"I know." Jarin said as she looked back in his eyes again. He knew like he had always known, even long before he had realized it was mutual. His arms moved around her back and he pulled her against him, holding her tight, both his body and mind telling him not to let her go.
"I know." he whispered again.

The warm touch of her hands and the smell of her hair were calming him down, comforting him like they always did when she was near him. Jarin had missed the mysterious effect, her ability to make any stress from his busy job at the inn just go away just by putting her arms around him whether he was busy with the book keeping or preparing meals for the guests. And now she would be gone for even longer.

He put his face next to hers, resting it on her shoulder as he pressed her against him a bit stronger. Jarin admired how strong Reyshala was about it, but also realized she had made up her mind about this a long time ago. After holding her and not saying anything for a moment like that, he pressed his lips against the soft skin they were against and kissed the neck of his lover gently before he lowered his arms, releasing her from his tight embrace, and looked her in the eyes again.
"Promise me you will come back to us." Jarin said. Even though he knew she would, he wanted her to know that this was her home where she could return to whatever happened.

It was just like she remembered, soft, warm, loving... His way of showing her how he felt always made her melt, no matter what time of day, how her mood was, or what she was doing. Reyshala smiled ever so secretly as he held her. She wanted to make this last night with him special, more so than any other night. They hadn't gotten a lot of time together like this especially.

"I promise," she said gently. "And when I do come back, things better not have changed." She giggled lightly and pressed a kiss to his cheek. Soon she would have to go. But she wanted more than just a goodbye kiss from her love. She pressed her hands to his cheeks and kissed his lips, passionately and to send a message.

The Inn had become one huge love story, it seemed, and sometimes the love story felt strange to Reyshala. But at other times, she knew it was ok to be like this. Everything was ok. She took his shirt off and wrapped her arms underneath his, pressing her palms flat on the scars where his black wings sometimes revealed themselves from his back. It almost seemed like the blood beneath pulsed deeply and heavily. It was tender skin, and the magic that would appear from that skin was beautiful, despite the pain he felt. She wanted to see them one last time.

"Open your wings, Jarin," she whispered.

For a short moment Jarin just looked at Reyshala and enjoyed the gentle touch of her warm hands on his scars, then stood up and took her hands from his back while he raised his shoulders and leaned forward a little. Within a second his black feathered wings spread from within his body, causing little drops of blood and black down to land on the ground and chimney behind them. A heavy breath gave away the pain it caused him, but he ignored it and slowly brought his wings around them, so Reyshala was completely covered by them. Shiny black feathers reflecting bits of the gently moonlight.

Jarin looked in her eyes and guided her arms around his neck, pushing her up against him with his wings, and kissed her. He would have to let go of her, but tonight he wouldn't. He broke the kiss and wrapped his arms around her tight, telling her to hold on as he lowered his knees, spread his wings wide open, letting Reyshala stare at them for a few seconds and then pushed away from the roof.

His wings rapidly carried them into the sky, straight up, higher and higher until Jarin just spread them wide and slowly soared down. He looked down at the Inn and remembered all the time he had spent there with the woman he was holding against him. He looked down to her and smiled, then dove down, back to the Inn.

When they landed on the balcony of his room a few minutes later, he slowly pulled back his wings and loosened his embrace. Jarin looked in Reyshala's eyes and noticed he had finally relaxed.
"Don't leave yet..." he said. He didn't want her to leave at all, but she had to go. He knew, but not yet. Just not yet.

The moment his wings showed themselves to her, she stared, bewildered like always at their beauty. They were so sleek, dark, and mysterious. She wanted to run her fingers against them again, and got to do so when he pulled her against him and closed his wings around her. She felt them brush her fingers, and his arms tightened around her, and a sudden burst of wind engulf them in the night.

In the sky, everything was so different again. She saw the land all around her, the stars above, the moon so far away, but nearly close enough to touch. She smiled as she peered around, and then looked at the curve of his lips as he returned the enjoyment. They returned from the sky shortly, and landed. His next words could be felt easily, and Reyshala looked deep into Jarin's eyes as he said them.

Her hand came to his cheek once more and she kissed him again, more passionately than he kissed her just before they flew.

"Not yet," she said with a slight grin as she guided him into his room and shut the balcony doors behind them. She lead him to the soft bed they slept on nearly every night, and kissed him deeply while he sat down and she joined in his lap once more. Her breath was gentle and light as she trailed her lips along his neck, running her hands down his arms to press her fingers into his, holding his hands like she never had before. She wanted him to be hers tonight, and she wanted him to finally relieve his stress. So she whispered that she loved him again, and after several moments, all she could see, hear, or feel was Jarin.

Alan and Zel slept quietly, a few rooms away, and the people downstairs were enjoying the cool night with some food and drinks. No one besides Jarin knew Reyshala was saying goodbye. Not Angel, not Mitsu, not Erwin, no one.

Neo wraps up warm in the bed and then sleeps and has some weird dream about everyone going missing and im just left by myself and wondering what has happened to everyone and then a monster came in and i had to fight it but i woke up screaming

Neo comes downstairs and just sits on the counter and thinks so much about life and goes for a walk around the Inn and flew off to have a long think and sits in a flower field and cries and lies back and looks up at the sky and just starest the clouds and the sun

Neo starts to sleep...then wakes up and then its dark - hours must of gone and then got up and flew back to the bar and seeing people around and going to hug them and then Neo makes a drink for everyone and then cleans the bar

(Are MAFTI's days coming to an end?)

Mitsu walked out of the back door of the Inn and stepped into the chilling air. He looked up at the white giant in the sky, the moon's radiance hit Mitsu. It was almost like he was being energized by the light of moon. Closing his eyes he spread his arms and let himself drench in the light of the moon. Opening his eyes slowly he whispered into the air, "Is this how Angel feels in the sun?"

A smirk appeared on the wolf mans face as he walked into the forest. It was late in the night but Mitsu couldn't sleep. He was missing Angel to much, how could he knowing Angel was not in his sight. He walked through the darkness until he came upon the big tree and the river he loved so much. Sitting under the tree Mitsu continued to stare at the moon. It appeared bigger and brighter then most nights. Maybe even the biggest Mitsu had seen in a very long time. A cool breeze passed over Mitsu which made the wolf man bring his knees in and wrap himself. Looking up at the brightest star he spoke softly, "Angel, I miss you..."

Getting up Mitsu stretched back his arms, his soft expression turned into a concentrated one, "Might as well train then." It was silent except for the soft dancing of the tree branches. Mitsu took of his overcoat revealing a black t-shirt and navy jeans. Moving his bare feet through the cool grass sent chills through his body but it felt good. Without another sound Mitsu charged forward spinning, flipping and diving. He sliced the air with his spear hand as sweat flew after some time. He was overflowing with energy as he glided right above the grass.

The inn was invisibly trembling from the many different emotions and fluctuations of auras from around, and every inch of it passed through Angel like microwave signals through an antenna.
Reyshala and the kids had returned, however the state of her aura was in disarray... as was Jarins. When he asked Angel to take care of the inn and left, the girl simply nodded and gave him a look of reassurance.
Something was definitely up, however Angel knew to leave it between them and to carry on with what needed to be done.
'Those two need some time alone.... be well, my friends.'

It was funny... the couples of this inn were so alike and yet so different. They consisted of a magic or majestic winged being, some kind of an anthropomorphic being, tough times, emotional moments and churning emotions. However, the most crucial thing in both relationships is that they both loved one another, no matter what the consequence may be.
Being someone who also requires to leave for extended amounts of time, Angel could understand Reyshala's pain and Jarin's loneliness. They both needed this time together.

"As for you!" Angel turned to the Leecher Spirit and stepped towards it. With Jarin gone the Spirit managed to break through his seal because Jarin's mind was occupied elsewhere, and fell to the floor in front of the girl. The creature stood up and towered over the Phoenix with a confused but sneaky grin.

"uh uh uh! Sorry, but you've been stealing from us!" Angel's hands rose from her sides and met above her head in a circular motion. A disk of light appeared around them and then fell over the Spirit like a hula hoop. Angel nodded and the light ring tightened on the Leecher Spirit, bringing him to a state of uncontrollable suspension again. "I know you are not evil, but you ARE still stealing and you are confused." The creature looked back at Angel, now with a tired expression which made the girl feel rather sympathetic for it.
"I will not banish you to the lower realms for what you have done," hearing Angel say this made the spirit sigh in relief.
"However, I will send you to the Elders and they can justly decide what to do with you. They may even send you somewhere in which you can live more happily." Looking to the girl, the spirit stopped resisting and nodded.
The ring of light now engulfed the spirit, leaving only it's eyes showing and in one quick flash, he disappeared with a smile.

A short while later when the kitchen had been cleared and the customers had been tended to, Angel went to check on Alan and Zel in their room. Both of the children slept soundly, unaware of what was happening. Softly, Angel covered them both in their blankets and made sure that the room temperature was right for them.

After walking back downstairs to the kitchen, Angel sat at the table and gazed out of the window. The night sky was a mesmerisingly deep and the vibrancy of the moon temporarily hypnotised the girl in its grasp.

'I wonder if Mitsu's watching the moon too.' Angel realised that although it had only been a short while since she had seen him, that she missed Mitsu's presence whenever he wasn't around.
The freshly made mooncakes sat on the tray on the table in front of Angel and the girl put her forehead to the table edge to rest for a moment. "I miss you Mitsu."

"Pray that your loneliness may spur you into finding something to live for, great enough to die for." Dag Hammarskjold (1905 - 1961)

As Mitsu came to stop he was sweating and breathing heavily. Steam was producing from the wolf man as he walked over the river. Taking off his shirt he spalshed himself with the crystal cold water. Letting the water drip from his hair which hung over his face for now he stared into his distorted image. "How long will this life last?" Mitsu asked himself as he moved his head back along with his hair.

Putting on his shirt and overcoat on again Mitsu headed back, not before taking a good long look at the moon. Despite training so intensely he was still feeling overflowed with energy. A smile shattered his serious face, "What kind of stupid thought was that...I'll protect this life forever." Tucking his hands into his coat he walked back to the Inn. He had finally found a place he belonged, he'd found a family.

As he neared he sensed Angel and unconsiously started walking a bit faster. Before he entered he also sensed Reyshela and Jarin. Looking up he spotted the two on the roof. Grinning to himself he entered through the back. Upon entry he found the kitchen wiped cleaned. Mitsu figured it was Angel's doing, and exited the kitchen the other side and found Angel sitting at a table and starring outside. For a moment he stood there just starring at the girl. Her hair shimmered in the light as it fell down her shoulder and back. Mitsu couldn't see her face because of the way she was sitting but he had every part of Angel's face memorized, he'd seen every expression she had to offer. As she placed her head down and spoke Mitsu smiled.

Taking off his coat after starring at the girl in front of him for a little longer Mitsu walked over. Coming around Angel he placed the coat around her, "It's cold today...I missed you too honey." He leaned in and kissed her cheek. Smiling he set himself across from her, his eyes lit up at the sight of the mooncakes. The smell made his stomach growl which reminded him how hungry he'd become due to the training. Munching down on one of the cakes Mitsu felt himself drift of into to space. It was so soft and sweet, before finishing his first Mitsu took another big bite and almost choked. Punching his chest Mitsu forced himself to swallow the bite and sighed. Grinning he looked to Angel, "They're amazing!" was all he could say before he took hold of another cake. Rather then stuffing it whole into his mouth he put one part of it into his mouth and then leaned over the table. "Here, you have some also." He said with the moon cake sticking out his mouth.

Mitsu's presence wasn't very hard to detect for the girl that loved him dearly, it always seemed as though a blast of sunshine would enter the room every time he stepped through the door. It energised the Phoenix. 'I guess he is my real source of power.'

As the wolfman leaned in to kiss her cheek, Angel smiled happily and returned the gesture just as lovingly. She watched him eat the cakes and giggled a little when he found one of them hard to swallow, "Careful silly! Don't hurt yourself!" The tray held a vast number of the sweet cakes, even for the hungry wolfman!

"Zel and Alan are sleeping soundly upstairs, they'll probably be asleep throughout the night since they were running around a lot today! Miss Reyshala and Sir Jarin are spending some well deserved time together. I think Brother Erwin and Miss Raine are still busy with the construction of the tree house, and the customers have all been attended too." The little status report was more of a way for Angel to remind herself of anything she may have forgotten to do for the night. It all seemed done for now.

Suddenly Mitsu leaned across the table so that he was only a few inches from her with a large mooncake protruding from his mouth. When he spoke his words were a little muffled and this made the girl laugh whole heartedly. He looked adorable. It was almost as though a wolf was trying to feed it's family, which was very heart warming.

Propping herself onto her elbows on the table, Angel leaned in and her forehead met his and her hair fell around the two of them. "As you wish, my love" her head tilted slightly and her elegant mouth bit down on the cake, her lips softly brushing his as she did so. Angel sat back again and nibbled happily on her piece, "Hmm... maybe could have done with a little more stuffing." Looking back across at Mitsu made Angel laugh even harder as the stuffing was practically all over his face!
"I'm so sorry Mitsu!" Even while saying this she couldn't stop laughing at him! Her hand came up to her mouth as the Phoenix tried to control her laughter, but it didn't work.

'Wow... I love him so much' she thought to herself. Angel walked around the table to him and sat on the corner of it next to him. She then softly wiped his face with a tissue and smiled at him, her hand resting on his cheek for a while. A small piece of stuffing still remained on his lip so Angel leaned in, pulled Mitsu forward, and kissed him. After holding him there for a few moments, she finally pulled away and happily said "There we go! All clean!"

Again, she giggled a little from what had happened.

The phoenix girl leaned in to take a bite of the mooncake and Mitsu lost himself in her ever deepening eyes. Why couldn't he, even after all this time, stop himself from falling in a trance when he came too close to Angel. She always had that little childish glint in her eyes that Mitsu loved so much and always made him act like a child. Everything about her was amazing.

When she had taken her bite and retreated back in her chair Mitsu noticed her start giggling. He wondered at first but then figured what it was. Bring his hand to his face he felt the soft filling on his face and smiled. As he was to attempt to lick the stuffing from his face Angel came around and wiped him clean. He felt like a child being cleaned after a messy dinner, it felt kind of good.

Her kiss was unexpected and overwhelming, but it was soothing at the same time. Mitsu could never feel one emotion when he was with Angel it was always a mixture; he was always excited yet at peace in her presence. The wolf man accepted and returned the kiss whole heartedly. The moment must have last only a few seconds but as their lips touched Mitsu felt time slow, it always did when he was this close to her.

At that moment Mitsu felt a surge pass through his brain and a voice spoke to him,Behind the building... With that the connection was cut off. Grinning again Mitsu looked to the tray, it still had a few cakes left, not a problem for Mitsu. He knew his stomach could go on forever, "We should save some for the rest, they haveto try these." Getting up he picked up the tray and headed toward the kitchen, stopping mid-way he looked back to Angel, "You take a seat, I'll make some coffee." Smiling the wolf man returned to the kitchen.

In the kitchen Mitsu placed the tray on the counter and headed for the back door once more. Opening it he found a figure his own size in a long cloak, his face was embedded in darkness of his hood and his hands were covered in armor. "Were you the one who called me?" Mitsu asked growing cautious. For a moment the figure stood still, "Yes, I am from the kingdom. You and the Miss Angel are too return to the kingdom at once and prepare for the upcoming war with Dilandus empire." The man said in a deep voice.

Mitsu looked at the man but did not reply. The man must have read Mitsu's mind since he continued his message, "If you do not comply the King has ordered you're apprehension for treason." Mitsu felt slapped in the face, "Apprehension? Treason? We haven't done anything wrong though." Before Mitsu could argue any farther the man put up a hand to signal it was enough and continued, "I am only a messenger...here are the details message sir." The man handed Mitsu a rolled up paper tied with a golden ribbon. Mitsu took the paper from the man, without another word the mysterious man walked away and disappeared into the darkness.

For a moment Mitsu stood in the doorway after the man had left before closing the door. Returning inside he looked at the rolled up message, "I'll have to tell about this Angel since she's involved also. I can see why they came to us, Dilandus is not a king to be underestimated. His kingdom is one of the strongest in the world and he known for his ruthlessness. This is truly troublesome." Mitsu put the paper on the counter and went to make the coffee.

Jarin was sitting on the roof again, watching whoever it was that delivered Mitsu a seemingly shocking message head down the road. He exhaled another long breath of cigarette smoke and stared at the distance, wondering when she would be back.

Without him realizing a spell was cast on the room, and even though he had a hunch on who had done it, he would never find out. He had spent a long time alone with Reyshala, something they hadn't done in a long while, but apparently to the rest of the world the time that past inside of the room had been mere minutes, surprising them both as Reyshala left and looked into the night while the both of them had expected to see the sun rising from the valley by now. They didn't say anything as they embraced each other for what would be the last time for what might become months, both knowing it was okay and she would be back.

Jarin had watched her as she disappeared into the night, leaving him with a strange feeling of loneliness. The next thing he unconsciously did was climb the roof and light a cigarette, an old habit he just couldn't seem to give up. By the time the burning tip was about to reach his lip the man had disappeared in the darkness of the night and Jarin extinguished his cigarette. He jumped down from the roof and landed gently on the cold earth, smelling a sweet scent from the kitchen. Wondering what kind of cake Angel had made, he entered the back door and looked at Mitsu for a moment before he noticed the paper on the counter.
"Must be important to be delivered at this hour of the day?" He asked politely, understanding how serious this matter would probably be.

(I'm going back to my country for about a month, and I won't be able to post. I hope everyone works hard to keep MAFTI alive.)

The steam from the pot of water rose into Mitsu's face as he drifted off in his thoughs, he was debating and weighing the options he had. The Inn was strong, but was it worth making the government an enemy? Mitsu wasn't the type to take risk in serious situation.

His trance was broken by Jarin's presence. The wolfman put on a smile and turned to the blue man, no matter how real his smile looked Mitsu knew that Jarin already understood the weight of the situation. Dropping the act Mitsu said, "Yeah, it is something important. It's better if you don't get involved but seeing how the worst case scenario might turn out, it can't be helped but to get you involved." He once again looked to the boiling water and wondered about what he was doing with the water. Pushing the thought away he looked at Jarin in the eyes, behind them it was clear hid true power and experience. He was the perfect man to be recruited for a general position.

"Listen, the kingdom has ordered me and Angel to return to the king and participate in an attack on one of the strongest empires in the world. If we do not comply to the order....we will be arrested for treason," he looked down at the floor, "I promised never to fight for greed, and corruption and I am sure Angel feels the same." Mitsu stepped forward towards Jarin and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'll go to the king and talk to him, I have killed many men under his command. I'll try to talk him out of it. This war is going to be meaningless."

Mitsu knew he was dumping the burden on Jarin as well but it couldn't be helped anymore. "If I fail to do as I said, they will probably use force to retrieve Angel and you possibly too seeing how strong you are. I didn't want to tell you this but I had no choice, if something were to attack the Inn I want you guys to be ready."

"Mitsu," Jarin said to the wolf man in front of him who just told him he was involved in the "Kingdom's" trouble, "the last time somebody attacked this place for real his entire country disappeared without a trace. You of all people should know just what kind of people are living here."

Jarin put his hands on Mitsu's shoulders now and gave him an assuring look. The man was strong, but still young. "Even if you and Angel refuse the fight, do come back here. Not to defend this place against whatever will happen - believe me, you won't have to - but just to live an everyday life. The King fully realizes he won't win anything by branding the both of you a traitor - or me for that matter, because I'm not fighting a meaningless war started over a coal mine."

Having that said, Jarin let go of him and turned off the heat underneath the kettle.
"Go tell him," he said, "And bring Angel along if she wants to. The word of a deity like her is hard to ignore and if she can prevent the deaths of thousands she'll do whatever she can."

Jarin looked out of the window, realizing it was going to be lonely with most of the staff gone. Lonely and busy. Really, really busy.