Finally you were done packing, and straighten as you grab the short sword you borrowed from the castle. "The closest kingdom is a day a way... I could get there faster if the horses weren't stone too..." You sigh going out and starting for the gates. You keep your eyes focused ahead, only looking back when you reach the town entrance. "I'll save you. Even if I have to kiss everyone I come across... So please. Just dont break." You breathe before rushing off down the road.

It wasn't long after your kingdom was no longer visible behind you did someone enter your path. You pause, stopping and touching the short sword's hilt.

"Hey. You're from the kingdom." The man comments behind his deer skull mask. "What happened to it? Everything suddenly went grey and... still..." He steps closer. You shift, looking him over. He must be a bandit.

"... A witch cursed it last night... Dont bother trying to loot it. Mostly everything is stone. Even the chests in the treasury." You inform him.

"And yet you're the only one left." He leans forward, blue eyes glinting in the shadow of the mask.

"I don't have much time but I don't know what to do so I'll tell you exactly what happened." You decide before quickly explaining your situation. He soon straightens as you finish.

"Kid went to that banquet too." He tells you.

"Take me to him." You request automatically. He shifts but nods leading you into the forest it briskly. After some time you come to the clearing where the bandits sat around their fires and their tents. They look up as you and the masked bandit step into the camp. You follow the masked bandit to the main tent where the leader sat on a small throne of bones and knives. You blink as you meet the leader's amber eyes. He sits up eyeing you with curious surprise. You don't hesitate to walk up to him grab his collar and smash your lips against his.

He freezes in shock while all the bandits straighten in surprise. You pull away, touching the stone mouse you had put in your pocket and frown with a sigh. "You're not the one..."

"What...??" he breathes in shock. You just shake your head in response.

"You're not him," You tell him backing up. "Sorry I have to go." You give a slight bow, before turning and hurrying out of the camp and back to the road. You quickly move down the road towards the next Kingdom, mentally kicking yourself. Hopefully the Bandit leader wouldn't be mad about the surprise kiss. But you didn't get much further before he reappears in front of you on the path. You stopped looking at him uneasily, he glares back at you panting lightly. You shift rubbing your cheek and offering an awkward nod. "You're mad..."

"Yeah. I am." He growls, "What the hell was that?!"

"A kiss." You say simply. His eye twitches and he takes a step forward. "Look, I'm just trying to save my home from being permanently turned to stone. Sorry if you don't like kisses but I can't let you stop me." You inform him frowning. He pauses, tilting his head as he comes closer.

"What will you do if I try to stop you?" He challenges, eyes boring into yours. You narrow your eyes, widening your stance a bit and touching the hilt of your short sword in response. He searches your face before frowning. "Shit. That's a hell of a weight on your shoulders..." He mutters straightening up.

"Kid. You going?" The masked bandit comes out of the forest with a black horse. You blink in confusion, looking between him and the masked man. Kid watches you a moment longer before nodding.

"Yeah. If that kingdom becomes stone we'll have to relocate. And that's a pain in the ass." Kid says taking the reigns and mounting the horse. "Come on. If you don't have time, then walking isn't going to help." He says holding his hand out to you.

"You're... Helping me?" You blink up at him.

"Yeah. It's gotten boring here anyway." He shrugs slightly. You smile a bit, relaxing and taking his hand. He pulls you onto his horse and rides off with you. A smile comes to your lips as you watch everything fly by.

"Thank you Mr. Kid." You tell him.

"Dont thank me yet. There were a lot of people there that night. And if I got in... Then there's a chance that there weren't just royals." He states. Your heart sinks at that and you hide your face in his shoulder. He glances back at you. "But... You were lucky today. So maybe you'll have more luck tomorrow."

"Lucky today?" You echo.

"Yeah. You could've died with that stunt earlier." He reminds you.

"Yeah... Very lucky..." You breathe replaying the event in your head as you look ahead again.

Only an hour had passed when the horse suddenly rears back. You hold onto Kid tightly in surprise, feeling him reach back and grasp your thigh to keep you on the horse as it relaxes.

"What was that about?" You ask.

"Something bad is near by." He murmurs.

"Bad?" You echo.

"Yeah... Like a troll or ogre..." He breathes, carefully willing the horse forward. You swallow at that, looking around uneasily. He suddenly pushes you off as something suddenly leaps out of the tree line, grabbing the horse.

You sit up as he stabs at the ogre. It cries out, tossing him and the horse away. It doesn't seem to notice you as it turns on Kid with a roar. Kid's horse attempts to get up but cant, still Kid stands between them. You were in shock and awe. This was the first ogre you've encountered, and it was as horrifying as the stories. Its grey bumpy skin glistening with sweat as it shifts on it's fur covered hind legs. Drool bursts from it's crooked jaw as it roars at Kid again, stomping a foot and shaking the ground.

Kid shifts defensively, but in the motion you saw a tremor in him and a slight wince in his amber eyes. Was he hurt? You don't have time to wonder as the ogre suddenly charges him.

"Kid!" You call out in worry. Your voice seems to surprise the ogre, making it pause it's charge and look toward you. Kid takes the chance to rush the ogre, jumping up and kicking off the monster's knee, slashing with his sword and opening a gash on the creature's neck and chin before rolling to your feet and getting back to his up. His knee almost buckles but you grab him as the ogre cried out trying to wipe off the pain of it's wounds as purplish blood spills out.

"We should run." You whisper to Kid. He looks towards his horse but it still couldn't get up.

"You're right. Shadow won't be able to go on anyway." He sighs. The ogre focuses on you two again but Kid grabs your arm and you both move to flee but the ogre smacks Kid away from you, picking you up and sniffing at you. Its lavender eyes looking you over blood red tongue goes over it's lips. A chill goes down your spine and you draw your sword but it grabs your arm as you raise it. "___!"

You glare at it, you couldn't die here. Vivi's face flashes through your mind and you drop the sword, kicking it into the ogre's chest. It drops you, staggering backwards. You fall on your butt and jump back to your feet, rushing forward and ripping the sword from it's chest. It's blood spills out of the chest wound and its mouth before it falls to the ground.

You let out a breath, looking at it for a moment until Kid touches your arm. "Good job." He manages. You blink at him before looking him over.

"Are you okay Mr.Kid?" You ask him worriedly.

"Yeah, nothing I haven't felt before." He straightens, dusting himself off. "Are you hurt?" His question makes you look down, focusing for any pain.

"My tailbone hurts." You admit, dusting off as well. He smiles briefly but it falls as he looks to his exhausted horse. You follow his gaze and frown softly. "What do you want to do?"

"I don't know..." He admits. He goes over to it, looking it over as he kneels beside it. His shoulders slump and your heart sinks as he soon returns to you. "Keep going down that path. I'll join you in a moment." He points down the way you had to go. You watch him for a moment but he won't meet your gaze.

"Okay." You breathe before heading off in that direction. He joins you again after a while, looking grim. You frown, rubbing your cheek, unsure how to cheer him up. You go through your satchel, taking out a jar of fruit. You offer it to him, making him pause and take it, getting a piece from it.

"I'll steal a horse if we need to go to another kingdom." He murmurs eating.

"But..." You start and he gives you a look. "You're right." You frown looking ahead. He lets out a soft huff, offering a fruit.

"I remember you, the night of the banquet, you stepped on my foot." He breathes.

"The wolf mask... I knew your eyes were familiar." You hum. He chuckles lightly at that, and you take the fruit, eating it.

"It's sweet." He comments.

"Yeah, they're my favorite. I thought they would help." You smile a bit.

"Then you should save it for another time." He places the jar back in your hand. You blink and look at him and he smirks at you slightly. "That was a nice gesture though." You pause and look away, scratching your cheek awkwardly.

"Thank you..?" You manage, not sure what else to say. He chuckles silently at that.

"Yeah, no problem."