Hedgesville, West Virginia
Caspian Residence
Monday, August 12, 1996
12:24 PM

Sitting up in her bed, Jennie peered around the room. At the foot of her bed laid a grayish-blue cat that was quietly sleeping. Her eyes continued to stare at the animal as she reached out for it, picking it up in her arms. "Are you Reiyl or Kasei?" she asked, stroking the cat's head.
A large yawn escaped the cat's mouth as orange eyes blinked open. "Awake?" the cat asked as Jennie gazed at it with no feeling. "Uh, Reiyl...I'm Reiyl."
"As a cat, you can talk?" she asked.
"Yeah," Reikoku replied as he leapt from Jennie's arms to the ground. His body shaped and grew into a young man's.
"That was disturbing," Jennie said as she held a disgusted look on her face. "Mind doing that somewhere else next time?"
"As you like," he stated. "Your water is on the stand."
Looking to the nightstand, Jennie saw a glass with water. "Thanks," she said, picking it up. "How long have I been sleeping?"
"Couple of hours," he said. "Since you're up, I'll be leaving then." He headed for her door then paused. "Don't be afraid to call on me for help. That's what I'm here for."
"Reiyl," Jennie whispered as she took the glass of water in her hands. She peered to the liquid as her own reflection stared back at her. "Your parents are dead?"
"Yes," he muttered, looking over his shoulder to Jennie. "Died a long time ago."
"Do you feel it still?" she asked.
"Feel what?" he questioned, moving back toward her with a concerned look on his face.
She held up a hand as if to stop him then placed it to her heart. "The pain that is here," she whispered. "The aching sensation that I could've done something if I had known. Do you feel that? Or has time taken that away?"
"I'm not sure," Reikoku said. "It's been awhile since I thought about it. Suppose it still hurts. But I closed myself up so that I wouldn't have to feel it again."
"That explains the formality I feel," Jennie replied.
"I'm sorry if I make you uncomfortable," he said as Jennie shook her head and cracked a smile.
"You don't make me feel uncomfortable," she said with a laugh as she again peered down at her watery reflection. "I'm just frustrated with myself." Because I think I’m numb from the pain.
Arms wrapped around her abruptly as Jennie's eyes widened in shock. Reikoku had dropped to his knees abruptly then held onto her tightly as she could hear him weeping. Her face went white from the sensation that he was giving her, the bubbling warmth that was forming in her stomach.
"I didn't want you to feel the way I did when that man killed my parents," he said. "But I couldn't get here soon enough. I'm very sorry."
"It's okay," Jennie said, placing a hand on top of his head. "Stop crying. It's not good for guys to cry."
Reikoku looked up at her with his cheeks red. "Please forgive my rudeness," he whispered.
"No, no, it's okay!" she said, rubbing at his head playfully. "If you have to cry, it's perfectly fine. I didn't mean what I said about it's not good for guys to cry. My daddy cried in front of me before."
His orange eyes peered into hers as he smiled at her. "I hope you will accept me as one of your guardians. As a Scion of Solace. And as Reiyl."
"I'm not sure what a Scion is, but I'll accept you, I guess," she whispered, “Reiyl.”