Barely a few days Fai had been rescued from Valeria, King Ashura returned to the palace with another child Fai's age, this one a girl. Fai didn't speak to her, but caught a quick glimpse as she was whisked away.

She had pale skin, long, thin limbs and frosted blue eye that were even lighter than his. Her most disconcerting feature, however, was her hair. It was pin strait, almost longer than the girl was tall and blindingly white with the occasional strand of silvery blue. It was so fine and light that when she walked it looked as if a shimmering mist was trailing after her.

They made eye contact for a brief moment and then she was gone. Fai didn't think of her again for weeks.

During those weeks, however, the weather became violent. Blizzards with shrieking winds and ice storms with thunder and lightning were coming almost daily. Even though he hadn't been there long, Fai knew that, while snow was a constant in Seresu, these storms were something strange and scary. Each day, more and more villagers and townspeople came to the palace asking for assistance. After three weeks of this, King Ashura told him what was happening.

"You may have noticed, a few weeks ago, that I've brought a girl here. Do you know what I am talking about?"

Fai nodded, but he was still mostly thinking about his brother. He would find a way to…

"…the cause of this."

Fai snapped his head up and blinked at Ashura.

"I'm sorry, what?"

Ashura ignored the fact that Fai had obviously not been listening and repeated himself.

"I said 'Her name is Mangetsu and she is the cause of these vehement storms.'"

"Well," Fai reasoned, "why not just ask her to stop?"

Ashura grimaced. "The thing is she's not intentionally doing anything. She was a goddess in her home world, 'La Deese De Luna' 'The Goddess of the Moon'. Although she may not be worshiped like one here, she still has the aura and powers of one. So, as you might already know, when someone has an extremely powerful aura their mood can affect the temperament of things like animals, plants and the weather."

"Wait," Fai asked, "if she was a goddess in her old world then why did you …"

Ashura held up a hand, sensing where Fai was going and effectively cutting him off.

"Fai, I'm sure she would be happy to explain the situation, were you to pay her a visit." His stoical face portrayed no emotion. Then, with a practiced, kind smile, he continued.

"In fact, I was going to suggest that you meet her anyway. I was hoping that the company of someone her own age might help to pull her out of her mood."

Fai looked at Ashura flatly and he felt uneasy in the distant gaze of the desolate child.

"Also, I was thinking that a friend might help you cope with losing your brother…" He trailed off.

Fai started slightly; He hadn't expected Ashura to mention his brother. His eyes clouded over momentarily but he blinked it back.

"Perhaps you may want to try smiling on occasion? Please, just …just try to keep that in mind, okay?"

Fai nodded his head slowly.

"Yes, I will." He promised softly and then walked away. He really didn't want to smile or console moody goddesses. Once again, he allowed her to slip to the back of his mind.

Ashura sighed as he watched Fai walk away. He was beginning to question weather or not his end goal was worth having to interact with that dead eyed child on the daily basis.

Months later the weather, while not deteriorating any further, hadn't gotten any better. Fai, however, was too preoccupied to notice. He had begun studying magic.

Fai had tutors in all the major subjects: reading, writing, history, math and languages. Unfortunately, though, they were all thoroughly exasperated. It wasn't that he wasn't smart; He was incredibly bright for someone who had spent the better part of their life at the bottom of a tower. The problem was that he didn't care about any of the things they insisted on teaching him.

That's why, when the time came for him to start training in magic, Ashura simply directed him towards the Royal Library and gave him free reign. Fai poured over books and texts, memorizing runes, spells and formulas.

Due to the combination of interest, raw power and a disconcerting amount of natural talent, he quickly became one of the most powerful magic makers in Seresu. He couldn't help but be slightly proud of this, seeing as he hadn't even been there a year.

Ashura began sending him outside the palace to help the people of Seresu with whatever problems they had that could be solved with magic. Mostly they were related to the vicious weather: Thawing the sparse soil so that vegetables could be planted, melting lakes so they could be fished. On his fourth assignment, he was asked to deter an impending avalanche from a small village outside the city. When he finished, the town thanked him and he started back towards the palace. He hadn't taken two steps, though, when a small girl stopped him. She looked to be about five; only three years younger than him, but she beamed up at him all the same.

"Thank You! But I'd be even more grateful if you'd smile!"

Just then, her mother arrived to collect her and apologized.

"It's all right" Said the precocious Fai as he waved the distressed mother away before kneeling down to the girls' level.

"I was never very good at smiling. I never had any practice."

"Well," he girl replied, "you can start practicing now! See? Like this!"

Fai was taken aback as she unleashed yet another joyful smile. This one, however, was cut short by her mother snatching her hand and chastising her for correcting such a powerful wizard. Then she apologized again and led the girl away before Fai could respond.

Fai was still mulling over the girls words when he approached the palace steps. The guards greeted him and as he ascended the stairs one made a comment about the cold. The other scoffed.

"Great observation, what are you planning to do about it?"

The first guard glared at the second.

"I know we can't do anything about it that's why we talk about it!"

The entire exchange was so comical that, before he knew what he was doing, he let out a small giggle. The guards stared in disbelief.

"Y-You laughed! Just now!"

"Did I do it wrong?"

"NO! You did just fine!"

The first guard pulled himself together.

"You should do that more often. I'm sure it would make His Highness very happy!"

'His Highness'. That meant Ashura. For whatever reason, over the year and a half

he'd been in Seresu, Fai felt considerably closer to Ashura. He also felt obligated to do anything Ashura asked, along with anything he thought would make him happy. Fai put it down to gratitude. After all, Ashura was the first person to show him any kindness.

As he walked to the Royal Library, he thought of the markings on his back. They had been a gift, from King Ashura, to suppress his curse. No matter how hard he thought, however, Fai could never quite remember exactly what they did; Only that they made it possible for him to practice magic. For that, he silently thanked Ashura.

At the library, Fai had to use a ladder to reach a tome of basic healing spells before sitting at a table and repeatedly trying to heal a small cut he'd made at the tip of his finger. After twenty minutes of abject failure, he gave up with a groan and put his head down on the table.

"Fai, what's the matter?"

Fai whipped his head up, startled. Ashura was seated across the table from him. Fai calmed his breathing and looked at his lap.

"It's nothing really. It's just… I'm having trouble with healing and revivification magic. All I seem to be able to master is attack magics. Things that hurt people."

"Try smiling." Ashura offered.

Slowly, Fai remembered what the guards had said.

"Smile" Ashura repeated.

Fai did. It was small at first, but when Ashura returned it, it widened.

"Well," Ashura said, "Your smile has done much to heal me."

Fai absolutely beamed.

"Fai, I must ask you to do something for me."

"Anything, Your Majesty!" Fai exclaimed and meant it.

"The girl I spoke of to you before, I would like to ask you to speak to her again. Something tells me you'll be more likely to do it this time."

Fai failed to pick up on the hint of a smile that played on Ashura's lips along with these words.

"This isn't just for her sake or for that of the weather; it's for yours as well. Fai, you must be lonely."

Fai's smile faded. Was he was lonely, despite all the people who were now in his life? Not just King Ashura, but Chii who he had created to watch over his brother in his state of suspended animation. She wasn't technically a person, but he treated her as such. On top of that there were the palace guards and citizens he talked to daily. None of them even seemed to mind that he was there. There was no conceivable way for him to be lonely and yet…he was.

Fai nodded and then forced the smile back to his face so as not to worry King Ashura.

"Alright, where is she?"

Ashura smiled. "She has her own rooms in the central tower."

"Okay." Fai said and started off.

"FAI" Ashura called after him. "I would prefer it if she did not leave those rooms." He raised a questioning eyebrow at Fai.

Fai nodded and bowed slightly. "Of course, Your Majesty." Then he took off not knowing, or caring, why.

Ashura followed Fai with his eyes momentarily before allowing a lazy grin to spread across his face. He was getting easier to manipulate by the day. The same, however, could not be said about the girl. Hopefully, though, if given time, he could use Fai for that. After all, wasn't that what he was for?