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Kyrie smiled wistfully. "Well ... about two years," she murmured, "but it's been a very long time since I've been able to spend quality time with him. Before two years ago, I hadn't seen him in over two centuries ... and even then it was a brief visit."

She paused for a moment before adding quietly, "We've had a ... complicated history."

Kyrie thought about it for a moment. It wasn't as if it was a bad history, after all, but it did delve into her very personal experiences.

"Well, we were separated when we were children," she began thoughtfully, "and we didn't find each other until much later. Well, maybe not much later, that's relative, I suppose," she amended, "but at the time it felt like it had been forever. He joined me in Winum and was also adopted by Lara's family. I was there for a while but that was when I realized I needed to travel."

She shrugged. "I wanted him to come with me but he didn't want to travel. Then I was gone from there for two hundred years without a word, and ... I don't know if it was boredom or what, but he finally agreed to come with me when I next pass through."

She smiled faintly at Lin. "I know, it doesn't explain much, but ... that's about as briefly as I can put it. He and I are very different. I'm a killer. He's a doctor. We both save lives, in our own way, though he would claim that his method is more effective. Not that he's traveled like I have."

Kyrie nodded slowly. "I suppose it's not something we've really discussed, either," she admitted, "and based on our experiences ... well, at the very least he would agree that my method is both effective and necessary."

But aside from that, Kyrie declined to give any more detail about what those experiences might have been.

The group stopped for a brief lunch near a stream before continuing on, and as the sun began to lower in the evening sky, Kyrie called for them to break for the night. Tents went up, fires were lit, and Lancaeriel offered to prepare dinner for everyone.

Andarien was the least accustomed to such travel, and he was exhausted, and he wrapped himself in a blanket to ward off the near-freezing nighttime temperatures and sat near a fire. His goggles reflected the flickering flames as he lost himself to his thoughts.

Kyrie, who had gone off to do some scouting while the others had set up their camp, returned with a flask of fresh water from the stream for everyone. She had turned the band that was around her head so that the red triangular stone that usually rested just in front of one ear was now covering one of her eyes, giving her a somewhat startling appearance.

Kyrie grinned at Miyuki and sat down next to her. "Sparkles in the sunlight and gives me night vision," she teased her.

Then she settled down into her chosen spot and added seriously, "It keeps one eye ready to see in the dark while one eye is adjusted to the light. Comfortable by the fire, hear something, a quick flip and vision is still clear. Saved my life more than a few times."

Kyrie chuckled softly. "Yeah ... being half-elf has its advantages, but unfortunately I don't have elven sight. Or hearing. Or ... most of their senses. I have to give myself what advantages I can."

She shrugged. "When you want to survive on your own, you learn tricks, train yourself hard. You do what you have to do."

As soon Ai and the babies were let out of the bag, Eon bounded over from where he had been sitting next to Andarien. He nuzzled Ai and licked her face in greeting, then started playing with the baby Eevees.

Kyrie watched the small creatures and smiled. It never failed to amuse her, watching the Pokemon. They were so different from anything she had ever seen before.

Andarien was also watching the Pokemon, a smile on his lips. He was excited that there were now babies that he and Miyuki could train, though he had to admit, he was a bit jealous that Miyuki got to spend all the time with them. Of course, he had been apprenticing for a while, which had taken up most of his time; still, his Pokemon was the father, so really they were as much his as hers.

Kyrie watched Miyuki silently for a bit, wondering what she was doing. She knew that Miyuki dabbled in runes, but she had never asked what they did or how they worked.

Finally, she couldn't hold back her curiosity.

"What are those for?" she asked softly, nodding at the runes that Miyuki was sketching.

"Ah, and that way they don't have to be squished into your bag," Kyrie nodded sagely. "I see."

She looked thoughtful for a moment, but then she blinked and rose again.

"I'm going to take another look around," she murmured. "I shouldn't be long."

She offered Miyuki another smile before disappearing silently into the woods around them.