"Oh yea, the Law of Kin. . . Umm, that is the whole law about not eating animals, right?"

"Exactly," Meo drinks her tea slowly under her veil.

Taka injects, "Would you like more, Tank?"

"Yes please!" I water in my mouth. Taka refills my bowl.

Kenta perks up from his notepad, "Yes! The water gardens! I have seen them when we use to live with Astrid in the Swamplands. It was a network of net like plants known as Luna's Blooms. They are small green plants with white flowers that grown in the swamps. They are very difficult to care for without vast knowledge of their life cycle. Luna's Blooms help get rid of the Empire's waste like their blacken waters. The water gardens however need other plays to continue to grow. They codependent on host plants. So throughout the lands the Merpeople collect the seeds to help Luna's Blooms grow."

Kenta takes a breath and flips about in his notepad. He seems to be returning to his former thought. Astrid grins as she holds her spoon and eats some of the soup. She adds, "There is a whole aqua mage trade route to help with the transportation of water. The aqueducts for the lands run primary to us here in Summit Wings and the Western Lands of the Lizard People. Aqua mages are part of the Merpeople. They are helpful in ensuring the aqueducts remain hidden from outsiders. It would be dangerous if the Empire knew about the water gardens and the aqueducts. I hope in time to reduce this danger by restoring the trade routes off the coastline."

"I suppose," I nod.

"That's our children, always thinking of solution," Taka cheers as he fills up Kin's teacup.

Kenta keeps his notepad open on the table. He write an entry quickly as Kin gives the child a loving glance to put it away. Kenta delays a few moments to finish a rough drawing. I spy at the drawing. It is of a plant being placed on a wound. The plant itself looks stringy and thin. The color is not yet on the drawing. But from what I can tell there is a bunching of it together when growing. I say, "What is the plant for? What is it called?"

The fox kid holds up the picture. His fangs form a grin as he excited states, "It is Golnar's Hair, an herb that grows here in Summit Wings during the beginning of winter. Golnar's Hair is used to help wounds keep from festering. It is good to use it while it is still fresh. You know it is ready when you see the brownish lines in the middle of the leaves. But if you dry it out the herb's leaves can be used for tea to treat sore throats. But for that you have to mix it in with a wee bit of Toph's Second Wind."

"What is Toph's Second Wind?" I lean closer with interest. I forget about the spoonful of hot soup in my hand and nearly drop it all over my lap. I quickly put down the spoon and continue to study the image.

"Toph's Second Wind is very healthy plant that grows in all the seasons. You can usually grow it in a garden at home. It grows best in shade. But to get some you have to visit a temple of the Lord of All," Kenta pauses flip through the pages of his book. There is another pencil drawing of a blue leaf plant with large flowers of auburn color. Kenta taps his fingers on it. He goes on, "You should not have too much of Toph's Second Wind. It can make you very sick and depended on it to go through daily activity."

"Really!?" I stare down at the writing. I cannot read of any of the words. I think of using my translating stone on the page. I doubt it works in such a way. I feel a nudge on my arm. It is Meo. She slowly goes to eat her soup. I flush and sit back in my chair. Meo kindly says, "Kenta, why don't you save your notebook for later. Tank loves to study plants. You can show him your garden."

"I would be happy to!" Kenta nods. He slips his notebook into his sleeve and starts to eat his soup again.

Taka snaps his figures, "Aw, Tank! I remember I was going to tell you about the Nomads! It is hard to get out and see them! Here let me tell you a bit about them!"

"Those were some very lively times, my dear," Kin covers his face as he muffles a laugh, "Please do keep is child friendly. Kenta and Astrid are here!"

"Daddy!" Kenta groans.

"Oh Papa! Daddy!" Astrid rolls her eyes.

Taka takes a long drink of his tea. Kin goes about passing the bread to everyone at the table. Everyone eats content. Meo merely pokes at the soup and focuses on her tea. Taka starts, "Alright! I will tell you just a small tale. Now the Nomadic City hops about randomly throughout the desert. But to find it you have to go to the pillars on the borderlands of the Sands. It is easily enough to find them. You have to speak to Yao, seer of the past to know the right pillar-"

"Yes, yes. It the order that goes like this. You first need to knock on the pillar of Luna, then Gaia, then the Lord of All. Afterwards, you first find the pillar of Golnar and speak the words: Where water, land, and the infinite go. So too I go to find life and death. Open the way!" Meo sighs as she hears mention of Yao. She looks at her cup, "All of us seers know how to start the process to find the Nomadic City. But the quest to locate it is beyond that skill."

"Meo, don't interrupt it!" Taka laughs, "Come on! I am revealing the secret to get there-"

"Taka. . ." Kin give him a deadly look, "You know our way will not work again. It was a once in a life time chance. Now we have left, we cannot return again. Nor can anyone else do so. Hikaru himself told us it was true."

"You are right," Taka sighs, "Hikaru was so serious. Man was no fun."

"Papa! Tell them about the city! You can do that!" Kenta exclaims.

"The city of the Nomads is unbelievable! They will be like nothing you have ever seen! It was thanks to our trip we discovered Astrid and her aqueduct idea for the Merpeople. She also found out how to help communications easier among the cities. We may do ground deliveries for the local area. But we are in the process of developing an airmail serves with the griffins in the city."

"You are from the Nomadic City?" I turn to Astrid.

She smiles, "I was. I decided I really liked being a family with Papa and Daddy. It is very helpful to increase my knowledge of current issues here in Summit Wings. Plus. . . I did not have to be alone. I did miss seeing the rest of the world knowing how the merpeople were fairing."

"She a very devout trades creature," Taka chuckles, "Anyways, the city has technology beyond the capabilities of the creatures and the humans combined. They have things called radios and they developed advanced method of medicine. Their culture is a very odd one I may add."

Shyly Astrid says, "We are able to share these advancements at the dates, Meo prescribes. The leaders of the Nomads thought the advancement of the races should be done in a safe fashion."

I think over this information. I turn to Astrid, "But if you are from there. Shouldn't you know how to get back there?"

"The Nomadic City will not return to the same place twice in the Sands. There are pathways to get back there. But the knowledge of how have been removed from my memory. It was the law of the Nomads," Astrid says in a small voice, "I only have the knowledge I was permitted to leave with."

The kid fox turns toward the large window. A group of children are hopping around and waving their arms at him. Kenta finish his meal and makes his way to the kitchen. Kenta is to do dishes. Astrid starts to play with her hair nervously. Taka goes over to the kitchen and chatters with Kenta. They both laugh for a bit and then Kenta is told to go play with his friends for a while. Kenta giddy agrees to leave behind his task and runs outside. There a passing group of children cheers his name and off he goes. Kin gets up and closes the curtains of the dining room. He strains to listen outside and settles in his chair once again.

Kin shakes his head, "The Acorn Unit will be around us. No matter what we attempt."

"The Acorn Unit will do their jobs. I expect nothing less," Meo calmly keeps her hands in her lap.

Taka chuckles, "Let them listen! How about we invite them in while we are at it?"

"Taka!" Kin grumbles, "Please try and be serious."

Taka rubs his ear, "Now, now, my dear. We worked hard to make our home. We should only be more than happy to get more involved with the issue of the Forest Mountain Clan after we worked so hard to leave them! I mean we saw wonders unlike anything else throughout the lands! We have made good with our business adventure! But look at us! We fill Kenta's head with tales of the grandness of the Forest Mountain Clan! We shouldn't have gotten involved."

Kin groans, "We agreed we won't make this about our former clan. We are doing this for Seer Hotaru Meo. Not just them."

"You want me to be serious! Fine! Kin, I have a feeling you want something more out of the arrangement. What is it? You do not approve of Kitsune Lim's running of your parent. She is the only heir left there. You know we lost our rights to helping your family, when we left to be together. You know that Kitsune Hana gave up her claim long before we did. Now your parent is at her mercy. A cage built by Kitsune Lim's hatred and anger. It is the same cage that drove your father and your grandparents to the grave. It is the same cold one that stung my parents . . ." Taka shakes his head.

"Taka, I do not approve of you bring this up-" Kin nearly shouts.

"Fathers, let us focus on our business with Meo and Tank," Astrid sing song voice breaks the developing tension, "Our guests do not need to have our troubles placed on them. We can work to sort them out as a family later."

"You are right, Astrid," Kin flattens his ears and sits down.

Meo quietly holds her cup. She looks at the both of them and drinks slowly. Her eyes express her knowing of the hidden conflict. The seer unclips her veil and she places her hands together. Somberly she begins, "Gentle creatures . . . I am sorry I trouble your household. But you know why I come here. I know now you cannot ask you do preform the tasks I need done. I have spoken with Kin. It is clear now. Tank and I must count on Toby and Genko."

"Meo. . ." Taka scowls. He turns to Kin, "Did you agree to make this arrangement? You know what they are going to ask for in return!"

Kin running his hands through his fur, "Astrid said we could surrender it to them."

"It is true, Papa," Astrid holds the silver liquid around her neck. She weakly smiles, "When I am aware I must give the Waters of Golnar. It is a small price to pay, if it means we are helping Meo."

"But. . . But . . ." Taka holds his tongue once he sees the stern face of Meo. The seer sits unmoved. Taka spies the faint outlines of the scars. Everyone seems to notice now. Yet they speak not of it.

Meo clears her throat, "I know, Taka and Kin, I should have not asked anymore actions of you. This I do not want for you to do the task of helping me. Astrid's loss of her final link to immortally will grant her the normal life she desires."

"Yes, I am okay without being ageless. I am really okay with it. I choose to keep aging once I came here with you, Papa and Daddy. It is really okay now," Astrid grins.

Taka takes time to feel the impact of the situation. I take small bites of my cooling soup. I do not know what my role is in this whole situation. I play with the soup for a moment. Then Meo presses on, "I know it is difficult, but we all know Astrid's purpose is to assist as best as she can. She is free to make her choice as she sees fit. She knows I have wronged with her plenty about the subject of the current plan."

"Yes, Meo. You have. . ." The young woman unclips the necklace. She slides it over to Meo. She looks at Taka and Kin, "Fathers, you know as a former Nomad I made the choice to activity try and help the world. I will not reject it out of selfishness."

"We support your choices," Kin comments firmly as he takes Taka's hand.

Warily Taka grins, "Yes. . . Yes . . . We will see you through."

I open my mouth to speak, yet Meo's eyes narrow on me. I close my mouth out of fear of ignorance. Her eyes screaming for me not to ask any dumb questions. I know what the Waters of Golnar are. Gawain told a really neat story about how the goddess of life, Golnar, fell in love with Zakai, god of death. Golnar received a gift of a phoenix from Zakai. The gift Golnar gave Zakai was life water to be used to expand a mortal's life or to make them forget their life in order to be reborn. Something like that.

Meo takes the necklace and slips it into her bag. She ask them all, "How goes the bridging of the relationship of the merpeople to the creatures here in the capital? I am guessing you are making steady progress as you three are the ambassadors to them to the Grand Counsel."

Taka regain some of his good cheer, he states, "Well, our aqueduct program has been a great success. We have made amends with the merpeople and the creatures over the conflict of interest from the Second War. Communication has become more open and steady."

"We still are having trust issues from the Grand Counsel about the ethical nature of the merpeople's breaking of the Law of Kin," Kin sighs.

"There is the issue of the Lizard People and resistance to rejoining either the Grand Counsel for talks or meeting beyond necessary with the merpeople," Kin's fiddles with his silverware.

Astrid smiles meekly, "We will get them to work with us surely within the next few weeks. We will succeed. Meo assured me in the past."

"I have. . ." Meo nods, "The course of action is occurring. I trust in your household to take control of the situation. . . As for Kitsune Lim's city, Kitsune Hana will be returning to manage her gang and maintain political order over there."

"So. . . You will indeed meet with Toby and Genko?" Kin says.

Meo focuses on her cup of tea. Her eyes flash with thought. She declares, "I believe Kin gave me some advice on that meeting. I have sent word to them I cannot meet with them tonight. We have rearranged the meeting. Instead, I have a date with my husband tonight."

"I didn't agree to that!" I split out words at last. I get nudged in my ribs any Meo.

"Yes, we arranged a date tonight so we could dine with my father," Meo hisses, "Once we are done with dinner, we have to speak in fuller details about our future plans."

"Oh. . . Right," I nod.

Taka offers, "Do you wish to stay with us through the night? We could make up the room."

"No, thank you. Tank and I will be staying at an inn. We will need privacy," Meo narrows her eyes to the window.

"We understand," Kin stands up and opens the curtains again.

From here the late lunch wraps up. Taka and family cleaned up the table. Astrid disappears into her room to take care of her studies and homework. Taka goes off to his transportation business to carry on with managing it. Meo and Kin go on to have a further discussion about supplies and the status of their own lives. I sit among the two of them, while updating part of my own reports. They pay me little mind and I am not part of their conversion. It is when Kenta returns back from play that I get a tour of the family garden and herbal uses. Soon by the five o' clock hour our time at their household comes to an end. Meo and I leave their home. There is much hugging and warm good-byes. Meo ensured her veil is properly. Meo tone is much more serious as she leaves their home. We walk up the steps to the temple of the Lord of All.

. . .

The whole affair of the dinner with Pan, Meo's father. It was a terrible mess. It was such a big mess, I am not going to record it. Nope. No way. No how. Pan hated me. He thought very little of anything I said. Additionally, he was furious with Meo. That's enough said. The dinner ended very quickly.

It was about here Meo and I escaped from the temple of the Lord of All. We made our way out of the temple in one piece. We had a run in with Yuki and Shiro. They reported in on some shifty activity. They were going to escort us back to our inn. There they planned to stand guard for the night. Yes, it was a time for the ages. As we had said good night, Shiro wished us luck on being fruitful. I cringed and Meo disapprovingly narrowed her eyes.

It is around now Meo and I sit here in our room. It is nothing fancy. But we have not spoken since we entered. Meo has taken out a notepad of her own as I am making my own entries. I am frustrated. Hold on. . .

. . .

Meo holds her hand out for something. I think about what is in my hands. She wants my reports. The book is open and the log records my hand motions to form the wording. I cover over the pages with my arm. She struggles to study the words for a while of what she can see. Meo takes her notepad and writes in very sloppy English letters, How are your records coming? You are so protective of it. I do not doubt you have missed an entry.

I motion on the pad, It is coming along alright. . . I see you have improved your ability to write and read has increased.

Meo reads the words slowly. She takes her pen and carefully writes, So, are you recording your inner thoughts and daily events in it?

I write back, Yes. . . Well, I am.

Meo taps her pen against the page. She writes out her letters: How do you manage to keep it? You have a book with paper, yet I never see you writing. There are a few pages of ink I mean. How does it work?

Tank motion with my fingers. The words pop up on the page, My reports are partly hand written and partly digital. You know I have the communicator implanted in me.

She nods.