The dark streets were infested by drunks and whores, people scattering every which way without anywhere to go. A musty old bar stood in the middle of closed down buildings and warehouses, dubbed "THE Bar." It was but a dimly-lit bar filled with people of all kinds, alchohol and smoke hanging thickly in the air. Desere sat at the end of the counter, alone, cutting an apple with a knife as she asked a glass of water.

Perdita strode into the bar, immediatly scrunching her nose and decidingg that this was one of the more rancid places the town had to offer. Cigarettes, alcohol. Ug. She tapped her staff lightly on the ground, a small bubble forrming around her for a split second then vanishing from sight, but none the less, she seemed relieved. She walked down the side and sat down at the bar, ignoring the bartenders questions of a drink. She was merely stopping in to sit down, and nothing more.

She focused completely on her apple, cutting it up into several slices, eyes avoiding everyone around her. As the her drink arrived, she nervously nodded and muttered under her breath, "Thanks. How much?" The bartender who had delivered the drink blinked, and walked away. "It's just water." He mumbled. She shrugged and continued cutting the apple, popping a few slices into her mouth.

She focused completely on her apple, cutting it up into several slices, eyes avoiding everyone around her. As the her drink arrived, she nervously nodded and muttered under her breath, "Thanks. How much?" The bartender who had delivered the drink blinked, and walked away. "It's just water." He mumbled. She shrugged and continued cutting the apple, popping a few slices into her mouth.

So this was the place beyond the forest, a dank, dirty, berlesque city. The worst of its kind, but he had to stay for now. He was hungry and tired, after all. He just hoped he didn't check into the wrong type of hotel.

Coming across this building called "THE Bar", Dane thought that it looked a little better than all the other buildings. Partially scared to go in any other building, he entered. Standing in the doorway, many faces gave him a quick glance before going back to their business. After a brief moment of hesitance, he quickly headed to the center of the bar and took a seat on a stool, ordering a large glass of milk, not in the mood for alcohol.

Looking off to his side, his gaze quickly landed on Perdita. 'God dammit, she's here.' he thought. Turning his back to her, he received his drink, and started to take small sips at it, hoping she would not confront him for some odd reason.

Perdita turned as the door opened, a frown immediatly crossing her features. My god! he was some sort of stalker! What the hell was he doing following her around? A twitch formed in her left eye as she watched him go and sit down, not noticing her. She was grateful for that. She returned her gaze to nowhere in particular, though the twitch was remaining. Stupid, stupid stupid! Don't mix in others affairs! GYA! She slammed a fist down on the counter, for no apparent reason, then crossed both arms over her chest and glared pointedly at the roof.

Ignoring her completely, he simply kept to himself and drank his drink, adding a little salt to it. Now that it taste more like a pineapple than a lemon, he enjoyed his drink, despite the creepy atmosphere. How could anyone stand such a place? Staying here for a prolonged time was not in his agenda...

She turned as Perdita slammed her fist, quickly looking back at her apple. She didn't mean to stare, of course. Finishing off her apple, she tossed the core behind her. What was she doing here, she wondered. She shrugged, and started toying with her knife.

As she traveled up the path that lead to the dark and danky town, her eyes continued to gaze at the stars...almost as they were leading her. " Seems the star predict change and say i will cross the paths of others that will have some sort of impact on my life. Alright, love meeting new people" she said to no one but herself.

She continued to walk up the path, her backpack full of various things, untill she finally reached the dimly lit town, finding herself suddenly standing in front of a place labeled "THE Bar".
Might as well stop and rest for awhile, she thought before entering.

She simply sighed at the condition of the bar, it didnt surprise her, as she made her way over to an empty seat next on the bar next to another girl, carrying a staff. She sat and ordered but a simple glass of hot tea and turned to the one sitting next to her. " Good day" she said, hoping to spark up a conversation...it had been a long week since she had contact with another human. She laid her backpack down in front of her feet and took a sip of her tea.

"Good day my arse." she replied to the one who had attempted to stalk to her, casting another glare at Dane. Stalker. How dare he follow her around like this?! She turned to glare straight ahead, hoping her first comment had been enough to shut the girl that had sat behind her up. Hopefully, though it was very doubtful. People that were cheery were very hard to shut up. Making a mental note that if the other spoke up again she'd get a headache, she ordered a glass of water from the bartender.

" I take it you have had a rough day?" she replied while looking at the girl and noticed that she was glaring at another man who sat not far from them. That man, she must have some sort of quarral with him she though to herself, while taking another sip from her tea.

"What do you think?" she replied, and it took only a split second for the other to be hit upside the hear with the top of the staff. she muttered something about nosy people under her breath and returned to staring at the wall while sipping at her drink. Stupid people. Stupid bar. Stupid stalker.

" I think my gusse was right" she said with a slight grin on her face. " Do you by any chance have a name or do you simply just go by lone traveler" she asked while sipping some more of her tea. Just as the stars had foretold, but how could this person have any effect on her life. She thought for a moment before taking another sip of tea.

Somee people really could NOT take a hint, could they? 'What was your first clue?" she asked, the twitch now more prominant. "I go by Perdita Imani. Or at least that was what the order named me before disbanding me." she stated flatly, she never found out her original name, nor did she really care. She sipped at her water annoyedly.

" Nice to meet you, I go by Jemminaye...or at least thats the name that was giving to me by my mother." she added trying to make it some sort of joke, though it was rather chessy and stupid. " Order eh? What sort of order do you speak of or if you tell me will you have to kill me?" she asked while taking yet another sip of tea, the cup now half full.

Really, this person was worse than the stalker. much worse. At least he had left her alone after a while. "No, I don't have to kill you, nor do I really care about their secrecy code. They're the white priests and priestesses, against black magic." she replied tonlessly, grip tightening on the cup as she retrained her voice.

"Ahh I see. Im just amusing to get disbanded you preformed some sort of Black Magic?" she questioned though the thought of this random person killing her with the Dark magic ran through her mind. Dont do anything to piss this one off she made that note sure to stick in her mind.

The sad thing was, Perdita was already pissed a long time ago. A very long time ago. She turned. "yea, and what of it? They didn't find that too great a thing, but I think I'd prefer not getting mauled by some random creature on the streets, if you don't understand.' she stated darkly, rolling her eyes.

" O no believe me I do understand. One must do what they feel is right to survive." She knew all about that, not being much of a fighter and o how so many called her a coward, but to her it was better to be a shamless alive coward than a dead arrogant warrior.

"Exactly." she stated in reply, leaning back slightly in the stool. Perhaps she wasn't all that bad. Least she wasn't a moron like the Stalker, which was his new permenant name.

((Oh..Lazy..))

" If you dont mind me asking what is your problem with that man you have been glaring at ever since I came into this bar? Or if you wish to keep it to yourself thats fine." she added, while drinking the last bit of her tea and leaning her staff against her shoulder.


((lol ^.^))

"He's an arrogant prat that's stalking me." she said coldly, the twitch returning to her eye, "Besides the fact he thinks I'm a 'really f*cked up person'." she added coldly, crossing her arms overr her chest and staring at the wall.

((Really lazy..))

" Well that would give you good reason to be angered at him, although not to be rude, but did you do somthing or say anything to him to upset him, because then the fault lies in both ends." she said calmly, hoping it would not upset Perdita.

'Well, at least she is enjoying the name. She must be a sadist.' he thought, standing up from his chair as he finished his drink. He gave the barkeep a few extra coins for being such a nice fellow in such a seedy place.

Now, for the long trip back to Jaleena. Noticing the name of the town on the way in, he deduced that it was only about fifty minutes away on foot. This would not do, and he set out to find himself a more chivalric form of transportation.

Seeing that Perdita was already in a bad mood and very unstable, she withdrew a few coins from her pocket and placed them on the bar by the empty tea glass. Quickly, she picked up her backpack...Slinging it over one shoulder with some effort and held her staff in her left hand. " Well Perdita, I wish all the luck to you in your travels and troubles." she said with a nod. " And if destiny permits our paths shall cross again" she said lastly before exiting THE bar.

As soon as she took but a step out into the open her head shot towards the skies, stareing at the stars and began to step lightly along the ground. As she walked absent mindly and of course not watching where she was going she ran into the man Perdita had said eariler she had a quarrel with. Jemminaye looked up her eyes meeting the other mans " Please escuse me im so very sorry!" she said quickly and defensively.

"Ouch!" he quickly remarked out of habit, not that it actually hurt. Shaking his head and regaining his senses, he shrugged. "There is no reason to be sorry, it was yet a mere accident." He smiled a goofy smile.

Wait...she was in THE Bar as well, was she not? Next to...er...Perdita. That can not be helped, they did not seem to be friends after all. Hell, they probably did not even share the same ideals. She was, more or less, a breath of fresh air admist the delapidated town.

She gave a short and quick sigh, relived(sp?) that the man was not angry with her at all. A smiled though quickly replaced the sigh as she looked at the man Peridita had spoke of at the bar. He didnt seem arrogant at all, but was rather seemed like a really understanding person.

" I know, but all the same I should of watched where I was going" she replied to the man. He might of said that Perdita was messed up, but he must of had good reason to.

Chuckling a bit at her response, he replied, "I am not exactly the smartest, or studiest, man there is around. I bump into things just as much as you." Drawing back his lip, he quickly added, "I mean, from what you have displayed, I'm not implying you are clumsy..."

This woman put his mind into perspective, at least for the time being, that a light can be found admist the shadows of darkness, that of this town. He truly needed to find a horse, so he could quickly make his way back to Jaleena.

Jemminaye laughed " Oh I know thats not at all what you intended, but hey we are all a little clumsy once in awhle" she said with a wide smiled on her face. He was not at all as though Perdita had described him, not at all.

" If you dont mind telling me, where are you headed?" she asked then added " That is though quite rude of me for asking, so if you do not want to answer it is fine by me" She said, the stars reflecting slightly in her eyes.

With a faint smile on his face, he answered, "I have to go back to work in the town of Jaleena. I have been gone for three days, and my customers would most likely be quite impatient with me." His smile was more of duty than of happiness, seeing how his work was the only real reason he woke up in the morning.

"Say...it is quite dark out here, is it not?" he laughed, "It kind of just snuck up on me, I suppose." He looked up to the stars above, focussing in on the moon.

Jemminaye looked to the darken sky, her eyes focusing on the many stars. " It dose have a tendency to do that some times" she replied while nodding, and starring at the stars.

" The stars they show to me that this Jaleena town the man speaks of is very good for selling various things, i should go with him" she thought aloud then caught herself. " Please excuse me, Its a habit of mine to think aloud to myself."

"Even if it is a habit, you are quite right about Jaleena. There are many shops and stalls down in the bazaar, but I stay away from there, lots of thieves." He smiled with the same faint smile, "I work up on the market street, near the town hall. If you are ever in town, you should come by. Here is my..." he felt around for his business card, which he had already given to Perdita and was, inconveiniently, his last one. "...I seem to be out of cards." He shrugged once more, "You win some, you lose some."

Jemmiaye just laughed lightly, though never loseing the smile on her face. " Would you mind if i traveled with you to this town? I have many things in this backpack of mine that need to be sold, seeing as they are becoming very heavy." she asked, though there was almost no caution to her voice. " O please excuse me I forgot to introduce myself. I am Jemminaye" She stated while in her mind beating herself with a club...it was so rude to ask to go somewhere with someone who barely knows you and you not give him your name first she thought.

"I always did like travelling with others, going alone is, well, lonely." He examined her backpack. It did seem quite full, of what it was full of was still uncertain, but it was highly probable that whatever was in it could be sold in Jaleena. Then again, there were many mysteries in the world that he had yet to see.

"My name is Dane, Dane Morrow, if I had not already said that." He nodded out of instinct, since he had no real reason to nod. "Jaleena is not that far away, but I suggest we go on horseback anyways, save us some time." He turned back to the street, and was in search of a stable.

"Oh my god! What a goody two shoes!" Perdita was leaning against the doorway, watching them. Her face had taken a disgusted hint to it as she rolled her eyes. Yes, it was pitiful that one would put themselves out in the open like that, so trusting. Bah! Trusting people was only a troublesome thing. Getting them to hate you was sometimes equally troublesome, but most of the time you were left alone from then on.

She pushed off from the wall, staff hanging over her shoulder in a careless manner, "Must look like miss nice and perfect." she sighed in a sing song voice, "I read the stars, oh my! I'm looking for someone to travel with! Gasp! First lone lad I come across I'll go with, it is the sensible thing! Be the goody goody!" she scoffed softly, then continued down the path, not waiting for any form of a counter attack.

After watching several customers come and go, Desere stood up, pocketed her knife, and turned on her way. She had no reason to be here, but where was she to go, anyways? Walking out of the bar and shutting the door softly behind her, she heard a soft mewing at her feet. Looking down, she grinned. "Hey, Prince," and picked him up, petting him as she leaned against the wall of the shabby building.
A few feet away was the path, and she saw a familar figure traveling down it. "I think she was the one in the bar - hey!" Suddenly, the tabby jumped out of her arms, catching up to Perdita, circling around her feet and mewing softly.

Well nigh falling flat on her face by tripping over the stupid cat, she slammed her staff into the ground, using it to catch her balance as she glared at the cat, mutterng obscenities under her breath a moment before realizing someone was beckoning her. What a day. Three people trying to be friendly. What was the use of fighting it at the point?

She glanced up slightly, tilting her head curiously. 'Yes?" she questioned, her voice not holding the strained note that she felt like using, but actually somewhat pleasant as she wasn't insulting someone or thinking of ways to kill them or their dignity.

Running up to catch up with them, she blinked nervously as she saw Prince purring happily at the feet of a stranger. Blushing, Desere laughed anxiously. "S-Sorry about that ma'm. I didn't know he was going to.." A bit scared, she cut herself off. "I apologize if he disturbed you in any way."
Picking up Prince from the ground, she was about to walk away, when he jumped out of her arms again, once more at Perdita. "Er... ^^;"

Jemminaye turned to Perdita a smile beaming on her own face. " Im very glad that you have your own opinion of me, I love to hear what others think of me." she said calmly. She looked to Dane, then to Perdita, then back to Dane...Yep she could honestly see were the conflict would have come in.

Her eyes then traveled over to Desere and to her Cat prince. " Your cat there is very beautiful, lovely creatures they are." she said of course followed by a smile.

Oh what a wonderful change of events! SHE was back, and looking more bitter than before! The time to skip town was upon him, so he informally ignored Perdita, and continued down the road, heading into a small stall to have a little bargaining session with the merchant who was within about his horse that was outside.

After a few moments of negotiations, he came back out and saddled up the horse. He hoped it was a good, sturdy horse, since he did happen to spend a pretty penny on getting it. The residents of this town, all swindlers and cheats...

"It's no problem." she kneeled down lightly, once more perfectly pleasant when not plotting someones demise. She scratched the cat behind the ears lightly, grinning ever so slightly. Yes, she could be nice, she could be mean, it all depended on what kind of mood she felt like acting.

Turning around to see Jemminaye, a bit startled herself, she grinned. "Yes, thank you." Watching Perdita timidly with one eye, and Jemminaye with the other, she sighed in relief. At least no one was going to attack.
"I-I believe we have not been properly introduced." She gulped. Beads of sweat grew timidly at her forehead, trailing down the side of her cheek. Desere had been alone for so long... It wouldn't hurt to have a few friends, would it? Flashbacks of old days and old friends instantly shot through her memory, but she shook them off. "My name... Is Desere. And, as you see here, this is my friend, Prince."

" Nice to me you Desere, and you too prince" she with a warmth smile. Then her thoughts for a moment wondered to Perdita...that was one complicated person, but I know why she is shutting everyone out...Her past she said while taking a look to the stars then nodding to herself.

Her eyes then went from Desere, prince, and Perdita to Dane. She cleared her throt " Errrm excuse me Dane i know your in a hurry but might i suggest not going on horseback, it might be faster to go on foot by following me." she said cautiously but friendly all the same. If he did follow her, the path laid by the stars would lead them quicker than a horse could...even if on foot.

On any normal day, he would take up her offer, but today was not a normal day. For one, he simply wanted to go home and sleep in a nice comfy bed, instead of rooting around with the stars, and secondly, he just bought this horse and she wanted to go on foot...A dilemma...

Deciding to be co-operative over his own needs, he agreed. He returned the horse, and got back half of what he paid for it. Hoping this woman knew what she was doing, he returned to her.

"So, when do we leave?"

" Whenever you are ready Dane" she said then turned to the others. " Feel free to come along as well, just cant hold up dane here...he is in a hurry" Jemminaye said jokingly, then relized that it was dane who was allowing her to come with him...how rude of her to ask without his consent.

" It is alright if they tag along, right dane. I mean the more the merrier" A smile was on her face...again ^.^

"Yeah, sure, if they would like to come, I suppose it is alright with me." he said, then turned to face Perdita, "Just try to lighten up a bit, alright? I want to have a good trip." Half smirking, half smiling, he then turned to Desere, "And it's nice to see a new face, and a new...um...cat...?"

Looking around, he checked his pack, "By the way, if you need anything before we leave, I suggest you get it now. The likelihood of finding it along the way might be slim."

"Pleasure. Names Perdita Imani" she replied quietly to Desere, than nodded toward dane and Jemminaye. "I s'pose I owe you both an apology?" she stated, almost grudgingly. She gave a faint sigh. "I admit I have an attitude problem, and I regret it, if you want anything closer to an apology, then forget it." she stated, her tone was as close to sincere as she could manage, which...wasn't quite the best.

((Lazy...*falls asleep*))

Jemminaye smiled " Accepted" she said while nodding her head and looking back up at the stars. " We should get going soon before i loose the trail" she stated and turned to everyone. " Ready?" she asked a hint of excitement to her voice, she would finally get to sell all the junk in her pack.

"Reading the stars must be real tough when it is light out, would it not be?" he said, facing the road out of town. "I suppose darkness is our friend on this trip." Looking up to the sky, he watched the midnight clouds roll by.

"Just in case we do get in a little bit of a scuffle along the way, I'll try harder this time round, alright?" he murmured, ashamed of his prior performance.

" Ahh you are like so many others. Funny thing is...the stars never really go away its just a matter of knowing where to look during the day, but yes at times it can be difficult." she said with a grin, but then her thought went to what else Dane had said.

" I do hope we dont run into any trouble on this little journey, but if we do im sure you will do a great job dane" she said then thought < I know i wont...>

Laughing to himself, he mumbled, "At least I could upgrade my weaponry when I get back 'cause I'm a lil' low right now and I'm doin' bad and makin' a fool outta myself..."

Starting the slow walk, he dragged his pack through the dirt, creating a long, slug-like line in the path. It was not that he was excessively tired, or bored, he just did not have the strength to put work into what he did at the moment.