"Renee," Renji tugs on her arm gently, coaxing her to lower her silver and white ivory dagger with a white sharpened blade, "come on. Don't cause any trouble."

"Wh-- me?" Renee's hazel eyes widen and she turns to look at Renji, "me?! They're the ones who came at us!"

"I am sorry," Reine apologizes and lowers her katana, sheathing it, "I did not mean to startle you or cause alarm. I simply wanted to reach him before you left with him. It's important."

"How important?" Renee narrows her eyes and glances between the four of us.

"Oh, believe me," Nathan laughs out, "it's pretty important."

"Is that so..." Renee trails off, lowering her dagger and putting it back in her purse, "well, if that's the case, would you mind discussing it over dinner? I know you're in a hurry, but my main priority is to look out for Renji."

"Renee..." Renji's eyes soften and he glances off to the side, cheeks flushing.

"That's fine," Reine nods after a few moments of contemplation.

"Good," Renee brushes her hands off on her shorts, "let's hurry. The place I want to go to is just down the street from here. It's a burger joint with really great milkshakes."

Renee grabs Renji's hand and drags him off to the left, hurrying down the sidewalk with him towards the restaurant. The four of us follow behind the two of them and we soon reach the fast food place in about five minutes.

"Who is she?" I whisper quietly to Reine as Renee pushes open the side door entrance to the burger place with brown walls and tan rocks covering the middle of the walls in wide designed strips, the brown and white checkered floor glinting with black overhead lights that glow yellow.

"I have my suspicions..." Reine whispers back to me and I furrow my eyebrows in confusion, wondering what she's thinking as the six of us find a booth.

Upon shuffling into a booth-- Renee, Renji, and Melantha on one side with me, Nathan, and Reine on the other-- we finally begin to talk while Nathan picks up a menu and scans the selections as Melantha drums her fingertips against the marble countertop.

"So," Renee watches us with a stern expression, "who are you and what do you want with Renji?"

"My name is Reine Yvatlovich," Reine explains, a flash coming from underneath the table as she summons something discreetly in her hand before pulling it up and showing it to Renee and Renji, "and I am here to collect Renji."

Renee's eyes widen as she stares at a circular metal badge that Reine holds up and I glance it over when she pulls it back underneath the table. The metal itself is what seems to be a pure silver with diamonds encrusting the edge in a criss-crossing rope design that frames the crest in the middle. The crest has a rose with a katana on one side of it and a feather on the other, and a crown hovering over top of the rose itself.

"Yvatlovich..." Renee whispers, her eyes still wide, "you're from that family? You're Queen? What could you possibly want Renji for?"

Nathan's eyes flicker up to glance around the table with interest as he holds the menu in his hands, now listening intently. I only become more confused as I sit there, wondering what's up with Reine's family and why people treat her as if she's some kind of being people worship. Sure, I know she's an Iegashyia and only yesterday I had no clue what that even was, but she doesn't seem too different from the ones I've seen. Nathan and I exchange a glance and I can tell that that's what he's thinking too.

"Renji is in danger if he stays here," Reine explains, "I know you're capable of protecting him, but not from this-- not from what's coming. I promise I will protect him and you will see him once again when this passes."

"Protect him from what?" Renee narrows her eyes, crossing her arms against her chest, "I assume you know my capabilities and status from my dagger earlier. You know very well that I'm worthy of protecting Renji. It's quite literally my life's purpose."

"Excuse me, hold on," I say, waving my hands around and gaining everyone's attention, "who exactly are you?"

"That's a good question," Melantha agrees and turns to look at Renee.

"My name is Renee Cavanaugh and I'm a member of the Lightdagger Brigade," Renee explains, expression still guarded, "I'm not an Iegashyia but I come from Iegashyia bloodlines. Members of the Lightdagger Brigade protect and keep peace. I may have been assigned to protect Renji, but he's been my friend since I was five. I would've been there to look out for him no matter what. Now, I'd like to know that the hell is going on, specifically."

Reine sighs and glances out the window for a few moments before looking back at Renee.

"I assume you know of Renji's abilities. Renji also happens to be a vital part of a Soul Chain-- my Soul Chain. There is... a war coming. An Iegashyia in the chain wishes to take the power from other beings before killing them, removing them from the chain. If she accomplishes her goals, she could very well start a war on major scales that would go between realms. It is my duty to protect my people and my chain," Reine explains, her eyes fixed on Renee, "I hope you understand that this is a vital matter and I need cooperation from you both."

"We--"

"I'll do it," Renji cuts off Renee, making Renee's eyes widen and her head whip in his direction, "I'll do whatever you need me to do."

"Renji..." Renee breathes out, her expression weary.

"I want to protect people and I don't want there to be a war. If I can help stop it from happening in any way, then I'll do it," Renji explains.

Renee stares down at the table with sad eyes as a brunette waitress comes up to us and asks us if we'd like to order. Nathan orders a cheeseburger and a Cola before closing his menu, placing it down on the table, and Renji orders a burger for himself, a salad for Renee, and two chocolate milkshakes for them both. Melantha ends up asking if they serve iced tea and the waitress nods, writing it down before turning to look at me and Reine.

"I'll have a chocolate lava cake, thank you," Reine says simply, staring the waitress dead in her deep blue eyes.

"Oh, uh," I trail off, rubbing the back of my neck, "I'm good, thanks."

The waitress nods before brushing a lock of her brown hair behind her ear and turning on her heel, heading off towards the front counter.

"Well," Renee starts, looking back up to stare at Reine determinedly, "if Renji is going, then I'm going too."

Reine's eyebrows raise slightly but she nods nonetheless, unobjecting.

"That's alright, I suppose," Reine says thoughtfully, "we could use as many people as we can get and it would ensure more protection."

"When do we leave?" Renee asks.

"Two days, apparently," I swallow thickly.

"Alright," Renee breathes out, "is there somewhere we can meet you all when we leave?"

"We'll be departing from the train station at ten in the morning," Reine says.

"I guess we'll see you then," Renee sighs as our orders come.

"I guess you will," I sigh back, wondering just what I'm getting myself into.