"Oh my Lord, where the heck am I supposed to meet him? There's all these people and...."

Once again, her head thunked on the table and she slipped into a stupor as she tried to sleep off the alcohol she drank. She usually didn't imbibe, but the combination of anger of the scene at Tenzan pass and the hopelessness of not finding a worthy ally had taken its toll upon her.

She need sleep, and lots of it. "Oh man. Maybe I shouldn't have some so soon. Richmond said he'd already be here, but I've been waiting for a week and he still doesn't make himself known. Maybe he's here, but I haven't found him yet. Yeah, that's it."

Valeria, the sad and moping, got up to check the streets for the umpteenth time.

On the streets, it was unusally quiet. It had been like this ever since the gates of Muse had shut and completely blocked any visitors from coming in. Valeria wondered why this was, since she only got here barely before the gates closed. Literally, thanks to the help of Stallion. She would have to convey her thanks to him on the speedy transportation.

She walked out, around the city, yet there was nothing to be seen. Even the doors of the Capital Building were closed as they usually were these days. She would've petitioned, but what for? She was here on scouting, not as a mercenary. Speaking of mercenaries...

She started to wonder what had ever happened to the "warriors for hire" in the former war. Like Lorelai, and Quincy, and those other people who had no real reason to fight against the Scarlett Moon Empire. She already knew where one of those mercenaries did in their spare time. Fu Su Lu. What a clown....

Her thoughts were interupted by a shadow. She could've paid it no attention, but this one had particular attention to her. Before she could question it's motives, it faded away.

Could that have been him? Are samurai noted for moving through-out the shadows? Valeria wanted to go see, but she was sure that this was a person who would not want to be pursued, so she just let it go, with a reminder to investigate the matter more later.

She retired to her room, and tried to get a decent rest.

In the middle of the night, however, she was awoken to the sounds of battle. Here? This was an inn! She brandished her sword, and charged to where the sounds of battle were being sounded. She prepared to face the intruder.

The only words she heard were, "I am disappointed in you, Lord Genshu." After that, the rest of the whispers were drowned out in the thumping of the neighbour's walls. She charged in, however, it was not meant for her to interfere. She saw the one she was to find, a man of good stature, dressed in a ancient warrior's garb, being attacked by a stealthy intruder. She arrived too late, as he was sprawled into a corner. She rushed over to him, not caring whether the enemy would strike her down as well. As she looked at the surroundings once more, the assailant was gone.

Valeria sheathed her sword, seeing as it had no purpose for the present moment. She tried to tend to his wounds, for even she could see that this man was injured. But she could not help him, for he was only unconcious, not deathly ill-fated. She left quietly, before he woke, lest he get the wrong impression of her. She would come talk to him in the morning. He would be in good shape by then.

Morning came, and with boundless spirit, Valeria got dressed and hurried over to the samurai's room. She had heard the name Genshu, that was probably him. But why would he be beaten in his own room? His enemy had not even bothered to dispatch him. There was probably more going on here than just what was to be taken at face value.

To her dismay, he was not in, or rather, gone. The wooden ground before his room was caked with mud, suggesting that someone, or some people had dirsturbed her recovering patient's resting time. The imprint suggested that these were big men, probably guards for the state. She woulde not want anything to do with them, if she could decide. Her face would be recognized almost immediately, she was sure. Besides, she was not here to alert the whole of the City-States about the awareness and concerns that Toran now had about its neighbours to the north.

She headed towards the north hall, seeing if her supposed "ally" would be petitioning with the high officials of Muse. Richmond had said about how he would try, and he would also fail anyways, so that would be a good time to hook up. "How would he know tha-"

“Dillon!" The woman screamed, tears painting her reddened eyes as she clutched a blanket in her hands, the blanket which belonged to a young child.“DILLON!!!!” The woman screamed, until she finally collapsed on the hard earth, her neighbors and friends rushing to comfort her.

What's this? Valeria could only stare at the unfolding scene. She had no clue as too what happened, so the only way she could find out was to ask.

"'Excuse me, miss? What happened?" Valeria tried to strain her voice as much as possible, because it was obvious this woman would need some comforting for some time.

"MY SON!! So-some men ca-came from n-n-nowhere, and they-they came, an-and, they took hi-him away-MY poor baby!!!!" She could only helplessly stare as the woman she had question broke down into tears at the thought of her son.

A young boy came out to look at the foregoing scene from one of the houses. "Oh, man. Not again." Valeria was still trying to comfort the woman, when the boy bounded down the stairs to the area of occurence. "Come on. It's not safe out here anymore." Now the boy started tugging at the woman's sleeve. "They might still be lurking around here." Now he turned to face Valeria. "Hey, miss? Could you help me? We've got to get this woman inside. You both can stay inside until it's safe again."

Valeria could only stare at the kid. Here he was, looking eye level at her when she was kneeling and he was standing his full height, and he was giving her orders? Yet there was logic in this suggestion, and Valeria could see that there was already something more to him then what was being shown now.

"All right. I'll help you."

Now, they were in the boy's house, which was roomy and had two floors. "Yeah, it's my teacher's home, and I sometimes get to stay with him to learn practical work. I'm a doctor in training, my name's Tuta. So, I don't think I've seen you around here before, what's your name?" The boy was eagerly making tea from brewing, and was getting out some cups to serve it as well. The woman was upstairs, sleeping after her great loss.

"Uhh..." Valeria was at a loss of words. Should she trust this boy? If he stated her name, he could betray her and she would be at a loss as to what to do next. Yet this was only a little boy, right? There should be no harm in saying. "I am called Valeria."

"Oh! Are you one of those generals from Toran? I read history books quite often, and they mention all of the happenings in the Scarlet Moon Rebellion. You looked a lot like one of those people from the book? Is that you?"

NOW she was at a even greater loss. How could she have known that he would be familiar with history? Well, nothing to do but to press on now. "Yes. I'm here on unofficial buisness, although it is for Toran. I ask of you, please do not tell any others of my prescence here. They would over-react to another country investigating their land."

The boy was sullen. "I don't think so. . .You misunderstand the people of Muse, they wouldn't do anything to you. But, if you really want me to, I guess I can keep silent. They wouldn't believe that such a famous general came to my house."

Now Valeria saw the possible implications of this boy's vast knowledge. "When you first saw the two of us outside, you said this happened again. Do you mean to say that this has occured before here?"

Tuta averted his gaze as he set down the warmed tea before he spoke. "Yes, this strange pattern has been going on for a while now. I'm scared, because of the shadows. Master Huan told me about them. They are out in the shadows, even in daytime, and they kidnap unsuspecting children. I know of them, but I don't know if I'll be able to do anything about them, if they come for me."

Information! At last! "Who are these people? Are they a group, or is it just a single person? Do you know where they're coming from?" A bit rude, to be asking him about his fears so abruptly, but Valeria had no time to spare on formalities with the possibility of doing something good for once around here ever since she got here.

"Yes. . .They're called the Temple of The Silver Moon, or something like that. The leader of the band just likes capturing kids, just because it's so easy. It's all speculation and rumours, but I don't know what to think or believe. All I know is that kids have been disappearing from this city at alarming rate. Muse City Hall probably knows about this, but whether or not action will be done. . ." He trailed off.

Valeria's feelings, ideas, and questions were jumbled into one big mess inside her head. How could Muse think of abandoning it's children? Of course they were doing something!

And if they aren't? She couldn't stop the thought from surfacing.

Valeria felt rage, and it was taking a hold of her very presence. "NO! They have to be doing something. If they aren't, I'll end this buisness myself! Bureaucratic heartless bastards! How could they not even defend the helpless in need?"

"Look, Tuta. Will you be safe here?" She didn't want to have to watch over him. Things could get messy very soon around her.

"Yeah! Master will be home soon, and the kidnappers don't go into people's houses. That's a fact. So I usually stay inside now, although I want to see what's happening around town. . ."

"Ok. Never tell anybody, anyone, about who I am, or even that I'm here. Some very bad people could. . .do very bad things to me. So, please. If I take care of them, I'll be sure to let you know, somehow." Valeria promised this, and she would keep it a vow until fufilled.

"Yes."

Valeria left quietly, so as not to wake up the sleeping mother inside with no child. She returned to the inn.

There, sitting in the middle of the tavern, was the man that was attacked during the night. Obviously, he had returned to retire for the night.

Valeria, through her rage and anger, saw that this man was very dangerous to tamper with. Of course, in her state, it wouldn't be so wise to deal with her either. "So, I've finally found you." The bloody rage in her being made her eyes glossy, tearing up and blurring her vision. She hoped her eyes would not betray her at this moment. Her two orbs sparkled within the dim lights of the room. "I've been looking all over town for you, Lord Genshu."

The man hardly batted an eye, nor did he brake off his drink, taking another sip before answering. "And, milady, may I ask who you are, and your business with me?”

“I’m Valeria, and I’ve come to help you.”

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"Valeria" and "Suikoden 2" are (C) Konami. This chapter was posted on December 27, 1999