Bob began to expin. "His name is Dj, but he's better known as the Night Dj of Jancito City. He's been a legend around here for quite some time."

  Lina tinued, "Dj hails from the southern part of Jancito, where Bob and I are from. He used to be a real dies' man, and his charm was legendary. But retly, things took a turn for the worse."

  Bob nodded grimly. "Dj received training as a Swod in the East, and he became incredibly skilled. However, he's turo a life of crime, and now everyone's after him. There's a huge bounty on his head."

  Becky listened ily. "So, he's up here in the North now?"

  Bob and Lina both nodded. "We heard rumors that he might be hiding," Lina firmed. "That's why we came to iigate. But he moves around frequently."

  The snowstorm outside the intensified. Becky and Sybil began to feel the true chill of the cold enviro. Their well-made but irely cold-resistant clothing was ill-equipped to hahe harsh ditions. They huddled together in an attempt to stay warm while shivering.

  Bob, notig their disfort, realized that something o be done. "Damn…Well I ’t just kick out a couple of young dies iorm when ya barely got anything c your skins. You two stay here and keep warm. I'm going to make a dash to the store up east a you some proper clothes for this enviro."

  Becky and Sybil exged a grateful look but hesitated. They wao go themselves, but their chatterih and shivering bodies told a different story.

  Bob put on his coat and prepared to brave the snowstorm. "Don't worry. I'll be ba a few hours with warm clothes. Just stay by the fire and keep safe."

  With that, Bob stepped out into the blustering snowstorm, leaving Becky and Sybil in the warmth of the .

  The two moved to the living room by the fire. Liured for them to sit down a fortable.

  "So, si looks like you'll be here for a little while," Lina began, "how about you tell me a bit about yourselves? You might be new, but I see you have ons. What kind of mages are you?”

  Becky was the first to speak. "Well, I'm all about smashing stuff!" she excimed. "I've got this awesome ade hammer that my 'doc' created for me. It's like, my thing."

  Sybil, oher hand, had a more reserved demeanor but chimed in as well. "I have a sword," she said softly. "Also made by our 'doc.' I'm more into the swordpy and martial arts stuff."

  Lina raised an eyebrow. "ade ons, huh? Your 'doc' must be quite the talented individual. What kind of magic do you specialize in, then?"

  Becky grinned and flexed her muscles. "I'm all about brute force. My magihances my strength, and I deliver some pretty devastating blows with my hammer!"

  Sybil nodded in agreement. "I focus on wind speed and prey swordpy is all about finesse and agility."

  "ade ons and a focus on physical bat and precision," Lina mused. "Impressive choices. It sounds like you both have a clear dire in your training."

  Becky scratched the back of her head. "Yeah, but haven't quite gotten to the advanced magic stuff yet. Our 'doc' has been teag us the basics, helping us get better trol over our abilities."

  Sybil nodded. "That's right. We're still learning, but we're eager to improve and master more advaeiques."

  Lina smiled. "That's a good attitude to have.”

  Hours passed. Becky, Sybil, and Lina shared some stories and experiences, growing more fortable with each other.

  Becky leaned forward, tinuing a story she had been telling. “And then, Sybil’s hair turned on fire!”

  Sybil shot Becky a pleading look with her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "Becky don’—"

  Lina chuckled softly, "Oh, don't worry, Sybil. We've all had our fair share of mishaps in training."

  Becky grinned, "Yeah, but Sybil's hair was like a little bonfire! We had to dunk her head in a water barrel to put it out!"

  Sybil sunk lower in her seat, trying to hide her face. "Please, Becky... I don’t wanna think about that again…"

  Lina turned serious after the end of the story. ”Alright, jokes aside. Where exactly did you two e from? You mentioned being cast out by ye unity, but it is rather suspicious. Which part of Jancito are you from? "

  "Promise you won't kick us out if I tell you," Becky said, her brow furrowed with .

  Lina nodded reassuringly. "I promise, Becky. You trust me."

  Becky sighed. "We're not from around here, not really. We e from a different isnd, far from Jancito City. There's this mystic forest there, but... things went wrong."

  Sybil's eyes were filled with worry as she tinued, "Our headmaster, she was draining the forest of its magic. She had pns, big pns to e here and... Rule the world with magic."

  Lina's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but she remained silent, urging them to tinue.

  Becky took a deep breath. "She trolled most of her students using her own mind magic. It was... it was awful. But we, along with some others, we fought back."

  Sybil nodded. "Yeah, we fought back. It was dangerous, but we had to stop her. The headmaster... she owerful."

  Becky looked down for a moment, colleg her thoughts. "It was thanks to the 'Dod her teology that we mao defeat her. If it weren't for her devices, I don't know if I'd be alive right now."

  "I 't even begin to imagine what you two went through," Lina said, "It's truly incredible that you mao escape that nightmare and find someone like the Doc who could help you."

  Becky smiled. "Yeah, we were lucky to have found the Dod not just for the ons. It was like finding a family, you know?"

  Sybil nodded in agreement.

  "It sounds like you've all been through a lot together," Lina remarked.

  "And now, well….you've found a new home here in Jancito City. I’ll let you stay here. If there's anything you need or if you ever want to talk more, you e to me.”

  Becky blinked. Sybil, too, looked shocked.

  "Um... thank you, Lina," Becky said softly. “But what about Bob?”

  Bob finally returo the at that exaent, carrying bags of warm clothes and supplies. He greeted Becky, Sybil, and Lina with a smile.

  "Hey there, everyone," Bob said cheerfully, setting down the bags. He then turo Lina and leaned in fentle kiss.

  Lina smiled back at Bob.

  "I bumped into my brother, Alden, at the clothing store," he expined. "Haven't seen him in a while, and it was quite the reunion. He was with two little girls who was looking for their little sister. He's always out there helping someone."

  Becky lifted an eyebrow curiously, "Your brother was with two little children? What's the story there?"

  Bob chuckled, “Ah, those two… Well," Bob began, "the first one is Roselle. She's a sweet girl, always with a ponytail in her hair. Her eyes are as i as they e, and she's got this aura of curiosity about her."

  "And then there's Risebelle," Bob tinued. "She's had blue hair. She's a bit more reserved, and you sense a hint of protectiveness in her gaze. It's clear she cares deeply for Roselle."

  Becky and Sybil exged astonished ghey couldn't believe their ears. Sybil's eyes widened, and she leaned in closer to Bob. "Did you say Roselle and Risebelle? Are you sure those are their names?"

  Bob nodded with a puzzled look. "Yeah, that's what they told me. Why, do you know them?"

  Becky and Sybil both spoke in unison with awe. "They're our friends!"

  Bob's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Your friends? Well, isn't that quite the ce! I had no idea."

  Lina joihe versation with a warm smile. "It seems like fate brought us together in this tonight. What are the odds of that happening?"

  Becky ughed.

  Lina turo Bob with a gentle smile. "Bob, why don't we let them stay here tonight? It's st heavily outside, and they clearly need a pce to rest. Plus, it would be a good opportunity to reuhem with their friends, Roselle and Risebelle."

  Bob hesitated, crossing his arms. "I don't know, Lina. We've already done a lot for them today. They head to the magical academy. We 't just take in every strahat es knog."

  Lina shook her head softly. "I uand, but something tells me we should help them reuh their friends. It feels like the right thing to do."

  Bob shook his head, his tone firm. "I don't like freeloaders, Lina."

  Becky raised an eyebrow. "Well, if that's how it's gonna be," she began while approag the door, "then we'll just go. We don't hat kind of attitude. Sybil. "

  Before they could make a move, Lina interrupted, pleading. "Please, Bob. They're stranded in a storm, and they're far from home. Let's offer them this kindness."

  Bob sighed heavily, hesitating for a moment. Lina leaned in close to him and whispered something in his ear. A blush crept up Bob's cheeks.

  Becky and Sybil exged curious gnces, but Bob straightened up and smiled warmly at them. "Alright, alright," he relented, "you two stay tonight. But just for tonight, alright? Tomorrow, we'll figure out what's ."

  "Thank you, Bob,” Becky said with a grin.

  Sybil nodded gratefully after taking a sigh of relif. "Yes, thank you."

  Lina beamed at them, pleased with the oute. "Good. Now, let's get you settled in."

  Night fell and the cozy became bathed in the soft glow. The group gathered around the diable. Becky and Sybil were now in warmer but slightly oversized clothes.

  Becky spoke with a hint of annoyance. “I appreciate the clothes and all, but they're a bit big on us. Kinda why we like to pick out our outfits ourselves, you know?"

  Bob chuckled. "Well, sometimes in life, you have to make do with what you've got. Besides, it's better to stay warm in clothes that are a bit too big than to freeze out there."

  Lina chimed in with a shrug. "Exactly. It's the practicality that ts."

  Lina served the delicious-smelling food she had prepared. The entig aroma filled the .

  "Wow, this smells really good,” Sybil said.

  Becky, however, wasted no time and immediately wolfed dowe.

  Sybil, notig Becky's speed, chuckled, "Becky, slow down! Yoing to choke if you eat that fast."

  But Becky was uerred, finishie in record time and looking around for more. She grinned and asked, " I have seds, please?"

  Sybil sighed, shaking her head in amusement. Lina handed Becky her sed helping of food.

  Becky and Sybil settled in for the night after dinner. Although there were multiple guest bedrooms avaible, Becky had insisted on staying in the same room as Sybil.

  While preparing to sleep, Becky began to grin.

  "Hey, Sybil, you know, if you get scared during the night, you always snuggle up to me. I'll protect you from all the spooky ghosts."

  "Becky, I think I handle myself just fihank you. Besides, I don't want you to lose any sleep because of me,” Sybil said with a small smile.

  "You know, Sybil, they say this is haunted by the Ghost of All Magic. Legend has it that it's a garbanzo-sized spirit that likes to spook on unsuspeg guests."

  Sybil gave Becky an unamused look, "Becky, I just want to sleep. Nhost stories, please."

  Becky pouted for a moment, but she quickly id back down beside Sybil. With a sigh, she said, "Alright, nhost stories. Let's get some rest."

  In the quiet of their shared room, a few moments of silence passed before Becky asked,

  "Do you think we'll enter Dj while we're here?"

  Sybil turo look at her friend, "Anything's possible. We're in a new pce, and we've already run into Bob and Lina. Who knows what other surprises this town might have in store for us?"