That tiny, glimmering hope rising before the morning sun... how short-lived it has proven to be. "I wish I could believe you... I really do... but this plan... it's toad's fart... you're crazy."

Finally, the boy speaks in a tongue he cares to understand. "That is exactly what I told her, but what can be done? She takes after your mother." At the mention of his mother, the temperature takes a sudden nose dive, but none of them bother to take any special notice. They are extremely out of touch with the physical world... insensitive even.

"Don't speak about her in that manner. She's not crazy. She had her reasons... for everything..."

"Just look at the son defending the mother. It is almost touching..." The pup whines. High pitch... in an annoying sort of way. "After she abandoned you for a bunch of old world guardian failures, who spend all their time huddling around a floating ball of ice... Did mama make a promise to return? You are in denial, boy. She is not coming back for you on her own free will."

"But she will!"

"Yes, of course..." With absolutely no hint of seriousness in his voice. "That is exactly why we must go fetch her with the witch's crazy plan." He shakes his fur in acknowledgement... that everything has fallen in order. All perfectly logical in their placements... in a sarcastic sort of way.

"Not witch, Hero. It is Cyndi. Call me Cyndi." She finally speaks up after sitting in dead silence... when she should be actively safeguarding her "sweet little Tao-nee" from Hero's vicious verbal attacks... in an obsessive compulsive sort of way. Cyndi clicks her tongue and wags her finger at the little black puppy... all from the comforts of her new, full-length cushion, Leena's decapitated body. Oddly enough, the body is still there, gone soft and squishy and on its way to rotting. No one had the proper notion to dispose of it. Those who happened to see the body through the glass walls decided taking any kind of action would be asking for a wretched fate far worse than death. They were all at the young master's mercy. Indeed, it must have been by his own hands that Leena found quiet peace. Despite being in the company of another, they would no sooner suspect the young girl of performing such a gruesome act than they would a harmless fruit fly. Just look at her adorable little animal friends. On the contrary, they had thought to fear for her life instead. So it seems, a proper burial for the dead is highly unlikely.

Poor Leena... she was such a sweet, sweet girl.

Though... in death, not so sweet. At least she still proves to be useful as a demon's body pillow. "My plan is nothing special, yet you both speak so highly of it. The idea lacks sophistication and pales in comparison to Hero's usual naughty schemes."

What? Is she praising him or laughing at him? Hero scratches the back of his ear with a hind leg in a manner a demon puppy would. She is laughing. His floppy ear wiggles in confidence. He is sure of it.

"It is a simple plan." She readjusts her petite frame on the cushion and continues. "Find Zitao's father, have him transport us across time and space, and we find her. Is it not the most uncomplicated plan in the world?"

"I am still confused. I witnessed him go. I felt it. I saw her..." Zitao stops himself, not wanting to make his dear mother out to be a villainous murderess. "He's just gone. How can he help us?"

"Is the answer not obvious? He is not gone?"

...

...

Zitao waits for either one of his new allies to elaborate... but neither one seem to be in the mood to humor him with details. The plan is extremely vague... extremely, extremely vague, hence the craziness.

"Forget what I said earlier about blindly trusting. If it comes out of , just believe it and save yourself the headache."

"Oh!" As if struck by a lightning bolt, Cyndi jumps up from her cushion and startles the entire room... especially Food, who has been lazing in the corner ever since the beginning of time. "Zitao! Did I tell you he is a handsome dragon?"

"Who?"

"Your father! He is a dragon now. Mmhmm... I had completely forgotten about it. Silly me."

Oh, toad's fart. How could that fact possibly slip her mind?

...

While Zitao carefully processes the strange news about his father's new found form, Cyndi discovers something... less than nice.

"Hero... my favorite dress is all dirty... what to do? Look! It is such a mess!"

The puppy eyes her blood-stained dress, slightly amused. "You look exactly like Food now. And whose fault is that?"

"My favorite dress! Herrrrooooo! Fix this!"