Book Dragon: "Alright. I've been writing this story out for over more than a year now. I wanted to finish it before I aired it, just so I didn't stall for every long periods of time or just to forget the story, but I've gotten to the point where I have it all him fragments in my mind. Even though it's not totally finished, about 90 of it is. So, in that regard, I will be updating this story ever three days, even if no one reviews."

Book Dragon: "So, with that, I'd like to introduce a sequel to Wings of Leaves. The best thing about this story, though, is that you don't really need to read the first story. Actually, it may be more suspenseful if you haven't read the first one…so please enjoy this."

Green Tongue

Chapter 1: Moving Day

The wind was strong that day. Lightly brushing back the reddish leaves from view as they drifted lightly off, spinning to the ground with full grace, ridding on the back of the cold breeze, into the crimson ball flaming downward, out of the sky, to sleep and rise the next day, like every other day, for as long as how ever long forever is.

She didn't care how long that would be.

In the fiery colored leaves, the only leaves that had changed so oddly in the beginning of summer, as if anticipating a harsh winter, shaking and dancing around her head happily, like the usual autumns, she sat up high in the tree. Even now she was not afraid of falling again like the first time she had shimmed up the bark and placed herself onto a branch to ball her eyes out. Her mother had died that day, the day she had fall years ago, and she had been only about eight years old then, not at all nimble as her mother once had been, but fast enough. That had been a day every much like the one occurring around her now, most perfect setting for the beginning of something new, also usual. The perfect day for her birthday.

She looked white as a ghost and depressed into the shining crimson of paper like substance. It hadn't noticed how upset she was, leaning against the biggest branch and holding her knees as if cold, but instead keeping her from going into a break down. The tree was content with her presence, no matter how she felt at the time, being around her comforted it, as it did her. But what it didn't know was that she would be going away soon, and this would most likely be the last time they ever 'talked', so she would treasure this moment and hope that no one would have the nerve to cut down her tree. It would be like killing her only childhood friend, and even though it was a least a hundred years older than her, it gave off the kind of feeling of teenage youth. They had grown up together in an odd sort of way, pouring the bad parts of each other's day and cheering each other up. She hadn't realized it until now, which made her feel a bit selfish, but it stroked her tear covered face, licking up the salty water onto it's leaves, cooing her and almost asking what was the matter, like always.

"Oh Beore," She had always called it this, she knew trees were unsexed, but it was a great comfort to think of it as male instead of female, which most the girls around her were to her dislike. That and it meant Birch Tree in English; it turned very white in the snow around it even though it was an oak tree. "I'm leaving soon, to go somewhere very far away…I'm not sure if I'll even ever return. I'm sorry, but it seems this it gonna be our last time together, bucko." The cherry red leaves prickled uncomfortably around her, making her sense that it was already mourning her leaving.

"Cheer up. I'll be okay. I think you'll have more time chatting with your tree buddies anyway." She felt the Beore's equivalent to laughing in the slight vibrations of the branches.

"Aunt Marie will still be here to take care of you. I'll try to get her to read you some of the letters I'll be sending to you…hopefully she won't think me too crazy…I'll tell her it helps you guys grow." She knew Aunt Marie wouldn't question her on this, I mean she had her mother's gift, her mother's green thumb she called it. Too many summers that she had pissed off the blades of grass into growing out of control, entangling up in a lawn mower or any pair of scissors that tried to tame the horrible mess until finally she would apologize and it would suddenly wither. It was just that the grass could be so annoying, always shouting at the top of their little voices all in unison, "growing, Growing, GROWNING!" and then the lawnmower would come a decapitate them so they would scream at the top of their…what ever they used to speak with.

But she wasn't so annoyed with the screaming vegetation growing on her front lawn this morning.

"KAEDE! IT'S TIME TO LEAVE!" She frowned at the voice, and turned back to Beore again, patting the bark one last time.

"Sorry it had to be like this. I don't want to leave. I don't want to see my father…not now." She felt tears starting to stir, but held them back, and controlled herself.

"I'll come back. I promise." A huge vivid orange leave stroked her check, then snapped off and floated down in front of her. She blinked a moment, then smiled, as she carefully picked it up and moved her white locks out of the way.

"Thank you, but I wish I could do something for you to remember me by…" She froze a moment, then quickly drew out her pocket knife and carefully cut a lock of her white hair and carefully tied it to one of the branches. She wasn't sure how long it would last, but the leaf wouldn't last long ether; guess it was the thought that counted. Then, she placed the leaf into her hair and put the knife back and patted the tree again.

"Remember me, old friend." The tree groaned and creaked, saying its farewell all the way down until she was on the ground.

"KAEDE!"

"I'll be there in a moment!" She yelled and stroked it one last time.

"Good-bye, Beore." It stirred again, but only a little. She turned sadly and walked away.

"Now you listen to me-!"

"Yes, yes, I am not to go near your children unless of some danger, then I have to be disguised, we've gone over this, Bakura." Bakura looked at the being in front of him anxiously. The young teenager looked at him smugly, brown liquid eyes full of wisdom but gleams of loathing, biting his pointed teeth into an emerald apple, letting the juice gush out in spray of vapors.

"It's very clear to me." Bakura looked uneasily at him, knowing it wasn't that simple, that he had left some sort of loophole without thinking of it. His mind wasn't as sharp as it had been in the old days. He felt rickety and frail almost all the time, as if too much worry was placed upon him, his brown eyes were foggy but somehow still bright. He had a few gray hairs mixed in with his white, making it look silver. He was getting old.

"Would you like to sit down? You've been standing for more than two hours; an old man like yourself needs his rest…" The young teenager said, licking his lips of extra droplets. Bakura glared at him, hating the old insults he was getting more and more frequently. He was forty-one, a time when his father said he'd really start to live, and start to have adventures. Sorry, dad, those days are over.

"I don't see why you don't get any older; you've got to be thousands of years before my time, not that looking like young jackass ever bothered me." A flash of distaste flew across the youth's face, but he controlled it, and placidly turned his eyes to the sky.

"The famous Tomb Robber's tongue tied?"

"You know ever well." Bakura said nothing to his comment. He knew very well, but now was not the time for memories. His children were coming to live with him; they were finally old enough to come back to him. It was a strange feeling he hadn't felt for a very long time. He never could, ever since his wife died-

No! Now what not a time for depressing memories! He had to get things ready for his children. That included his emotional state.

He quickly left the room, smiling at the thought of hugging his children again instead of the amount of housework needing to be done. His necklace, a right with five long cones made of gold swung and jingled, the triangle in the middle sparkled and the eye in the middle of that stared on bleakly. Bakura ignored the grumbling behind him and quickly fetched some rags and mops out of the closet.

Kaede was irritated. Christa and Auntie Marie wouldn't shut up about their first boyfriends and love-sick memories. Christa's voice musically filled the car with every tone, almost making you think she was singing instead of talking. She always spoke this way. It enchanted all the boys in school, meaning she was always too busy entertaining them with her body, gorgeous chocolate brown eyes, china pale pretty face, and smooth long brown hair that swished in all the right ways, to even have time for her little sister. But, no matter how much her voice caused trouble, Kaede always never actually hated it. It was too wonderful to hate.

But Matsimela, or Mat as he was nicknamed, always found a way to hate everything. He sat fumingly digging his nails in the side of the car door, setting his glaring hazel eyes on the dashboard, letting his short yet somehow spiky brown hair ruffle in the wind. Kaede always envied his hair over the white mess on her head. She was the odd ball of the family. Everyone had brown hair but her. She didn't even have a clue where she got it from, and cursed the relation that gave her the gene. She had always wanted to have Mat's hair. It wasn't too girly, and it wasn't too boyish. The spikes were natural, and definitely as Kaede put it as 'awesome spikes'. She would have too him this too annoy him if he wasn't so incredibly agitated right now. He always did have the short temper, and right now he was trying very hard to control it.

"Oh, cheer up Matsimela! We're almost there." Her Aunt said, sparing him a glance as she drove.

"Don't call me that! It's Mat!" He spat with a gruff voice, giving Aunt Marie a side ways glare.

"Ohhh. Don't be so angry, Matsimela is a very…interesting name. It's Egyptian you know…means 'roots'…Ryelle always did like planting…" Mat hooked his arms in and pouted angrily like a little boy that had just been out classed. Christa looked at him wonderingly over bright red lipstick she started to apply using the mirror in the front seat. Kaede averted her eyes away from the lipstick in disgust and hampered closer to the car door out of Mat's reach as she looked at the back of her Aunt's head.

"What does my name mean? Is it Egyptian too?" Kaede had always liked Egypt. She knew her grandfather had traveled there once, and came back with something for her father, a special gift that she had always wanted to see; she wondered if he still had it.

"No dear," Aunt Marie said, making Kaede a little disappointed, "Your name is Japanese, actually, and it means 'maple leaf '… Maple trees were always your mother's favorite."

"Guess that would've made you mama's little girl!" Mat sneered playfully. Kaede ignored Christa's look and jabbed her big brother in the arm without success. He was too fast, made clean nudge to her leg. Kaede laughed and so started a mini play-battle between the youngest and the oldest. Aunt Marie could be heard giggling in the front seat at them as Christa rolled her eyes with the deepest muttering something about 'foolishness' as she examined her face again.

The fight continued growing in size from play jabs to finally throwing stuff. It was brought to a halt when a roadmap hit the back of Christa's head for the third time she screamed for them to stop. Aunt Marie agreed with her, unfortunately. Kaede and Mat both pouted in the back seat as Christa started chattering about Nick, a recent boy-toy, as she puffed up her hair. Through the useless talk Kaede glanced at Mat and waited until she caught his eye. Then she muttered.

"What was dad like?" She whispered as quietly as her voice would allow. She didn't want her Aunt to but in and tell her more lies. For some reason, Aunt Marie was always lying about why they were sent away. You could tell when she lied, her mouth always twitched and her eyes were always downcasted; it was easy to tell when she said she didn't remember saying Christa could have a sleepover; she said it had to do with how her mother thought of him and it was a sudden separation, but that was unbelievable. Her Aunt said they loved each other every much, and she didn't know what she saw in him. Her lips never twitched when she said that.

When she got old enough, she asked Mat about this and he said their dear Aunty was probably jealous. And so the theory quietly stuck.

"Well," Mat began in the same tone, "I don't remember him that much…I was only three when we left. Mom was pregnant with you…and Christa was only one." He paused, straining his brain. Kaede stayed on the edge of her seat; no matter how many times Mat told her about their father, she always found it exciting.

"All I remember is a pair of legs I use to climb around on the floor when he tried to get around…I think he was tall…that's really it."

"Are you sure?! Really, really, really, really sure?" Mat shrugged. Then added quickly, "We'll know as soon as we get there." He grinned a fake smile and began to nervously jerk his thumbs as he turned back out the window. Kaede turned back and looked out the window, watching the country side diminishing slowly ahead of them, and turning into a large labyrinth of soaring skyscrapers and office buildings. The world as she knew it was disappearing behind them, zooming away from her green world too quickly for any understanding. She was missing Beore.

The house was extremely…unusual. Putting it into nice standards that is, most likely how Aunt Marie had always put it. To the three siblings it was down right bizarre.

It stood three floors high, looming above the somewhat small bit of lawn, with large paneled glass windows on each floor, with faded red bricks engulfed with green vines all growing together along side of the right wing. It looked staggering in the huge amounts of daylight pouring onto the building, and welcomed them with the long stretching asphalt driveway at their feet. A huge tinted green-house was placed on the right side (probably why the vines were out of control), and that was a blaze with emerald plants, also pleasing their eyes. The glass gleamed a turquoise hue, haughtily, taking all the glory from the crimson building. Except the most intriguing thing about it that is. Particularly the biggest tree any one of them had ever seen perched snuggly on the third floor, its canopy so large that the roof had several large holes plugged up with dark brown branches and thousands of sparkling jade leaves. Perhaps, Kaede wouldn't be so lonely here.

The three were left in awe, with mouths gabbing. Aunt Marie looked it over distastefully, and with a sniff, didn't bat an eye as she slowly started forward, mumbling, 'come along children'. The words were lost to their ears, their amazement had blocked them, but it was quickly brought back when she commanded it a bit louder, making them jump.

Mat had been first to react and started walking forward in a brisk edgy treading, followed my Kaede's rapid stamping until she finally clung to the back of his shirt, pursued my Christa's steady and composted steps.

In a strange line they walked to the house. Kaede stayed behind Mat, holding on to the bottom of his favorite blue shirt, making horrible stretch marks, as she took fading glimpses of the soon-to-be home. It was strange, how something filled with so much beauty could actually look frightening. Its cheery nature was like any home, calm and receiving, yet intimidating. Suppose it was because she was worrying too much. Her eyes darted to Mat's disturbed completion, to Christa's worried lip biting, to Aunt Marie's sour look. This was plainly not the look you give to the sight of your home.

She was trying very hard to ignore the grass muttering. It was small high pitched whispers making her the most nervous. What was said was beyond her, for their voices as elevated as they were, were in fact, not understandable. Smart grass. Given if her family wasn't here she would've bent down and asked them how the sunlight was, just to be on the polite side, it is a bad thing if you screw up with your grass.

No matter what they were saying it made no difference when they approached the front door, which opened with a bang before they could take the first concrete stair laid out before them hugely. It seemed everything about the house was big. Everyone jumped at the sudden bang and the man who occupied the doorway.

He was tall, sort of scrawny sort of thin man. He wore a pair of faded jeans and a button up shirt, with the sleeves rolled back on his arms. He would've looked like a gardener if he didn't wear a red tie. That and the color of his hair. They all were immediately drawn to the snow like spikes bushing up from his head that gently flowed very long onto his back. So that's where she got her locks. Kaede noticed a few glances from her siblings at her hair, probably comparing. She ignored him.

The man started down the stairs, quickly at a fast pace, like a school boy meeting his father after a long year at boarding school. A thirteen year long semester. He could be seen beaming as his feet nimbly climbed down the last few steps and met the same ground they treaded on. His pale face had a large grin on it and his chocolate eyes (a lot like Christa's) shinned enthusiastically. He looked pleased, beyond pleased, as he stared at Mat and Christa. He looked like all his dreams had come true. Kaede found it a bit freaky.

"Ahem." He blinked back to reality and looked at their Aunt respectfully and bowed.

"Marie."

"Bakura." Marie briefly hugged the man, taking the wind out of him a moment, and quickly parted from him.

"I see you have been taking good care of my children. I thank you for that."

"I would do it again if I had the chance." And for the first time she set foot on the premises she smiled. The man smiled back. After a moment's pause, she quickly turned to them.

"…And these are your children." Bakura looked at them warmly.

"This," Aunt Marie said, as she took hold of Christa, "Is your first daughter."

"A pleasure, father." She curtseyed and hugged the white-haired man daintily, who accepted and hugged back.

"This is your son Matsimela." Mat held out his hand, looking cautiously at the gentlemen.

"It's Mat…I like to be called Mat." The man looked at the hand and shook it carefully.

"Mat." He repeated sincerely.

"And…where's Kaede?" Her Aunt asked finally. Kaede peeked out from behind her brother.

"Here." She said as calmly as possible. The man studied her a moment, looking her face over with large brown eyes and a small smile. Kaede felt Mat's hand grab the back of her shirt, making her look up to his disgusted face, as he shoved her forward from behind him. Fully exposed, she felt like she would've cried, if she hadn't been taken by surprise as the man took her up off the ground and into a deep hug. Kaede was spun around for a moment, smelling the not so gross sweat around his neck with a shocked silence, and finally placed on the ground gently and wobbly, when he then kissed her gently on the check. She stood there with large eyes, watching him hug Mat with a strong grip and kiss him, and turn to Christa doing the same. Even to Aunt Marie, not being the type of lady this happened to often, and whispered something about being very thankful. When he finally was done he properly welcomed them.

"Welcome! Please, I've kept you out for too long…we have much to discuss! Please, please! Come in! Come in!" He took Mat by the shoulder and carefully climbed back up the steps, toward the door, with Aunt Marie and Christa in pursued. Kaede stayed where she was a moment, and watched them enter the house. When they were out of sight, she took her chance and bent down quickly.

"Hello. My name is Kaede. I'm very pleased to meet you…and if this wasn't such a short greeting, I would've liked to sit with you the whole morning and talk…but I've got to get to know my…father. I hope to be chatting to you later!" She sputtered all this as fast and politely as she could, scaring the waste out of the green blades, and as fast as wind stumbled up the stairs, white Nike shoes blurred with speed.

The inside of the house was what you'd find in any normal home. The door opened to reveal a large hall way with a large staircase. It turned in square boxes leading to the second floor, acting one's eyes when they entered. To the right a door opening exposed a large homely living room with five bookshelves, a coffee table, two very old looking couches, and a small TV. Further down the hall the four of them followed Bakura in a huddle, Kaede behind Mat again and staring at the pictures as her father rambled. Most of them we're paintings of all sorts of things like parks, plants, beaches, and people. One of the most intriguing ones was of a man.

He was painted in great detail, in a white robe, with an equally white turban. His skin was an olive color and giant think gold hoops dangling from his ears. He had a stern face and completely emotionless expression. How that worked she wasn't sure, the seriousness came from his straight mouth and checks. His black eye-shadowed orbs made him look emotionless. He had the vaguest bluest eyes she had very seen. The more she stared the more endless and vague they became. Another odd quality the immediately caught her eye was the fact that he was wearing an odd looking object around his neck. It wasn't like a necklace you'd find on a woman. It seemed more like a sort of amulet in the painting due to the careful brush marks. It was definitely golden and looked a lot like a cross but she could tell it wasn't. It was a loop at the top, where the cord was strung through, and the middle pole stopped and continued in a smaller pole. It seemed more like a very small staff with one large bone shaped piece of gold melted into it. The ending was unfortunately cut off in the painting.

Kaede frowned at this, but was latterly yanked from it when her brother came to find her, and lead her into the kitchen, which too was almost normal. It had these very large wooden shelves on the right wall, which were stuffed with things like plates and little figures. It wasn't very interesting. She actually found herself disappointed with the house. The bland table, cabinets, and sinks. That would be followed up with boring living room, basement, and second floor bed rooms. The wide green house, however, was bursting with sounds and smells, to Kaede anyway. She would've loved to see more of the slight glimpse she got, and of course, spend the rest of the afternoon in there had it not been for her brother yet again, pulling her along in a bored manor. The tour eventually ended when they all retired to the kitchen again. Bakura had offered to make coffee for Aunt Marie. She never passed up coffee this early in the morning. Christa and Mat pasted on it. Kaede, however, found the taste rather interesting. Only of course loaded with about ten sugar packets and filling about a fifth of the cup with cream.

She sipped her cup carefully as she walked out of the room, obeying her Aunt's request to let the grown ups talk. Being thirteen, this was a bit of an insult, but she really didn't want to hear them fight less than one day into her new home. She eventually, after some major exploring of the attic and closets everywhere, back at the little part of the green house, sitting amongst the plants, listening to their leafy voices singing and talking, at peace.

Yes. This would be an interesting place to live; she deiced as she took a gulp of cooling coffee, wondering what to do later, whether or not to annoy Mat or to just ask her Aunt about the painting of the Egyptian. Maybe later, after a couple of weeks, she would feel comfortable enough to ask her father about it. After all, she had to ask about that object. But that was for later. For now, the two bickering marigolds were interesting enough.

Book Dragon: "And so ends the every first chapter… I would very much appreciate reviews, but this will update despite them. I am nothing going to give up on this story, it is a sure thing. Thank you for reading! I will update in three days!"