Welcome to Gaia! ::

Leon sighed as he looked at Hotaru. "Right......so which way to your keyblade......"He shook his head. "I can't believe I'm doing this.....I thought keyblades found you, not the other way around......." He smirked. "I guess only yours would need to be found....."

Hotaru glared at Leon. "Only one spot where you can see nothing and everything Leon. Just depends on what you're looking for." He shook his head. "The only place I lived before...." He nodded a direction for Anna's sake.

Leon was quiet, following a few paces behind Anna and Hotaru.

Hotaru looked at her, and smiled. "The only place I lived before, was a cave outside the city. That's where Leon and Yuffie found me as a little kid. No one really talks about it, so I'm not surprised if you didn't know. It's also why so few people in the city can tolerate my presence. To them I'm probably less than a beast....."

Hotaru glanced at her. "I'm going to assume you weren't trying to mean anything with that comment......and maybe. Fire was all I started with, and that's all I practiced. To be honest, till I met Merlin, I thought I was a bit of a freak, and that fire was as far as things like that went...." He sighed.

Leon shook his head, grinning as he held back a chuckle.

He nodded. "I'm pretty sure most of them don't have freaky looks like mine.....white and black hair......red eyes....." he shook his head. "Should be another couple of minutes till we reach the cave...." He gasped, pain filling his eyes. "Yeah....should be able to make it.....no problem...."

Leon sighed. "I'm not going to carry you back again....so don't push yourself to hard...." He reached into the bag and pulled out a potion. "Less talking, more potion drinking...." He held it out, and waited for Hotaru to drink.

Hotaru nodded, drinking the potion quickly. "I'm fine...." He looked at the others. "Really, it wasn't painful, it was more like something calling out for me.....and then emptiness knowing I was missing something that felt like a part of me...." He shook his head. "It's hard to explain....just....we're close...." He nodded at Leon, "I'm going to need you to watch the entrance, and make sure they don't get in." He looked at Anna and smiled. "Trust me, I'm fine, it's just...." He closed his eyes, letting a peaceful expression play across his features. "It's just nice to know something out there is a part of me, that there's something no one can take away from me."

Leon understood what Hotaru meant, and just sighed. "I'm only going to do this because it looks like you might keel over if anything sneezes on you right now...."

Hotaru sighed as Leon took his post. "I better not come back to find you dead old timer...."

Leon just nodded, drawing his gunblade. "I'm not the one knocking on deaths door kiddo.."

Hotaru looked at the cave. "Been a long time since I went in....." He looked at Anna. "I'm sorry. I know I've made you worry, and I'm sure this is pretty stupid to you, but..." He smiled at her.

Hotaru merely closed his eyes. "I'm sorry for this too, but....I may get a little weird in there. Who knows what memories I left in there...." He sighed. "So I would understand if you don't want to go with me. I'm sure Leon wouldn't mind the company...." He started walking in on his own.

He smirked. "I'd cry out for you obviously." He waited for her to catch up to him. "Thank you. Guess you can get a little tour of my home if you want." He managed a light shrug before leaning a little on her.