To Hallowton

[Hotaru]

Saturn noticed the two weren't behind her. When she turned to find out why she saw Ayen on the ground and Yuna tending to him. From here she could see what looked like a nosebleed. The look of embarrassment on his face making it all too clear what happened. The Guardian Senshi of Saturn walked back over to the two and looked down to Ayen, frowning.

"Leotard."

Saturn spoke plainly, allowing for her word to sink in with Ayen.

"All you saw was the bud of my leotard."

If that all it took to make the boy nosebleed she didn't want to hang around anywhere where the female sex really let loose around people. Turning her back on the duo again, Saturn resumed heading for the docks.

"If you're done embarrassing yourself I would very much like to get going now."

[Ayen]

"Ayen? Are you all right? Ayen!"

Ayen could just die now. Die on the streets of Hallowton from embarrassment. What a way to go. But of course no one ever died from embarrassment. Yuna took out that strange looking staff of hers and healed the blood from his nose but that was nothing compared to the embarrassment that only kept increasing.

"There. You should be fine now."

“I'm far from fine.”

Then to make matters worse, Saturn returned to look down towards him.

"Leotard."

“What?”

"All you saw was the bud of my leotard."

“...”

"If you're done embarrassing yourself I would very much like to get going now."

Ayen pulled himself up to his feet and dusted off his clothes as he watched Saturn walk on ahead.

“She's just a radiating ball of sunshine, ain't she?” said Ayen to Yuna sarcastically.

[Yuna]

Yuna looked between Ayen and Saturn, noting the words Saturn said and then eying Ayen suspiciously again as it seemed his little injury from earlier was less than innocent. As Saturn began walking away, the High Summoner walked up to Ayen, an eyebrow cocked appropriately as she spoke to him. "Maybe... You should watch your eyes." Yuna suggested before heading off behind Saturn.

When they finally made it to the docks, Yuna would look up to see a large brown vessel pulling into the dock, admiring the great white sails found at the top as it looked amazing. Everything in Hallowton were so beautiful and their ships would be no exception. "Wow... Look at the size of that ship. You could fit a hundred people in it."

[Hotaru]

Saturn paid little attention to the ship and instead walked over to the dock workers to begin asking her questions. They appeared to be all taken aback by her appearance so something told her none of them has laid eyes on anyone in similar attire, but they may very well be able to tell her more about this world than Ayen was able to during their walk here. And so her questions began, leaving Ayen and Yuna alone to worry about booking the next boat ride out.

[Ayen]

"Maybe... You should watch your eyes."

“Oh, sure. It's all my fault, right?”

Ayen just shook his head, there was no winning this battle. Never mind the fact that the woman's skirt was painfully short to begin with. He just kept his mouth shut from that point on and headed over to the docks.

"Wow... Look at the size of that ship. You could fit a hundred people in it."

“Yeah, she's a beauty. Hey, where the other chick go?”

Ayen's question was soon answered as he saw Saturn up ahead conversing with the ship crewmen on her own.

“Oh I see, too cool to hang with us. Come on, Yuna. The scheduler shouldn't be far from here.”

Coming around to the side of the ship where crew members and passengers alike would board he talked to the man that had the schedules and learned the nearest time for when the ship sets off again before walking back over to Yuna.

“Ship makes sales tomorrow morning. Plenty of time for the two of us to get something to eat as I'm sure you don't want to wait until tomorrow morning to eat.”

Ayen was nothing if not persistent.

[Yuna]

Yuna frowned. She didn't mean to imply that it was his fault at all but before she could say anything he was already on his way. The High Summoner decided to drop it for now and get on their way. At the docks, Yuna would cock an eyebrow a second time at the word he used to describe Sailor Saturn. "Chick?" That was a strange thing to call a girl and Yuna didn't even see any chickens nearby.

Ayen and Yuna would soon find a dock worker and the High Summoner would wait behind while Ayen learned the closest available time they could depart. The quicker, the better as Yuna kept an eye out for any possible Aircano natives that could cause trouble for her. When Ayen came back, Yuna frowned again as she was hoping they could set sail tonight. "I think it would be safer to have something to eat at one of the inns in town. Just not the one by the entrance that's where the Aircano refugees are staying. We should ask Saturn if she would like to join us."

[Hotaru]

Speak of the devil and she shall appear. Saturn rejoined with the two for the third time in the day, having gained all she could from the crewmen and dock workers around them and while a little more knowledgeable than before, she still found herself lacking.

"It would seem that I am the first of my kind. Do the two of you know when the next ship set sail?"

[Queen Lori]

"Excuse me, are the three of you looking to ship out?" Another voice, female, would peep out behind the trio and when they turned they would see a short girl who looked to be no more older than Ayen and Saturn were in age. A faint smile on her face and a little twinkle in her eye as she seemed to be excited over something. "I'm Lori Samatha. I was wondering if I could accompany you on your journey out of the city? I lived here all my life, I haven't even seen the outside of it."

[Ayen]

"Chick?"

“Uh... Did I say that out loud?”

"I think it would be safer to have something to eat at one of the inns in town. Just not the one by the entrance that's where the Aircano refugees are staying. We should ask Saturn if she would like to join us."

Ayen was forced to suppress both his disappointment and his irritation. Was Yuna really so oblivious to the fact he was trying to get some quality time alone with her? And they say men were the ones unable to catch the hints left by women?

“Yeah... Sure. That sounds good.”

"It would seem that I am the first of my kind. Do the two of you know when the next ship set sail?"

“Early tomorrow morning. So there will be no staying out pass curfew this time, young lady.”

Ayen teased.

“Yuna and I were going to crash at one of the inns in town and grab something to eat. You in?”

"Excuse me, are the three of you looking to ship out?"

Ayen turned around at the sound of the voice and looked over to the new girl that now approached them. Where were all these people coming from?

"I'm Lori Samantha. I was wondering if I could accompany you on your journey out of the city? I lived here all my life, I haven't even seen the outside of it."

You have got to be kidding me, said Ayen mentally.

“Um, look – the ship sets sail again tomorrow morning, you can get on it then if you want but this isn't like car pooling. You can't just hop on and ride with us.”

[Yuna]

Yuna smiled in appreciation at Ayen's sense of humor in spite of the hidden disappointment that the two wouldn't share any quality time alone. While she was still unsure what to make of the male trying so hard to get together with her, she also didn't want to exclude Saturn in favor of a one on one dinner with Ayen. Hopefully he could see that. The High Summoner turned around to see Lori and lightly nudged Ayen with her elbow when she felt he was being rude again. "I'm Yuna. Is there any reason in particular you want to accompany us?"

[Hotaru]

"I guess there isn't much I can do until the ship set sail. I accept."

It has been some time since the Soldier of Silence had anything to eat, it would do her some good to have a bite before sailing from one continent to the next tomorrow morning. Saturn's eyes followed Ayen and Yuna's onto Lori's after the girl spoke up to grab their attention. Like Sam and Drake before her, she wanted to join them only with no explanation and for once Yuna did the smart thing and asked why she wanted to join them so badly. It was quite the bold, random and dangerous request to make.

"I agree with Ayen. This isn't a luxury cruise."

[Queen Lori]

"Of course!" replied Lori with a bow. "I am more than willing to earn my keep. I have gold." Lori pulled out a bag full of gold and showed it to the trio. "I am also good at geography. While I've never been to these places in person I've read about them. I can be a huge asset to you."

"I'm Yuna. Is there any reason in particular you want to accompany us?" "When traveling it is better to do so in groups. Since you're already a group I figured one more addition would not be an inconvenience to you and I thought you would appreciate a native assistance. You are all from another world, am I correct?"

[Ayen]

"I'm Yuna. Is there any reason in particular you want to accompany us?"

If I didn't know any better I'd say I was becoming a chick magnet, thought Ayen as he watched the exchange.

"I agree with Ayen. This isn't a luxury cruise."

Yet you were more than willing to hop aboard yourself...

"Of course! I am more than willing to earn my keep. I have gold."

“You have what?”

Ayen's eyes went wide at the bag full of gold in her hands, the bag of gold she had so willingly showed to the group. So trusting, it must have been easy to be a Hallowton citizen. They never had to worry about being robbed. In Moon Valley if you were that stupid you'd end up with a black eye and no money.

"When traveling it is better to do so in groups. Since you're already a group I figured one more addition would not be an inconvenience to you and I thought you would appreciate a native assistance. You are all from another world, am I correct?"

“Not exactly. I'm from Moon Valley – Ayen's the name, it's a pleasure to meet you,” said Ayen as he rather happily walked up to Lori and lent his hand out in greeting. “We'd love to have you.”

[Yuna]

"Saturn and I are, yes... It would be nice to have another native with us on our journey." It seems Yuna wouldn't need to do anymore talking, the moment that bag of gold were brought into plain view Ayen had already done the honors and welcomed Lori aboard. A frown cross Yuna's features, disapproving of how quickly Ayen's position changed simply because of some money. But she changed that frown into a smile as to not disheartened Lori. "Welcome, Lori. We were just going to check into an inn and have something to eat. Do you know any good ones preferably not by the entrance of the city?"

[Hotaru]

Unlike Ayen and Yuna, Saturn wasn't as trusting when it came to complete strangers walking up to them from out of nowhere and asking to join their group. Suspicious, the Soldier of Silence walked up to the girl and looked her over for a moment.

"Where did you get all that gold from?"

For all they knew Lori was a thief that wanted to rob them. While those native to this city were evolved she could have been lying about being a real Hallowton native too. You never could be too careful no matter what world you were in.

"And why ask to tag along with strangers? For all you know we're up to no good."