"Jowy-niichan! Wake up!" the cheerful girl exclaimed, hopping excitedly.

"......." moaned the big lump under the pile of blankets and pillows.

"Jowy-niichan, wake up!" Pilika begged. "Wake up, Jowy-niichan! Jowy-niichan!"

A weary hand peeked out from the blankets, then slumped ungracefully on the pillow. Pilika frowned.

"Jowy-niichan!! Jowy-niichan!! Jowy-niichan!!"

The big lump threw off the covers, sitting upright. His long blond hair was askew, sticking out in several directions. His unfocused, half-open grey eyes stared at nothing in particular. No matter how much he loved children, and no matter how much he loved Pilika, he never loved being awoken by anyone in the morning.

Pilika threw her arms in the air. "Yay! Jowy-niichan is awake!"

Jowy slowly turned to look at Pilika with a look in his eyes to say, ".....Pilika, it's morning. Go back to sleep." Pilika stared at her alleged big brother's messy hair, sagging face....

"Ah!!! It's a monster! Run!!!"

The little girl dashed out of the room, nearly running into her mother who stood by the doorway. The mother, Joanna, chuckled in amusement.

"Good morning, Jowy. Glad to see you're the cheerful morning person as ever." she greeted. "The two soldiers accompanying you are already awake. Breakfast is on the table. Come and eat before it gets cold."

A few minutes later, Jowy dragged himself out of bed and joined everyone at the breakfast table. Joanna, Marx - Pilika's father, Pilika, and the two soldiers were already eating. Breakfast was simple as Toto was a poor town, but deliciously made from love.

"Your friend, McDohl, was it? He left a note saying he left." Marx said.

"I see." said Jowy, sipping his tea. He was sad that a new friend had to leave so soon, but McDohl must be a busy person.

"The less the merrier." the first guard stated. "Sir McDohl's presence, no matter how great, would have greatly hindered our travelling speed."

Jowy said nothing.

"At any rate, Jowy, it's been awhile since you last visited Toto." Joanna mused. "The last time you were here, it was before you joined the Unicorn Brigade. My, how the time flies. You've grown into such an attractive young man."

Jowy nearly spit his tea. "Thanks..." he said, quickly regaining his composure. On the inside he felt hot with embarassment. He hoped he wasn't blushing.

"Joanna has a point." Marx said brightly. "Ever since you and your brother came to visit Toto so many years ago, the kids have grown quite fond of you. Now you've visited so often you've been like family to us. You're like the son we've never had."

"Oh..." Jowy didn't know how to answer. He felt uncomfortable as he tried to push away this foreign warm, fuzzy feeling.

"So, Jowy," Marx continued, "how was the Unicorn Brigade?"

"....."

"The Unicorn Brigade has been scorched to the ground." the first guard announced briskly. "The tragedy was horrible. No evidence of the camp's remains exist. All the promising young soldiers were burtally murdered or had burned to death. It was all due to a City-States conspiracy. There were only two survivors, young Atreides being one of them. We are on our way to Muse for a conference about this matter. Master Atreides will be our key witness."

Joanna and Marx silenced. "Oh my..." said Joanna. "All that horrible tragedy, spoken in the midst of Pilika's young ears to boot."

Luckily, Jowy, knowing what the soldier had to say, had covered Pilika's ears so she did not hear a word. Pilika giggled, thinking this was a new game Jowy invented.

"I was not there to...."

"We will depart as soon as possible." the second guard interrupted. "Thank you very much for your kind hospitality."

"Anytime." Joanna smiled. "Any friend of Jowy's is welcome to our household."

Promptly after breakfast, the two soldiers left with a brisk thank you. Jowy trailed behind but was stopped by Pilika.

"Jowy-niichan!" she exclaimed. "Can you see Pilika in her room? Pilika want to show you something."

Jowy smiled. Forget the guards. Pilika comes first. "Sure, Pilika."

Hand in hand, Pilika led Jowy to her room. Unlike most children in the village, Pilika had a room to her own. She had little else besides a warm bed, a clothes drawer and her teddy bear, but her room was very well lived in. From her piggy bank, she took out her life savings and turned to Jowy, holding the poch behind her back.

"Jowy-niichan," she said, "Pilika's daddy's birthday is coming soon. Pilika saw a pretty wood amulet daddy would like. It's in Muse. Pilika can't go there by herself. Can you go for Pilika? Buy present? Pilika give you her life savings."

"Are you sure?" Jowy said skeptically.

Pilika nodded eagerly. "Pilika want to get her daddy nice present to see daddy smile!"

Jowy smiled sadly. 'Such a simple girl.' he thought to himself. "All right, Pilika. I will get the wood amulet for you."

"Master Atreides. Get a move on!" the first guard shouted from outside. "If we are even a fraction of a second late, it will be your hide."