Some Who Wander Are Lost

Job Details:

Job Sign-Up: Page 5, Post Number 109

-Mysterious Canyon, late morning-

Clad in her tan desert clothing and backpack of supplies including plenty of drinking water, Saint Sinner Valentine slung on her right shoulder, and SHG-IV Smart Glasses on her face, Diana had also brought her Urban Nights Glowstick in her right side pocket in case she needed it. Its primary use was to serve as a signal for Ami, who was soaring far overhead and keeping an eye out for trouble... or for the missing person Diana had been hired to find. That missing person was Amanda Smith, that blonde with an atrocious sense of direction who had an uncanny ability to wander far off course and end up in places far from where she intended to go. For example, a trip to Hosenka to meet with a friend turned into a rescue mission because Amanda had taken a wrong turn somewhere down the road and had gotten lost in Sakuramori Forest.

Today Amanda had gotten lost in Mysterious Canyon when she had intended to go to Serene Cliff for a walk in nature. Diana recalled that she had met Amanda under similar circumstances months ago. Diana thought about it a little more and recalled that this was the exact scenario where the two had met. It seemed like the past was repeating itself, but Diana did not mind. It was worthwhile work that paid well and perhaps gave the huntress a chance to save her soul.

Speaking of souls, Diana had done some soul searching and still could not find out how she really felt about Lucia returning.

Diana had spent the past several days in a fog because of the news of Lucia's return. She had felt a mix of emotions she had not felt in a long time when her acquaintance Lorelei Wingate told her that not only was Lucia Winchester alive, but that Lucia had made contact with Lorelei several days before Lorelei and Diana had met. While the emotional turmoil had weakened over the past several days, it had never subsided. Now it was back in full force and it was threatening to overtake Diana at a time when she needed to focus on the task at hand.

Diana's feelings for her older sister were... complicated.

On one hand, she was glad to have a chance to be with her older sister again. Diana needed someone in her life that cared for her unconditionally.

On the other hand, it would have been better for Diana if Lucia had stayed dead. Diana did not want Lucia to ever find out about her "other" occupation.

Diana did not want Lucia to ever learn about the unsavory side of the huntress. Diana wanted her sister to see her as a person who still had some good left in them, not as the villain she really was. Perhaps it would have been better for the world if Lucia had survived and Diana had died at that banquet. Then the huntress thought about it and came to realize that there was no "perhaps" to it. Lucia was the Winchester who should have lived and made the Winchester name famous, not Diana.

But here Diana was.

Shoving that thought back into the dark recesses of her mind, Diana took a deep breath of hot canyon air and began to walk into the canyon in search of Amanda Smith. Even thought Diana had gotten here as fast as she could, several hours had passed since Amanda had last spoken with her older sister Meredith on the iLac. Diana had forgotten to bring her own iLac when she went to speak with Meredith, so the simple solution of calling Amanda and getting her to give her approximate location to Diana was not an option. Neither was getting the lost blonde to retrace her steps to the canyon entrance. Then Diana thought about that second plan and realized that being unable to do that was probably for the best.

If she instructed Amanda to return to the canyon entrance, Amanda might get even more lost trying to get back to the entrance.

Diana took another deep breath of hot canyon air and started walking towards the cave on the left side of the canyon while listening out for a report from her eye in the sky. Maybe Amanda had taken shelter in the cave that was home to a water source. Diana had first found the cave a little over a year ago while taking a hunting challenge from a stranger and she had visited it several times over her career. While it might not be where Amanda was, perhaps Amanda had left a clue to her current whereabouts there.

[Post Word Count: 780]
[Total Word Count: 780/7,000]

-Inside the cave, at the water source-

Using her night vision mode to look around for clues, Diana walked around the deep square pool that served as a water source for the area's animals. She was looking for footprints, clothing that had been left behind, an iLac that had been left behind, anything that could help her find Amanda either directly or indirectly. The last time the huntress had searched for Amanda she had found the blonde's shirt, but this time Diana was not finding anything. Diana looked around for wet footprints in case Amanda had taken a dip in the water, but she found nothing. Just like last time chances were good that any wet footprints that the missing blonde had left behind had dried up long before Diana got here.

Diana took a deep breath of cool cave air and took a moment to think about her options.

It was obvious that she was not going to find Amanda in the cave. Chances were good that the missing blonde had walked deeper into the canyon in an effort to get out. Diana was going to go deeper in the canyon to try and find Amanda with the help of Ami.

With that being decided, Diana began to walk around the pool and towards the exit. While she was walking she reached for the bite valve of her hydration pack, took a sip of lukewarm water, and dropped the valve from her mouth, where it returned to her left. Diana then left the water source behind and walked into the tunnel that would lead back to the cave entrance.

-Outside the cave, five minutes later-

Diana shielded her eyes with her hand as the sunlight threatened to blind her. Moments later her eyes had adjusted to the bright sunlight again. She turned to face the path that led deeper into the canyon and asked Ami for a report.

"Ami, have you seen anything out of the ordinary while I was in the cave?" Diana asked Ami.

"Nope. Nothing at all, Diana. Nothing but sand, sand, and more sand!" Ami reported back.

"Very well then. I am proceeding deeper into the canyon. Let me know if you see anything unusual." Diana said.

"You've got it!" Ami said before ending communication. With that Diana walked deeper into the canyon with the sound of sand crunching beneath boots to keep her company. It was pretty hot outside... it was a good thing that Diana had dressed appropriately. It was also a good thing that she had brought plenty of drinking water with her. Both she and Amanda might need it before the day was out.

-Deeper in the canyon, one hour later-

As she walked she looked for footprints in the sand that she could follow. So far she was not able to find any. The wind had likely blown sand over them, but the huntress was not about to give up on finding Amanda yet. As long as Diana drew breath she would try to rescue Amanda for the third time.

Diana reached for the bite valve of her hydration pack while walking through the sand and listening out for a report from Ami concerning any activity on the ground that she saw from the air.

"Hey Diana, it's kinda hot out here. Are you OK?" Ami asked Diana. Diana took the bite value out of her mouth and gently set it to her left, then responded.

"I am OK." Diana replied to the inquiry concerning her condition.

"Great! Listen, I'm flying right above you and I haven't seen anything strange yet. I'll let ya know the moment I see something!" Ami said just as Diana saw the winged android's shadow darken the ground. Diana paused for a moment to observe her friend overhead and moments later Ami's shadow passed by and the sun shone again. Diana was glad that she had an eye in the sky to look out for her.

"Understood." Diana replied and continued walking. She was glad to have brought Ami along with her. If anyone could help the huntress find Amanda, it was Ami. The faithful android would follow Diana anywhere and was always willing to lend a hand... or a wing. The huntress did not feel that she deserved such a faithful companion by her side, but Ami would follow Diana until the very end.

Diana set her emotions aside and focused on the mission to find Amanda, who was only Wizard Saints knew where by now. The huntress had no idea what direction Amanda had went, which complicated things quite a bit. However, rescuing people from these kinds of situations was exactly why Diana was able to command such high fees for her services. She would have to earn her pay for this job just like she had for all the other jobs she had taken to date.

[Post Word Count: 814]
[Total Word Count: 1,594/7,000]

-Deep in Mysterious Canyon, two hours later-

It had been a few hours since Diana had started her search for Amanda Smith and she was deeper in the Mysterious Canyon region but no closer to finding Amanda. The huntress continued to put one foot in front of the other and listened out for Ami to give her a status report. The wind picked up briefly and blew a cloud of sand into Diana's face, causing the blonde to frown and stop to wipe the sand out of her eyes.

Diana would be glad when she could leave this place. She would be doubly glad to leave this place with Amanda at her side. Diana was busy clearing the sand from her eyes when she heard Ami report in.

"Hey Diana! I see that you stopped walking. Are you doing OK down there?" Ami asked Diana. Diana finished wiping the sand away and blinked a few times. She frowned when she discovered that there were a few stubborn grains of sand still in her eyes.

"I am fine, Ami. I just had some sand blown into my face. I will resume walking shortly." Diana reported, clenching her teeth and taking off her backpack to get a bottle of water to wash her eyes out with. She hated getting sand in her eyes.

"OK, I'm glad to hear that. I'm calling to report that I see a person in the distance about 1,000 meters away. They're kinda stumbling around and not real steady on their feet. I'm not sure if they're beginning to suffer from heatstroke or what, but they look like they're not doing too well." Ami reported to Diana. Diana hurriedly washed the sand out of her eyes and took a drink from the bottle of water, then put the cap back on the bottle and put it away. She put her backpack back on and asked for directions to the person.

"Just keep going straight from your position, Diana. You can't miss 'em." Ami replied. Diana made a mental note of those instructions as she began to walk forward again.

"Please go fly to them and see who they are for me." Diana requested. She would rescue any traveler lost in the canyon because it was the right thing to do. If the person Ami had spotted was Amanda Smith then that would be even better.

"Sure thing, Diana! I'll go check them out for you!" Ami replied. She flew ahead of her owner and Diana picked up the pace. She did not want to lose this mystery person. Whether they were Amanda or not, Diana did not want to lose them.

Diana walked forward while looking overhead. She saw Ami fly into the distance and began unconsciously jogging after the winged android. When the huntress realized what she was doing she kept going because out in this inhospitable climate time was of the essence. If the person was in the beginning stages of heatstroke it was imperative to get them to cooler temperatures as soon as possible.

-Twenty-five minutes later-

"Hey Diana, I'm facing a blonde girl with twintails wearing a blue shirt and white shorts with boots. Her skin's all red and she's begging me for water. What do I do?" Ami asked Diana over the headset. The blonde had tried to get to Ami as quickly as she could, but the wind kicked up the sand enough to cause a miniature dust storm or two that slowed the huntress down. Now she was within fifty meters of them and could see them in the distance.

"Keep her there. I am on the way!" Diana ordered.

"You've got it!" Ami replied. Diana could hear a female voice begging for water over Ami's headset, which meant that she needed to hurry up and get to them. Diana used a Reaper's Sprint to close the distance and appeared right behind the pair. Ami and Amanda turned to face the newly arrived huntress.

"Oh hey Diana! I'm so glad to see you! Please tell me that you've got water! PLEASE!" The young woman begged Diana. Diana smiled and took off her backpack, then pulled out a bottle of water and handed it to Amanda. The other blonde practically ripped it out of Diana's hands and quickly opened it, lifting it to her lips and pouring it into her mouth. Diana waited patiently for Amanda to drink it before speaking to her while Ami fanned the two blondes with her wings.

Amanda drained the bottle and handed it back to Diana, then reached out for another.

"Hey Diana, do you have another bottle of water?" Amanda asked. Diana nodded and produced another one, handing it to Amanda. The sunburned blonde drank it quickly and handed the empty bottle back to Diana. She then sighed with relief.

"Man... am I glad to see you. And your friend there." Amanda said to Diana and Ami in a tired voice.

"Where were you going today, Amanda?" Diana asked Amanda while Ami continued to gently fan them.

"I just wanted to go to Serene Cliff. I went too far and ended up in Mysterious Canyon. I tried to find my way out. I got even more lost." Amanda replied wearily in short sentences. Diana did not take offense to that. Amanda was sunburned, tired and lost... she was doing the best she could to be civil. Besides, Diana got her meaning even without elaboration.

"Come on, Amanda. I will guide you back to Magnolia Town." Diana offered to lead the sunburned blonde home. Amanda wearily gave a thumbs-up.

"Yeah. Let's get outta here. I hate this place." Amanda agreed with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. Diana nodded.

"Stay by my side." Diana instructed Amanda. The blonde nodded and walked to Diana's left. Diana turned to Ami.

"Ami, please guide us out of here." Diana requested. Ami flashed a thumbs-up and smiled.

"You've got it!" Ami said. She took off into the sky and looped around above their heads, then flew straight towards the way out.

"OK ladies, follow me!" Ami said over the headset. The two blondes began to follow their winged guide towards the canyon exit. It would be a lengthy walk to get out of here, but at least Diana had found Amanda and had given her enough water to keep her going for awhile.

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[Total Word Count: 2,658/7,000]

-Three hours later, in Mysterious Canyon-

After a lengthy walk where Diana had to make several stops and give Amanda water to drink the pair of blondes had finally made it... they had several hundred more meters to go, but they could see the canyon entrance in front of them. The way out was several hundred meters in front of them and Amanda had done a good job of sticking with Diana up to this point, but Amanda did not look like she could go much further on her own. She was beginning to drag her feet and stagger. Diana turned to her left just in time to see Amanda fall face-first onto the sand.

Diana immediately went to the fallen blonde's side. She gently helped Amanda up and wordlessly offered her a bottle of water. Amanda stood up and gladly took the bottle from Diana.

"Thanks Diana." Amanda thanked the huntress for the helping hand.

"It is no problem." Diana assured Amanda.

"You don't have to be modest. Around me. I know that I'm a problem. A burden." Amanda retorted. Diana blinked. The part about being a burden hit Diana harder than she expected. That was how she felt to everyone in her family except Lucia... a burden who constantly needed to be looked after.

"I get lost a lot. My sister worries about me. So she sends you to find me." Amanda explained what she had meant. Amanda then chuckled weakly.

"I know that you're tired. Tired of running to find me before I get lost in some strange place where I have no idea where I'm going. Tired of being my... my babysitter." Amanda continued. She sounded exhausted, but the frustration she was expressing was all too real.

"You are not a burden, Amanda. Everyone needs help from time to time." Diana tried to assure Amanda that she did not mind helping her. Amanda frowned and looked like she was about to say something rude but thought better of it.

"I'm sorry, Diana. I'm not mad at you. I'm just frustrated with myself." Amanda apologized for her outburst.

"It is no problem. Come on, Amanda. Let me take you to that cave near the entrance so we can cool off for awhile before we travel again." Diana assured her fellow blonde that she was not a burden and offered a way for them to cool down before they left Mysterious Canyon. Amanda nodded.

"OK. Let's go to that cave. I'm tired of being hot." Amanda agreed to the idea. Diana began to guide her towards the cave while Ami flew overhead and landed a short distance to their right.

"Hey guys!" Ami greeted them. Diana waved with her free hand.

"Do you guys need any help?" Ami asked them.

"We are going to that cave over there. It is a cave with a water source. Could you carry Amanda to the entrance for me?" Diana asked Ami. Ami nodded.

"Yeah... if she's ready and willing." Ami said to Diana. Amanda looked towards Ami, then towards Diana.

"I am in better shape than you are, Amanda. Ami can get you to shelter a lot quicker than we can walk." Diana explained the reason for her request to Ami. The timing was probably awful, but the intention was a good one. However, Amanda did not seem to be going for it.

"I'll just walk with you, Diana." Amanda refused the offer of quick transport to the cave's mouth. In light of what she had been told, Diana did not want to make Amanda feel like a parcel to be carried around, so the huntress did not press the issue. She let the matter drop and turned to Ami.

"Ami, could you provide shade for us as we walk to the cave?" Diana requested. Ami nodded.

"Sure thing, Diana!" Ami said. She took off again and flew a short distance overhead, doing her best to shield them from the sun with her wings. The pair began to walk in the android's protective shadow and made their way towards the cave while being careful not to walk faster than Ami could fly.

-Inside the cave, eleven minutes later-

Diana and Amanda were finally inside the cave, where it was much cooler than it was in the bright midday sun. Ami walked through the entrance shortly after they did.

"Man, I'm glad to be out of the sun for a few minutes! My wings are so hot that you can cook an egg on them!" Ami exclaimed. Diana did not take long to understand what her companion meant by her remark. Ami's wings were made of metal. Metal conducted heat and she had been flying in direct sunlight for the past several hours.

"We should all stay out of the sun for awhile. I would say that we stay in here for at least an hour, if not longer." Diana said to Ami and Amanda. Both of them murmured expressions of agreement. Now that that was settled, they would stay out of the sun for awhile and cool off before leaving Mysterious Canyon and setting out for Magnolia Town. Diana put the bite valve of her hydration pack into her mouth and bit on it, taking her first drink of water ever since meeting up with Amanda a few hours ago. She had been so busy looking after Amanda that she had neglected to drink some water herself.

Diana took a sip of water and looked towards Amanda, who had closed her eyes and was sitting against the cave wall a short distance away from the entrance and to the right. She did not seem to be in immediate danger from heatstroke-related issues, but Diana would watch her carefully. Ami seemed to be doing better now that she was out of the sun as well. The huntress herself was starting to feel better now that she had found Amanda and had gotten her to a relatively safe place in which to get out of the sun. The job seemed a lot more doable now that it was halfway complete, but she could not relax just yet.

The trio had a lot of ground to cover before they were safely back in Magnolia Town.

[Post Word Count: 1,042]
[Total Word Count: 3,700/7,000]

-Inside the cave, four hours later-

The trio had stayed inside the cave for much longer than intended, but none of them were complaining about the lengthy break. Spending some time inside the cool cave had revitalized all three of them, especially the hapless Amanda. Earlier she was so tired that she could not speak in complete sentences for long, but now she was able to speak in complete sentences without sounding exhausted. She was also smiling a little.

Ami was the least affected of the trio because of her advanced systems and rugged construction, but she too seemed to be doing better now that her wings had cooled off. Diana had not given any thought to how Ami was doing out here. She had assumed that if something was amiss that Ami would tell her, but it was possible that Ami was keeping quiet about her condition for fear that Diana would have her sent back to where she came from... or have her deactivated entirely.

Diana turned away from that unpleasant thought and turned towards how she was feeling. She was doing OK before she entered the cave with Amanda, but now that she had been out of the sun for awhile she was feeling a lot better both physically and mentally. She still had some water left, but the reservoir in her hydration pack was halfway full. It had been full when she had arrived here over seven hours ago, but Diana's need for water had caused her to tap into it a bit more than she would have liked. Thankfully the trio would be going through Serene Cliff, which was a much more temperate region than Mysterious Canyon.

Traveling through a temperate region meant that there would be less need for drinking water because the temperatures were cooler. Cooler temperatures would also make travel easier on the trio because they would not be courting heatstroke just by being outside. Diana could hardly wait to get there, but first she would need to check if Amanda was able to travel. Earlier she had struggled just to walk in a straight line and when they had entered the cave leaned against the wall and closed her eyes like she was in distress.

Diana looked towards the blonde, who was sitting almost exactly where she had been left earlier. Amanda looked towards Diana with a small smile.

"Are you doing any better, Amanda?" Diana asked the sunburned blonde. Amanda smiled a little.

"I could so with some aloe vera for sunburn, but otherwise I'm doing a lot better than I was hours ago." Amanda answered the question.

"If we were to leave here now and head for Serene Cliff, would you be able to travel without difficulty?" Diana asked Amanda if the latter was fit to travel. Amanda nodded.

"Yeah. I think I can make it now that I've had a break and plenty of water to drink. Once we get outta this place I'll feel even better!" Amanda asserted. She struggled to get to her feet from a sitting position but eventually stood up. Once she was on her feet she gave Diana a thumbs-up.

"OK, I'm on my feet. Now which way is Serene Cliff?" Amanda asked Diana.

"I will guide us there." Diana gently told Amanda. The huntress did not want Amanda wandering off and getting lost again before the trio could even get going.

"That's a good idea." Amanda conceded. Ami, perhaps hearing that they were about to leave the cave and leave Mysterious Canyon, walked over to the pair.

"I'm ready to go too!" Ami said. Diana adjusted her backpack and the sling that Saint Sinner Valentine was on.

"So am I." Diana replied. She could not wait to get out of here and get somewhere cooler. She turned towards Ami, who was waiting for her command.

"Ami, I would like you to go first so that you can get airborne and spot trouble for us." Diana requested. Ami smiled and flashed a thumbs-up.

"You've got it, Diana!" Ami said. She exited the cave first and flapped her wings, then took off into the sky. Diana exited the cave followed shortly by Amanda. The trio had just taken their first steps towards Serene Cliff and towards their ultimate destination, Magnolia Town.

-On the border of Serene Cliff, three hours later-

The sun was beginning to set and the trio were currently standing in front of a wide river that marked the border between Mysterious Canyon and Serene Cliff. They had made it here without incident thanks to Ami scouting out the path ahead for them. The river that was looming in front of them was way too wide to wade across and the water was moving too fast for Amanda and Diana to stay on their feet even if they were brave enough to try and wade across the river.

Amanda looked towards the river, then towards Diana.

"How are we gonna get across this river without getting wet?" Amanda asked the huntress. Diana smiled. She knew just how to get across the river without incident.

"Ami, could you help Amanda and me get across the river?" Diana asked her faithful android companion. Ami smiled and gave her a thumbs-up.

"Sure thing, Diana!" Ami replied. Amanda turned to Diana and spoke.

"Would you mind if I go across first?" Amanda asked Diana. Diana shook her head.

"It is no problem. Be my guest. Just do me a favor and stay where you are once you get across. I do not know this area very well and I do not want you to get lost again." Diana requested. Amanda sheepishly smiled at the huntress.

"All right, Diana. I'll stay put once your pal Ami drops me off on the other side!" Amanda promised. Ami approached her and wrapped her arms around the sunburned blonde's waist, then lifted off straight up and ferried Amanda across the river while the blonde looked down apprehensively. Once Ami was safely across she deposited Amanda on the ground and returned to Diana... the crossing and the return trip took just five minutes for Ami to complete.

"All right, Diana, it's your turn!" Ami notified the huntress. Diana nodded and Ami wrapped her arms around Diana's waist, then took off vertically and began flying towards the river with her owner firmly in her grasp. Soon Diana would be across the river and the journey towards Magnolia Town could resume.

[Post Word Count: 1,078]
[Total Word Count: 4,778/7,000]

-On the other side of the river, five minutes later-

Diana landed on the ground feet-first and Ami released her. The moment she was released she instantly looked for Amanda and found her standing exactly where she had been left by Ami. The huntress was relieved to see that she had kept her promise and did not wander off once she had set foot on the opposite shore.

"Hey Diana! Your pal Ami's a real lifesaver! I'm glad you brought her because if we weren't able to fly across we'd probably have to go all the way to the area near Clover Town just to find a bridge to cross!" Amanda complimented Diana for having the foresight to bring along Ami for this job. Diana smiled.

"Ami is a lifesaver in more ways than one." Diana said about Ami in a complimentary tone of voice. The winged android was much more than just a quick way to cross rivers without getting one's feet wet. She was Diana's eye in the sky and she was Diana's air support when things got dicey. Furthermore, she was Diana's companion who always stood ready to help the huntress any way she could. Ami was well worth her weight in gold, Jewels, or any other currency one wanted to use.

"I will lead us through the area." Diana informed Amanda. Upon hearing that sentence, Ami wordlessly took off to scout the area from the air. Amanda nodded.

"Sure thing, Diana. You've gotten us this far, so I'll trust you to lead us through here." Amanda deferred to the huntress' superior sense of direction. Diana then took the lead with Amanda following on her left side. While she was no expert on the area, Diana had traveled through the Serene Cliff region enough to at least know which direction Magnolia Town was in. She would use that knowledge to get them both home safely, but there was not a whole lot of daylight left and there was a lot of ground to cover between Serene Cliff and Magnolia Town. She might not be able to get them all the way to Magnolia Town with the time they had left... instead they might have to settle for getting as far as they can before having to seek shelter for the night.

-Serene Cliff, three hours later-

The trio had passed by the imposing cliff that was the region's namesake at least an hour ago. Just before the sun set Diana had proposed that they try and find somewhere like a cave to take shelter for the night, but Amanda had refused to spend the night in the region, citing that there was really no shelter for them to take. While walking through the area she noticed that Amanda was right when she asserted that there was not really much shelter for them to take. Their surroundings were mostly trees that could be home to predatory animals... or bandits looking for their next score.

Neither Amanda nor Diana had thought to bring a tent in case the job took more than a day to complete. That failure to be prepared for a long trip was entirely on Diana, but she could make up for that lack of foresight by getting Amanda to Magnolia Town safely. Meredith would not care too much about how her sister had gotten home just so long as Amanda got to Magnolia Town alive and well. That was why Diana had switched to her night vision mode and was scanning the trees and bushes for any threats that might be waiting for travelers to pass by. She also had Saint Sinner Valentine in her right hand with the safety off and ready to use at a moment's notice.

"Hey Diana, I noticed that you have your weapon ready. Are you expecting trouble?" Amanda asked the huntress. Diana nodded. There was no sense in denying it.

"I am, Amanda. Nighttime is approaching and that is when both predatory wildlife and bandits are most active." Diana replied truthfully. The huntress knew from experience that the arrival of nightfall was a dangerous time to be in the wilderness. Upon hearing that Amanda stayed very close to the huntress and did not dare leave her sight. With Amanda sticking close by the two blondes continued to travel through the wilderness towards Magnolia Town while Ami flew overhead and did what she could to spot potential danger despite not being equipped with night vision or infrared capability.

-Magnolia Town, four hours later-

It was still dark by the time the pair had finally reached Magnolia Town, but the long walk was worth it because the pair had reached Magnolia Town without incident. On the outskirts of town Diana had put the safety back on Saint Sinner Valentine and had switched the ammunition to the less-than-lethal rounds. The rifle was now slung on her right shoulder and thus not a threat to anyone.

Amanda carefully guided Diana through the town until they came to the front step of her house. The sunburned blonde knocked and the door opened to show a tall brunette who looked to be about Lucia's age wearing a white apron over a white long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans with sandals. The brunette looked the blondes over and her attention swiftly focused on Amanda.

"AMANDA!" The brunette exclaimed in relief. Amanda smiled awkwardly.

"Yes, it's me, Meredith. Diana brought me back home for the second time. Other than getting a bad sunburn, I'm OK thanks to her." Amanda said. Meredith's gaze turned from Amanda to Diana.

"I believe that this is our first face-to-face meeting, Miss Winchester. I can't thank you enough for all those times you found Amanda and brought her home to us." Meredith thanked Diana for her work. The huntress gave a small smile in response to the praise.

"It is no problem." Diana replied calmly. Meredith smiled at Diana.

"I'm glad that you're so willing to go out of your way to help Amanda. She tries hard to find her way around without anyone's help, but she has an awful sense of direction. It seems to run in our family." Meredith commented to Diana. Diana's smile did not change. Amanda had an awful sense of direction and a low opinion of herself, but she was a good person at heart. It was no trouble to save her whenever she got lost.

[Post Word Count: 1,068]
[Total Word Count: 5,846/7,000]

Meredith and Diana stood facing each other. Each of them was obviously waiting on the other to speak, but neither one of them would speak because they were certain that the other would say something. An awkward silence prevailed and several minutes passed before Amanda finally spoke up and broke the silence.

"I'm really tired, so I'm gonna go take a shower before I sleep for half the day. I'll see you later, Diana! Maybe one day we can meet some time other than when I'm terribly lost thanks to my bad sense of direction!" Amanda thanked Diana for her assistance and made a self-deprecating remark near the end. Diana gave a small smile.

"See you later, Amanda." Diana calmly bade the blonde with twintails farewell. Amanda waved goodbye and disappeared into the house while Meredith remained outside. It seemed that Meredith was not quite finished with Diana. The huntress turned to face the older Smith sibling and waited for her to speak.

"Thank you for going out of your way to help Amanda. Just between you and me, I dread getting an iLac call from her because I never know where she's going to call from. I know that it's hard work traveling back and forth with her. It's also dangerous too." Meredith said in a serious tone. Diana remained silent and let her talk.

"She's not as bad as Uncle Larry when it comes to a sense of direction, but she's pretty close. I'm just scared that one day she's going to call and tell me that she's in Silent Cemetery or Haunted Castle. I'm worried that by the time you get there it'll be too late to rescue her." Meredith confessed her concern for Amanda to the huntress. Diana recalled Amanda herself telling her about her Uncle Larry, who once traveled with the intent of going to Rose Garden for a Halloween party but somehow ended up in Silent Cemetery. There the man mistook the zombies for party guests and narrowly escaped with his life.

"Still, I'm glad that you're willing to go so far to help her out. I mean, traveling from Mysterious Canyon to here in the span of almost a full day is dedication. And you did all of your traveling on foot. Your feet are probably killing you." Meredith complimented Diana on her dedication to bringing Amanda home through a non-stop walk from Mysterious Canyon through Serene Cliff and ending in Magnolia Town. Diana soon spoke up.

"Amanda was the one who proposed that we keep walking through the Serene Cliff region instead of stopping for the night." Diana spoke in Amanda's defense to testify that Amanda was not a burden like Meredith was subtly implying her sister was. After hearing Meredith speak like that Diana now saw where the twintailed blonde got her negative self-image from. It was not used as a ploy to get sympathy but something Amanda was really going through.

"Be that as it may, I'm thankful that you kept going to find her in Mysterious Canyon instead of giving up after a few hours searching for her in the sun. I've never been there myself, but I heard that it can be rather harsh." Meredith sincerely praised Diana for her dedication. Diana did not think much of it. She would go to any length to find Amanda because it was the right thing to do... the pay for the job was a secondary consideration.

"I would not leave her out there even if I had to comb every inch of Mysterious Canyon, Meredith." Diana replied with sincerity. Leaving Amanda out in such a hostile environment would be tantamount to murder. Diana would not have left Amanda out there as long as there was the slightest chance of rescuing her before it was too late.

"Anyway, thanks for your help today, Diana. If you'll wait here, I'll go get the payment I promised you." Meredith said. She then turned around and went back into the house, leaving Diana standing outside and waiting for the older Smith sister. After a brief four-minute wait Meredith returned with a large sack of Jewels.

"Here's the reward I owe you. You're worth every Jewel, Diana!" Meredith said before approaching the huntress and handing her the bag with her payment. As was her custom Diana accepted it with both hands and hung onto it until the client was finished speaking with her.

"Thank you." Diana thanked the client. Meredith smiled.

"You're welcome, Diana. Now I've got to go look after Amanda... that sunburn she has looks awful. Thanks again, Diana!" Meredith thanked Diana one last time before turning around and entering the Smith house. She shut the door behind her and Diana turned around to leave Magnolia Town. Her job here was finished. She should tell Ami where she was going so that she did not leave her winged companion behind by mistake.

"Ami, I am finished here. I am leaving Magnolia Town and am heading for home." Diana reported. Seconds later Ami made a reply.

"Sure thing, Diana! I'll follow you from up here and keep an eye on things!" Ami reported back. Diana continued walking out of Magnolia Town, following the street lights out of the town and towards home. It would likely be morning by the time she got to her destination, but that did not matter to her. She was used to walking long distances at all times of day.

[Post Word Count: 910]
[Total Word Count: 6,756/7,000]

-Capital Crocus, inside Capital Coffee, mid-afternoon-

Having changed from her navy blue work outfit to her casual outfit, Diana had also left all of her weapons and equipment at home. Ami too was waiting for her back home. Now that she was off the clock for the time being, she had went to Capital Coffee to get a cup or two of espresso. Diana had pulled off another successful rescue mission and was in the mood to celebrate. She would use a small portion of her new earnings to buy the coffee for her one-person party.

Diana entered the coffee shop and found that it was busy but not too busy. The line only had five people in it, so she would be able to get her coffee without waiting too long for it. The huntress walked up to the line and took her place as the sixth customer behind a line of five university students, three males and two females. They were talking about their classes, quizzes they had taken, tests that they were going to take in the next few weeks, campus clubs they were part of, and other topics pertaining to university life.

-Twenty minutes later-

Diana had gotten her cup of espresso and was sitting in her favorite pod chair looking through the window that faced Capital Crocus Mall. Crowds of people were entering and leaving the mall while cheerfully oblivious to the fact that Diana was watching them and sipping an espresso. Diana wondered what it was like to live a completely normal life without the burden she was bearing. Then she took another sip of the coffee and pushed that subject aside.

She would never have a normal life.

There was no point on dwelling on what a normal life was like because she would never have it. That kind of thing was not for her. Diana's life would be one of adventure and excitement until it ended naturally... or unnaturally.

Diana took another sip of espresso and continued to watch the crowds go by as she listened to a smooth jazz saxophone solo play on the overhead speakers. It was a piece with a slow tempo and a piano in the background. Diana would have preferred a jazz piece that was a little faster, but she could not complain about the music because at least it was not an annoying "mall pop" song. Diana sipped on her espresso and learned that the cup was nearly empty.

The blonde was not sure whether she wanted to get another cup for the road or just walk away after getting one cup. On one hand, she liked the taste of the espresso. On the other hand, she was really tired and drinking two espressos would keep her from going to sleep. Diana sat in her chair and weighed the pros and cons of getting another cup before she decided against it. Her feet were killing her and she really needed to sleep for awhile.

Having decided on her course of action, Diana finished her cup and left the coffee shop. She did not need any more coffee right now... there would be another day. Besides, one day she hoped to share a cup of coffee with Lucia when they finally reunited. Diana would have to do her best to stay alive until the day the Winchester sisters finally met again.

[Post Word Count: 564]
[Total Word Count: 7,320/7,000]