Outside of the gates of Ling-Sho. How very pretty. With its red roofs and beige walls, it may look plain, but with a small stream surrounding the village walls wonderful rose bushes that vined up the walls.
Bringing a rose close to my face, I took a sniff. Delightful. Angel had pulled a rope to ring the bell. We stood outside the walls while the gates slowly opened. We stepped within the gates of the wall. It was much more beautiful then outside. With a lake in the middle surrounded by stones. It had lily pads and fish swimming around. The stores and housed were beautiful a well. Even the stoned walk way was neatly done.
"Hello Ledia." I heard and old voice say. I slowly looked up from the lake to an old man with a walking stick. The man wore a tanish cape over his tanish body suit. "Don't you remember me?" The man pointed to himself.
I looked curiously trying to remember. "You see, Kannuki." I heard Mingi say behind me. "You shouldn't make jokes about me being old. That man's older than I am." After what Mingi said I heard Kannuki try to keep himself from laughing.
I then soon remembered his name. "Toshie!!" I screamed, he's an old friend of my fathers. "I'm surprised to see you."
Toshie patted my back. "It's good to see you too." He smiled.
"Guys," I said turning to everyone. "I want you to meet an old friend of my fathers, Toshie."
"A pleasure to meet you all." Toshie bowed. "I am known as the best wise man around."
I turned surprised to Toshie. "Since when did you become a wise man?"
"It took me many years to become one of kindness and great hearing." Toshie bowed.
I may not have known Toshie for very well, but my father always called him a stubborn man. Wait till he hears about this.
"A wise man, eh?" I heard Fenrir say. "I would like to know what help to these people would I be?"
"You may be a bigger help to them then you think, my friend." Toshie looked us all over. "All of you are special in your own way. But..." Toshie looks straight at Angel. "You...you are more special then everyone else." He paused for a second. "I-I don't know what's so different about you. This is all so confusing."
"What?" Angel asked "What is it?"
"All I see is a face. Just like yours. With brown hair, and green eyes. She looked to be a bit older than you, but that's all I see." Toshie said blinking a couple of times. "Please don't look so down all of you. Come on, the sun says it's dinner time."
We all followed Toshie to a big house, with a red roof as well and beige walls, but many different flowers grew around the house and dragons were carved into the beige walls. We stepped inside the beautiful house. A young girl in a blue, black and white kimono with her hair tied up, held by chopsticks stepped up to us. She smiled and bowed. "Moonlight," Toshie said. "Meet my friends daughter, Ledia."
"I've heard little about you, Ledia." Moonlight bowed.
"I don't seem to recall hearing about you." I said eyeing Moonlight.
"She's just staying here with me." Toshie said stepping behind Moonlight. "I found her unconscious 5 years ago. She's lived in this house ever since."
"Toshie is a nice man...once you get to know him." Moonlight said. "Although he has taught me many things."
We all suddenly heard a growling sound. We all turned to Fenrir and he gave us a sheepish grin. "I'm starved." He said smiling.
"I am too." Kannuki said putting Mingi down. "I feel as though I can eat a whole elephant." He rubbed his belly smiling.
"Come," Moonlight said, "I have prepared a meal already."
We all sat at a table filled with food. Rice, duck, salad, egg rolls, general chow, fried rice. We all said grace before eating. Angel, Mingi, Celes, Cecil, Toshie, Moonlight and me all ate with such grace, but Fenrir and Kannuki ate like pigs. I had to put all the food that Fenrir wanted in his bowl, and he chowed down. Soon everyone was full Angel, Celes and Cecil had offered to clean up.
Mingi, Fenrir, Kannuki, Toshie, Moonlight and me all sat outside on the balcony of the beautiful house admiring the wonderful scenery. Locke had lit a small pipe and puffed it.
"Moonlight," I started. "Where did you come from?"
"I come from a small family." Moonlight started. "My mother is very poor and I have five brothers. A match maker offered to arrange a wedding between me and a man I have never met before. Even against my will my mother thought it best of me. The boys family was rich and had a beautiful home." Her expression turned a little sad. "I did wed to him, he was handsome, but so cruel. I refused to carry his children, I preferred to sleep of the floor instead of in the bed with him. It angered his mother, who was also cruel to me. I thought it best of me to leave. I ran away, I traveled for many days. I ran out of food and became ill. It was a good thing Toshie found me. If he hadn't I would either be dead or living with that cruel family."
"I'm sorry for you, Moonlight." Mingi said laying a hand on Moonlight's shoulder. "Yet, I'm glad you are finally at peace here at Toshie's home."
"Thank you," Moonlight smiled. "I have learned many things from him. Like the power to listen. I listen to many peoples problems. Even though I sometimes don't have a solution for their problem. They're just happy that they have someone to tell it to."
Angel, Celes and Cecil soon rejoined us outside. Angel had her gloves removed and was pulling them back on. "My fingers look as wrinkled as your face, Toshie!" She said talking about how wrinkled your fingers tips get when they are wet for so long. She was waving her fingers in front of his face. Toshie of course made a funny face at what Angel did while we all laughed.
"Excuse me for a moment." Moonlight stood up and bowed to us. "I will make some tea for all of us."
Moonlight then stepped back into the house. I turned to Toshie who sat next to me. "Toshie, please tell me about my brother?" I asked.
"You mean to tell me you don't know anything about your brother?" Toshie said shocked.
"No, father refuses to talk about him. I would barely see my brother when I was little." I said with sympathy in my voice.
Toshie bowed his head. "Your brother was a great warrior," he started. "He wasn't stupid either. He may act like it every once in a while, but no one should be fooled by the way he acts. He was much smarter than he acted. Your brother was such a great company for an old man like me. He always brought joy where ever he went. Uh, Ledia? Whatever happened to his sword?" He asked facing me.
"I now own it." Mingi said pulling the sword out.
Toshie looked in shock. "You must be..." Looking wide eyed at the sword. "The spell Ledia's father put on it only allows the greatest warrior to hold it."
"Yes," Mingi put the sword back. "The question is, how and why I have it?"
"I see a war," Toshie said starring blankly. "A war between good and evil. I see the same face as Angel's. I also see yours...a very young you. With short hair and lively eyes. I see three others. Two of them have strange looking eyes. I sense they are from a different species. A cat like form with wings. And one more lady. With evil eyes, and wears dark colors. She looks to be related to Angel."
"That must mean our pasts are some how connected between you and the swords origin." Angel said facing Mingi.
"Do you know at all what powers that sword holds?" Toshie asked Mingi.
"No, I don't." Mingi said confused.
"The ruby on the sword is a summoning gem, Ledia's father made if for his son." Toshie pointed at the ruby. "It can summon many spirits. Even the spirit of the long before dead, dragon." Toshie set his hands on his lap and looked out to the scenery. "It also contains one more spirit. I know not who's spirit it is but, it is someone powerful that died many years ago."
We then heard Moonlight call Kannuki who helped carry a table out to the balcony. We all sat around the table and sipped our tea. We sat in silence starring out at the colors the sun made as it was setting.
"Mingi," Toshie broke the silence. "I feel you once knew how to use the swords power, but you've forgotten."
"That must be true." Mingi took a sip of her tea. "I only know the simple spells of the earth, sky and water."
"Hmm. Cecil," Cecil's face turned surprised at the way Toshie had said his name. "I sense you have strong feelings for Celes."
Cecil blushed and Celes looked shocked at Cecil. "What strong feelings may that be, Cecil?" Celes asked.
Cecil only mumbled something. "Oh, Cecil!! I'd never thought you'd feel that way for me.!" Celes shrieked throwing her arms around Cecil. Cecil's face turned a bright red color.
I thought Cecil wasn't that great looking, but I guess Celes thought differently of him. While Celes was sanding her fingers through Cecil's hair, Moonlight turned to Mingi and Angel. "When are you planning to leave Ling-Sho?"
"Tomorrow." Angel said gracefully putting her cup down. "I'm planning on sleeping in a normal bed tonight." She said stretching.
We all then heard a snoring sound. We looked around for a bit wondering where it was coming from. We then looked under the table to see a fast asleep wolf. We all giggled trying no to wake him. Celes then picked him up and carried him to a room where, Kannuki and Cecil were going to sleep. The rest of us slept next to Moonlight's room on the other side of the house. We all said good-night to each other and had a peaceful sleep.
The next morning I stepped outside onto the balcony letting the cool morning breeze blow through my hair. Angel then stepped outside yawning and stretching. "Oh, wow this is a beautiful village." Angel said and leaned on the balcony rail.
"Do you have any idea what village you belong to?" I asked.
"No, I don't." Angel said sadly. "Toshie says that I must belong to a major village. There are many major villages all over China. It really made no sense to me or him."
I then entered back into the house letting Angel be alone. Tying my hair up into a pony tail, I see Celes come out first and then Mingi who tried to stretch, but ended up grabbing her side. "That damned, Golbez." Mingi cursed. "It's all his fault I'm in pain."
"Maybe you should let me take a look at that." Celes offered grabbing her nagitana.
"I thought you were an arch mage." I heard Kannuki say behind me.
"I am," I said turning to him. "I know lots of spells, but I still have much more to learn."
"Be right back," Celes said stepping back into the room behind Mingi, then sliding the doors close.
"What are they doing?" Kannuki asks as Fenrir and Cecil enter the room.
"Just healing Mingi up." I said sitting on a couch.
"Oh," he said scratching his head.
"What relation does you and Mingi have?" I asked. "You two are always so close and everything."
Kannuki acted a little shock. "You must be taking it the wrong way. Me and Mingi have known each other for a long time, she's my best friend. I feel it's my duty to take care of her. Even though she can take care of herself."
Toshie then steps into the room. "Good morning everyone!" He said with a big smile.
We all said good morning. Moonlight also entered the room putting last minute touches to her kimono. She smiled to us all. "Good morning you all."
Angel then entered the room from the balcony. "Why look so gloomy, Angel?" Fenrir asked.
"Oh, just thoughts." Angel said sitting on a couch just across from me.
Moonlight then sat next to her. "Talk to me, Angel. Tell me what's wrong."
"What's there to talk about, Moonlight?" Angel shrugged. "I know nothing of my past. There is nothing I should be feeling depressed about. But, somehow in my heart, I feel depressed every where I go. I want to know why."
Mingi then stepped out of the room. "Ah, that feels better." She said moving her arm around. "Thanks Celes."
"Welcome," Celes winked. "Are you guys ready to leave?" She asked facing us.
"I don't think I'm quite all that awake." Fenrir said dragging himself across the room.
"All right," Mingi said "We leave in an hour."
We all split up and did out own things. Moonlight, Angel, Celes and me all helped each other make breakfast. We all set at the table chatting about what we did through the whole journey here. The hour soon zoomed by.
"Well, we're on our way." Cecil said with a smile to Moonlight and Toshie.
"Wait!" Moonlight said to us when we were about to walk away. She then turned to Toshie. "I want to go with them." She said. "They may need my help."
"If you wish." Toshie bowed.
Moonlight jumped with glee then ran inside and came back out with a walking stick of her own. "Happy to be part of the crew." She said with a smile.
We then stepped outside. "Oh, I'm gonna miss this place," Fenrir said. "Kind of reminds me of my home."
"We should head west to Distoki." Moonlight said pointing. We started our walk and Toshie stood outside the gates of Ling-Sho waving good-bye to us all.
Moonlight and I waved back and continued on to Distoki.