get going then!" Hunter beamed.

Genki almost groaned as he watched Hunter make a beeline to Holly's side, and the young boy roughly pushed through the diner doors with a scowl ever present on his face.

As Hunter and Holly talked to one another, Genki walked a little behind them, bags of extra food from breakfast swinging at both his sides like a pendulum. He was hoping Hunter would get the hint and leave after breakfast, but the older boy was insistent he bring them to the medical stand and was still entertaining Holly with stories from his journey. Genki watched as Holly's eyes lit up in delight at Hunter's story and the two of them shared a joyful laugh, one in which the clear-eyed boy didn't join in on.

'If Holly really does have feelings for Hunter, what should I do? He's more mature than me and Holly seems to really like him,' Genki thought anxiously to himself.

A part of him wished he could talk to Hare about the situation, for the rabbit monster seemed to have some insight that he lacked. He hated the strange burning feeling in his chest watching Holly and Hunter interact, and he wasn't even sure why it bothered him so much.

'Hunter gets under my skin so much, he's so annoying! Plus we don't even know this guy. For all we know, he's working for Moo and will backstab us the second he gets the chance,' Genki's thoughts turned sour, and the young boy quickly reeled back his judgements and shook his head. 'No, stop thinking so negatively! Hunter hasn't done anything to warrant being called a Baddie! I need to stop thinking so much about this or I'm gonna drive myself crazy!'

"There's the medical stand! See? I told you I'd get you there," Hunter announced, breaking Genki out of his thoughts.

"Thank you so much for your help! I really appreciate it!" Holly thanked graciously.

"No need to thank me, Holly. It's my pleasure to assist a lovely lady such as yourself," the older boy responded with a grin, winning him a bashful smile from Holly in return.

Genki gritted his teeth and held back a sarcastic response to Hunter's flirtatious comment.

With a wave to the two boys, Holly hurried over to the medical stand and started to pick out a variety of herbs and bandages for their journey, leaving Genki and Hunter to stand a little further back so they wouldn't be confused for more customers. Although he wasn't in the mood to stand next to Hunter, Genki didn't want to make a scene so he stayed close to the older boy, though he did his best to avoid eye contact so maybe he could get out of having to talk to him.

"You know, Genki, I heard your group mention reviving the Phoenix a few times yesterday and I think the journey you're on is incredible," Hunter grinned.

"Oh, uh, thanks," Genki replied awkwardly, the young boy not being able to avoid a conversation as he hoped.

"Just be careful. Baddies will go far lengths to prevent you from completing your quest and they're not afraid to pull cheap punches to do so," the older boy warned.

"Yeah, the Baddies can be really terrible! One Baddie we ran into recently even held a baby hostage! She was awful! We're lucky Tiger was two steps ahead of her," Genki frowned as he thought back to their run in with Lilim and how she had held Jagged Hound's human baby captive.

"That's about as low as you can get! I can't wait for Moo's reign to be over, hopefully sooner rather than later. I just want the world to go back to the way it once was, but I don't know if it's possible," Hunter sighed while gently kicking a pebble with the tip of his boot.

"What do you mean? Once the Phoenix is revived and Moo is defeated, all the Baddies will be turned into Goodies and all the Lost Discs will become normal Mystery Discs so the lost monsters will be able to be revived," Genki replied.

"That's true, but the Phoenix can't bring back humans. Even though the lost monsters will be able to be revived, the humans who have been killed during this war are gone forever," the older boy looked up at the sky with forlorn eyes, his usual positivity lost in the moment.

"I… I guess that's true. I didn't think about that part much," Genki somberly admitted.

"That's why you, especially, have to be careful on your journey. Your monster friends are important to you and it would be horrible if they ever fall in battle, but at least you know when the Phoenix is revived, you'll be able to revive your friends, too. If something happens to you, though, there's no making things right at that point," Hunter stated, his tone serious and solemn.

"Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden?"

"Tiger joked yesterday how your group runs out of bandages frequently because you run headfirst into battle, and I can tell you're a good fighter and that you have an unlimited amount of bravery. You have to make sure you're also cautious and that you take care of yourself, though, because one wrong move could be the end for you and then who will be here to lead your group on your journey to find the Phoenix?"

Genki looked down at the ground, and he felt a chill go up his spine. He honestly had never considered the possibility of dying on their journey, even though he had come close to death on multiple occasions.

"I mean… if something were to ever happen to me, Holly would lead the group," the young boy replied.

"Are you sure that would be a good idea?" Hunter questioned.

"Hm? Why wouldn't it be?"

Before Genki could inquire Hunter about his question, the question he was going to ask came from a feminine voice instead. The two boys whirled their heads around to face Holly, who had quietly rejoined the duo with a bag of medical supplies in each hand. She looked at the two boys with questioning eyes; the girl curious about the conversation that had started without her around.

"Oh! I just figured you wouldn't want to be the leader since you don't seem to like fighting," Hunter replied with a smile.

"I mean, I guess so…" Holly trailed off, her voice sounding a little distant.

"No way, Holly is a great leader! I kind of forced myself into looking like the leader by being really loud and getting into fights, but she's kind of already our leader anyways since she started our group and she's the one who directs us where to go. I just run to the front of the group and pump everyone up with my excess energy! It's like when royalty has a stand-in person who pretends to be them to keep the real royal person safe!" Genki quickly jumped in at seeing Holly's disappointed expression.

"Genki…" Holly smiled, touched by her friend's defense.

"Ah! That makes sense! You're definitely the heart of your group," Hunter chuckled.

"I don't know about that, but I do know nothing will happen to Genki for that to even be an issue, anyways," the wielder of the Magic Stone said assertively.

"How do you know? You seem pretty confident about that," Hunter replied.

"Because I would give my life before I let anything happen to him."

Genki blinked in surprise at Holly's answer, and more so by the serious expression on her face. The energetic boy could see the commanding fire flickering in her striking chestnut eyes as she stood by her words, and he couldn't help the feeling of warmth that blossomed in his chest. His thoughts drifted back to their battle with End Bringer and how Holly's statement almost became a reality; the wielder of the Magic Stone's risky plan to ensure Genki's safety almost resulting in her life coming to an abrupt end at the robotic monster's hands. For someone to care enough about him to trade their life for his own was something that kept him awake at night as the incident with End Bringer never truly left his mind; the haunting fear of that encounter had left a permanent scar in the deepest part of Genki's conscious. Holly's words only further cemented those thoughts, that she would do the same thing again if the situation arose, and the hat-wearing boy couldn't piece together a cohesive response to her bold statement.

"I'm sorry, I didn't meant to cause the conversation to take such a serious turn. I can see you two have a really strong bond, though. Most people go their entire lifetime never forging a bond like the one you two share," Hunter tenderly smiled.

Holly chuckled softly, her eyes reflecting an earnest warmth. "That's true, I don't know if you can find a stronger bond than ours."

Hunter's attention wavered on the wielder of the Magic Stone for a brief moment before his gaze fell back on Genki. "You're a lucky young man, Genki, to have someone who cares so much about you."

"Y-yeah, I know I'm lucky! And I would give my life to protect Holly, too!" Genki finally sputtered out.

"I know you would. Just be careful when you jump into any battle because humans don't get a second chance like monsters do when the Phoenix is revived. Your life is precious, so don't be quick to throw yourself in harm's way. Always err on the side of caution and try to be three steps ahead of your enemy," Hunter's voice was stern, almost like that of a lecturing father, before he gave the younger boy a gentle pat on the back.

Genki recoiled at the touch a little, but didn't say a word.

"Well, anyways, I guess we should head to the inn so we can give Surmal and Suezo some medicine for their heads," Hunter chuckled.

"Oh, you're right! I didn't realize how much time had passed! It's at least noon by now! We need to get back to the rest of our friends!" Holly noted with surprise.

"Yeah, let's head out!" Genki quickly agreed to hopefully split off from the older boy.

Unfortunately for Genki, there was only one hotel in the entire village so the moment he started marching back towards the inn, Hunter was already walking at Holly's side; a warm smile shared between the two teenagers. Genki couldn't stop the sigh from escaping his mouth as he gripped the bags of leftovers tightly and trudged slowly behind the duo; the usually energetic boy subconsciously accepting that the sensation of disappointment would be a familiar feeling throughout his time at the festival.

---

The giant inn was a sight to behold and Genki couldn't have been more relieved to finally make it to their destination. Genki quickly pushed past his two companions and flung the hotel doors open, revealing the same beautiful granite lobby they had admired the night before. While Genki and Holly turned to go down the long hallway, Hunter stopped abruptly, causing the two Searchers to stop in their tracks.

"Is everything okay?" Holly asked.

"I'm actually on the top floor, so I guess this is where we split up for now," Hunter said while pointing to the winding staircase on the far side of the lobby.

"It was really nice to be able to hang out this morning. Thank you again for the medicine for Suezo and tell Surmal I hope he feels better," the wielder of the Magic Stone smiled.

"I'll definitely pass your message along to Surmal and please give the same message to Suezo, too. Also, I should be the one thanking you for the good food and the even better company," the older boy beamed as he moved a little closer to the young girl; his gaze locking with Holly's pure eyes.

"Yeah, it was a good time! See you later!" Genki spoke faster than the Tainted Cat Brothers as he grabbed onto Holly's hand and pulled her towards their hotel room to break up the moment.

"Y-yeah! We'll see you later!" Holly called out behind her with a slight stutter; the brunette girl a little stunned at being pulled away from the older boy so suddenly.

Genki didn't look behind to see Hunter's expression at the duo's quick exit, for all he wanted to do was escape to the hotel room and avoid any further contact with the older boy.

"Genki, are you okay? You were really quick to leave Hunter behind just now," Holly questioned with a raised brow as she tried to keep up with her friend's speed walking so he wouldn't pull her arm out of its socket.

"Oh! Uh, y-yeah! I'm fine! I just, uh…" Genki's brain went into overdrive trying to formulate an excuse his companion would buy for their speedy departure from Hunter, and his mind could only piece together one response. "I really need to use the bathroom!"

Holly blinked, a little surprised at the blunt reply, before she blushed a little at the answer. "O-oh, um…"

Genki mentally facepalmed at his response, but he didn't elaborate further as they finally made it to their hotel room. As Genki went to grab the key from his pocket, he realized he was still clasping Holly's hand from where he pulled her along through the hallway, and he quickly released his grasp on her as if she was made of fire. Without looking at the wielder of the Magic Stone, Genki hastily rummaged through his pocket for the key and clumsily tried to unlock the door; his nerves only making him fumble around ineptly. Finally, the door let out a small click and the two Searchers quietly opened the door just in case Suezo was still in the same bad mood as he was earlier.

As Genki and Holly entered their hotel room, they were surprised to see Tiger and Hare were back and weren't exploring the festival. Tiger sat at the end of Holly's bed with a bored expression on his face and Hare laid in his own bed while using his abacus to calculate the group's current funds. Golem sat near Suezo's bed, in which the eyeball monster was still curled up under the blankets, while the rock giant watched over him quietly. On top of Golem's shoulder was an awake Mocchi, the little monster clearly a little bored, and he let out a happy squeal at seeing the two humans of the group had finally returned. Without hesitation, the pink penguin-like monster slid down Golem's arm and flung himself into Genki's arms.

"You're finally back, chi!" Mocchi chirped happily.

"Yeah! And we brought some food!" Genki grinned while holding up the bags of leftovers.

Mocchi stared up at Genki with eyes as wide as saucers and a little drool collecting on the sides of his mouth. "Genki brought food, chi?!"

"Yup! Dig in!" the young boy placed the bags down and pulled out a piece of bread, which his companion greedily took.

"Thank you, chi!" Mocchi wasted no time devouring the bread as if it was the first meal he had eaten in weeks.

"Thanks for the food, you guys! I was definitely getting hungry!" Hare grinned as he tossed his abacus onto his bed and hopped over to pick out some food for himself.

"How did the food shopping go?" Holly asked.

"It went really well, actually! Lucky for us, the merchants recognized our association with you and Suezo. Since you two won the tournament, they gave us a ton of discounts! This festival is the best!" the rabbit monster grinned before popping a carrot into his mouth.

"We should have enough supplies to last us awhile, so coming to this festival ended up working out well for us," Tiger noted while digging around one of the bags of food to get some of the sliced of meat.

Genki ignored the conversation and, instead, made a beeline to the closest bathroom. The young boy immediately locked the door behind him and slid down to the floor; his back pressed up against the door and his legs pulled up to his chest. A low sigh escaped his lips before he rested his forehead against his knees, the sinking feeling in his stomach still lingering from earlier.

'This is so stupid, for me to be so worked up over this. I need to just take a deep breath and relax,' Genki thought to himself, the young boy allowing his lungs to intake a deep breath of air and to release it slowly. It felt good to have a moment of silence so he could clear his head, even if he wasn't in the most ideal place. Still, it gave the young boy an opportunity to calm his nerves and to try regaining his composure before he'd have to face Holly again or, in the worst case scenario, Hunter.

Genki scowled as his thoughts drifted to the older boy and how he seemed to connect so well with Holly. Maybe he had gotten too used to the usual group dynamic and the idea of someone new coming in and changing that was unsettling. The Searchers had become a tightknit group that all functioned together like clockwork; each group member providing a different asset to the team. Hunter's intrusion upset the usual dynamic, however, and it left Genki feeling uneasy.

'I seem to be the only one who has a problem with him, though…' the young boy looked up at the bathroom ceiling, a part of him not wanting to leave the room.

A soft knocking at the door startled Genki, and the young boy instinctively got to his feet and put on his usual brave front. Genki awkwardly cleared his throat and secretly prayed it wasn't Holly coming to check on him.

"Yeah, who is it?" Genki asked.

"It's me; Hare. I just wanted to check in with you since you've been in there awhile and you ran in there like you had just found the Phoenix. Are you okay, Genki? Can I get you anything?" Hare's voice was muffled from behind the door separating him and Genki.

"Oh, yeah! I'm alright!"

"Well… if you need anything, just let me know, okay? Holly's worried about you and I am, too."

Hare's voice was dripping with concern for both his human friends, and Genki felt a little guilty not being upfront with Holly about the situation and for even making Hare worry about him. With a sigh, the young boy unlocked the bathroom door and opened it to face the rabbit monster directly, even though he wasn't sure what to say.

"Hey there, champ. Having a rough day?" Hare asked sympathetically while leaning up against the doorframe.

"Uh, yeah. Something like that," Genki exhaled.

"Do you want to talk? You know, just the two of us?" the rabbit monster offered with a gentle smile.

"Really? You would?" the young boy asked his comrade with hope.

"Yeah, sure thing! Come on, let's do some sightseeing at the festival! A quick walk in the fresh air will do us both some good," Hare grinned.

Genki couldn't stop the smile of relief that crossed his face and he quickly glanced over the rest of the large room to see what the rest of his friends were up to before he would make a quick getaway with Hare. Golem had finally gotten up from his seat near Suezo's bed and, with Tiger at his side, was just leaving the hotel room with the wolf monster. Holly sat on the edge of Suezo's bed as she gave his sore head a gentle rub; the eyeball monster already feeling a little bit better after taking the medicine Hunter had given him. Mocchi clung to Holly's back like a koala, his little black eyes looking down at Suezo happily now that he was feeling better, and the baby monster only grinned wider when Holly started rubbing his shelled head, too. Holly's eyes danced in amusement as Suezo and Mocchi sighed happily at the head rubs they were receiving like blissful puppies, and both Genki and Hare couldn't help but smile at the scene.

"She sure is a caring person, isn't she? It's no wonder everyone loves her," Hare whispered softly to his companion while nudging him with his elbow.

"I-I mean, yeah, who doesn't like Holly?" Genki whispered back with a blush, the orange hat-wearing boy avoiding eye contact with his friend.

Genki could almost feel the knowing look being directed his way from Hare, and the young boy subconsciously looked at the ground to avoid getting more embarrassed than he already was. Without warning, Genki quickly found himself being dragged by his arm by the rabbit monster, who marched towards the hotel room door completely casually with the young boy in tow.

"See you later, guys!" Hare called out behind him as he opened the hotel room door and took a step out into the hallway.

"Oh? Are you two leaving, too?" Holly asked with surprise from her seat next to Suezo.

"Yeah, I want to go check out the gambling stands to see what games they have and Genki's coming with me as my wingman," the rabbit monster replied with an impish smile. "Besides, I can't let Tiger and Golem have all the fun!"

"Well, don't go wasting our money!" Suezo barked. "I can only win so many tournaments!"

"I won't I promise! That's why Genki's coming with me!" Hare defended. "Plus, we don't even have your prize money yet, so you don't need to worry!"

"Genki, are you sure you're feeling well enough to go out? Maybe you should lay down for a little before you go back out," Holly looked at Genki with the same concerned eyes as earlier.

"I'm okay! Really! I feel much better now! See you later! Bye!" Genki rushed his words and left the room without looking back at Holly; leaving a very confused wielder of the Magic Stone behind.

---

Genki sighed as he sat on a wooden bench next to Hare on the side of one of the decorated streets. Lanterns burned throughout the area and the two Searchers watched several children playing with vibrant sparklers; a scene of innocence that was normally rare for the anti-Moo rebels to find on their journey filled with war. Both Genki and Hare quietly snacked on some honey candy they had gotten for free from yet another vendor impressed with their association with the festival champions, which was something Hare was taking full advantage of.

"Man, you can't beat getting free stuff!" Hare grinned greedily as he popped another honey candy into his mouth.

"Yeah, it's definitely been kinda nice," Genki agreed while just finishing his own candy.

"We're lucky it's not as crowded right now and that the sun is starting to go down. I didn't want to be cooking in the sun after all the traveling we did in that desert," the ex-con artist said.

"Yeah, definitely," the young boy's answer was short; his mind preoccupied with other stresses of his life.

"So, Genki, you seem to have a lot going on in that tiny human brain of yours. Want to talk about it?" Hare asked with an amused smile.

"It's that Hunter guy! Ever since we met him, he's been hanging around with us and being annoying! He won't take the hint to leave us alone!" Genki frowned, his mind so preoccupied with the current dilemma that he didn't even acknowledge Hare's slighting joke.

"What's wrong with hanging out with Hunter? He seems like a nice guy," the rabbit monster questioned.

"He's obnoxious, nosey, and an attention-seeker."

"We've dealt with way worse people than someone like that. Tell me the real reason why you don't like this guy. I can't help you if you're not completely honest with me," Hare's voice was a little more serious than before.

"I… I think Holly likes him," the young boy sighed.

"You need to elaborate on that."

"I mean, I think Holly really likes him! You know, like what you said last night! The crush thing!" Genki exclaimed.

"Wait, wait, wait. What makes you think Holly has feelings for Hunter?" Hare questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"Every time Hunter compliments her, Holly's face gets really red and she acts all shy and stuff. Plus, she keeps inviting him to hang out with us!" Genki scowled irritably while crossing his arms over his chest.

"Genki, my boy, just because Holly gets bashful when Hunter flirts with her doesn't mean she has romantic feelings towards him. She's not the type to like being the center of attention, so she's probably just a little nervous at the sudden attention," Hare shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "And she's probably including him because he's a nice enough guy who wants to be our friend and she's polite to a fault, so she probably doesn't want to make him feel left out."

"I guess… but it's still annoying," the brunette boy grumbled.

"You know why you're feeling so bothered about the situation, don't you?" the rabbit monster smiled slyly.

"No, not really," Genki lied through his teeth, the burning feeling of embarrassment crawling up his neck as the truth echoed in his heart.

"Oh, I think you do. You already know it's because you definitely have feelings for Holly, as I hypothesized last night, and you're feeling jealous because of the amount of time Holly and Hunter are spending together," Hare grinned, a little smug as he watched his friend squirm uncomfortably next to him.

"I-I mean, we don't know that for sure. What if it's because Hunter's a Baddie and that's why I'm getting a bad feeling about him?" Genki retorted, his face flushed red from embarrassment.

"Let me put it to you bluntly, Genki. Even if Hunter was hypothetically working for Moo, it wouldn't erase the fact that you have feelings for Holly," the rabbit monster spoke with amusement.

Genki looked down at an unopened honey candy in his hands and he couldn't stop the sigh from leaving his mouth. He didn't like how complicated everything had become and how the whole situation made his stomach hurt the more he thought about it.

The rabbit monster sitting near the boy only smiled and poked him in the chest.

"Listen, Genki, don't worry so much about Hunter. I know you're feeling down about the situation, but you don't have anything to worry about. At the end of the day, Holly is one of your closest friends and you like spending time with her, right?" Hare asked.

"Yeah, of course!" Genki didn't hesitate to answer.

"If that's the case, enjoy your time with Holly at the festival even if Hunter's around. It's not often we get the chance to enjoy ourselves like this and it's a great opportunity to spend some time with Holly no matter who else is around. Remember the amusement park ruins? Even though the time was short, it looked like you and Holly had a really good time together even though the rest of us were still around. Just because Hunter hangs around with you two, it doesn't mean you can't still enjoy your time together," the rabbit monster placed his hand on Genki's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Genki stayed silent as he took in the words his friend was saying, and he couldn't help but stay quiet as he processed it.

"Just always remember how important Holly is to you and how important you are to her, too, whether it's romantic or as friends. Hunter can't sever the bond the two of you share unless you allow your emotions to get the better of you. No matter what, you need to support Holly and what she chooses to do, even if it means supporting her relationship with someone else. No matter what, your friendship with her has to come first and if she's truly important to you, you'll be there for her no matter what," Hare's eyes shone with a serious glint, something that wasn't common for the planner of the group.

Genki felt his heart drop into his stomach as he listened intently to his friend's words, and he nodded numbly in understanding.

"That being said, I really don't think Holly has feelings for Hunter in the way you think she does. From what it sounds like, I think Hunter may be interested in her, but she's just being friendly. I'm pretty sure her attention is focused elsewhere," the rabbit monster smiled playfully and patted Genki on the back. "But, for now, just relax and have some fun. You'll have plenty of time to sort out your feelings for Holly and you know I'll always be here to talk to anytime you want some advice or just someone to listen to you."

Genki glanced over to his friend and his expression soften. "Thanks, Hare. I really do appreciate everything you've been doing for me. You're right; I need to stop worrying about Hunter and just focus on having a good time at the festival with Holly. I'm just making things uncomfortable when I'm trying to avoid Hunter and it's probably worrying Holly."

"Tomorrow's a new day and it's our last full day here before we claim our prize money the following day and get back to our journey. You should ask Holly to explore the festival with you, I'm sure it'll make her day and you'll both have a good time even if other people hang out with you, too," Hare suggested with a smile. "Just keep your jealousy in check and you'll be golden."

"Yeah, you're right! I'll make tomorrow a much better day even if Hunter hangs out with us!" Genki beamed while pumping his fist in the air.

"That's the spirit! Now, let's go check out the gambling stands!" the rabbit monster grinned greedily.

"W-wait, you were serious about that?"

"Absolutely! Where there's money, there's Hare!"

Genki face faulted at his friend's reply and quickly found himself being dragged by his arm to the gambling section of the festival without his input. The young boy sighed, but decided not to fight it after Hare had helped him. Like a bloodhound, Hare pulled Genki along until they made it to the gambling booths, and the rabbit monster was quick to tear away from his friend to inquire about the cost of putting in a bet.

As Hare talked with a purebred Jell running one of the gambling booths, Genki took a moment to look at their surroundings. The sun was almost completely set and the air was beginning to get cool. Due to the torches and lanterns scattered throughout the festival grounds, everything was illuminated with a warm glow that made it look extra whimsical. A few rows over, a round yellow figure caught the young boy's eye, and he was surprised to see Suezo hopping around with Holly and Mocchi following behind him.

Holly cradled Mocchi in her arms as if he were her child as she took a cup jelly from one of the vendors and handed the dessert to the baby monster. Mocchi happily accepted the treat and immediately nibbled at it; the cup jelly getting the pink penguin-like monster's seal of approval. Genki watched as Suezo struggled to unwrap a honey candy for himself, his lack of hands sometimes an issue for routine tasks, and the eyeball monster sighed in aggravation. With care, Holly quickly took the candy from her closest friend and cumbersomely unwrapped it with her free hand before gently placing it on Suezo's tongue to ease his frustration. Suezo immediately sucked on the candy, his body swooning happily from the sweet flavor, and Holly smiled warmly at his response.

Genki couldn't stop the feeling of admiration from bubbling up in his chest at the scene, and he was so distracted he didn't notice Hare had made his way back to his side.

"Genki, go talk to her! I'll come get you in a second and we can head back to the hotel then," the rabbit monster smirked as he pushed the clear-eyed boy towards the other Searchers.

Genki looked back at Hare, a little nervousness in his bones, before taking in a deep breath of air and walking towards his friends. With about as much grace as when he tried to retrieve the Magic Stone from the Hengar's City, Genki ineptly squirmed his way past the other festival attendees until he finally reached the other Searchers.

"Hey, guys!" Genki casually called out as he got closer to his friends.

"Oh! Hi, Genki! Are you and Hare having fun?" Holly asked with a smile.

"Yeah, we've been having a good time. What about you?"

"We've been having fun, too. Suezo's quite the celebrity ever since he won the tournament. Everyone keeps giving us free food and these two are taking full advantage of it," the wielder of the Magic Stone sighed while hoisting up Mocchi so he wouldn't slip out of her arms.

"Of course I am! The people here appreciate my greatness and I'm gonna soak up every ounce of it!" Suezo boasted proudly.

"Yeah! Mocchi got lots of free candy thanks to Suezo, chi!" Mocchi exclaimed happily.

"You certainly have! If you eat much more, I might not be strong enough to carry you anymore!" Holly chuckled.

"No! Holly has to carry Mocchi no matter what, chi! It's the law, chi!" the baby monster pouted.

Genki couldn't stop the smile from forming on his face as he watched Mocchi bury his face into Holly's shirt, the young monster not wanting Holly to stop carrying him. The clear-eyed boy's smile grew as he watched Holly reassuringly kiss the very top of Mocchi's forehead before holding him closer, and the scene melted Genki's heart.

"Ooooh! No way! Look over there! A dirty magazine stand! I'm gonna go check it out real quick! Maybe I can get a free sample!" Suezo smirked slyly before hopping towards the adult magazine stand with no shame.

"Really, Suezo? Even with Mocchi here?" Holly spoke bluntly with a blush of embarrassment.

"Hey! It's not every day I get a chance like this and what can I say? I'm a monster of culture!" the eyeball monster called back to his companion before he hopped out of earshot.

"What's a dirty magazine, chi?" Mocchi asked his friends with an innocent tilt of his head.

"O-oh! Um... they're, uh… old magazines found in ruins so they're dirty and dusty!" Genki replied with a nervous chuckle.

"Y-yeah! Like, really old and in ancient languages so you wouldn't be able to read them!" Holly backed her friend's explanation up with an uncomfortable blush.

Both Genki and Holly sighed in relief as Mocchi seemed to accept their answer, and the duo locked eyes with one another before exchanging amused smiles. With Holly's attention now on him, Genki mentally prepared himself to talk to his friend about the next day and he could only hope she didn't already have plans.

"Oh, um, Holly? I was wondering… Do you want to, maybe, hang out tomorrow? You know, explore the festival together? We spent most of our time today buying medicine and stuff. It would be kinda fun to just, you know, walk around together and see what's around…" Genki trailed off nervously, the boy half expecting her to decline after his cold behavior towards Hunter throughout their time at the festival.

"I'd love to, Genki," the wielder of the Magic Stone smiled warmly without missing a beat.

"R-really? I mean, yeah! Great!" the clear-eyed boy beamed at the answer he received.

"Can Mocchi come, too?" Mocchi asked with hopeful eyes.

"Of course! You know you can always hang out with us!" Genki grinned while giving his companion a pat on the head.

"Hey! Genki!"

The trio of Searchers turned to see Hare strolling towards them with a smile plastered on his face. The rabbit monster finished casually eating a mango as he made his way to this friends before throwing the remains in a nearby trashcan.

"Did you pay for that or was that more free food from the vendors?" Holly's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"Free, of course!" Hare grinned.

"You guys need to stop taking advantage of the people here! A few free things are okay, but you and Suezo have been eating your weight in free food here!" Holly frowned.

"Hey, you know the old saying; if it's free, it's for me," the rabbit monster shrugged playfully.

"So, how'd the gambling go?" Genki asked.

"I decided not to place any bets since it's a little too expensive for my liking so I'm gonna head back to the inn. Any of you guys going back, too?" Hare let out a yawn while stretching his back.

"Yeah, I think I'm ready for some sleep," Genki admitted with a tired smile.

"I have to go retrieve Suezo before he actually buys something from that magazine stand so we'll see you back at the inn. I'll make sure we're quiet just in case you're asleep by the time we get back. Take Mocchi with you, though, since it's getting late and he needs his sleep," Holly said as she turned her attention down to the young monster still nestled in her arms and she playfully poked Mocchi's belly. "You're still growing so you need your rest if you want to grow up big and strong!"

With care, Holly gently placed Mocchi into Genki's arms and the baby monster immediately clung onto his closest friend like a magnet. The two humans of the Searchers exchanged warm smiles, the moment of serenity something that felt so natural against the low illumination from the festival lanterns, until Genki felt a wave of nerves clench in his stomach. With an awkward cough, Genki quickly turned away from Holly and forced his gaze to fall on Mocchi, instead.

"Alright, we'll see you later! Don't stay out too late!" Hare spoke up to break the silence.

Holly smiled at her two friends and flashed them a bright smile; her eyes settling on the boy with clear eyes. "Okay, see you later! I'm looking forward to tomorrow!"

"Yeah, me too! Tomorrow is gonna be great!" Genki beamed, even with his stomach still in knots.

With a quick wave of parting, Genki hoisted Mocchi up in his arms and started the long walk back to the inn with Hare at his side. The young monster in Genki's arms started to doze off in the comfort of Genki's embrace, and both Genki and Hare smiled to one another. As Hare gave Genki a supportive pat on the back, the young boy couldn't stop the grin from growing on his face as thoughts of the following day lingered in his head. Even if Hunter joined them, the young boy was determined to make his time with Holly the best he could and he could barely contain his excitement.

He would do his best to make tomorrow a better day.

---

Man, that was a lot of boring talking, I'm so sorry guys. Getting back into writing is going to take me a lot longer than I thought. I'm definitely struggling to condense things and to keep on track. XP Next chapter should pick up a little, but this will be a pretty low key story overall. I'm looking forward to writing the next few chapters, though, because they're the parts that spawned this story idea in the first place so I hope it'll be more interesting! Hope is the key word, though! X3

Most of the food mentioned in this story come from the Monster Rancher 1 and 2 games, so even though some of the names might sound weird they're not made up! I always wanted to try the apple cake in the Monster Rancher games as a kid, it sounded like it was awesome tasting. A pastry shaped like an apple, but tastes like an orange. It's gotta be awesome! XD

Thank you again for all of your support! You guys are the best! Just remember, keep the Monster Rancher fandom alive! Monsters rule!

Chapter Preview (Chapter 4) – As the festival continues, Holly and Hunter spend more time together while Genki struggles to keep his jealousy in check. Stay tuned!

RockyRoadSmith: Signing off! :3