"You know," Cassy sighed, "It'd be really nice to get out of this place. You know what I mean?"

The two were working out in the gardens of the mansion's courtyard together. The day was cool and cloudy, threatening to begin raining at any moment. In the lack of sunshine, the flowers seemed to droop sadly.

Railyn nodded, her expression grim. "Yeah, I guess."

"Oh come one, you have to want more than this!" Cassy continued. "Show a bit more spirit!"

The draconic girl just shook her head. "There's nothing waiting for me out there. That's why I ended up here to begin with."

"Is it because you look like a monster?" Cassy inquired, cocking her head to the side. There was a curious glint in her eyes as she said it.

"What else would it be?" Railyn growled, flicking her tail.

"Then you should just get rid of it," the dark-haired girl chirped brightly. "Turn back to normal!"

Railyn's eyes shot a glare at the girl. "If I could do that, don't you think I would have already?"

Cassy shrugged at the question. "Even if you don't know how to do it yet, I'm pretty sure there's a way to change back. You should escape and look for the spirits!"

"The spirits?" This time it was Railyn's turn to cock her head.

"Yeah! You must have heard of them! Like, in the legends!"

"Legends?"

Cassy put her hands to her hips. "Railyn Serez, did you live under a rock or something before coming here? What sort of kid raised in this country doesn't know the legends? Are you a foreigner?"

"I'm not a foreigner," Railyn hissed, "and the details of my old life are none of your business."

Cassy folded her arms and gave Railyn a grouchy look. "Fine. Looks like I'll have to tell you all the legends myself. Now listen closely..."

Railyn obeyed, listening carefully as Cassy detailed every story she knew about the spirits. Zotu, Kagi, Selwa, Malta, Buto, and Moree--all of them powerful, and all of them feared by mortals. They were just tales, yet hearing about them made Railyn's heart race.

"Maybe," Cassy told her with a mysterious look on her face, "the right spirit can make you into a normal person. I bet that Zotu, spirit of life, could do it."

"Don't give me crazy ideas," the purple girl said, her wings drooping slightly. "I was born this way. It's not something that can just be fixed."

"You don't know that! You have to at least try before you can say that for sure!" She grabbed both of Railyn's clawed hands, holding them in her own. "And if you can get yourself turned back to normal, you can leave this place forever and go back to wherever you came from, because then they won't think you're a freak!"

Without saying anything else, Railyn turned and stormed off. Cassy never understood what exactly she said that was wrong, but she knew better than to pry. She did, however, make more of an impact that she realized. After she told Railyn of those tales, Railyn couldn't take her mind off of what she'd been told. One word repeated in her mind without stopping: "spirits."

Could they actually be real? And if they were, would it be worth escaping just to try to find them? Could she really escape?

Spirits...

That word was what brought Railyn back into reality. The view of the courtyard shifted, fading in and out every time she blinked. Then, when she blinked, it was gone. She was sitting in the corner of an old barn, and straw seemed to be stuck to every part of her body.

Was I rolling around in it or something? she wondered as she sat up and brushed herself off. It was horribly itchy, but she had to resist the urge to scratch. Her claws would tear through her scales if she got carried away, something she knew from experience. As she attempted to remove the scratchy straw from her body, her eyes wandered over to the other corner of the barn.

There was a figure sitting there. A person of average height wearing a brown cloak. The hood was pulled down, covering the person's face in shadow. Railyn slowly got to her feet, moving to the side as quietly as I could. The figure did not move. Whether or not it was staring at her from underneath the hood, she couldn't discern.

Railyn glanced behind her, noting the light poking out from underneath the barn door. Was she sheltered, or was she trapped? Was the figure in the corner a captor, or an ally? If it was after her, it could have turned her in already, couldn't it? But perhaps it was keeping her for its own reasons, ones unknown to anyone but itself. She was about to open the barn door and make her escape, but suddenly wondered if the guards were still looking.

I was the owner's prized possession, after all, she reasoned. It's unlikely that he'd give up the hunt so easily. Maybe it's better if I stay hidden. Her eyes darted back to the cloaked figure in the corner. It hadn't moved. Maybe I ought to take a look at whoever it is. It looks eerie, but it doesn't really give me a creepy feeling at all. Maybe it really is an ally.

She began to creep closer to the figure, eying it cautiously just in case it decided to attack. It held a rather large knife loosely in its right hand, but it didn't make any dangerous moves with said knife. She noted the gentle rise and fall of the figure's shoulders as it breathed. Its breathing was absolutely constant, and made no change as she neared it. She slowly reached out and pulled back the hood with a clawed hand.

She was surprised at what she saw. It was a boy, and a much younger one than she expected. The combination of knife and cloak had made him appear as some mercenary or killer of some sort, but his face was the exact opposite. He had light hair with a slight curl at the ends. Glass lenses on strange frames sat on his face, and Railyn found herself wondering what sort of purpose they served. She'd never seen anything like it, and was growing more curious by the second. Blond hair? Is he Shiman? She recalled that a couple of the girls at the mansion were Shiman, and both had the same light color of hair and skin.

It only took a second for her to realize why he hadn't made any moves. Behind his glasses, his eyes were closed. He was asleep. There's no way he'd fall asleep without making precautions if he was really a captor. I could slip out the door right now if I wanted to. But she didn't. In an instant, she found herself overflowing with curiosity. Did he just happen to be here, or did he deliberately hide me? Even if he just happened to be here, the mansion guards must have come by; I doubt they'd overlook this place. He must have kept them from finding me somehow.

She poked his cheek, wondering if it would make him wake up. Though he shifted some, he didn't wake. She decided to take the next best option, raised her hand, sucked in a breath, and slapped his face as hard as she could manage. The boy's eyes shot open as he fell to the side, yelling in alarm. After yelling for a second, he scrambled back to a sitting position and adjusted his glasses.

His bright, blue eyes were trained on her face, seeming to constantly be calculating. He slowed his breathing, but still looked uneasily at the girl that knelt before him. From his perspective, all he could focus on were her eyes. Even though she had little or no intention of harming him, those green eyes were terrifying. Railyn recognized this fear, but couldn't tell where it was coming from. The maids at the mansion were all used to her gaze, and the owner never showed a hit of unease around her. This was something new.

"Hey, are you alright?" she asked. "I know this is probably a lot to take in at once, but I'm not gonna hurt you. At least, not if you don't try anything."

This seemed to calm the boy, who composed himself a little before responding. "Yeah, I'm alright. But did you have to slap me to wake me up? Fine way to thank someone who saved you." He didn't seem to carry any resent, but there was a deal of irritation in his tone.

Railyn winced, and her wings receded slightly. "Yeahhhh, sorry about that. I didn't really think that through."

"Evidently," the boy sighed as he stood up, and Railyn followed suit. "Guess I should explain who I am. I'm Joseph Millwater. It seems like you're running from something, so I should probably stress that I'm not going to turn you in or anything like that. Also, no, I didn't follow you here, in case you were wondering. As a matter of fact, I was residing here first. So if you have suspicions, then don't worry. I don't plan on trying anything."

Railyn relaxed a little as well. "Good. So, uh, it seems like you were trying to hide me. At least, I'm assuming that's what happened. So thanks for that."

Joseph shook his head. "It wasn't a big deal. Those men seemed pretty worked up, and you didn't seem thrilled with staying. Anyone would have done that."

"Maybe where you come from," Railyn groaned, "but around here, it's not like that. People will either turn others in, or mind their own business. Most of this town is the second one. People aren't keen on defending runaways. That can get you into major trouble."

"Really?" Joseph replied, scratching his temple. "That's a little messed up. Well, I guess I can't blame them, but still. Anyway, what were you running away from?"

Railyn backed up and looked away, her tail slowly swinging from side to side. "Don't worry about it. All you have to know is that it's bad, and I'm not going back."

"That bad? Alright, I won't ask." He seemed to understand.

"What about you?" the girl inquired, perking up slightly. "You're an unusual sight. What's your story?"

Joseph sat back down, leaning his back against the wooden wall of the barn. Railyn sat down a few feet away. "It's a bit weird," Joseph began. "I just woke up in the mountains. Didn't remember how I got there, or anything else from before, really. So I decided to head down here and look for a doctor that could help me with the memory issue. I don't know where exactly I came from, but I know that it isn't here. So I need to get my memory back, then I need to get home."

"Weird," Railyn commented. "Can a normal doctor fix that sort of thing?"

The boy shrugged. "No idea. I'll have to find out. Even though that might mean going to every city in this country. Maybe even traveling to other countries if I have to, though language could be an issue."

"Aren't you from Shima though? You certainly look the part. Shouldn't the Endralian language be harder for you?"

"No, this is the same language as what I spoke back home. I'm not actually from Shima."

"Then where are you from?"
Joseph seemed to deflate a little. "You wouldn't believe me. The last person I told said that it wasn't even on the world map that he was aware of."

She gave a firm look. "Try me."

The boy took a deep breath before saying: "A country called 'America.' It's not some small, obscure place. Where I come from, it was one of the biggest and most well-known countries."

Railyn's eyes widened. "That's insane. Are you sure you're not, uh, delusional?"

Joseph rolled his eyes behind his glasses. "Yes, I'm sure I'm not delusional." He pulled back his cloak to reveal the t-shirt, shorts, and shoes underneath. "These clothes came from my home. I had them when I got here. If I'm delusional, how do I have an object from my home?"

"I see. I've talked to some Shiman women about that country, but their clothes are nothing like that. I guess you're really not Shiman. But that makes you even more unusual." Her wings seemed to flutter slightly as she said it.

Joseph re-concealed himself, and pulled the hood back over his head. "I suppose I am kind-of weird. I guess we're in the same boat." It was easy to tell by his tone that he meant no offense by it, but the statement seemed to bother the girl. Her wings sagged slightly, and her eyes drifted and focused on the floor.

"I suppose we are," she said softly.

They both sat in awkward silence for a few moments before Joseph spoke again. "So, what's your story? I know a woman who told me all sorts of things about the creatures and people in Endralia, but she never described anything like you."

"Thing is," Railyn replied, "I'm not even sure myself. I never knew my mother or my father. I pretty much grew up in the wild, relying on my more... reptilian instincts. But after a while, I realized I had to find work, but that just got me where I am now. Long story short, I have no idea what made me like this. But useful though it is, I have to get rid of it."

"Why is that?"

"Do you really think people in the towns would let me in like this? I'm always either shunned or hunted, sometimes both at once. You're not from this place so you wouldn't really know, but these people are suspicious and superstitious. When someone like me comes along, I'm widely regarded as a bad omen or a threat in the best cases, and as a demon in the worst."

Joseph nodded slowly, taking note of this aspect of Endralian society. "So you have to get back to normal somehow? Wouldn't you be able to live in the wild just fine?"

"I could," Railyn admitted with a sigh. "But that isn't what I want. There's someone I have to find, and then there's someone I have to go back and rescue. Then I just want to stay with them and live a normal life, you know? I can't just stay in the wild."

Joseph rubbed his chin a little as he took in her words. "We really are similar. I guess I could have chosen to just do things the easy way too. I almost wish that I did, to be honest. But I also have people to find, so that's not really an option." Railyn gave a small smile, a look of recognition on her face. Joseph continued. "So, how do you plan on getting back to normal? That would take nothing short of a miracle wouldn't it?"

Railyn nodded. "Yep. Which is why I'm searching for a miracle."

Joseph's eyes widened somewhat. "You're not talking about the spirits, are you?"

Railyn looked alarmed, as though she didn't expect him to say that. "You know about the spirits?" she gasped.

"I do," Joseph answered. "A friend told me about them."

"Same. They're the only ones that can fix this, though I know they may just refuse."

"You sound awfully confident. How do you know that they're even real?" Joseph asked skeptically.

"I didn't think they were real at first. but my case isn't even supposed to be possible. I think that kinda proves that there's something supernatural out there."

Joseph chuckled a little. "The logic is faulty, but I see where you're coming from. Actually, if none of the doctors around here can help me, then I'm going to try seeking out the spirits myself. I don't know if they're real, but there are lots of legends talking about them that my friend told me. I think it's at least worth a try."

Railyn seemed to become suddenly excited. She got to her knees and moved closer so that her face was only inches away from Joseph's. "Really? You have to take me with you!" she exclaimed as she gripped his shoulders.

"Wait, what?" the boy sputtered, trying to shake her off. "Come on, I'm looking for the doctors first. I might never even need to seek the spirits at all! And even if I do, it could take forever before I decide to give up on human treatments and look for them."

"I know, but I want to come anyway!" she protested. "If you decide not to look for them, then I'll go by myself. I don't really care how long it takes. But look, you're the only person I've met who's also looking for them. If you really don't want me coming along, then I won't. If there's someone else who has a common goal though, I don't want to do this on my own. It'd be a lot nicer if I had a companion. Besides, I can be really useful, too. I can hunt and fight, and I know a ton about wildlife and all that. So will you at least consider letting me come?"

Joseph took a moment to weigh his options. On the one hand, if I take her with me, she'll stick out too much. We're a pair of oddities, so it'll be easier for people to track us both down. She also might slow me, and she could be a liability depending on how smart and quick-witted she is. On the other hand, she's probably strong, and able to hunt and fight like she said. She's nice enough too, so she'd make a decent companion. If I can just get a cloak and keep her hidden most of the time, then she'd be a powerful ally, at least, as long as she can be patient while I seek out the doctors.

His mind jumped back to something Naya told him: "In every town, there is someone you can trust. There is always someone who is willing to help, even if you look like a foreigner. You just have to find that person and earn their trust." This might not be exactly what she meant, he thought, but she seems trustworthy. An ally in a foreign country would be helpful.

Joseph took a deep breath. "Alright," he said. "If you're willing to possibly take the slow road while I search for doctors, then you can come with me. But just remember, this could take years."

Railyn nodded excitedly. "Yes, I understand that. That's fine. I promise I'll make it worth the trouble!"

At last, Joseph managed a smile. "Alright then. I guess we're in this together now."

Railyn gave a smile in return as she sat back and touched her right hand to her left shoulder before bowing quickly. "My name is Railyn Serez."

Joseph gave the same bow in return. "Like I said before, my name is Joseph Millwater. Nice to meet you."

"Remember this: I don't fully trust you yet, but I think that coming with you will help me achieve my own goals. I'll do what I can to help, but just remember that my own safety comes before yours in my mind." She gave Joseph a serious look, which caused Joseph to shiver slightly. Those eyes were intimidating.

"I understand," he replied. "The same goes for me."

Both of them knew that neither fully trusted the other, but a certain peace of mind came on both as they also knew that neither of them would be walking their road alone.

Meanwhile, three figures made their way into the valley.

"Are we sure the girl came here and not into the mountains, Evan?"

"No, but this makes the most sense, doesn't it?"

"You probably could have stayed longer and got more information. That's usually how it's done, you know. Now poor Maya has to deal with the owner."

"She'll be fine. If I know her, she's already hatching some sort of plan against that creepy owner dude. I couldn't stand hanging out there for another minute, so some of the formalities and usual stuff got skipped. We'll be fine either way though. We've handled tougher jobs, after all."

"Whatever you say..."

"Anyway, I've got a good feeling about this one. Let the hunt begin!"