OoC: Just as with [The Past] Old Friends you can show up if it's possible, and it is very possible you will somehow affect my characters in the future (the present).

IC: "I'm bored," Seth whined for the hundredth time. "Why are we waiting here anyway?"

"Why can't you be quiet like Arrika?" Kobas said, twisting his ear. "Hush. Everything has a reason. You'll find out eventually."

Seth grumbled some more but stopped, to the older adventurers' relief.

"Rhyss," the green-haired thief said a few minutes later.

Rhyss groaned as Seth spoke again. "What, Seth?"

"Tell me a story."

The red-haired mage was about to protest but thought better of it. A smile twitched on his face. "Ok.... But just one."

"Once upon a time there was a young boy, the son of two elderly farmers. The boy was lazy and always shirked his chores, and was constantly getting punished for it-"

"-That's dumb. He must have been really bad at hiding then-" Seth interrupted.

A warning glare from Kobas silenced him; Arrika giggled but did not speak, eager to hear what Rhyss had to say as the mage always had interesting plots.

"One day he was told to look after the cucoos and cattle while his parents went shopping in Hyrule Castle Town... Now it was a bright and sunny day, so the boy did not have many things to worry about.... except Wolfos."

Seth did not react to this, but his 3 companions all had the same thought crossing their minds.

"Now the boy was bored, and he liked to play pranks. After he got tired of chasing the cuccos and pulling their feathers out, he had a stupid idea. 'Wolfos!' He cried, wanting some attention and to stir up his neighbors. The man who lived next door came out running with a scythe in hand; he was a brash fellow and was slightly disappointed when there was no Wolfos in sight.

'It must have been my imagination,' the boy replied, and his neighbor went back home.

An hour later the boy was bored again. 'Wolfos!' He yelled this time, but louder. The man with the scythe, his wife, and a passing mercenary appeared, concerned and ready to defend the young farmer's boy, who only shrugged when they gave him strange looks.

By this time the neighbors were beginning to become annoyed and resolved to ignore him the rest of the day.

The boy sat on the railing of the cucoo pen, chewing on a piece of grass and wondering what he should do next. The sound of growling caught his attention, and turning became face to face with a real Wolfos.

'WOLFOS!' He cried for the third time, and to his astonishment no one came to help him. He was pounced on, his throat ripped out, and most of his limbs torn away... he was eaten in a few quick bites, as the Wolfos was unnaturally large. There was nothing left of him, and no one had heard his screams. His parents assumed he had run away or had been kidnapped by Gerudo pirates, and never wasted another moment thinking about him again."

Rhyss stretched and yawned. "Happy now?"

Arrika made a face, knowing there was supposed to be a hidden moral in the story. True to her suspicious Kobas soon interrogated them.

"So what was Rhyss really saying?" The blue-haired thief said.

"Don't lie?" Arrika said uncertainly while Seth snorted, already knowing the answer.

"No, my dears... The moral is: 'Don't tell the same lie twice'"

Laido was holding a boquet of daisies, weeds, and wildflowers in his hands as he walked side by side with Ginnie. At eight years old, he was becoming a fine gentleman. He had his other free hand clasped around Ginnie's waist - he had seen his father do this with his mother, so he decided that he was grown up enough to do it, too. Ginne bent down again, spotting a little pink flower blossoming sheepishly.

"Look, Lai, I found another one."

The blonde haired boy smiled, and received the flower graciously, adding it to the already large boquet.

"Yeah, you're good at it."

Ginnie blushed, and turned her head to hide her embarassment. As she did so, she saw a group of people talking. She pointed,

"Look, Laido, let's see what they're talking about."

He shrugged, and kissed Ginnie lightly on the cheek.

"Whatever you want, I guess."

The girl beamed and waved at a red haired young man. She called out,

"Heellooo."

Rhyss froze as he saw the two young children approaching them. "So much for teaching the kids how to hijack wagons and carriages, hmm?" He said sarcastically to Kobas, as that was why the four of them were hiding in the bushes by the road in the first place. "Unless you want to pickpocket the two rupees in the little boy's pocket."

"Stop being a smart ass, Rhyss," Kobas said. "Good morning, my dears... what brings you to this neck of the woods?" He said jovially, sweeping back his hood so the two young children would not be as wary of his shady personality.

Seth scowled and retreated behind Rhyss, having always been antisocial, even from his young age. Arrika glanced at the affectionate way Laido was holding Ginnie and laughed until Rhyss glared at her to keep quiet. She shadowmelded but approached Kobas, Ginnie, and Laido anyway, keeping a 5 foot radius at all times.

Laido pulled Ginnie closer, staring at each of the people present in the face. For some reason, they all seemed so shady. He ran a hand through his hair and scowled at Arrika,

"What cha laughing at, girl?"

Ginne swiftly elbowed Laido in the ribs, sending him into a spasmatic set of grimaces.

"Ok, ok, I'm sorry. Goddesses. We were collecting flowers. Gee, you guys look like you all belong in the shadowy part of town."

Another elbowing from Ginnie silenced him.

"What kind of a boy likes picking flowers-" Arrika began until Rhyss smacked her lightly.

"Don't be cruel, Rhyss," Kobas said, his eyes glittering as he winked at the two young sweethearts. "Now, isn't that very gentlemanly of you? What's your name?"

Rhyss scoffed. "Now you sound like a pedophile."

"I doubt they even know what the word means," Seth replied drily.

"Quiet, you little smart ass," Rhyss said. "Sit there, and don't move until Kobas remembers he has better things to do than harass little kids."

Ginnie whipped back her hair, her subtle nature suddenly shining. Her hands on her hips, she said smartly,

"Actually, I do know what pedophile means, thank you."

Laido folded his arms, squinting at Kobas.

"Laido. And this is Ginnie. Old man."

He muttered the last two words under his breath, so it would've been impossible to hear it. Kobas seemed nice, but Laido wasn't sure if he should be so friendly to him just yet - after all, he might take Ginnie away for what he knew.

"What was that?" Kobas said, bending down to be eye-level with Laido. Dismissing his suspicions he patted the boy on the head. "Laido, eh? Do your mothers know that you're running around here alone? Don't they know there are dangerous rogues in this area?"

At that moment the familiar rumbling sound of a carriage was heard. Kobas's head snapped toward the direction it was coming from, then back to the kids. He smiled. "Could you two wait by the road and flag down the coach for us?"