Home is where the heart is... Not really.

Skittles looked up at the clear morning sky. They were heading to his home town of Sadai, a place filled with magic and modern medicine. The streets had beautiful gardens, and beautiful people.

But why was he so reluctant to go back to the town of adventure?

Because it was the town where his parents had met their ends.

Ignoring the pain in the back of his neck he rolled over. Quickly he rolled back to his other side to come face to face with Taeda and Fulmen.

"Why is that here?" his heart was beating at an alarming rate, a rate so fast that it surprised the poor little egg now at his chest.

"I tried to light her on fire but..." Taeda trailed off. 

Skittles cursed.

"Just talk to her," said Fulmen.

"Never," growled Skittles while hugging the egg.

"Oh really," said a voice softly. 

Before Skittles knew it he felt a hand where it shouldn't have been. He jumped up with a yelp of surprise. What normal person touched you there? 

"Hello, Skittles, I knew that would grab your attention."

"But you weren't grabbing my attention!"

"Oh just calm down," Sprite waved a hand dismissively, "I didn't mean any harm. I just want to travel with you for a while."

"You can't! You--wait." Skittles suddenly realized where he was and where she was supposed to be. "You didn't do what I think you did... did you?"

"I did exactly what you think I did at least I think that. If you're thinking that I ran away from the temple the answer is yes. Oh, and I am now running from the law also."

If Skittles hadn't been holding the egg he would have smacked himself in the forehead. "Thank a lot." He said as he looked away. He had to ditch Sprite as quickly as possible. "Wait one second," he whispered to the egg, "Was it just me or was she holding a sledge hammer?"

He looked back, and was very disappointed to find she had a very large one strapped to her back.

"It's time to go Taeda, Fulmen!" 

"But--"

"Just pack everything up quickly!" With that he swished off to his horse.

***

"This is it." They had come into a city with hanging gardens, vendors and everything you could ask for. It was the home of adventure and odd jobs. This was the place Skittles loved, but somehow hated.

"Dang," whistled Taeda in awe.

Skittles nodded to himself. He pulled out two small money bags from his coat. Each was small enough to go around the angecur's neck. With a smile he waved the bags in front of his friend's faces. "I'll meet you here at dusk. Be careful though--" He never had a chance to finish, because the two angecur had run off.

Skittles closed his eyes, they could take care of themselves. With a little less weight the horse trotted towards their destination. An Herbal Remedies shop at the opposite side of town.

***

The little bells chimed as Skittles pushed open the door. As he entered an overwhelming sent washed over him. The sent of rare flowers, incenses, and other oddities came from the various displays on the shelves. A little decorated counter sat at the opposite side of the store, and an empty stool with it. 

"Hello?" Skittles called out while he took the egg out of a small plush riding bag.

"I'll be out in a moment!" a man voice came from a backroom.

Skittles raised an eyebrow at the man's voice, which sounded like chiming bells. He didn't really have time to wonder if he was in the right place. A red headed man with a sliver streak in his hair ran from out of the back room door. He wore a white doctor's coat and glasses were perched on top of his forehead. This was Dr. Pepper, known a Diet by his friends.

"Well, Hello Skittles! I did get what you ordered," He gave a grin that would remind any man of someone who belonged in an asylum.

"Are you serious?" Skittles suddenly went wide-eyed.

"Yes--but what is that THING you have in your arms?"

"It's a dragon egg."

The little blue egg gave a feeling of offense. How dare that man call her a thing!

Dr. Pepper backed up a bit. "I see... Shall we go in back so I can give you the antidote?"

"Let's." Skittles leapt over the counter gracefully. How he didn't with the egg in his hands isn't something that can be explained. He just did it.

With a nod, Dr. Pepper lead him into the large backroom. It was covered with cubicles dividing various rare herbs and other natural ingredients for medicines. On a small table sat a Bunsen burner, and large tea kettle, and a small white package. Diet waved his hand towards a stool and he headed to the table.

Skittles sat down on the cushy stool. He inspected to room while hugging the egg. He raised an eyebrow at Diet's back. "Hey, Do you remember anyone named Sprite?"

"Oh, yeah, she used to come in the shop with her mother when we were little. I remember her because when she was a teenager she came in to ask for some special padding." Dr. Pepper snorted.

"What...kind of padding?"

"You know, Chest, hips, legs, she even bought special make-up. I think the only thing she kept was her very unique hair color and eye color." 

Skittles blinked a few times before asking, "What were they?"

"A gray-blue for her hair and a silver for her eyes. She was pretty but she had no chest." Diet chuckled, "Are you looking for someone finally?"

"No. It's just I met her and... wait, She's flat chested?"

"That's an understatement." Dr. Pepper continued to poke the Bunsen burner with a metal rod until the tea kettle began to spurt a lovely white steam. He carefully placed the kettle on a hot pad and searched for a tea cup. When he had found a dainty cup he filled it with an brown liquid. Fanning it he brought it over to Skittles. "Here we go! This should make you one forth werewolf again!"

As Skittles reached out he heard the smashing of glass behind him. He wished beyond all hope that it wasn't what he thought it was, but he knew that it was.

Before anyone could do anything the tea cup was on the floor, its contents were slowly seeping through the wooden floor boards.  

Both Skittles and Dr. Pepper cursed. Work and dreams had just been shattered in one fraction of a second by someone's... arrow?

Skittles jumped up and spun around. He was in no way or shape ready to fight whatever had done this. He was definitely not ready to come face to face with an angry assassin.

"GAH!" Skittles almost fell backwards. It was an assassin that would be sent out to find a priestess or other renegade. For some reason this one was out to kill Skittles, and, more then likely, Sprite as well.

All Skittles really had to do was cast a quick fire spell without setting the whole entire herbal store ablaze. Since that was far to difficult he decided to cast a quick wind spell that smashed the assassin into a neighboring building.

Dr. Pepper looked to Skittles, "I knew you were popular with the ladies, but now the men as well? What next? You're going to tell me that you're getting married?"

Skittles snorted, "Just do me a favor and meet me were we normally do. It's almost time for me to meet two of my companions, and I'll more then likely meet Sprite as well."

"All right then, I'll see you there." Dr. Pepper nodded and began to clean up the awful mess.

As swift as the wind, Skittles made his way to the center of town to collect everyone.

***

Sprite stood besides Skittles with a slightly confused expression on her face. "Why are we at a graveyard?" She was back to her teenage self without her mass about of padding and make-up. She was a very pretty woman without it.

"Because I want to put flowers on my parents grave. Is that a problem?"

"No, but it's nighttime and there could be creepy people out here five miles away from the main city."

"Deal with it," Skittles snorted as he walked between the rows of tombstones.

Taeda was more quiet then she had ever been, while Fulmen sat on Sprite's shoulder. Skittles carried the egg as well as a two very well grown roses. 

They all came to a stop when the saw a tall shadowy figure by a tall monument. "Hello Diet," said Skittles softly as he stopped in front of the monument.

"Hello Skittles. Fancy meeting you here." Dr. Pepper stood besides the monument which was a statue of an angel. 

"Yes...." Skittles threw the two roses down at the monument. His weren't the only ones there, there were many of bright colors. Each given by a different person. Skittles sighed at the sight of her parents resting place.

Sprite gasped in surprise as she read the stone. "Your mother's name was the same as mine! That's kind of extremely creepy." She shivered at the thought.

"You have no idea," Skittles shrugged. "Shall we keep on moving? We don't want to be caught by anyone."

"Mmm, Good luck Skittles," Dr. Pepper slipped his friend a small package, "That'll come in handy sometime."

"Thank you."

Sprite blinked, "Are you inviting me to come with you?"

Skittles glared at her, "No, I just said what I said for the sake of saying it. Yes, you can come."

Sprite squealed, "Then let's go! Thank you so much!" She kissed him on the cheek and headed off to get the horses with Fulmen.

"Am I going to regret this?" 

"More then likely... yes, but Skittles I have to give you something else." Dr. Pepper grinned. "It was your father's. I managed to steal it before they emptied out his place." He reached behind the statue and revealed a scythe. It was large, but nothing seemed very special about it.

Skittles stared blankly.

"It's magical, so you'll be able to keep it safely somewhere in that coat of yours." Dr. Pepper handed him the scythe, and they both watched it shrink in size.

With a shrug Skittles placed it into his coat. "Shall we go to the horse Taeda?"

Taeda nodded, "Please?"

With a swish of clothing Skittles left the graveyard as well as his home town. His heart never really belonged there in the first place.