Lucky Unos

Lucky Unos

Story by: 0Emo-Wolf-Rikku0
Characters © their owners

Chapter One


"Guys, I can't thank you enough for coming to escort me home," Dorian smiled toward his friends. He brushed his blue hair out of his face, as did his grayish white steed Apollo, who snorted and shook his head a bit to knock off the cool evening mist that loomed the forest.

"Well 'your majesty', you simply cannot be without your own procession," Ace joked and playfully bowed his tan haired head in a regal swoop, with which he was nearly knocked head first off his steed Lady, his  brown appaloosa, crow hopped. Ace jerked her reins a bit to get her back under control.

"Boy, these horses sure are jittery this evening," Vance muttered as he stroked his buckskin paint, Wolfgang's, neck. His own black hair trickling down around his face as he bent over to do so.

"Oh come on, the nearest town is just around that turn up ahead," Ed urged his grey shire horse on. The normally soft spoken draft suddenly reared and backed away from where Ed was trying to lead him toward a dark bend down the forest path that just seemed to fade into the black shadowy trees.

"Wow, Murphy's never acted like that before," Ace commented. Ed, not to be outdone by a horse, kicked a bit harder to attempt to urge the draft on.

"Ed, you shouldn't do that, you'll only make him angry," Mioko walked Dakota, his gypsy horse, up beside Murphy, glancing nervously through his orange hair down the path.

"I can't let him get away with bad behavior," Ed grumbled and kicked even harder. Murphy just snorted and refused to move forward.

"Ed, you can't force him. You're just tickin him off," Dawn scolded, with an irritated flick of her black hair. She tried to walk her bay Arabian ahead, in hopes of leading Murphy, but the moment she passed the shire her own mare reared high and let out a fearful whinny, almost like a scream. Her cry seemed to spark the whole group, all the horses erupted in shrill shouts of upset. The spirited mare kept rearing until she threw Dawn into nearby shrubs.

"DAWN!" everyone gasped, Dorian was off his Andalusia before he knew it and was tenderly knelt beside her. He took her back and gently helped her up. "Dawn are you alright?"

"Y.yea, I think so," she winced and rubbed her rump. "I may bruise, but I'll live," She looked up and grazed her nose against Dorian's, like magnets they were momentarily stuck gazing into each others blue eyes. A bolt of blush blossomed on their cheeks.

"Oh just kiss her already man!" Ed chuckled. Dawn and Dorian both spun around and looked at him like stunned deer, before giving one another the same look then jumping up and away from one another.

"Gl.Glad you're alright," Dorian mumbled.

"Y…Yea, thanks," Dawn stammered back. Ace and Ed chuckled, Athena scowled at them, while Mioko and Vance's minds were on loves they'd left behind in Fortanya. Dawn went to mount her mare again, but the Arabian refused to let her mount. She would dart away and circle the group.

"What on earth is the matter with you?" Dawn huffed in aggravation as she once more was evaded. Dorian had managed to mount Apollo, but the gentle steed showed upset as well.

"Maybe Dawn was right, if the town is so close then we can manage to walk," Mioko offered.

"Yea, it's best to get off now before someone does get hurt," Ace agreed, but as everyone shifted to get down out of the saddle a strong, and out of place, wind suddenly shook the trees violently, the horses all reared sharply and cried out in terror. Each rider was thrown harshly and left in the  as their horses darted off into the dark forest twilight. They all staggered and groaned as they stood stiffly.

"Nnn, is everyone ok?" Athena asked as she redid her tan hair. She got back grumbling groans of yes as everyone nursed their minor wounds.

"What the hell is wrong with them?" Ed huffed and glared through his disheveled black hair. Before anyone could answer, an echoing, sinister laugh encircled them.

"Who's there?!" Ace growled as his hand  instinctively went to his sword. The laugh cackled harder, as if his question was a world class comedy act. Everyone else grew tense and softly went for their own weapons. "What's so funny?!"

The laugh stopped and the dusk dark forest was silent again.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Mioko muttered glancing his copper eyes around. Everyone turned their backs to each other and guarded their line of vision, making a circle.

"Oh, you should," they all heard behind themselves. Each one spun around with a gasp of surprise and drew their weapons, nearly attacking each other! They searched the circle they'd made, then squinted to search the surrounding murkiness for the voice. Another wind whipped around them, they struggled to even stand and visibility was impossible all together.

They heard the laughter again and the wind grew stronger, sucking their weapons out of their hands. All they had left was to shield themselves and try to find the source of this strange wind. The wild wind grew stronger still, it drew shouts and cries of panic and upset from its victims. The laughter seemed to actually BE the wind! Ace struggled and managed to spot a shadowy form in the mist just as they were all blown away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~()~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Fortanya, Spades


The transition from summer to fall, when each early morn seemed almost like a dream with its misty blue cloak that fluttered over the toasting emerald trees and the rose to lavender sunrises, was truly Fortanya's most energetic time of year. Autumn brought so much to do, the harvests had to be brought in, winter crops had to be planted, the giant feasts, the back to back holidays, and fall was the favored sports season. So the month prior to the first day of fall was just as busy as the season itself! Anyone who wasn't used to the chaos could easily be swept away by it. Horses galloped here and there, wagons clattered with heavy loads, and whatever those didn't catch, the forest of feet would.

Such seemed the fate of a poor fennec fox who tried desperately to avoid each danger. Her dusty tan tail would fall victim to all three and she began to fear it would break with one more stomp. She fled for safety when she ran into a strong pair of black horse legs. Her large ears sank in desperation as she stared up at a large buckskin horse.

"Aw, you poor thing!" exclaimed his rider. Using her steed as a shield for her to dismount, the rider leapt down and stooped to get low to the fox's level. A bright eyed girl of around nineteen offered her hand to the trembling creature. She had a gentle and happy smile and her tealish blue eyes seemed to alive and ready for adventure.

"Come on sweetie, lets get you out of this mess," the girl offered. She was surprised when the tan fox leapt willingly into her arms. She giggled and softly pet the fox's head and chin. "Wow, I've never seen a fox like you before,"

She stood and cradled the trembling fox.

"Hey, it's ok sweet pea. Sarafina won't let you get stepped on, no I won't. Come on, lets take you to see my friend Raeya, I'm sure she knows just what to do with you," the girl said as she remounted her steed and let the fennec fox curl into her lap. Her short, brown, hedgehog spiked hair bounced as she trotted off with her new friend.

The poor fennec fox wasn't the only one lost in the pre autumn madness. A handsome, young knight seemed completely stunned as he watched the busy town from the back of his white steed.

"Oh Newyddllyn, perhaps when Mioko said 'anytime' he forgot about now! Maybe we should come another time when it's not so busy," he muttered. His steed turned to glance back at his rider with a mischievous thrill.

'Oh Cadwagawn, don't be such a worry wart. Besides, all this excitement looks like so much fun!' the horse thought back to his rider. Cadwagawn could hear the horse' s thoughts and sighed as he scanned the busy town with his brownish hazel eyes that seemed to add a golden tint to his shaggy copper hair and short, neat beard. He finally gave a small smile and nodded.

"Oh, alright, I guess a quick hello wouldn't hurt," the knight finally gave in. Newyddllyn nickered playfully and trotted off to join the excitement. Though the knight's steed seemed to take pleasure in the chaos, another new comer did not by any means. An attractive young woman scanned the town disapprovingly with her copper eyes.

"Jeez, when Dorian said this place was a bit enthusiastic…I think he lied to me. This wasn't how I pictured our reunion," she grumbled to her stout blue roan stallion. He seemed almost as strict as his rider with his polite, yet stiff, posture. She tossed her short calico orange and black hair with an irritated huff.

"If I had wanted disorder and mayhem I wouldn't have taken holiday from the Rider's Academy, but it has been so long…sigh, I suppose my old friend Dorian is worth it," he gave a defeated smile as she lead her steed into the crowd. As the young, yet disciplined cadet trotted off on her way, the fifth and final player made her entrance. A black cloaked figure, you would almost mistake her for a strapping young man, appeared. Despite looking so young, her long hair was as white as the clouds above.

Her scarlet eyes scanned the town below from the hill top she stood on, and she gave a mischievous smile.

"Heh heh, brace yourself Ace, Inu's back in town," she chuckled. With that she quickened her pace toward town.

========================= ()====================

The Edwards' House

Sarafina could barely contain her excitement, it seemed even her champion buckskin racehorse wasn't able to go fast enough. Vance, her beloved musician, and his friends were due back in Fortanya yesterday. She couldn't wait to see her, she felt so afraid to call him her boyfriend, love. She missed all of them to be honest, they were her only friends who didn't have fur or hooves. However, ever since she'd accidentally danced with Vance so long ago, he'd always had a higher place in her heart.

She was so excited to see them, that she hadn't bothered to check the public stable for their horses, a habit she did religiously until today. Her faithful steed, Rico, charged through town like a bolt of mocha and black lightning, he seemed just as eager to arrive than his master, for Mioko always had sugar cubes for him when Sarafina wasn't looking. Sarafina's little passenger was too frightened by her speed to look up from her secure spot in Sarafina's lap.  Her large ears tucked to try and muffle the rolling thunder of Rico's black hooves. Though the fox had to admit that this horse was overall very impressive, and fast.

Sarafina finally stopped her steed in front of the Edwards' home, a rather plain place, but it served as her friends' and love's sanctuary well enough. The fennec fox scuttled up Sarafina's deep emerald corset vest and white blouse and rested securely around Sarafina's shoulders.

"Giggle, well aren't you such a good girl? You sure act so well trained, you must be someone's pet," Sarafina stroked the fox's ear. She didn't notice that the fox opened her mouth, as if to speak, as she jumped down abruptly off Rico's back. She dusted the dirt off of her brunette breeches and riding boots, primping herself awkwardly.

"I confess that I'm no good being girly, to be honest I've had no reason to," she spoke softly to her shoulder companion as she lead Rico to the tree she always tied him to. "But ever since I met Vance, oh he's my…oh why can't I out and say boyfriend?! It's been almost a year! Well, both problems relate because I don't want to run him away, he's absolutely the perfect guy and I'd like to keep him,"

Sarafina walked up to the front door and knocked.

"Hello in there! Your welcoming committee is here!" she cheered, she stood there as flirtatious as she could. Normally it was Vance who opened the door, usually rather quickly for her, but no one answered. Sarafina slacked a bit and felt a lurch of worry twist her stomach harshly, something was wrong.

"Hello?" she galled again and knocked little harder. 'Ma.Maybe they're just taking a nap…at the same time…it's not unheard of,' she thought to herself. "Raeya, are you home?" she called, no matter what Raeya was always home due to her infant daughter.

Sarafina leaned against the door and strained her ear to listen for life. She heard the jingle of Gitanna's collar, Dawn's wingless white tigress felavis. Normally the sound relaxed her, Dawn was always shortly behind the jingle, but not this time.

"Something's really wrong," Sarafina murmured. Finally she heard swift and rushed steps hurry to the door, it was yanked open so quickly that she nearly fell in.

"Oh! Sarafina, I'm so sorry. I wasn't expecting you there," spoke the woman's soft voice. She nervously tucked her long onyx hair behind her ears as she bent to help the younger girl up, while scanning the street with her silver eyes.

"No need, absolutely my fault Raeya. I should know better, I was beginning to worry no one was home," she giggled, but she lost her laugh when the soft spoken Raeya didn't smile with her. "Don't tell me they all had to go back to work already, so soon after getting back?"

"Sarafina…they're haven't returned, and I'm beginning to worry that…something has happened," Raeya said grimly. Sarafina took a step back in shock.

"B.but they're always right on time," Sarafina muttered.

"I know, that's why I'm worried. But please, there's no need to stand out in such heat. Come in, come in," Raeya lead her in. Sarafina was easily lead in, the knot in her stomach made her almost ill.

"Who is this little creature you have there? Another pet?" Raeya asked politely as she shut the door behind Sarafina. The fennec fox  hopped off her shoulders and landed softly in a kitchen chair. Raeya smiled and turned away to begin making coffee.

Sarafina didn't answer at first, she was totally lost in her thoughts. Her mind was both running a thousand miles a minute as well as completely shutting down. Anyone else would have told her not to worry, that they were just running late, but Sarafina knew Raeya well enough to know she found false hope pointless and therefore didn't beat around the bush. Which meant if she thought something was wrong, it merited a thorough investigation. She could only guess that her love for Mioko made such instincts stronger.

"Sarafina," Raeya called a bit louder, Sarafina tilted her head like she thought she heard something. "Sarafina!" Raeya took her shoulder firmly, she didn't hurt her, but it woke her up.

"Huh?! Oh, oh I'm sorry," Sarafina stammered. "Wh…what were you saying?" Raeya smiled sympathetically.

"I asked about the little fox you have there, is she a knew pet of yours?" she asked her softly. They both looked to the fox, who was playing with Gitanna.

"Oh, no she's not mine. She's part of the reason I came over today. I picked her up when she was almost holiday road kill, she acts like she belonged to someone, but I'm not even sure what she IS," Sarafina explained, looking away from the fox to meet Raeya's attention.

The fox then looked up at the two mingling women, upon being referred to yet again as someone's pet was where she drew the line. She tucked her ears and puffed out her chest.

"If I may interrupt, I am no one's pet. I am my own Fennec Fox," spoke the creature in a polite high voice. Both the girls stopped talking and looked around for the voice, spinning abruptly to look at the door, hope in their eyes. "Down here actually,"

Raeya and Sarafina followed the voice until their eyes rested upon the fox. The fennec fox smiled and waved her paw in a classy greeting. The women looked to each other, then down at the fox in bewilderment.

"Hello, my name is Fennicia. I was hoping to visit with Athena, but seems she's not here," the fox continued. Sarafina shook herself back into reality and looked at Raeya.

"Is it normal for foxes to talk?" Sarafina asked.

"Well, Ace does have a pet dragon and Mioko can materialize bolts of energy. So I suppose it's possible," Raeya muttered.

"No magic here, just your average stepping stones of childhood," Fennicia explained.

"No offense, but I missed the How to Speak lesson in how to bring up my horse," Sarafina answered sharply. Fennicia laid her ears back, unsure of what to say.

"You said you were here to see Athena?" Raeya managed to say. Fennicia's ears perked back up and she turned to her.

"Oh yes, I am quite a fan! I was hoping to meet her here but it seems she's not here. Do…Do you really think something has happened to them?" she wrung her paws nervously. Raeya and Sarafina looked back to each other.

"Maybe I should travel to Kalgara and check," Sarafina offered. "It couldn't hurt, maybe I'll run into them"

"Oh but Sarafina, it's such a long journey. I didn't even make it the whole way," Raeya tried to sway, but she knew that look in Arabian's eye. She wasn't going to be able to reason with the adventurous girl.

"You forget, I've got the fastest horse in all of Spades. I'll be there and back with a side trip Grangia and still make it back by tomorrow afternoon, sooner even," Sarafina gave a mischievous wink and a classy thumbs up. Raeya put her hand to her mouth to stifle a smile.

"Oh, I commend your loyalty, but it's just too far a journey to go alone," Raeya softly argued.

"She doesn't have to go alone," the fox suddenly said. She leapt to the table, then up to Sarafina's shoulders. "I can accompany her!"

"Yea, that you can! See Raeya, no one'll mess with a talking fox, right Fennicia?" she asked with a wink. Fennicia arched her back, laid back her ears, and pretended to growl ferociously. Raeya couldn't hold back her giggle this time.

"Heh Heh for some strange reason that isn't much comfort but, do be careful. I couldn't bare for two families to be missing loved ones," Raeya finally agreed.

"Raeya you've cut me to the quick! You know I am the most careful person in Fortanya," Sarafina crossed her arms and acted upset.

"That scar on your collar most defiantly assures me of that," Raeya offered. Sarafina touched her collar bone where a deceitful challenger had pulled her alter ego, Sampson, off of Rico in the big race and had broken his/her collar bone badly in the fall.

"Raeya, you know I'm going to go look for them. One way or another I'll find them," Sarafina said seriously, she didn't like to act so aggressive toward someone like Raeya, but she was never one to accept a stab at her skill as a horseman. Raeya gave a sad smile.

"I know Sarafina, I know you will," she replied.