For someone with no memory, Juzia seemed willing enough to take Mr. Stone’s spare room. So long as Nightfree was around, at least. For someone they barely knew, the off-duty paladin was surprisingly content with keeping an eye on the amnesiac snake. She only asked that they take care of the ones who attacked her.
“I’m in no condition to fight,” she said, “but you two are well-versed in wading through dangers, it seems.”
“It is what we do for a living,” Tea said.
“And I’d like to think we’ve gotten good at it,” Giu added, cracking his knuckles.
Nightfree seemed somewhat relieved by that. Compared to the Dragon Thief, the Crystallites were a bit more dangerous, but they weren’t anything too bad. No more so than angry crocodiles or vengeful bears. The real issue would be dealing with that mystic canine. Or…the multiple mystics if that feline was telling the truth.
Crap. Barely managed to handle one of ‘em.
He looked to Tea, the pixie’s smiling back.
Guess, I gotta count on T, again. I swear this better not go to their head.
He shrugged, following Mr. Stone as he ushered everyone out of the room. Once the door shut behind him, he was quick to address the two partners.
“She can’t stay here for long,” he said. “Maybe a day or two, at most. Got enough on my plate as is without having to worry about her.”
Elexy echoed his father’s sentiments, glaring at the door.
“I’m not cooking for them. That raven can feed her for all I care.”
Considering they were partially responsible, Giu made a mental note to fork over silver pounds for an inn later. If push came to shove, he was at least willing to teach the snake how to do odd jobs around town. It would be annoying, but it would keep her from being completely homeless while her memories came back. And it wasn’t like Nightfree would abandon her anytime soon, it looked like.
For the time being, Juzia was safe enough in the spare room. Now it was their turn to get the guys who did it. And his gut told him the closer they got to Immy, the closer they’d get to finding them again.
“We’ll deal with Juzia later,” Giu said. “First things first, we gotta keep looking for Immy.”
“That’s right,” Tea agreed. “Elexy. You mentioned a guy named James earlier, right?”
The salamander raised a brow.
“Mr. James?”
“He a friend of Immy’s?” Giu asked.
Elexy looked to his father for a moment. For some reason, Mr. Stone’s scowl morphed into a wide smile. One that made Elexy snicker, Giu looked between the two for an explanation.
“You…could say that,” Mr. Stone answered.
Giu waited for them to elaborate, but they both just continued to snicker. Even Tea was a bit confused, though their expression changed as realization seemed to dawn.
“Oh, you gotta be kidding me.”
“What?” Giu asked.
Tea recoiled. Neither they nor the salamanders said another word on the matter, Elexy simply running off to retrieve a photograph of the man in question.
It was the first time he could remember seeing a fox in Seladon.
***
According to the Stones, James Elison lived near a park on the east end of town. Or at least what passed as a park in these parts. Though the city was built into a mountainous valley, there were no trees as far as Giu could see. All the greenery consisted of moss and the occasional flowering plant scattered about. As they rode past glowing pillars sprinkling water onto it all, Giu only had a single question on his mind.
“So what was that all about, back there?” he asked. “Something about this James guy I should know?”
Tea’s ears twitched, the pixie continuing to look forward despite his question.
“Gi,” they said. “I know this is a bit of an…awkward subject. But you do realize Immy was….active, right?”
He only looked at the pixie.
“You mean like she fought a lot, right?” he asked.
The pixie didn’t respond.
“You mean like she fought a lot, right? Tea”
No response.
“T.”
Their ears twitched.
“Sorry you had to find out this way, Tiny Paws. Everyone has their needs.”
He recoiled, his nose shriveling as much as the canine retracted. Oh my god.
Of all the secrets that Immy kept, perhaps that was the one he was more than happy to have known nothing about. He fell back in his cart, lamenting the fact that to find his master again, he’d have to go traipsing through her love life. Assuming it could even be called that. That question alone made him recoil even further.
By the time they reached James’s house, Giu was already dreading the questions to come.
Unlike Mr. Stone, James lived in a slightly larger cottage, the black stone almost resembling metal as smooth as it appeared. It reminded him of the material Immy's sword had been made out of. No doubt they both shined in the moonlight, though that was the farthest thing on Giu’s mind when he spotted the fox in question.
“James?” Giu called. “James Elison?”
The man’s ears twitched, white fur rising though he didn’t look up at them. His amber gaze was too focused on the sword in his lap, steady hands guiding a whetstone along the blade in slow methodical motions.
“Who's asking?”
His voice was about as harsh as Giu expected given the picture. Like Juzia’s, it was from years ago. But even back then the man looked about as friendly as a brick wall. Tea floated over to Giu.
“Friends of Imona Alis,” the pixie said. “Much like you.”
His hand stopped, stone hovering over the tip of the sword.
“Imona?” he asked. “Haven’t heard that name in a while.”
He finally looked up at them, his gaze lingering on Tea a moment before it held completely on Giu. The canine put on his fakest smile. He could already anticipate the incoming Tiny Paws ques-
“You’re not her kid, are you?”
Giu blinked, Tea’s eyes turning to saucers.
“Because if this about looking for a dad-“
Giu immediately stopped them.
“I’m not her son, you idiot!” Giu snapped. “For the love of- We’re not even related! I’m her apprentice!”
James still gave him a skeptical look, but he seemed to relax slightly. Did they really look that similar? Tea tried to hide their snicker, while Giu hid his face.
Geez, Immy. Just what the heck kind of stories have you been telling people? I know we’re close, but holy crap. Do I gotta where a nametag or something?
He finally managed to compose himself after a bit. At the very least, James wasn’t calling him Tiny Paws.
“So who are you two then?” the fox asked.
“Giu and Tea. Or Yisto and Tea. Doesn’t matter.” Giu quickly changed the subject. “Look we’re trying to track down where Immy disappeared to. Figured you could help since it looks like everyone associated with her is a target.”
He nodded to Tea, the pixie pulling out a souvenir they’d picked off a certain shadow-wielding feline.
“You recognize this mask?” they asked. “We believe it's tied to a group called-“
“The Crystallites.”
Both Tea and Giu blinked, James, answering them before they could even explain.
He looked down at his sword, setting aside the whetstone and rising up from his chair. For whatever reason, his scowl softened a bit.
“Looking for Immy, huh?" he asked. “Guess that makes two of us."
The fox nodded to himself, bringing the sword into its sheathe.
“So I'm not the only one that's been searching for her," he said.
Giu and Tea exchanged glances, the fox resting his hand on his hilt.
“Ever since she disappeared, I figured something was up. We might not be close anymore, but I still owe her a lot." He looked to the two of them. "Figure we're the same in that regard, huh?"
As he said those words, something flew from his hand, Tea flying up to catch it.
“Huh?"
They came down, Giu's surprise only rising as he saw what the fox had thrown.
An image of what looked to be a meadow surrounded by waterfalls. A black tree rising in the center. A field of glowing moss.
“The Crystallites are a crafty bunch," James said. “But I suppose even they couldn't dispose of her. This is Imona we're talking about."
Giu looked to Tea, his smile rising as he held the photograph. The first concrete proof he'd received on his missing master. His friend. He wiped his eyes, trying his best not to look too embarrassing in front of his partner.
But how could he help himself?
In the center of the tree, an all too familiar fox was suspended by several black shadows, her fur matted and worn. But even in her state, the same fire was burning in her eyes. Something Giu remembered seeing more than a few times over the years. Immy's resolve. He grinned at the photo, the warmth in chest rising.
You stupid fox. You really are alive.
After all their searching, they finally knew where she was.
