Hiking back up the mountain with Spirit, Shinno thought to herself, 'Spirit said he wanted to tell me something, but what is it? Maybe he remembered that we met when we were little kids. "Shinno?" Or maybe he forgot like how I did. "Hey Shinno." Should I say something to him? Maybe not if I do then he could be hurt that after all these years I completely forgot about him. "Shiiiiinnnoooo." But then again maybe it's better if I come clean with him.' "Yo Shinno," a persistent Spirit said trying to get her attention. "Are you okay?" "Oh yes yes I'm fine. I couldn't be any better than fine. Well I could but-" Shinno rambled on. As Spirit listened to his friend rambling, he noticed that they were around the area Rocco knocked over a tree running to meet them earlier that morning. But something was out of place. It dawned on Spirit that the tree itself was missing. Spirit scanned their position further and found the same tree Rocco knocked over was displaced at least 15 feet to the north from its original position. The tree had to be at least 2 feet in diameter and at least 9 feet long. Spirit also saw that there was no evidence that the tree was dragged through the forest to its new destination. Something or someone must have picked up the tree and thrown it out of their way. 'Obviously, someone's here,' Spirit thought to himself. 'Should I take Shinno back to Rocco's or Vigny's while I look for the intruder? Nah this person is probably after Shinno. They'll probably strike the moment I leave her side, and Aunt Vigny and Uncle Rocco have been out of their previous line of work for a good while. I don't think they'll be able to handle themselves in a fight like they used to. The best thing for me to do is' "Hey Shinno sorry to cut you off, but let's get a move on," Spirit told her grabbing her hand and hiking the rest of the way to his cabin.
When they reached his home, Spirit stopped on just the edge of his property still holding Shinno's hand. "Hey Spirit-" Shinno began but Spirit putting his finger over his lips immediately hushed and whispered to her, "Shh, sorry Shinno, but we're gonna have to talk later okay?" Spirit turned his attention to his house and yelled, "HEY ASSHOLE, I know you're back there. Get out here and face me like a man." Answering Spirit's challenge, a 5'11 man in a white sleeves ripped off T-shirt tucked into a pair of dark blue dress pants with dangling suspenders and a recently stitched but dirty headband walked out from behind Spirit's cabin. He was wearing a pair of worn out brown sneakers and smaller than average red boxing gloves with the outline of a blue phoenix on the wrist portion of both. The man also had short spiky brown hair and blue eyes. With a thick English accent he spoke to Spirit, "Well you're a quick one now aren't ya?" Spirit just frowned and released Shinno's hand so he could clench his fist. "I have to admit I am a tad curious. How did you know I was waiting right here for ya?" Spirit had no reason to tell this intruder anything but Spirit explained to him anyway, "A friend of mine knocked over a tree a couple of hours ago, but while I was walking up the mountain, I noticed that it was moved. The animals around could have easily jumped over or crawled underneath such an obstacle, but if the tree had to be moved, a strong and healthy elk would only push it enough to make it fall to the ground thus making it easier to cross." Intrigued, the intruder begins to walk towards Spirit, and with Shinno behind him, Spirit starts to circle around his opponent to get closer to his house. Spirit continued, "Of course there are monsters on this mountain. One could argue that they could have moved the tree, but it's daytime, they only appear when night falls. The only possible explanation is that a human must have moved that trail blocker. What I don't understand is why." "Well you see, my employers warned me that you're as tough and smart as they come. I wanted to test that for myself, but I never expected that I would be fighting a five star detective." 'His employers? Must be talking about those thugs I beat the shit out of the other day.' "My reasoning for being here in your presence is simple good sir. Please, give both yourself and the fair maiden behind you up to me, so I may escort you both to your rightful destinations. You have my word that if you do comply, no harm will befall you, and certainly no harm whatsoever will come to the lady. You have my word as a gentleman." "Go to hell," Spirit replied. Shocked, the intruder exclaimed, "My goodness. Such vulgar language and in front of a lady no less. Sir, I can clearly see that you are no gentleman, but I, Pyro, will fight you as such!" taking an orthodox boxer's stance with his knees slightly bent, his back hunched over, his right hand close to his cheek, and his left a few inches away from his face.
