It was a sweltering hot day. The sun was beating down on the little McNeil town. A bell twinkled as a man disappeared into the item shop of the small town. Rei Chiba, all five feet eleven inches of him, was sweating.

" Hidy, there! How are you today?"

The tiger like-man panted and shook his head, " Doesn't this just beat all? If I didn't have to wear this stinkin' fur coat all over maybe it wouldn't be so bad." He breathed, slumping into a tired pose against the wall.

" Yes," The shop keeper sighed. This drought has been takign a lot out of everyone. So, what do you need?"

Rei passes the man his list who frowned and gave it back, " I'm sorry Rei, we don't have any of those things right now. All of our crops are withering and the livestock is dwindling. I'm sorry, we may have a new shipment in a little later, come back then okay?"

Rei shook his head and turned, " If this drought don't end, we'll starve." He said with a wave of his furry hand. And he was gone. Rei trudged down the once green road, now that the drought had come, the road was dirt. His tail swishing behind him, Rei's striped face dripped with sweat. When he had finally made it up the dirt trail and into the forest he rested by a tree. Beside him was a river or rather a river bed, for the bottom was just a flat of bleached fine sand. Rei sighed and stood to move on. When he had finally arrived at his small house he could barely keep from collapsing in the coarse, dead grass in front of it. He couldn't help thinking about it. It had been long ago that he had built that house. And long long ago it also had been destroyed. Two terrible hourse brothers, Balio and Sunder attacked him and his friends, or rather brothers. When Rei was younger he has taken in two boys. Teepo and Ryu were orphans like him. The two men burned his home to the ground. Rei remembered coming to after the battle and being told that neither of the other boys had been found. He grew angry and learned all he could of these men. They were cronies of a place called Syn City. As it's title suggests, Syn City is a terrible place. Full of espionage, drug deals and violence, prostitutes walk the streets as common as insects burrowing in the soil. As Balio and Sunder were sent from Syn City, it was the very place Rei projected his anger. He began to realize the great power he wielded. Successfully he slaughtered the whole of Syn City and therefore found Ryu at the end of a long journey. A journey across the sea and desert to find… god. He went forth with Ryu, Momo, Garr, Peco, Nina and fought god. In the midst of this they found Teepo and after defeated Myria 'God' returned to a somewhat peaceful house and rebuilt their house. Peaceful until the drought.

Rei suddenly was brought back to earth from his thoughts as he realized someone was speaking. He saw Ryu speaking with a man who was shaking his head and reading from a scroll. Blue haired and eyed Ryu had the rare gift that transformed him into a dragon. He usually was quiet and thoughtful but knew how to kick some butt. Teepo as well had this gift, but was almost the opposite. Loud and unruly Teepo was often like a leader, but everyone knew he followed anything Rei did. Rei approached them and wandered to ask, " Who are you?"

The man talking to Ryu paused, turned and spoke, " Are you the owner of this land?"

" Who wants to know?" Rei said slowly.

Ryu interjected, " They're trying to take our land!"

" Sir, you have two days to move out of here with all your belongings."

" What?!" Rei asked looking from Ryu to the man, " What are you talking about?"

" Boss's orders, sorry." The man hopped down the dirt steps and began to take his leave.

" No no no, come back here a minute. Who is your boss?"

" The new Syn City manager? Or my direct boss?"

" Syn City!? What?!" Rei yelled.

The man bobbed up and down in excitement, making his hat slide to one side, " Didn't you here the great news? Syn City is back! Now they're planning on putting a new 'Mc. Neil Brothel' here. You'll have to clear out in the next few days or so." He tried to leave again, but Rei grabbed hold of his arm.

" You can't do that! This is my land!" He said trying not grip the messengers arm to hard. Ryu gave an encouraging smile at the messenger, who tried but failed through the seering pain to return one.

" I-I'm sorry sir!" The man said urgently his eyes popping in fear at Rei's hand. He had obviously noticed the enormous muscles standing out in Rei's biceps, " No hard feelings, I don't make the rules. I just report 'em!"

Rei heaved a great sigh of annoyance but let go of the poor mans arm. The messenger waggled his arm trying to get blood back into his blue fingers, " Uhm... Well-"

" Could you tell me something before you go?" Rei said, lifting his arms and crossing them, " Who exactly is the lead of this new Syn City?" He held his breath, stuck for an answer.

" Why Sir Balio, of course!" He said and jumped back at the look of rage in Rei's eyes.

" Balio?!" He thundered, " Don't this just beat all?" He said turning his face toward Ryu's, " When you get back there you tell him we're gonna kick his ass. Again!"

The messenger squeaked incoherently and stumbled back into the dust, " Yes sir!" The sound of his hurried foot-falls disappeared and Rei shook his head, " I really blew up back there. I'm sorry Ryu. It's just-When I think about losing you again, I feel so, I'm… scared." Rei moved form him so Ryu would not see the tears welling in his eyes.

" What… Are we going to do?" Ryu asked innocently following him into their little house. The house was much like a tree house except it was firmly grounded in the soil. It was completely constructed of wood and though they were few and small rooms, it was home. Rei lifted himself to sit on the table centered in the room and sighed at the empty bowl that had once contained apples beside him, " We're going to wait for Momo to show up." At saying her name Rei felt a chill of excitement move down his back, but ignored it. He has always been afraid of love and he chose to stay in the woods instead of excepting her invitation of room and board in the Chrysm ore plant. And his philosophy was, if you're afraid of something, then stay well away from it. And he was afraid of love. Suppressing those thoughts Rei smiled, " She's finally on a long needed vacation from her position at the Chrysm ore plant." Momo refused to take sick days to visit them as she loved her work so deeply but she was ecstatic about spending her vacation celebrating Rei's birthday, " Some birthday this'll be." Rei muttered.

Ryu frowned at him and said, " Don't worry we'll get this cleared up, I'm sure Nina can do something. As Queen of Wyndia she should be able to order even Syn City around. Get all those jokers locked up in the castle dungeons. Speaking of the castle, I don't know why you insisted having your party here. The castle is much roomier. We won't be able to fit everyone in here. And well, theirs no drought in Wyndia!"

" We may still be going there if they take my property." Rei muttered under his breath. Just then there was a voice at the door, " Hello?" Rei jumped up off the table aptly and ran to meet Momo at the door. Momo was an engineer in chrysm ore, and a renowned scholar. Her redish pink eyes and hair has always helped show her cheerful personality. She wore a blue robe-like dress which two thick braids ran down. Momo's eyes lit up and her bunny-like nose twitched when she spotted Rei. She ran up to him throwing her arms around him in a warm hug. Ryu watched Rei's face over Momos shoulder, and gave Rei a 'aww, how cute' look. A pink tinge rose beneath his fur and he squeezed Momo a bit harder so she couldn't draw away and see his blush. Momo let out a squak of what sounded like smothered delight, " Rei, It's good to see you too," She gasped, " But you're suffocating me." He loosened his grip.

A loud gleeful voice came from behind the couple, " Oo, it's Rei's girlfriend." Rei recognized the voice as Teepo's. Teepo was a well built but the size of your average teenager. He had long purple hair and always a mischievous look in his purple eyes. He felt Momo trying to push away gently but burried his crimson face in her shoulder and pulled her back, " Its been too long Momo."

" I know." She said. For almost a minute the room was silent. Rei savored this minute, spent so close to Momo. He could feel her hot breath on his neck, and realized how much he had missed her. Her round plump breasts on his chest made him struggle with a few feelings he didn't understand. In the midst of these thoughts he noticed a strange giggle. Teepo raised his voice again, " C'mon Rei we know you like her but you don't have to hug her all day." This time Rei had to let go of her as his face flooded with blood, and again his cheeks grew red. He choose to turn away.

****

As a contrast to the black night outside, a bright crackling fire accompanied urgent talk of the events of that afternoon. They all sat and layed around the fire. Momo sat up straight with keen interest as Rei retold the story of his trip to the store and conversation with the messenger. She shook her head, " Well Rei… I can't say I can really help you I mean- You know I'm not a warrior like you, Rei."

" Sure you are." He said gently, and Ryu noticed a soft glow in Reis eyes as he looked kindly in Momos direction, " You've got that big ass gun."

She smiled in pleasure at him, " That's true. I suppose I could think of something for you. All right I'll do it. But we'll have to wait for the others to get here." She said as Rei and Ryu looked at each other satisfied. Teepo made a big show of yawning and nudged Ryu to do the same, " Man Ryu you've got bags under yer eyes man. We better get up to bed and leave these two alone." He smothered Ryus protests with a well-placed shove in the back.

Rei was rising as he thought that if he stayed it would look too obvious that he wanted to. When Momo gave him a look and pulled him back down, " Rei, please don't go yet. I have a question."

The tiger-like man sat back down and tried not to look to please that she had reacted to his attempt to leave, " Yes?"

" Why… Why aren't you honest with me, Rei?" She asked innocently, her eyes trailing up his body to meet his.

A pang of guilt jolted into him when their eyes connected but he ignored it and looked into the fire, " What do you mean." He knew perfectly well what she meant.

" Why is it that every time I invite you to come stay with me or have a cup coffee or something… Your non-existent grandma dies or you have a crippling accident."

" Hey, when I told you I fell of the bed in my sleep and broke my tail I wasn't joking." He said crossing his fingers.

She sighed, " I just… I have a strong relationship with the others still. Nina and Garr visit me all the time. But whenever I try to get close to you, you just, push me away. It's like you don't care."

" Whoa there, I like you fine. You're a great engineer!"

" A great engineer? What happened to friend?" Her words swelled with obvious pain and harmful emotions.

Rei opened his mouth to say something jokingly but couldn't, as her eyes glistened wet. So instead to said softly, " You are my friend."

Momo turned her head to one side and looked at him as if she didn't quite believe or understand him, " Rei Chiba, you are a riddle to me." Moving to her knees, Momo looked downcast into his eyes. Then standing surely, she raised her chin high and cleared her throat to say, " Goodnight, Rei." And took her leave, every pace stiff and her breathing strangely controlled. Rei let his head droop when she brushed past him and did not dare to turn and watch her climb the rough wooden stairs. He stared into the fire for several minutes and then took his head in his hand.

****

Shafts of sunlight glistened across Rei's golden fur. A slight zephyr from an open window grazed his body, causing him to curl tighter into a ball. A voice above him softly trilled, " Rei, what are you doing asleep down here?" Eyes now open Rei reflected on the night before and sat up to face the keeper of the voice, " Huh?" Their face came into focus and Rei saw that it was Nina. She was short and thin, but shapely as well. Her bright blond hair, the color of Rei's, framed her face and blue eyes, like jewels. Rei had always thought of her as attractive but he just wasn't attracted to her. She was weak, Rei thought. Not weak in spirit or mind but physically and he knew how Ryu loved her anyway, " Hello, princess." He yawned, trying not to look too cute, " When did you get here?"

" A few minutes ago, Garr and Peco escorted me from the castle."

Rei squinted around her seeing Garr and Peco like she had said standing in the doorway. Garr was tan, huge and muscular, tan winged and noble looking. Peco however was almost the opposite, small and green, but looks are deceiving. Peco is the reincarnation of Yggdrasil lord of nature, " Hi there fellas." Rei waved to them.

" Now why exactly are you asleep on the floor of your own house?" Nina asked.

He shrugged sleepily, "I… uhm."

Nina squealed her tongue protruding between her teeth, " Oh Rei, your so cute when your sleepy. You look just like a kitten."

He immediately tensed and sat up, " That was not a compliment." He said playfully. Standing, Rei remembered the night before and felt a kind of sadness cloud his heart.

Again Nina looked at him unbeleiving, " Now for the third time, why are you on the floor?"

Rei gritted his teeth but forced a grin, he really didn't want to talk about it, " I wanted to sleep in front of the fire, okay?"

Nina must of sensed the frustration in his voice for she nodded and excepted this answer, " Is Momo here yet?" She said trying to calm Rei. However her efforts were in vain for Rei's eyes narrowed at Momo's name and his teeth were slightly bared, " Yes." He said tensely and rose to his feet.

Garr stepped in front of Nina, " Whoa Rei, what's wrong?" He said, and saw the manic glint in his eyes ebb away.

" Nothing at all." He said in a placid tone, " I'm gonna go get a breath of air, if you'll excuse me."

Both Nina and Garr moved from his path with out so much as a questioning look.

****

" Momo?" The sleeping figure stirred at this, and Momo rolled over onto a hard metal object making her jump. She opened her eyes to see that it was Honey, " Sorry Honey, didn't mean to hurt you."

" Momo?" She looked up and saw Nina sitting at the foot of her bed, " Good-morning!" She called and squeezed her friend in a hug.

" Its good to see you too." Nina said, " But I'm here on slightly serious terms." Momo let go, " I see."

" What is wrong with, Rei?"

Momo knew Nina meant nothing to pain her with this but she still felt a heaviness build like a leaden weight in her heart, " I'm not sure… Nina can I tell you something?"

" Anything Momo." She said patting her friends arm.

" I think…" And she struggled with this, as she clearly did not want to admit what she'd denied for years before, " I like-" This word too came out with much effort, " - Rei."

For a long time Nina sat looking at Momo in a quizzical sort of way, but then she said, " I think Momo, that Rei is in love with you."

" And why would you think that, he clearly has no interest for me, if he won't call me even his friend."

" Momo don't be discouraged so easily. He likes you just the same." She said but remembered his reaction to her name earlier.