Back in her locked room, Ren was sitting at the desk and staring at the papers blankly. She had absolutely no idea what this thing was talking about, and with Misty ranting in her ear, she couldn't focus.

"Would you stop?" Ren groaned as she glanced at Misty.

"You can't tell me that you're the only one who can hear me? And! And you didn't even defend me!" Misty whined and laid down on the side of the desk. Her warm, red and white fur coat flopped with her. Ren patted her head then went back to trying to read some sort of guide. She gave up after a while and went to reading a comic book about some sort of fictional demon villain apprentice named, Nimona. (Copyright stuff: Not my book, just smooth promotion for an actual comic book called Nimona.) It wasn't a very bad read, a pretty decent one actually. Misty was asleep on the desk.

"I'm bored." Ren groaned while sitting up quickly. She dropped the book on her bed and stood, grabbing her sword. "Come on Misty, let's go do some actual exploring!" Ren grinned at her sleeping friend. Misty glanced over she soon stood and jumped to the floor carefully.

"Where exactly do you plan to go?" Misty asked, Ren shrugged and opened the door. Misty went out, then Ren did. She closed the door behind her. The weapon was slung on her shoulder. Misty and Ren were pretty much running down the halls, after all, they were completely empty, though, Ren had this feeling that she was being watched... While moving quickly around, Ren was getting glared at by everyone she passed. Misty, on the other hand, was completely adored. In fact, a few girls tried to grab her and "free" her from her "terrifying" master. Misty kept squirming, though, she didn't bite. She already knew better. Ren had to run back to get her back. This entire time, she still had the same feeling. 

Meanwhile;

"Ugh... She moves so fast." Shadow complained dramatically. Flame sighed at his sister. Rocky sighed along with him. "Why is she going into the woods?" Shadow questioned while watching Ren.

"Well, let's follow to find out," Rocky replied while walking toward the wood.

Back with Ren; 

"Come on, Misty!" Ren cheered while squirming around the woods.

"I'm ahead of you!" Misty barked back. Ren snickered and made a quick stop, she almost ran into a river. Misty faced around from the opposite direction then ran over curiously. "Ooh pretty." She whined out and laid down. Ren chuckled and sat beside her. "Why are we getting along so easily?" Misty  asked, rolling onto her back. "Pet my belly!" She ordered.

"I dunno, we just are I guess." Ren shrugged and pet Misty's stomach. She was leaned back slightly.

"Boring," Shadow mumbled out. Misty rolled over quickly and stared in her direction. Ren's eyes flickered towards Shadow, Flame, and Rocky, though, she didn't see them. However, she did see Flame's sword handle. Real discreet Flame, great job. Rocky covered Shadow's mouth quickly with his hand. Misty slowly walked towards them. Ren watched this process. Misty sniffed around the bush they were at. Her leg lifted and she started to pee... Right onto Shadow's knee. Shadow was furious, but Flame and Rocky were silently holding her down. After Misty was done, she ran off to where she was laying before. There focus returned to the task at hand, figuring out Ren. "Where'd she go?" Shadow mumbled out quietly. There was a sound of leaves falling behind the trio. Ren appeared, she was hanging upside down and frowning.

"That's rude guys, spying on someone. Especially so poorly, now that's just an insult." She huffed. Misty walked over while Shadow, Rocky, and Flame turned quickly to see Ren. She was hanging by her tail like a monkey.

"How was that poorly?!" Shadow snapped.

"You didn't hide well, you were obvious. Especially Flame, I mean, like, if you're going to carry such a large sword, then you should at least carry it by hand when spying on someone. It's very obvious if you don't. And Shadow, don't talk so much next time. Rocky, don't leave a water trail behind you and don't wear so much cologne." Ren's nose scrunched as she continued to instruct them on better ways to spy on someone. "If you're going to do it in public, don't make what you're doing, obvious. Act natural and don't carry weapons, it slows you down. If you're going to do it in an open, yet private space, like a forest or woods, spread out. Have some sort of way to communicate that isn't obvious or loud. In a truly secluded space, like the room I share with Shadow, hidden video cameras, maybe heat scanners, if it's something overly serious, and sound monitors would probably be best. You guys are really inexperienced at this, aren't you?" The branch she hung from snapped and she faceplanted, cracking her neck harshly in the process and bending awkwardly, onto the ground. She whimpered and squirmed into a less uncomfortable position. She ended up on her back. Shadow leaned her head over Ren's and smirked.

"And we're the 'inexperienced' ones?"

"At least I didn't get discovered when I didn't want to be!" Ren replied while sticking her tongue out. Shadow grumbled in frustration. "Or get peed on!" Ren laughed and waved a hand in her face. "You stink!"

"Hey!" Misty whined Ren grinned at her. Shadow was trying to rub the pee on Ren's face. Flame had to drag her away. Ren sat up and faced the group.

"Why exactly were you spying on me?" 

"Like Shadow, it was part of our mission..." Rocky laughed awkwardly. Ren frowned slightly. 

"What were you trying to figure out? Easy ways to kill me?" Ren questioned.

"We were sent to get a better understanding of you, not kill you." Rocky frowned slightly. Ren smirked slightly.

"Yeah, okay." She nodded, though she didn't quite believe them, yet.

"Ren," Misty growled, she was facing another direction and staring very intensely. "Someone else is here..." Ren glanced over, her expression becoming serious. She stood and started walking off in that direction.

"Hey, where the hell are you going?!" Shadow snapped. Ren waved her off with the hand that carried her sword. Ren was kind of distant now, with her curiosity blocking logic. "Ren!" Shadow yelled while standing. Misty glanced up at Ren worriedly. Shadow started to follow, but Ren disappeared into the heavier wooded areas. 

"Ah, you found me. 'Took you long enough." Max sighed when he glanced over from the opposite direction. He faced Ren, who had stopped behind a rather large tree. 

"What do you want now, Max?" Ren snapped.

"Aww, you remembered my name! I'm so honored." Max replied, moving closer to Ren. Ren watched him annoyedly. "Not happy to see me?" Max pouted slightly. "As for what I want, I want to finish what I was trying to say, Princess." Re snarled at the name. Max smirked cockily. "The princess doesn't like being called 'Princess'? How amusing."

"Just tell me whatever you wanted." Ren snapped, "and the the crap do you know about the whole 'princess' thing?!"

"The same way you do," he leaned down by Ren's ear. "I was told." He leaned back once more and stared at Ren. Her eyes narrowed. "As for who told me, that's a secret."

"There are only two ways you could know that." Her hand raised to show two fingers. "You know however the hell Rocky does, probably from his father. OR two-" Max's tail revealed slowly, he had a wide smirk placed across his lips. "Yeah, that..." Ren mumbled out. She stepped back, right into the tree.

"I want to see yours," Max ordered. Ren didn't follow these orders. "You want to know why, first?" Ren slightly nodded. Max chuckled and pushed Ren back harshly. He pinned her against the sapping tree. Misty was growling rude things to Max, who only glance over and 'ignored' her. (He could hear her.) Ren snarled with being pushed, she had the wind knocked out of her chest. Max's breath brushed of Ren's neck, he was much too close for her comfort. She was trapped, though, her sword was on the ground and Misty couldn't do anything. Max was too strong. "Because, I want to be king one day," He growled lowly. "And you're going to get me there." His tail dragged Ren's to visibility. They didn't have anywhere near a similar pattern. Max smirked, though, he was slightly frustrated. That wasn't how this was supposed to be. He heard footsteps and Flame calling out for Ren. "Later, Princess," Max smirked at her. He paused when turning and glanced back, "if I were you, I'd keep that sword close by. You don't know what kind of evil hands might want it." He winked, hid his tail, and ran off into the distance. Ren started following, but he was way too fast for her.

"Ren, where'd you go?" Flame yelled out. Shadow was on the opposite side of the river bank. Rocky was walking around the outside of the heavily wooded area. He couldn't see Ren. Misty ran out into the open, ahead of Ren. Flame looked down at her and frowned worriedly. "Did something happen?"

"Yeah, I have sap all over my clothes," Ren grumbled when she walked into view. She was carrying her sword in one hand and examining her beanie in the other. She sighed in frustration.

"Shadow, we found her!" Rocky called to her. Shadow made her way over.

"Why do you guys care so much?" Ren's arms crossed. Misty was sitting at her feet, she wanted up. Ren let Misty up onto her shoulder. Her arms crossed once more after.

"Because you're our mission," Shadow answered off the top of her head. Although she was starting to slightly care for Ren, in a sibling way, she would never admit that. How this was happening, Shadow was unsure, it hadn't even been one day. She was getting frustrated with this. Rocky nodded in agreement. Flame shrugged.

"Alright then," Ren muttered. "I need a freaking shower. Later." Ren waved and turned away.

"Hey, no! I call first!" Shadow yelled and ran after her.

"Only if you get there first!" Ren called back, she was running too. Misty was on the ground now while running. The boys exchanged a look and shrug, then they followed.