❖ THE HAUNTED VILLAGE ❖ (C/Solo)

Fane and Jack continued their journey through the Spooky Woods with much to talk about. They talked about many things mostly pertaining to himself, Fane, that is. Jack seemed oddly curious about a great many things, but Fane could hardly answer half of the questions he asked him about: who his Lord was, what he was doing so far from home, or even things like how he was able a forest he's never even explored! By the end of their conversation, both of them seemed equally bewildered and interested about his past, but neither could provide closure. It probably wasn't something most adults talked to children about, but their innocent curiosity was so mutual that both of them seemed to get carried away. Even so, both discarded their interest in the conversation when Jack's father suddenly appeared, as did the Haunted Village.

Fane could only stare at the village for a moment, admiring it and, well, it's very much apparent eerieness. Despite being well lit and reasonably crowded from what he could see, it was also uncomfortably atmospheric. But what use was there worrying over something he had so very little control over? Fane's attention returned to Jack and his Papa after brushing off his uncanny first impressions, walking over to the embracing pair with a waving hand.

"Oh, hello there! You must be Jack's Papa." Fane grinned absent-mindedly. The bearded, heavy-bellied man smiled Jack's smile, suddenly looking much like his son in that regard.

The father's cheeks suddenly went red, wearing an expression that Fane wasn't anticipating a man of his build to make. "You're the one who brought my Jacksyboy back safely, aren't ya? I'm so sorry about him! He just. . . wanders off on his own sometimes and—here, Jacksyboy! Say 'thank you' to this kind man!" the father demanded, taking his thick hands that were easily bigger than Jack's skull and forcing it down into an apologetic bow. The father would also bow in unison.

"Th—Thank you, Mr. Howler!!" a teary Jack wailed.

Fane continued to grin stupidly, shaking his hand anxiously. He was never quite used to being the one being thanked, and so comes to show their cultural disparities. "Oh, it's no trouble really. Fate just had it so we happened to cross paths with the same destination is all." he insisted.

Jack and his Father had raised their heads now, and both of them were visibly embarrassed. "I'm Jack. How can we repay ya, Mister. . . Howler, was it?" Jack asked roughly. Fane was astounded by this and couldn't suppress the surprise from his expression. Papa Jack and Little Jack, was it? How silly and incredibly confusing!  

"Oh, it's quite alright. I'm just passing through anyway," Fane further insisted, giggling with haste. His attention eventually descended onto Little Jack, who, apparently, never broke contact with him. Fane grinned kindly, "But do be more cautious next time. I'm sure woods aren't nearly as kind as myself." Little Jack nodded and accepted the warning without question.

"Thank you, really. . ." Papa Jack emphasized again.

"Yes, well—I must be on my way now. Farewell and safe travels, fellows!" Fane began to walk away with a hasty sort of scurry that appeared to be his normal stride. He walked as if he was in a hurry and was looking for something. The blonde-haired wanderer was about to get lost in his stride again before abruptly stopping and turning around to face the two Jacks again. "Oh," he started as the two Jacks would perk up curiously, "I don't suppose either of you would know where to find the port of entry, would you? I hear you two are travelling merchants, after all."

Little Jack sprung up excitedly, "We can take you, Mr. Howler!! I know the way!"

It would've been wrong to refuse their offer and a whole lot faster for Fane himself to accept. He wasn't planning to stick around in the Haunted Village longer than he had to, and not because of its obvious eerieness. In fact, he had no intention of ever returning to Fiore after leaving and returning to his Lord, whoever he was. So he was quick to accept after briefly mulling over their offer, Little Jack then leading the way with Fane following close behind and Papa Jack trailing off in the rear of the group, struggling to keep up but never quite falling behind.

When they arrived at the port of entry, Little Jack pointed to the small group of regally suited women stationed on either side of the thick and tall wall separating Fiore from Seven. "There it is! That's the point of entry! We were there just yesterday, Mr. Howler!"

Fane smiled warmly, "Is it now? Well that's a bit unimpressive if I do say so myself." he scratched his cheek before turning to the two Jacks who stood there, prepared to see him off, "I'll be going now." And like that, he was going now. Or so he thought. When he was about to pass through the exit, a regally dressed woman stepped in front of him with an insignia of a Blue Cross over her armband.

"Passport, please." she demanded.

Fane paused and looked at her with a stupid, bewildered smile. "Pardon?"

The woman's gaze sharpened as she squinted at him, pointing to a sign raised over her head. It read "AUTHORIZED PASSPORTS ONLY." Afterward, she continued her earlier demand. "You can't pass through this port of entry without your passport, sir."

When he woke up on Mt. Hakobe, this was the first place that he went go to get to Seven. He, realistically, had never thought about a passport. He didn't even have one when he was in Pergrande, as there was no reason to leave his Master's property, and much less the Kingdom. "Passport? What passport—I don't have a passport. But what I do have is some very important business to attend to, so if you wouldn't mind—"

"If you don't have it, then you can't pass through here. I'm sorry, sir." the woman apologized unapologetically and would continue to block him in silence. Fane scratched the side of his head with frowning brows but his friendly smile still apparent. He was suppressing his somewhat subtle irritation before turning away. The pair of Jacks was apparently still standing there, confused as to why their blonde-haired acquaintance had not left the country yet.

"Is something the matter? Don't you have someplace to be?" Papa Jack asked hesitantly.

"Don't you need to go home, Mr. Howler? What'd they say?" Little Jack echoed him.

Fane sighed in disappointment and acute vexation. "Oh, well, yes, yes. Something about—what was it?—oh yes, a passport. Well, as it turns out, I don't have one on my person. . . nor do I know how to go about obtaining it." he complained in, amusingly enough, still his bubbly fashion. There was a strange silence that overcame the exchange suddenly, and Fane felt awkwardly imposed. He turned to look at the Jacks, who were wide-eyed and open-jawed. Fane murmured nervously, "Are you two fellows alright? There's nothing in your eyes, is there?"

Suddenly, the two Jacks burst out in unison. "Passport?!"

Fane stared at them, still smiling. "Indeed, indeed. . . that is what I need. . ."

Papa Jack grinned and balled his hands into fists in raw excitement. His son, Little Jack, mimicked him almost perfectly. "We're heading over to Rose Garden to do a little tradin' by carriage! Why, that's where they give out that sorta stuff. Say—why don't you come with us? It's the least we could do."

"Yeah! We've been there lotsa times before and it only takes two days to get there! C'mon Mr. Howler!"

"Is that. . . so?" Fane replied matter-of-factly, still surprised by their sudden. Rose Garden, was it? He didn't think he'd be heading anywhere but east, but it would seem those unfolding events dictated otherwise. He needed a passport, so a passport he would get. "Brilliant, then. I'm most gracious for that kind of thoughtfulness." he thanked them, not expecting such consideration from foreigners.

"Oh, 'nuff of that! It's the least we could do for helping Jacksyboy over here. C'mon then, fellas, the carriage is just this way." Papa Jack beckoned to the pair as he stumbled off down the road.

Their departure was quick and immediate, and soon the small group were on their way for Rose Garden. Papa and Little Jack sat up front with a mule pulling their carriage, Fane tucked away in the back, snuggling up against their cargo as cushions. They talk amongst themselves for most of the trip, leaving Fane to mull over what he had been mulling over ever since he woke up from Mt. Hakobe. His cloak covered him and veiled his complexion in shadows. He was beginning to drift far, far away into slumber despite the rough roads they rid upon and the bumping the thumping it caused afterward. His gaze became dark and sporadic, and soon fell into a deep, deep slumber.