Chapter 2

"Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired."

--Robert Frost

Izumi woke up, and she looked over her shoulder. Her sister was apparently still asleep… "This is a bit unusual…" She mused, "Usually, Mitsuki would be up and happy like a songbird by now." She shook her sister, but she felt as limp as a corpse, which caused Izumi to go for the worst alternative, and scream.

"What? What is it, Izumi?!" Yoshitaka yelped, running into the room.

"It—it's Mitsuki. She's limp…won't wake up, but she's still warm." Izumi stuttered out. Yoshitaka frowned at this, but shook Mitsuki, looking more worried when she didn't respond.

"It's called getting spirited away." A voice answered, and it was shown to be Mika. "Her soul's been taken by some…unknown source. You can get it back…but you'll have to track down exactly what, or who is doing it."

"Mika, how do you know these things?" Yoshitaka asked, a bit bewildered by Mika's keen influence.

"I studied on the local legends…however, this is the one I absolutely refused to believe…apparently, it was the one most true." Mika said, but wouldn't smirk…it was a bit too serious for that.

"Damn…we'll have to find whoever did this…Mika, do you know of a way?" Yoshitaka asked, and Mika shook her head.

"I wish I did. But…unfortunately, I have no clue." Mika said, with a mere sigh. "Maybe Izumi can find out?"

"Izumi…?" Yoshitaka wondered, directing his attention to the young demon child.

"... I'm not sure. Our magic has always only worked in unison, and even then, the results are few, and far between." Izumi explained. "And even then, I'm not sure if it would work."

"Damn…well, it's worth a shot, right?" Yoshitaka nodded, trying to look serious. It was hard, especially when he wasn't sure whether he believed any of this or not.

"There's a witch on the other side of the woods…" Mika said, looking at the legend book. "But it's a long shot. She appears to be the…'White Bridal Witch', who takes females from their beds at night, and leads them off, like a pied piper sort…"

"…If it's the only lead we have, I'll do it." Izumi nodded, and Yoshitaka grinned.

"Then it's settled. We'll go to the other side of the woods, using Pochi as transport." Yoshitaka said. "Mika, you stay here, just in case Mitsuki wakes up early."

"Got it!" Mika nodded. "Though I don't think she will…"

"Let's go, Izumi." Yoshitaka nodded, extending a hand. Izumi nodded, and took it, walking ahead.

They departed for the barn, where Pochi was absentmindedly sitting, and muttering something. "Pochi. Izumi's sister, Mitsuki has been spirited away. We have to save her, any way we can." Yoshitaka instructed. Pochi looked as him as if to say 'You won't succeed. But, I'll try for her.' Pochi got down on his fours, and let Yoshitaka and Izumi on. "To the forest, all the way to the other side." Yoshitaka instructed, and Pochi was off.

Mika watched them leave, and with a slight smile, she muttered to herself, saying "I hope that brother and his lady friend succeed. And if this goes exactly the way I hope it does, I'll just be glad to know that brother will be happy forever."