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Arian felt a sense of relief at Mikomi's words. So she did think of him as a friend.

He'd been worried that the friendship was only on his part as... The rest of Mikomi's words filtered in distracting him from his thoughts.

"Why wouldn't I want you to be your friend?" His voice was puzzled. "I only have two friends - Aikori and now you." He frowned again "I wouldn't have gotten you a Christmas present if I didn't like you and Mum likes you as well as your Mom you know."

Arian blushed - he hadn't been expecting that! "Yes" he said smiling brightly. Knowing where he stood with Mikomi friends-wise kind of made him sort of warm inside.

Kind of like the warm he felt when his Mum hugged in, or made a special treat for him.. But at the same time not the same.. Different...

Putting aside the feeling to think on later, the unicorn spirit started walking again.

Maybe he could talk to Mikomi about the stuff on his mind after all - after all she'd said herself that they were friends.. And friends shared stuff...

Didn't they?

"We're almost at Miss Irisa's shop" he told Mikomi. "Though for some reason she likes people to call her Iris, because she says 'Miss Irisa' makes her feel old."

Arian paused by a red painted door, the words 'Garden Café' written in black. To the left of the door was a medium-sized board with the word 'Specials' on the top, beneath it written in chalk was 'banana split', 'carrot and orange cake'.

"Here we are" he told Mikomi brightly. "Miss Irisa's banana milkshakes are really, really good."

Glancing at the 'Specials' board he wondered whether Miss Irisa's banana split tasted as good as the banana cake she'd let him try the last time he was there.

Arian pushed the door open, hearing the small tinkle of the bell chime almost simultaneously.

Heading up to the till area, he smiled at the old lady sitting behind the till.

The old lady smiled her brown eyes twinkling "Back again young man. How is your detective work going?"

Arian shook his head "Not too well" he said quietly.

"Though your advice about looking back at the source helped."

Although I kinda need to talk to Mum about my lanturn and she's being kind of weird right now...


Miss Irisa shook her head, wisps of white hair escaping her bun "I'm sorry to hear that. I'm glad my advice could help you a little though" Brown eyes peered behind him to look at Mikomi "And who's this? Is she helping you?"

Arian brightened "This is my friend Iris. Her name's Mikomi." He looked at Mikomi with a smile "Mikomi this is Iris - she makes really good banana milkshakes and she's really nice."

Miss Irisa chuckled at Mikomi "It looks like someone's been talking. A cute little someone with a horn and tail. Although you're cute as well." she looked mischievously at Arian before giving the girl a gentle smile. "So are you trying to be a detective too like young Arian?"

Arian found himself blushing slightly at Miss Irisa's words. It was one thing to be called 'cute' on the off-hand, and the 'young man' didn't really bother him too much as he'd overheard his Mum say that old people though every one was young.

Being called cute in front of Mikomi however felt different, more embarassing...

Although she'd called Mikomi cute as well, so maybe it was an old person thing - although he wasn't sure he'd tell Miss Irisa that.

Miss Irisa looked at the confused Mikomi, then at Arian, a glint somewhat mischievous in her brown eyes "So young Miss - I take it that young Arian hasn't told you about his investigations."

Arian looked down at the floor, noting to himself that the polished wood was looking interesting around about now.. Very interesting...

The unicorn spirit had only vaguely got round to the thinking that he might tell Mikomi about trying to find out about lanturns and why some people came from them and some didn't.

He hadn't expected Miss Irisa to ask Mikomi about being a detective or mention that he was doing detective work just like that.

Miss Irisa hid the urge to laugh at the way one child looked puzzled and the other looked plain embarassed - it was cute, and young... Definately young. Not unkindly she said to Arian "Why don't you and your friend sit down - maybe by the nice table by the window and I bring you two over a milkshake?"

Arian started to nod and then looked over at Mikomi "Um do you want to try one of Iris' banana milkshakes - they really are very good." For the moment he avoided the subject of detectives and anything to do with what detectives did. "Or maybe you could get another flavour - I'm pretty sure Iris does chocolate or strawberry if you wanted one of those."

"Great!" Arian looked back Miss Irisa. "Can we have two..." he started.

Miss Irisa made a shooing gesture with her hands "Already onto it young man" brown eyes twinkled at Arian and Mikomi. "Why don't you and your friend sit by that table in the corner" a wrinkled hand pointed out a small, round table by the window with two chairs carved out of wood which had blue and grey checked cushions on them. "That one gives a nice view of the outside."

Arian nodded "Er ok, Iris." Taking Miss Iris advice he walked over to the table and sat down on one of the chairs, carefully curling some of his tail underneath so that it wouldn't get in the way. Looking at Mikomi he was suddenly stuck with what to say.

Arian had been looking down at the table while trying to think up something to say when Mikomi asked her question.

Part of him wanted to tell - Mikomi was his friend - she'd said she thought they were friends and friends told each other stufff.. Right...

Right?!

And yet... Maybe it wasn't something Mikomi wouldn't to know, even though they were both spirits and came from lanturns and...

"Have you ever wondered why some people come from lanturns and some don't?" the unicorn spirit blurted out at last.

Mikomi's a spirit like me so she must want to know - besides friends do tell each other stuff and she's my friend.