The Skull Hidden in the Sand

Whisker of Premonition

A/N: Following the Aras + a Fairy trend.... Nothing to do with this chapter.

With Team Rowen

"Something that we can give people or can be stolen, but we can't live without it... Any ideas?" Wendy asked.

Romeo thought a moment. "Um, food, water, a house...money?"

"It seems like it would work, but I don't think that's Mira-san means..."

"We know for sure that whatever-it-is is in here, so why don't we just look around?" The boy suggested. The two began carefully inspecting the walls and floor for anything suspicious. "Huh? Ack!!" Romeo pushed on a certain painted tree and a hidden door popped open. They peeked inside.

"I think this is the boiler room for the baths." Wendy commented, glancing around at all the pipes and machinery.

"Too bad." They resumed their search when Romeo's foot hit a pebble and it went skittering across the floor.

"Oh! I got it!" Wendy scooped it up. "Romeo-kun, you did it!" The pebble was made of milky crystal, unlike all the others, and was in the shape of a heart.

"Yeah!!" Romeo cheered.

"Hey, what're you kids doing in here?" The pair spun around to see a woman with long golden-tipped magenta hair in a server's uniform standing at the door.

"Oh, w-we're having a scavenger hunt." Wendy stammered.

"Well, you can't do it in here. The floors super-slippery right now, they just mopped it about 10 minutes ago. C'mon." The woman herded them out. "Didn't you see the sign?"

"Huh?" A small wooden sign was hanging on the door, reading Sorry, closed for cleaning. "Was that there when we went in?" Romeo whispered.

"I don't know. I don't think so." Wendy whispered back.

"Since you're here, you can help me carry this." The woman handed them each a small basket filled with folded towels, washcloths, and aprons. She herself had an enormous bag that she slung over her shoulders.

"O-okay." They went downstairs and when they had disappeared, a figure emerged from behind a pipe in the boiler room, walked out of the bath, and stood on the landing for a moment, watching the trio walk towards the dining room. It hesitated for a moment, but eventually headed down the hallway in the opposite direction.

Meanwhile, the server pushed the door to the kitchen open and a blast of heat, smells, and noise came out. "U-um, Miss...?!"

"Just put them here!" The server yelled over the noise, motioning to a cart next to the door.

"Oi, Oi, who're these cuties?" Another server, a man with dark skin and short black hair, had walked in behind them.

"There you are!! They had to help me because you skipped out!" The female server poked the newcomer hard in the chest.

"Oh! You wound me!" The man simpered. The woman gave a snort and stalked off. "Guess you're with me then." The man gave a friendly smile. "This way please." He escorted them back up to the lobby, chattering at them the whole way.

"Wendy, Romeo! There you are!" Mira came rushing over to them.

"What's wrong Mira-san?"

"Something bad's happened."

With Team Jerza

"A one link chain, that touches one thing and holds two, and binds truth until death breaks it?" Erza mumbled.