Days turned into weeks as Tina and Aussa searched every other day for thier missing sister. Every so often, Wolven and Whiplash joined just to lend a hand if they could. With the absence of Koopa, Mikey had begun to visit and stay the night again. Against his better wishes, he decided to help look as well, but in all thier effort, they haven't even picked up on one small trace of the missing family member.
Just about everyone had given up, except Tina who eventually ended up going by herself to search for her sister.
Tina finally gathered up all her courage and left her house with enough supplies to last her about a week, and told everyone in the house just this;
"I'm not going to stand by and lose another family member. I'll be back soon, I just need to try one last time to find her."
Carrying only the shell back that had belonged to Koopa, stuffed with supplies, Tina mad her way through the forest, moving from town to town to search for her sister.
Day six of her journey, she found herself nearing yet another small town, worring of her remaining family at home. As she entered, she looked around at the small and peaceful town, hoping to at least get a room in a hotel or inn.
Finally settling down in the cheapest place she could find, and she sat on the floor in front of her room, sipping at a bit of tea as a young boy with a small racoon tail, about 3 or 4 years of age, ran by and stepped on her tail. She let out a loud yell, spilling her tea on herself. The little boy turned and laugh as Tina jumped to her feet. Tina growled and was about to say something to the child, but a woman ran up behind the boy and grabbed him. She had a purple dress on and beautiful black hair, and a bushy coon tail, much like the boy's tail.
"Got you!" She yelled, holding the boy in a bear hug. She looked over at Tina and sighed, "I'm really sorry...kids, you can't control them now a days."
Tina smiled as she moved toward her room door, "It's ... ok. Do not worry."
"Are you alright?"
"Oh, I am fine. I just need a small shower and a change of clothes is all."
"Again..I'm terribly sorry," the woman said as she made her way toward the building's entrance.
Later that night, Tina peered out the window, staring into the night's sky as she planned her next move, only for her attention to be taken away by two people right under her window. A closer look showed her that it was the lady and her boy from earlier.
"Excuse me..." Tina cried out in a shy voice, "Are you ok?"
The woman was hugging her child close as she looked up to Tina. She looked as though she had been crying and quickly wiped her face. "I'm ok. Thanks for your concern."
"...Are you...sure you should be out this time of night?"
"I'd rather be in a room, but it seems as though there's no vacancy in town...that we can afford anyway..."
Tina thought for a bit, the smiled down at the woman as she said, "Why don't you stay here with me?"
"Thank you, but the manager of the place...I'm sure he wouldn't like it..."
"He does not have to found out, now does he?" Tina said with a large smile on her face.
