(Serenity's dress: https://2img.net/h/i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb82/alexjr202/Girlchars/far.jpg )

Serenity had gone to the Sand village a day before the funeral was to start and stayed in a hotel for the night. The day of the funeral, Serenity had come a little early to help set things up, and talk a bit to Hunter's loved ones, offer her condolences, all that stuff that was associated with funerals. Serenity sat through the funeral without much to say and without much expression, while those around her cried their hearts out. She'd done that the week before, and refused to do it again in a public place. It was relatively sunny outside, which Serenity found odd for the day of a funeral. But when she thought about it, someone died every day, which meant that many funeral days were sunny. When the funeral ended, Serenity didn't follow the crowd into the other room. She stayed a few moments longer in the room before standing up with a light sigh. She felt dreadful right now. She missed Hunter terribly. When she went to turn around, she stopped short when she saw who else was there.

Felix had sat in silence watching the funeral go on. It had no effect on him. When it had ended he stayed seated. He didn't even speak to Serenity as she started out. Only when she stopped did he stand up. His was dressed in a white suit. Felix didn't find black a suitable color for funerals. It made everything extra dreary. "Serenity."

Serenity looked at Felix as he said her name and stood up. "F...Felix," she said, sounding kinda shocked. "What....what are you doing here?" she asked. It seemed that Felix had started showing up unexpectedly wherever she and Hunter were, even though in this sense it was a little.......out of place, so to speak. Serenity hadn't forgotten what'd happened the week before, but to remember it now seemed a bit out of place in itself.

Felix shrugged. Her shock didn't really surprise him. He was at Hunter's funeral. "I'm here for the same reason you are, the funeral," he said looking towards the coffin. He stared at it for a moment. Coffins meant death, and death meant sadness and sorrow. Everyone else was miserable, but not him, and maybe Serenity either. He wasn't because he didn't care. She wasn't because she'd cried just the week before, or had done her crying the day before. Whatever the case, it was over.

Serenity blinked when he said that he was there for the funeral as well. "But I thought.....I thought you didn't like him," she said a bit quietly, as to not upset the others who were in the room next to them. She didn't understand why Felix was there...she thought he hated Hunter. Or maybe it was just that he was coming here because Hunter had been a fellow ninja. Or maybe even....maybe Serenity hadn't been as inconspicuous about her not wanting to come by herself as she thought she'd been. But...that whole thing with Felix being caring and emotional...that'd only been a one night thing for him, right? He hadn't actually come for her, had he? Well, of course, she had this small glimmer of hope that he had in fact come for her sake, but.....how likely was that really?

Felix raised an eyebrow. "Sure I didn't, doesn't mean I can't pay my respects," he said. "I'm here for a reason your tiny brain can not comprehend. So don't strain yourself trying to figure it out," he told her. Felix then sighed and looked her over. She didn't look like someone who was in need of moral support and he nearly smirk at the thought. He always thought of Serenity as a somewhat weaker being when it came to emotions.

Serenity blinked. She gave a small irritated pout when Felix told her not to try and figure it out. "Who're you calling tiny-brained?" she asked in irritation. She flicked his forehead once. "I'm not as stupid as you make me out to be Felix, I understand much more than you think," she said without meaning to say that last part aloud. She didn't want him to ask her to elaborate, because the only thing she'd be able to think of is the fact that he'd saved her because she looked like Mer, and she didn't want to say that, and aside from that, she'd have a hard time thinking of something else to tell him. She was trying not to seem as if she were hurting very much, but in all reality, her chest had been hurting ever since she'd found out of Hunter's death and today it was worse than usual.

"You." He said when she asked who he was talking about. His eyes narrowed as she flicked his forehead. They could be called friends, but he was not that close to her that he'd allow something as that. Had he been a bit less tolerant and respectful he probably would have done something unpleasant. Something that involved physical strength and a few harsh words. He then shook his head. "Is that so? You're not as tiny-brained as you let on? Then tell me, what do you understand that I don't know about?"

(PSSHHH, yeah, he's not that close to her, when look what happened the week before. XD)

She didn't say anything when he said that she wasn't as tiny-brained as she let on. She never really tried to act like she was stupid....it was just that she acted like a child a lot, so it seemed as if she weren't bright. When in all reality she was a very bright girl. Serenity's gaze fell slightly as he asked her what it was that she understood that he didn't know about. "Don't you worry about that," she said with an almost inaudible "hmph," before walking into the other room where more people were. He could follow her if he liked, but knowing him, he'd probably stop her and demand her tell him what she knew. If he absolutely had to know, then she'd make him wait til later when there weren't so many people around. Afterall, Serenity didn't think she could handle being around so many grieving people without grieving herself. Already she felt tempted to go somewhere and order another drink, though she knew Felix wouldn't like it very much. This time he probably would've gotten angry enough to hit her if she did it again though, after having made it clear last time that he didn't like her drinking habit.

(hush you, that was a one time thing)

Felix looked at her for a long moment. "Watch what you say Serenity," he said before she walked off. He shook his head and then followed after her into the next room. He'd discuss this with her later, but not now. He had more respect than that. "By the way Serenity, did you get a letter?" He asked. Felix looked a bit solemn as he said it, but the air about him said different.

(Yeah, I know. Unfortunately for the fangirl population......)

Serenity didn't need him to tell her that she needed to watch what she said. Especially when it came to him. She stopped cold when he asked if she'd gotten a letter. (btw, can u pm me what it said? the letter from Hunter I mean, if that's the one Felix is talking about. if it isn't, still, pm me what the one he said is talking about and the one from Hunter, pllleeeaaasseee)) "Yes, I did. Why do you ask," she said, turning to face him. She saw that his expression was kind of solemn, but something else was there too, something she couldn't quite place. She hadn't meant to sound defensive when she asked why, but it sort of came out that way.

(lmao)
The Letter

Felix grinned when she stopped and turned around. "Because I have the second half," he told her. Felix was enjoying the moment. He hadn't felt this good since the time he had his little talk with Remus. Felix looked at Serenity, waiting for her reaction, her response.

(AWWWWWWWW THAT MAKES ME WANT TO CRY!!!!!!)(AND FELIX IS MEAN)

Serenity only looked at him for several seconds, trying to comprehend what he'd just told her. Why would he have the second part of the letter? "The second...why do you have it....?" she asked, her expression one of confusion, and at the same time.....well, a little hurt was showing on it. Why would Felix wait until now to say something? Why hadn't he given it to her earlier? And again, that same question: Why did he even have it?

(lol)

"It's always why with you," he said. "How about you try and make a sentence that doesn't have the word 'why' in it." Felix sighed and leaned against the wall. "It's a long story, but I'll make it short. The day of the mission, Hunter and the others were ambushed. Their Captains made them write letters and then they were buried. Hunter being smart, seperated his letters. The enemy ninja found the letters and burned most of them before the second squad arrived. That's why your letter has burn marks. You are lucky." Felix looked at her for a moment before continuing. "Hunter's second letter was never found." He wasn't going to explain about it. "And it's not a letter, it's a map. Walter Alexander's map."

Serenity looked at him silently as he explained. She didn't understand. He was bringing up how Hunter had died again. And while he was explaining, her expression turned from the blankness of emotion that it had been while the funeral was going on, to an expression where she almost looked as if she wanted to cry again. She felt her heart skip a beat when Felix said that the second letter wasn't really a letter, it was a map. It was a map to the unknown where he was going to take her to go on one of her treasure hunts. Suddenly she found herself wondering....did Hunter really remind her of Jake so much that she had been about to go look for a treasure with him? And what's worse, she didn't know if this treasure would've had any curses attached to it like the crystal had. Which meant if they had found the treasure and he'd been the first one to pick it up....Serenity forced her mind off the subject and onto the subject at hand. "But...if no one found it....how did you get it?" she asked, her eyes on his.

Felix watched her facial expression change. He waited, and waited, and waited some more until she finally spoke. "That's classified," he said. "But I'll let you in one a little secret." He stepped closer and leaned forward until he was right by her ear. "It wasn't an accident." He then stepped back. For every moment that passed Felix started to believe that everything that happened before was pointless. Because at this very moment, he felt alive.

She hated it when he pulled that 'it's classified' crap. Serenity didn't move as Felix came up to her ear. When he said it wasn't an accident, Serenity nearly broke down again. But she refrained from doing so, and kept her expression as calm as she could. Whether Felix knew it or not, Serenity was rather good at hiding behind masks. "What do you mean?" she asked him. She didn't want to say her thoughts aloud, for fear that Felix might confirm them. Someone....knew where his team was going to be...? she thought in horror that didn't show on her face.

Felix looked at Serenity. He couldn't tell what she was feeling right now, but whatever it was, he wasn't worried about it. "It doesn't matter what I mean," he told her. "Just remember that." He grinned. "I wasn't even suppose to let you know that, but since I told you about the map, there was no point in keeping that secret." Felix lifted and finger and waved it from side to side. "Sssh."

Serenity looked at Felix as he said it doesn't matter, a bit of anger showing through on her face. "It doesn't matter?" They were standing near the door way, so Serenity pulled him away from it and shut the door so no one would hear. She then turned to look at him. Her mask was slowly crumbling. There was only one person alive in the world that could make that happen and he was standing right in front of her. "How can you say it doesn't matter? If you say that this was no accident, that means that someone else knew his whereabouts, which means that..." she stopped a moment. She was trying to keep her voice as low as she could. "That his and his teams death was planned," she said in no more than a whisper, slight tears forming in her eyes. They weren't noticable yet, but if this kept up, they would be.

Felix moved away from her once she'd pulled him away from the door. "Like I said, it doesn't matter," he told her. "This isn't even the place to be talking about this," he said in a quick hushed whispere. He then looked to the door. "You've got the basics, leave it at that. I'm telling you this because there's more. Much more." Felix never stopped looking at the door. "If you want to just up and leave, fine, but it'll be on you. Us together already makes it suspcious enough." He looked at her. "So stop acting like a child."

Serenity's hand clenched into a fist when he said again that it didn't matter. Why didn't he get it? To her, it did matter!! Her hand unclenched only a second later though when he said that this wasn't the place to be discussing this. Her face turned back to a calm mask again as Felix spoke. I'm so sorry Hunter, she thought. It was a funeral. How could she fight with Felix at a funeral? And a funeral for someone she genuinely cared about at that. When he said there was more, she only looked at him, and a moment later her eyes dropped. Two weeks before, Felix wouldn't have cared if them being together looked suspicious or not. Why did it seem he was being so paranoid about it now? When Felix told her to stop acting like a child, her eyes turned slightly cold, but she didn't look up at Felix. Since when was caring about how your loved ones died childish? "I'm not acting childish," she said to him, a little bit of the coldness seeping through into her voice. She then turned and opened the door, walking into the other room. She wouldn't leave just yet. She'd wait a while. But...she couldn't help but wonder what'd really happened.

Felix didn't say anything when she said she wasn't being childish and walked out. He moved away from the door and pulled his collar to the side as if adjusting it. "She's been informed, I'll report when I have her in the clear." He then released his collar and walked into the room. Had it been originally up to him, Felix would have wiated until after the funeral, but since he was being given orders things weren't fully in his control.

(wtf? why does everything that he does that has to do with serenity a mission?)

Serenity talked with Hunter's family for a bit, and mostly they told her about how much Hunter would talk about her, which made her blush on several occasions. After another hour or so, Serenity told those whom she'd been speaking with that she had to leave. The said they understood and thanked her for coming. When Serenity left, her eyes were downcast and saddened. She'd completely forgotten about her encounter with Felix earlier. Serenity was heading back to the hotel she'd been staying in to change when she remembered. She stopped on the side of the street and looked around for Felix. He couldn't have been too far away.

(luck of the draw)

Felix had sat down outside while the rest of the funeral continued. He didn't want to be in there. It had nothing to do with him. He was here to keep an etye on Serenity, and he'd know if something happened. When she walked out of the building he stood up and dropped down from the building he'd been on. Hurrying to where Serenity had disappeared he came around the corner and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her aside right before three kunai hit the wall that she'd been standing near. Felix pulled out a kunai and threw it into the trees. "Let's go," he said.

Serenity knew Felix would be close by. But she didn't expect it when he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to the side. Her eyes widened as three kunai hit the wall she'd just been next to. She swallowed and looked at Felix as he said let's go. These were the kind of situations she was used to now. For the past few years she didn't have to worry about rogues because somehow Felix had always been there when stuff like that had happened. Except....except for when she'd had to kill the one ninja herself, which was completely by accident. Serenity ran next to Felix, glad that she hadn't worn heels to the funeral. "Felix, what's going on?" she asked, looking back from where they'd just came from as she ran.