Welcome to Gaia! ::

Kin could see the town in the distance with his great eye sight. Kin reminded Vix and with that he dug back undergound. Kin was now able to see Sai at the gate and while looking upward, he could see where Minatsuki was flying, almost there as well. Things are going TOO well... Kin thought to himself. Coming close enough for Sai to see him, Kin put his arm up to let Sai know to go on ahead if he liked.

Vilya and Tura came to rest at the edge of a massive fountain sitting in the center of a vast town square. The fountain itself consisted of four intricately carved dragons standing with their backs to the center. Their heads were bowed and water, clear as crystal poured from each of their open mouths.
As Vilya examined the statues in turn she found that each was made of a different and peculiar stone, in the shadows it seemed dull, gray and ordinary...but when the sun hit it just right each dragon reflected a different color. Blue, red, white and black. The white dragon looked as though it had feathers covering its slender body instead of scales. Its wings Vilya now noticed as well, were far more like Tura's.
"A feathered dragon?" Vilya pondered out loud.

Vilya was about to ask how Tura knew this when suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by a loud hale.
They both looked up simultaneously to see a giant eagle swoop overhead and come to rest on the fountain's edge.
Before long the eagle's companion pushed through the crowd.
"Vilya!"
"Kaoru!" Vilya stood up and grinned at the young girl who made her way to the fountain and stopped before her.
"I saw your black gryphon from all the way down at the western watchtower, she sticks out like coal on a swan's back."
"I didn't expect to see you this soon." Vilya thumped her friend on the back in greeting.
"Aquis has recovered nicely." The eagle turned upon hearing his name and chirruped happily.
"If it weren't for you and Tura he probably wouldn't be here. Thank you again."
"I'd never even heard of bandit combatants before I found you guys. Oh, speaking of those two goons, I had a run-in with them last night."
Kaoru's eyes widened in shock. "You did?!"
Before she could begin her barrage of questions Vilya held up a hand.
"Actually, they attacked a group of three combatants, I joined in and we defeated them."
"Defeated? Even with those magical items they stole from me?"
"Ah," here Vilya looked a little sheepish as Kaoru's expression lit up with the hope that both the ring and the bangle might be returned to her.
"I have the bangle...but I'm afraid the ring is sort of...well, lost." With that she produced the simple copper bangle from the bag Tura was carrying.
Tura purred in her mind.

In truth Kaoru seemed a little disappointed about the ring, but was more interested in the return of the bangle, she sat Vilya down and pressed her for a detailed re-telling of the battle she had fought against the bandits.

The festivities were in mid-swing as Sai and Stratus appeared through the gate so the reaction happened gradually but for the most part it was a constant amazement.
The merchants gaped and nudged the others who had not yet seen the great feathered dragon enter the city. The entertainers all stopped what they were doing and stared, causing their audiences to look round as well. A juggler dropped the four apples he was juggling and one caught him on the head on it's way down.
The players lowered their instruments and the entire street fell silent.
It was broken quite suddenly by the voice of a small child who, clinging to the skirt of his mother took a few paces forward and pointed with an excited smile.
"Mama! Mama look! It's a sky dragon!" He began to clap his tiny hands.
His mother looked down at him and slowly she raised her head and began to clap as well.
"Welcome!" Someone shouted as more and more people started to clap.
In a short while the entire street erupted in cheers and shouts of welcome. They parted the way for the two companions, talking excitedly amongst themselves when they weren't cheering.

"A feathered dragon?" Kaoru paused the story when she heard that one of the three combatants worked with a creature like that.
"They're really rare, and that's not just as combatant partners either. Not even the dragon sage has one."
"Sai and the others shouldn't be too much longer, you can see Stratus for yourself."
Kaoru laughed, "The townsfolk are going to go crazy. Everyone here loves dragons. The more uncommon the more amazed they'll be, and no doubt anyone who is associated with him will be treated well too."

Kin entered the front gate, seeing Sai ahead but surrounded by applauding towns people. What's going on? Kin began catching up to Sai and walked up behind him. "What's this about?" Kin asked Sai, his arms folded as they usually were.

"I wish I knew." Sai said in response to Kins question. "Obviously we've done something that they approve of. Either that or they've mistaken me and Stratus for somebody else."

((I suppose Vilya and Tura are still waiting for the group to see them.))

Kin followed calmly behind Sai, letting him lead the way through the crowd. I hate this noise...