"So," Lucy and Ray were standing out in front of the dragon's house. Janet and Jason had headed to their homes and Ray had just sent his sister inside, leaving him and Lucy alone on Ray's doorstep to talk. "Will you help me?" Lucy glanced up at Ray, her eyes full of questions.

A thoughtful expression crossed Ray's face and he glanced down at the ground.

"I mean, I guess I really don't need to pull you into this, but today at the shrine..." Lucy began to explain apologetically. Ray held up a hand to quiet her.

"What kind of Ryu would I be if I didn't go on any adventures with my Nina? I mean... it was one of the requirements, wasn't it?"

Lucy stared at him in amazement. "You still remember that?"

Ray didn't answer her question. "Come by and get me tomorrow, we can start then." The dragon turned and walked quietly into his house, leaving Lucy on his porch alone, staring in wonder at the closed front door.

I wonder what all else he remembers. She thought as she made her way back to the castle.

Janet had just gotten done running the whole Lucy story by Justin, Chad, Candice and David. The four windians were having a very hard time believing her.

"That's crazy..." Candice looked at her skeptically. "That stupid dragon stuck in some destiny with Lucy? Sheesh, how low can you go?"

"It's not like she has a choice, Candi." Jason glanced over at Candice. She returned his look with a defensive one of her own.

"Did I say she did?" Candice watched him for a bit longer before turning back to Janet. "So where do we come in?"

"We don't..." Janet looked over at Candice. "Who ever said we were a part of this in the first place?"

"There she is now... and so is that dragon..." David pointed to where Lucy, Brandon and Ray were approaching.

"Lucy..." Janet looked at her in wonder as she stepped up to them.

"I came to say goodbye. You told them?" Lucy motioned to the group behind Janet.

"Yes..."

"Good, then I don't have to explain anything. Well then..." Lucy turned to the rest of her friends. "Goodbye. I don't know when or if I'll be back, but it was nice knowing you all." Lucy forced out a little smile to the group and turned to leave.

Janet was looking rather hesitant as Lucy began to walk off. She couldn't quite believe that this might be the last time she'd ever see her friend again. Candice didn't seem to care. She and Lucy had never been that great of friends. Justin and Chad each exchanged worried glances, but it was Jason who spoke up first out of the group.

"Wait!" He ran up to Lucy, grabbing a hold of her arm. She turned and stared at him, her eyes void of emotion.

"Yes?" Her voice was as empty as her eyes.

Jason shook his head. "This is stupid... I... I can't let you go wandering off into whatever with... with him." He jerked his head in Ray's direction. The dragon gave him an insulted look, but Jason just ignored it. "Even if you do have Brandon with you, I can't let you just go off like this..."

"Jason?" Lucy's gaze filled with curiosity as she studied him. "What do you mean?"

"I'm going with you." Jason stared at her determinedly.

"What?" Her eyes went wide with shock. "Jason, you can't..."

"Why not?" He snapped back angrily. "I was there at the shrine! You saw what happened! That has to mean something... but even if it doesn't..." Jason shook his head. "I can't let you go out like this. I coming with you and that's it." Jason glanced from Lucy to Ray and then to Brandon, daring any one of them to challenge his decision.

"Jason..." Lucy began, but she was cut off quickly by Janet who was stepping up next to Jason.

"No," Janet started. "I'm not letting you go like this either. I'm coming with you Lucy, and don't you dare try and stop me." She flashed Lucy one of her determined looks.

Lucy glanced between the two windians. I can't believe they would do this... she could feel the emotion rising in her. They have no right to be doing this but... In a way, she was glad. As easily as it would have been for her to turn and leave and never speak another word to them, Jason and Janet's reaction was enough to raise a bit of wonder in her. At least it's nice to know that after eleven years, Janet is an actual friend.

Since her whole childhood change from Nina to Lucy, she had always found herself drifting away from people, never really sure who to trust and who not to. It had never occurred to her that people like Janet or Jason might actually care about what happened to her. Even if my family didn't... she put the thought away quickly. Now was not the time to be considering such things. Now was the time that she had to get moving. She turned her attention to the remaining WINGS group.

"Well? Are is there anyone else who feels they must follow me?"

Justin, Chad, Candice and David all exchanged quick glances. Janet looked over at her boyfriend.

"Justin..."

Justin gave her a studying look. "Janet... I don't know..." He just shook his head. A hurt expression flashed over Janet's face, but she turned away quickly, hoping he didn't notice.

"Fine then." Janet's gazed turned to the ground. Jason glanced between the three remaining windians.

"Well come on you guys. You can't expect to let Lucy wander off like this by herself."

Chad looked around uneasily and glanced over at Jason. "It's not really Lucy we're thinking about though..." He motioned to Ray.

David shook his head. "I'm not having anything to do with some dragon."

Jason stared wide-eyed in amazement at the group before him. "What the hell? Forget about the dragon! This is Lucy we're talking about!"

"Lucy will be fine, Jason!" Candice snapped quickly at him. "Think about what you're doing though! You want to go running off with that filthy... thing?!" She pointed quickly at Ray.

"What the hell are you so upset about, Candi?" Jason glared at Candice. "If Lucy is a part of this, then so am I, even if it means I have to work with some dragon."

Candice looked over him carefully, raising her chin up and flashing a look of disappointment at Jason. "You know, you were the last person I ever expected to see side up with a dragon."

Anger flared up in Jason's eyes as her words struck him sourly. "I see..." He muttered through clenched teeth and turned, addressing Lucy quickly. "So then, when do we leave?"

Lucy glanced from Jason to Janet again. "I still can't believe you two are coming..." With a sigh, she turned and lead the little group out of the park.

Janet looked over at Lucy. "So, what are we doing anyway?"

Lucy paused, her eyes clouding over with a thoughtful look. "I'm not really sure..."

Ray spoke up. "There's someplace I know we could stop at..." Lucy looked up at him curiously, and Ray shrugged his shoulders lightly. "Just, someone I think who could help us out. He should be just a little way west of Windia..."

Lucy nodded. "We'll head there first then."

"Wait a second." Brandon spoke up, glancing around the small party. "If we're heading out there, and we don't know what's out there waiting for us, it's in our best interest if the rest of you have some sort of weapon to defend yourselves with." He hadn't included Lucy as one of the ones he was talking to. As a royal guard, it was Brandon's duty to protect her with his life. She shouldn't have a need for a weapon, other then her magic skills. Ray nodded in agreement.

"Alright then... we'll have to stop by my house..."

"And mine." Janet glanced up.

"And I suppose yours too." Lucy turned and looked at Jason. He nodded, and she shrugged, sighing lightly. "Alright then. We'll make a few more stops." With that, the group of five, four windians and a dragon, turned and headed towards the nearest required destination.