"But I don't want them to go off to the wild! Mommy says it's dangerous out there!"

The Duke sighed, frowning. He should have known his daughter wasn't going to be happy about her two closest (and only) friends leaving for the wild soon. The Dutchess reached over, lacing her arm with his.

The two shared a small glance to one another, his dark brown eyes meeting his wife's pretty black ones. Her light pink ballgown matched with her pale paper skin wonderfully.

"Pre, sweetie, they have to go. I told you about the Abandonment Policy rules, remember?"

"But they'll die out there! It isn't safe! Why can't they just stay here? Sevekins can sleep in the spare bedroom, and-and me and Rai Rai can sleep in my room! Please, Mommy, Daddy, I don't want them to go!"

"Pre, honey, we don't have control over it... Seven and Rain have to go,"

"Why can't I go with them then!"

The Dutchess smiled sadly, her fragile heart breaking as she saw her precious baby girl crying. The Duke himself felt himself feeling guilty, but also relieved.

"Because you are special, honey. You will be taking over Mommy and Daddy's roles here at The Nest when we can't be with you anymore. Seven and Rain, they're not like you, they are like the normal kids, they have to go."

The Duke felt his heart quake after he spoke. He could never imagine loosing his precious little Pre. How many parents must have lost their children to the Policy, the tears that were shed when their tiny bodies were given to the parents in such tiny boxes.

He could never imagine bearing the weight of being the reason his daughter perished at such a young age...

"I don't want to say goodbye to them though! What if they get hurt? I won't want them to get hurt!"

The Dutchess reached down, gently taking her now shaking and crying girl into her arms. She gently sushed the small child, holding her gently while carefully bouncing her.

"I know, honey... I know... maybe you'll see them again."

~~~

Pre placed her tea cup down on the small saucer it was on. Her blue eyes watching the tea pour out of the teapot as the Butler refilled her cup.

"Reginald, do you think I'll see them again?" she asked, making the cuffed man turn his head towards her.

"Who, madam?"

"Sevekins and Rai Rai... it's been, eleven years, hasn't it?"

"I believe so, madam. It's been quite the while since I last caught Ms. Rain and you kidnapping and putting your mother's make up on Young Master Seven. My, your mother was very upset over that."

Pre gave a small giggle, smiling fondly as the older gentleman brought back the memory. It really has been a long time...

DING DONG

The sound of the welcoming bell rang, making the young Higher Up and butler look up. A guest? How unusual.

"I'll go answer that," Reginald said, turning and floating, his head held far far down.

"I will go with you," Pre stated, getting up from her seat, fixing her light green dress and following behind.

~~~

The giant arching door opened slowly, revealing a rather unusual sight. Kids, maybe of them. All dirty and grimy, some having the lean on others in an attempt to support themselves to stand.

Ages varied, from what seemed to be five years old to mid teens. Some looked hungry and dehydrated, some sleep deprived and mildly hurt. They all seemed to jump back as they saw Reginald, looking at him worried and scared.

Towards the very front, a girl around Pre's age stepped forward, her ginger colored hair in two pigtails, a bright red spot of blood on her white shirt, more blood running down from her nose.

"Excuse me, are you... The Pretender?"

Pre blinked her eyes. "Yes, that is me. Who are you?"

The girl seemed to relaxed, giving a small sigh of relief. "My name is Nosebleed, I'm a friend of Rain. She told us about this place, and that you and her used to be friends a while back."

Rain?

Pre couldn't stop the smile that came to her face as she heard her old friend's name. "Rain? Is she here? Where is she? Is she okay?"

"She's... well, I'm not sure. She was heading to the City with her brother after she told us to come here,"

"Oh, Sevekins! Is he alright? Why are they going to the City?"

Nosebleed smile fell. "It... it is a long story. Would it be okay if we come in? We're tired from our trip, and our guides left us after we got to the rocky ledge."

Pre nodded her head. "Of course, of course, come inside. Anyone friend of Rai Rai is a friend of mine."