As directed, Anni calmed down--meaning she held her mouth shut and stared in wide-eyed fascination at Zino the entire time he spoke; the only movement she made was to show the man the mask she carried at her side, hiding it in skirts again quickly.  She barely noticed her own actions; her mind was on something else.  He had met one of the Ghost Girl's friends!  Did that mean something more than being brought with the rest of the group?  Did Ghost Girl have something extra special in mind when she chose him?  Or was it just that he hadn't joined the rest of the group in time?

[i][color=708090]"Regardless of where you go, eventually you will arrive where you are intended to."[/color][/i]

A shiver ran down Anni's spine.  The Ghost Girl had warned them about the inevitability.  Even though he hadn't died on the tracks, Mr. Bertran was still here.

She needed more time to think through this--and someone to talk to about it.  Casting her eyes about, Anni found Kate.  Before she called out, though, she noticed Saffron standing close beside her.  The pair was removed from the group and talking quietly.  Anni closed her mouth again and turned back to their new companion; she would just find time to speak with Kate later.

More than calm, by now Anni felt completely subdued.  Tabi...tha, had brought a new friend into their ranks.  Anni watched the boy curiously.  He didn't look much older than her, if at all, and he was being very polite.  Still, Anni couldn't shake a funny feeling.  It wasn't something tangible.  It wasn't one of the positive feelings, like the first time she stepped into Johnny's cafe; however, the feeling wasn't negative either, like when she was walking home without Naomi and felt cold shivers near a certain alleyway.  The only descriptor Anni could give it was 'funny.'

Whatever the feeling was, Anni couldn't see anyone else bothered by it.  Tabitha had brought him in, and Ascot was warmly welcoming him.  That, Anni, decided, would have to be enough.  If the feeling wouldn't go away, she would just move her attention away.  Tearing her gaze away from Ellard, Anni looked up to the iron soldier joining in on the conversation between Mr. Bert and Officer Mike.  In a surprising shift from his demeanor during the trek, he had a lot to say now--and all of it felt [i]dark.[/i]  She didn't interrupt, she didn't raise any objections; but each succeeding sentence gave her gut another wrench, twisting her empty stomach until it physically hurt.  Before he had finished Anni couldn't even look at him anymore.

When the stream of mud finally ceased flowing, Anni took a breath and raised her eyes Mr. Bert.  [color=ff4500]"That's... kind of... how it is,"[/color] Anni said, managing to bring a smile onto her face.  [color=ff4500]"We've been brought here to do something, and now we need to talk to the Magician to know what it is.  So... We should go.  And do that.  Together."[/color]  Anni gave Officer Mike and Mr. Bert each a smile, then walked away from the iron soldier and took up her marching place next to Kate.

[color=81FFF0]"Anni, did you eat?"[/color] the older girl fussed.

[color=ff4500]"I'm... not hungry,"[/color] Anni mumbled.  She wouldn't be able to force herself to eat right now, not even if she had been fasting forty days.

Kate didn't buy it; she knew immediately all was not well.  [color=81FFF0]"What's wrong, Anni?"[/color] she questioned.

Anni hesitated before answering, [color=ff4500]"I'll tell you later."[/color]  She could see her friend wasn't appeased, so with a forced smile she added, [color=ff4500]"I'm not hurt or anything.  I just... It's too much right now."[/color]

[color=81FFF0]"You know, food will help-"[/color]

[color=ff4500]"In a bit."[/color]