[Azura Rayume]

Jaden

Nari

Boing. Boing. Boing. A small, disgrunteled Anura hopped along, sand clinging to his moist skin. He hated the sand. All it did was get into the little crevaces under his limbs and stick there.

If Nari hadn't decided to find a Palmie, he wouldn't have come. He glanced back at the Albie who followed him. A tin bucket was tied around her neck, coconut halves clanking in the bottom. The bucket was to collect the sea water; the coconuts were like bowls. Azura had come up with the idea and sent them off in search of one of the little trees.

"What's wrong, Jaden?" she called with a laugh. "Sand in your skin again?"

"Yes!" he croaked back, jumping onto Nari's furry back. He began flicking out his legs and rubbing them together, his way of grooming.

The odd couple continued in this way for a while before coming into view of a large grove of palm trees. A light breeze swayed their tops, making them look very much like those tropical dancers.

"I'll go get the water," Nari said, stopping near one of the trees. Jaden hopped off her back. "You stay here and look for a Palmie."

"As long as I don't have to be in the sand." Jaden clung to the rough bark.

[Scissorhands]

Ryuzaki

Nia

Glowing eyes watched Nari and Jaden. 'Palmie hunt, hmm...? Sounds interesting...' the Dreamsnare Yonyuu adjusted his wings quietly, fluffing the sand out of his feathers. He was silent; he felt no need to approach them...he didn't have to.

The Purine Rexxel had beaten him to it.

Nia slid to a halt beside the tree harboring Jaden. He blinked once, then looked at the Anura and said, "hi! My name is Nia. I'm new to this area, so...may I ask your name and what you are looking for?"

Ryuzaki rolled his eyes and leaped out of the tree he'd been perched in. "Nia," he said sternly. "Do not randomly talk to strangers without me. You know you can't fight well." Nia sighed and shook his head.

"Don't mind Ryuzaki," he said to Jaden. "He's just angry that he got salt in his feathers."

[Azura Rayume]

Jaden squinted down at the Rexxel. Darn these eyes! he thought, attempting to make out the brith cat against the blinding sand. "Hello," he said, trying to sound as cheerful as he could at the moment. "My name is Jaden, and I simpathise with your friend there. The sand and spray can be most troublesome."

Nari turned from the ocean at the sound of voices. One word in particular had caught her attenting: Ryuzaki. She was well-read in mangas, so the name was an instant attention grabber. "Ryuzaki?" she asked, a puzzled tone to her voice. "As in, the name L took while working with the Japanese police?" She cocked her head to one side, looking the Yonyuu over. Well, he certianly didn't look the part.

[Scissorhands]

Nia laughed a musical laugh before nodding his head. "Ryuzaki's so fickle...so, what are you doing?"

Ryuzaki's dark eyes snapped to the Albie, surprise evident within them. "Y...Yes," he stammered. "You must have followed my investigation into the Kira murders. Impressive. Then I trust you know that I am dead...?"

[Azura Rayume]

"Trying to stay out of the sand," Jaden responded in a dry tone. "Nari's looking for a Palmie, and she dragged me along. I suppose that's what you're here for..?"

Nari cocked her head to one side, examining the Yonyuu closer. "Yeah, I followed it," she said absentmindedly. "So, you here on another case? I know you died in that world. But in this one, you're still alive. So you'd want to continue with your previous profession, right?"

[Scissorhands]

"Of course!" Nia laughed again. "It's nice to find fellow creatures searching for what we are. Could we perhaps search together?"

Ryuzaki dipped his head and let his eyes fall to the sand. "...yes. It would be a shame of me to quit. Poor Mello...we haven't found him yet, you know...he's supposed to be here somewhere." he glanced around before looking back at her. "Are you looking for the Palmie as well?"

[Azura Rayume]

"Of course," Jaden replied, slightly more cheerful than before. "I'm sure Nari wouldn't mind some more company out here." Now, if only he could see that white cat more clearly...

"Yeah," she said in a excited voice, trying to perk Ryuzaki up a bit. "I'm hoping to find one before I go off to Hog- to school." She mentally slapped herself. That wouldn've been horrible, letting a Muggle know about Hogwarts. Even if that Muggle was the world-renowned L. "Oh! If you want to find Mello, he'll probably be in Nabias or Jawan. They are two of the major cities here, after all."

[Scissorhands]

"Wonderful!" Nia pranced around in the sand. "Glad to not be so alone!"

"Erm...yes," Ryuzaki sighed. "Mello was always a city-slicker. I'm certain you're right."

((Writer's block.))