This better work! I hope it works! Oh dear God let it work!

"HARRIER!" I screamed urgently, I was cutting this way too close. Oh crap! Come on! COME ON! COMEEEE ONNNNNNN! I was engulfed in a hazy green glow as I transformed into an eagle-like creature and immediately stopped falling, my wings beating rhythmically with my pounding heart. That was way too close! Now I need to be quick. Cut away any distractions, any unknown factors. My friends can't be here to be used against me. "Aliya, cave!" I yelled. Aliya nodded, understanding completely what I was saying whereas the E-Teens were staring at me as if I had gone mad, still stunned by my act of complete daring by the looks of it.

She grabbed Ky and Boomer's wrists, unsuccessfully trying to drag them away. Ky and Boomer were tall, strong fifteen-year-old boys, easily able to hold there own against a small, lightly built thirteen-year-old girl. "Guy's, GO! I'll be fine, just go!" I yelled. Why were they wasting their time on me? I was fine! Well at least I would be when I shook the E-Teens off.

"Radikor rage!" Zane shouted, snapping out of his trance of staring disbelievingly at me as though he was still expecting me to fall and crash into the ground. He aimed the attack straight at me, while I was distracted no less. The bastard. I gasped and paused for a split second but I still managed to dodge the attack. It sped past me, millimetres from where I had just flown to. At least it wasn't aimed at Aliya, Ky or Boomer.

"GO!" I shouted. Ky and Boomer listened this time and followed Aliya through the trees, going as far to both grasp one of her hands and drag the smaller girl after them, doing exactly what I expected they would to ensue my little sister's safety. My eyes followed them until they had gotten to a safe distance, I was surprised that the E-Teens hadn't used them as bait or anything. They must be pretty stupid. But I did thank their idiocy then because if they had realised I wouldn't have had a choice but to come down, not matter what the others said. I would always value their lives more than my own. Now comes the fun past. "Wanna play a game?" I yelled down, watching as they glowered at me, obviously irritated with the number of façades I was flitting from to avoid confronting my real emotions. Right now, I was using my Mischievous one. Before was my Nonchalant with a touch of Deadpan Snarker. "I propose Hide and Seek Tag." I continued, allowing my wings to flap a little faster, my body drifting a slightly higher. "You're it."

I gave them a second to process this information before I took off. My Harrier form was much more bulky than my human one, so it was a fair bit harder to navigate through the dense forest, but, a positive was my increased speed and stamina which right now was working in my favour. I quickly flitted between trees, weaving in and out before taking a quick left, listening intently and smirking as I heard my pursuers yells as they struggled to manoeuvre themselves after me. Just ahead was a sharp incline. Right at the bottom was an overhang which lead to an opening. It was a really awesome tunnel that the three of us, that being myself, Ky and Boomer had found and thoroughly explored when we were younger. I knew the place like the back of my hand, though there were only a couple of routes that would actually lead out, the rest were all dead ends or led to cute little underground lakes or enormous caverns that seemed to glitter and glow with such amazing light. It was a beautiful place down here, and a labyrinth was exactly what I needed to help shake the E-Teens and Lokar, off my tail. Extra points that none of the exists led anywhere near where Aliya had taken the boys which meant they were perfectly safe.

Taking a deep breath, I plunged underneath, slowing my pace just a little to see whether they were following me or not. They were. I smirked wider. Hide and Seek was my speciality, especially since I had now moved us onto my terms, the fight was set dramatically in my favour. "Come on, then! Whatcha waiting for, an invitation? I'm right here. Come and get me!" And with my Taunting façade bearing its rather welcomed face, I swooped around the corner, taking several hard turn and sweeping my hand through a steady stream of water that seeped through the ceiling, sighing contently at the coolness. With a rough flap I accelerated, instantly descending and my wings flattening slightly against my body as I became more streamlined, shooting through the air like a bullet, before spreading them again, corkscrewing through a wider tunnel, whooping loudly as I did so.

Attacks bounced off the wall after me and I laughed louder, ceasing my incessant twirling and setting myself straight, following the tunnel as it turned right and easily rocketing through the small gap in the ceiling which could easily have been missed. The route I had been following would lead to a dead end. So would this one, too, but I knew the a second tunnel cut through it, just up ahead, and that would lead me out. I swerved out of the way of an oncoming regeneration, unfortunately missing the turn off point but I did not despair. There! I dived through the gap, landing across the other side of the wall and instantly I was off again. I needed to take several different turns before I could escape through the exit, one of which would take my through my favourite cavern and I hoped dearly that the E-Teens would have the courtesy not to destroy it.

I shot up, through the gap after hearing the E-Teens following behind I took the next turn faster than I normally would, shooting around with torpedo-like accuracy taking the next right with the same speed before slowing slightly for the left. The turn was sharper and the rocks peppering the sides were not something I wanted to be acquainted with a second time. I, however, needn't have worried. I took the corner perfectly and could barely contained my laughter when nearly all the E-Teens botched it up. My flapping wings sent ripples across the water of one of the smaller lakes and I couldn't resist dropping a hand down, allowing it to skin across the surface as I went. It was one of my least favourite lakes for the sole purpose that when I first found it I hadn't been expecting it to be there as it joined at tunnel instead of being at a dead end like most of the others and had, rather embarrassingly, fallen in to it.

Now I was rather grateful for it's awkward placement as the E-Teens were forced to wade through the water to chase after me. I seriously considered making it my favourite after that. But only for a second. Now I'd reached my favourite part. I swear to God, if they destroy this place I will annihilate them. It was the biggest cavern, and for that it was huge, towering around so high that even in my Harrier form it would've taken at least four of me, standing on my shoulder to have my finger tips just brush against the ceiling. The walls seemed to shimmer and glow a pale, luminescent blue that was similar to Kairu but wasn't quite it. It was utterly beautiful and was one of my favourite spots to meditate when I really didn't want anyone to bother me, unlike under the cherry blossom tree which basically said, I'm busy, this better be important, here was disturb me at your own risk, though I will not be held responsible for any injuries you may sustain.

I didn't linger though, in case the E-Teens decided they would rather like to initiate their destructive side and allowed a small sigh of relief when I didn't hear any explosions after me. Right, it's just one more turn to the left then I'm out. I suppose I really should put this game to an end, huh? Shooting round the bend I accelerated, corkscrewing out of the tunnel and disappearing between the trees, not slowing for a moment, going at breakneck speeds, I took a sharp right and ducked down into a ditch, peering over the edge. I'd left them behind, though I could still hear them, blundering after me.

"I don't have much time. Chemister clone!" I allowed myself to give a small grin as a clone, a perfect copy of myself appeared. I transformed back into human form as the fake Harrier took off, once again flying away as fast as it could go. Taking a deep, shuddering breath, I crouched down, crawling right underneath a smaller overhang, where the lip of the ditch merely draped over a little, shielding me rather pitifully, but hopefully enough not to be spotted. Don't move, Maya. If you just stay here, you'll be safe. Although that was a fairly impossible statement. As long as I'm a Kairu Warrior, as long as I'm me, I'll never be safe.

I held my breath as the E-Teens thundered after the fake me. What I was hoping would happen was they would actually capture it and take it back to Lokar's little lair before they realised that I'd pulled a fast one on them, and by that time I would be perfectly safe, back with Master Boaddai so even Lokar would attempt any underhand tactics. I mentally counted ten Mississippi's before scanning the area. Seeing no other presence I scrambled up the side of the ditch, swinging my leg over the top and flopping over in a way that rather reminded my of a beached whale before springing up to my feet and sprinted in the direction I came from.

I was tired. I knew that much. I'd concluded that I should've really just focused on loosing them instead of messing around, but it was too late to regret anything now. Leaning back, I allowed my feet to slide down the sharp incline of the trail, using nearby tree branches to help steady myself as I did. The grass was taller now, and I ducked down, crouching slightly as I navigated the trail, noticing the bootprints and feeling relieved. Aliya had managed to get them here safely. I shoved the grass apart, which I didn't really need to do often as this trail, which happened to be a disused animal one, was for the most part flat. The trees thinned out and the grass slowly began to thin and shrink down the closer I got.

I realised that I'd actually reached my destination so much faster than I usually did and nursing a rather painful stitch, I looked around, the sight giving me equally painful memories. It was a small clearing, beyond it was a ridge of some kind, which spanned for quite a while and curled around on one side, where, if you where to run along it, you would reach a drop which ended in deep, azure water, which actually connected the Monastery. It was one and the same. The grass was lush and plentiful, soft beneath my feet and gentle when I would thread my hands through it, or make daisy chains; a pastime which I rather enjoyed when I was younger. Through a crack in the cliff face was a rather big waterfall, which seemed to stem from an underwater lake much like the ones I had seen earlier during my eventful chase, though I had yet to discover what fed that lake. I assumed it was water simply leaking through the ground, like with most of others. This waterfall draped down the rock face rather elegantly and fed a river which threaded itself through the trees. I had never really explored where it ended, that was mystery I was waiting to uncover with my sister when I had some spare time.

This was the last place I was with Josh... the last place we actually talked. After that... we headed back and had that massive water fight with Aliya and Ky and Boomer nearer to the Monastery before… I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath to steady myself. Why did I have to think about such things now? After I had done such a good job and forgetting them? Why did he have to go? Lokar could have… he could have… he… No. I shook away the unpleasant thoughts. No, I have to think positively.

Josh is probably fine, he'd probably... be like 'is it Christmas already? Because it took you so bloody long.' Or some smart remark like that. Josh is Josh, knowing him, he'll... he'll be fine. I sighed. Who am I kidding? I have no idea what's happened to him, but what I do know is we need to find him and soon. It's my fault if anything happens to him... He went to protect me. But didn't he realise that Lokar could still hurt me? He knows... he knows he can use my friends and sister against me. He's twisted and sick and he knows my weaknesses... the things I've tried for so long to hide...

I crossed the clearing, too wrapped up in my thoughts to really appreciate the beauty surrounding me. I cut to the side and quickly jogged up the slope towards a the opening hidden behind the waterfall, which I really wouldn't of investigated if Josh hadn't decided he'd wanted to check whether such cliché things really existed. Turns out, they did. In fact, I was far to distracted to remember to move away from the edge of the path, since part of the water would actually stream down over it, and the water cascading down the waterfall poured down onto me, soaking my hair and clothes. The coldness made me gasp and snap back into reality, which I was very grateful for, I didn't want to think, I just wanted to forget about all of that and for Josh to just be back at the Monastery again. For everything to be how it was before.

I shook my head a little, flicking my drenched hair away as it clung instantly to my face, while my soaking wet clothes hugged my body, sending shivers up my spine. I tried to brush the hair out of my eyes but it was refusing to obey me. In the end I decided to tie my hair up in a pony-tail so it was no longer irritating me. Although the ponytail was messy, my hair loosely tied, a few stray locks falling down and covering the strange blue markings on my cheeks. I spared a moment to glare up at the waterfall before I walked through the entrance and looked down the large tunnel.

If you followed it you would find yourself on the other side of cliff into a pretty glade, similar to the one I had just entered from, with a forest on the other side. There where nice trails down there, I walked down them quite often to relax myself or to meditate. I brought Aliya down there too. She thought it was beautiful and loved seeing the animals, the highlight was probably the fact that she got to hold a small, lost baby rabbit and reunite it with it's family. But I didn't intend to go there, I needed to find my sister and my friends. I turned to my right and ran my hand and along the rock. I felt the gap I was searching for and pushed my finger into it, grasping for the handhold before straining a little as I began to push the rock away, heaving until the gap was big enough to squeeze through. "Aliya, Ky, Boomer, are you there?" I whispered. Silence.

"Maya!" Aliya cried, appearing out of the gap and flinging her arms around the me.

"Hey Little Duck, are you okay?" I asked untangling myself from her rather tight hug that was rather unfortunately restricting my airways and would be the main reason why I wouldn't live past those next three minutes. Aliya nodded and smiled at me, her warm brown orbs practically glowing with happiness.

Boomer and Ky exchanged looks of confusion as they clambered out of the gap, nearly getting themselves stuck as they both attempted to go through at once. Boomer politely let Ky slip through first and didn't get so much as a 'thank you' in return, which I could tell he was a little miffed about. "How?" Ky began. I shook my head. I'll tell you later. I mouthed. The boys nodded, then Ky turned to Boomer and said thanks. Delayed reaction much.

"Okay guy's we need to forget about the Kairu, lets hope Ekayon will get it or something. We need to do something really important." I said.

"What's more important than-" Smirking, I cut Boomer off.

"How about rescuing a lost team mate? I've got Josh's GPS, and unless he's been a complete douche and turned his x-reader off, I can see his position." I beamed, watching the boys faces as they lit up with such happiness it was as if I'd just presented them both with their own puppy. "Well, are we going or what?" I asked, impatiently tapping my foot on the ground.

"Yeah!" The boy's said in unison.

"Maya, you do know we've got to ask Master B if we can go investigate." Boomer warned, touching upon the very subject I was hoping to avoid.

I sighed. "That's what I'm dreading."

A's note:

I literally worked so hard editing this chapter since it was actually so bad, but I hope it's a lot better now!

Thank you for reading this and I hope you enjoyed it. Please review, it does help me a lot. I don't own Redakai, unfortunately, but I do own Aliya and Josh! Thank you again for reading this!