Yes! I'm back with an update! Okay, I'm expecting this to be another long chapter. I hope that you guy like this one! Nothing much else to say... hehe.

Chapter 4: The Miasma stream and the Mushroom forest

Sano yawned as he looked up at the sky. The sun was setting. "Let's call it a day, guys. I'm tired and we're pretty close to the Miasma stream right now."

Angel nodded. "Yeah, that would be a good idea." She reached down to grab her futon, but stopped and blushed. "Um, I forgot my futon back at the village."

Sano looked at her and blushed as well. "Well, uh, mine is big enough for two people. If you want, you can share it with me." He broke his eye contact and dragged out his futon. Just as he had said, it was big enough for two people.

She blushed and lied down next to him, keeping her back to him. "Thank you."

Sano nodded, even though she could not see it. "No problem. Good night."

Kino looked at the two and then looked at Miko. "Say, I forgot mine back at the village. Would you mind sharing with me?"

Miko looked at him. He may have been a pervert, but he had the most honest look on his face. She looked at Mu, who was still on her shoulder. It looked back at her as if to say 'What could it hurt?'

She sighed. She was about to say yes when Zen popped his head out from the caravan, having heard Kino. "Kino, you didn't leave it at the village. It's right here in the back of the wagon." To prove it, Zen held up a futon with the word 'Kino' sewed onto it.

Kino gulped and looked at a now fuming Miko. "Um, how did that get in there?"

She stepped forward right up in his face. "If you try to trick me into getting into the same bed with you like that again, I can promise you that your innards will be food for Mu here!"

Mu licked its lips and seemed to smirk as if to show the truth behind the threat.

Kino gulped and tried to step away, but Miko managed to get one good, hard slap in before he was out of range. Kino walked up to Zen and said, "You knew that I was trying to get her into the same sleeping space as me, didn't you?"

Zen grinned. "Hey, seeing you getting slapped was just to good of an opportunity to pass up!"

Zen went back into the wagon where he had his own little sleeping space. Mimi had one two, but it was on the opposite side of the wagon. Mimi looked at him with disgust. "Any type of violence just thrills you, doesn't it?" she asked.

Zen looked at her, rather annoyed. "What? So I like fighting, what's wrong with that?"

Mimi shook her head. "I like to fight to, but we have to keep some control over it. One of these days, your obsession with battles may just be your downfall."

Zen snorted and turned away. Mimi sighed and did the same.

Kino made sure to set up his bedding a good distance away from Miko. He didn't want to make her any more upset with him then she already was.

Miko finished setting up her futon and looked at the two Yukes who were sitting Indian-style next to the wagon. "Don't you two have futons as well?" she asked.

Tenshin shook his head. "No. Yukes don't really sleep. We simply stay in a meditative state until the next day."

She nodded, understanding. "Well, as long as you guys don't start chanting or something, I think I'll be fine."

Both of the Yukes chuckled. Lydia shook her head. "Don't worry, there is no chanting involved. But, our reflexes tend to be more sensitive during meditations, so don't try and touch us if you don't want a hammer embedded in your skull."

Everyone was soon fast asleep, each dreaming their own dreams.

At dawn, everyone was awake and ready to go. But, everyone could not help but notice the new handprint that was on Kino's face. "Miko, I swear that I wasn't actually trying this time! I have a tendency to roll around in my sleep. I must have rolled over to you and my hand just ended up there."

Miko put her hands on her hips. "Yeah, I'll bet. You were still just trying to cop a feel on me weren't you?"

Sano stepped in between the two. "Guys, knock it off! All you two have been doing this entire trip is fighting with each other. Kino, try to be less of a pervert, and Miko please try to keep your temper in check."

Miko was about to say something when Angel rested her hand on her shoulder. "If you guys continue this then someone is definitely going to get hurt one way or another."

Tenshin couldn't help but snicker as he pointed out, "It looks like someone has already gotten hurt by the looks of Kino's face there."

Kino growled. "You wanna make something of it, buddy?"

Tenshin raised his hands defensively. "Hey, I was merely stating a fact."

Lydia nodded. "That's true. The only thing that makes in true is the fact that Kino is such a pervert."

Zen stuck his head out of the wagon. "If you guys are done talking, then we are ready to start moving here!"

Miko nodded. "Okay, geez, you don't have to bite our heads off."

Mimi stuck her head out of the wagon and said, "I don't think either of us could bite your heads off if we tried. We're not exactly the tallest life forms around."

Zen rolled his eyes. "Mimi, it's just an expression."

They traveled in silence for a long time after that. Soon however, they saw dark clouds gathering in the distance. Angel shielded her head. "Looks like a storm's headed our way."

Lydia shook her head. "That is no storm. Those clouds signify a Miasma stream."

Kino gulped. He looked at Mog. "Hey, how do we get through that thing?"

Mog lifted the chalice. "Kupo! Your chalice needs to match the Miasma stream element, Kupo!"

Zen looked at the chalice. "Hey, the crystal on our chalice is glowing red!"

Tenshin looked at it. "That signifies that our chalice is the element of fire."

As they neared the stream, the clouds seemed to turn from black to red. Mog nodded. "The element is fire, Kupo!"

Miko nodded in satisfaction. "Well, looks like we'll be able to pass through."

They neared it some more and finally reached it. All around them, the earth was dead. Trees that had once been filled with life now wilted and fell to dust. The once nutritious soil was dry and plain now, leeched of all the vital nutrients it once possessed. Along with that, there were several skeletons and pieces of weapons and armor, signifying to final resting places for many foolish warriors who tried to travel through without a chalice of proper element.

Everyone's blood ran cold as they entered it, the chalice creating a protective shield around them. Angel clutched her stomach and leaned against the slow-moving wagon.

Sano walked up to her out of concern. "What is wrong?" he asked.

Angel gagged a few times before saying, "I think I'm gonna hurl!"

Without warning, she ran up to the edge of the shield which was conveniently located at the edge of a cliff and vomited over the edge.

Sano ran up to her. "Hold up! Angel needs a rest!"

Everyone stopped moving. Kino scowled. "Hey, we can't wait just because she can't stomach this place! I don't like it here any more than she does, but the sooner she gets off her ass and out of this place, the sooner she'll get better!"

Mimi looked up at Kino. "Don't you have any compassion at all? Or is it all just blind lust?"

Kino turned away from her. He wouldn't admit it, but that one had stung, even worse than Miko's hand.

Sano looked at Angel as she tried to regain her breath. "Are you gonna be okay?"

Angel looked at him and smiled. "I'm fine now, really."

She was about to get up, when she leaned over the edge again and vomited again. Sano frowned and began to rub her back gently. She gasped as he continued to rub her. It actually helped she suddenly felt much better.

She turned around and blushed at him. "Um, thank you."

Sano blushed as well. "Well, uh, okay."

They both headed back to the wagon. Zen yawned. "Okay, are you done? Because I wanna get out of this place now!"

Everyone had to agree and they started to head out of the Miasma stream. Finally, the dark clouds dispersed around them and the chalice's shield dimmed considerably. They all breathed a sigh of relief. They were finally out of that hell-hole.

Lydia sighed. "Well, I'm glad that's over."

Tenshin shook his head. "Unfortunately, that will not be the only time we have to endure that torture. Miasma streams can be found in a lot of places all around the world, each with their own element that shifts yearly. During our journeys, there is no doubt in my mind that we will eventually come across another one."

Kino scowled. "Thanks a lot, Enstien!"

Mimi sighed. "Well, we might as well get used to the feeling. We'll have to go back through that one again on our return trip."

Mu, who was sleeping soundly on Miko's shoulder, woke up at Kino's outburst. After a quick growl at Kino for disturbing his sleep, he looked at Miko, as if to ask what it had missed.

She smiled at him and took him in her arms, gently stroking him as he did so. "You haven't missed a thing, little one."

After that, the continued until they reached a crossroad. Another caravan was headed down the road. It was made completely of Lilties. Zen happily raised his arm in greeting. "Hail, caravaners!"

The caravan looked over and the Lilty at the wheel returned the greeting. "Hail! Where do you come from and where are you headed, fellow warrior?"

Mimi stepped forward and bowed. "Hail! We come from Tipa and we are on our way to the Mushroom forest for our second drop of Myrrh!"

Another one of the lilties nodded. "Very well. Just head straight down the left road and it will take you straight to the forest. Just be careful. It has gotten a lot more hostile around there."

Tenshin looked at them. "Where do you hail from, friends?"

The Lilties eyed the Yuke strangely. "We come from the mining town of Marr's Pass, just down the right road. If you all have a chance, please pay us a visit. It is one of the biggest trading posts in the world and we have some of the best blacksmiths around."

Sano nodded. "We'll keep that in mind. Thank you for the directions and may your Myrrh hunt end in triumph."

The Lilties all nodded. "We wish the same for you, caravan of Tipa. Good luck and godspeed to you!"

The caravan drove off in the direction of the Miasma stream.

Kino sighed. "Well, as engaging as that conversation was, I think that we all should get going."

Zen nodded. "You're right. Oh well. Maybe we'll see them again."

Miko nodded. "Well, there is no doubt in my mind that we will."

Tenshin shook his head. "Not to be negative or anything, but they did start to give Lydia and I some very unsettling looks back there."

Lydia nodded. "And I could have sworn that one of them was flashing his middle finger at me."

Mimi shook her head. "Oh come on. They couldn't be that bitter at your tribe, could they?"

Sano looked at the sky. "Well, actually, they could. You see some Lilties still believe that they are superior to everyone else in every way. These same Lilties also hate Yukes with a passion, unable to let go of the times of war."

Zen sighed. "Yeah, those were some pretty horrible times back there."

Kino yawned. "Is the history lesson over yet?" he asked.

Angel nodded. "Yes it is. We'd best get going if we want to reach the forest before dark."

The wagon lumbered off once again.

Finally, they came to the entrance to the Mushroom forest. It was there that they discovered why they call it the MUSHROOM forest. The entire place was made up of nothing but fungi!

Sano gulped. "I knew that wild mushrooms could get big, but I didn't know they grew THIS big!"

Zen smirked. "They say that all Lilties are born here. They start as tiny spores and grow to a good size. Then, they are plucked from the ground by special farmers and start as small babies from there."

Kino scoffed. "That has got to be the biggest load of bullshit that I have ever heard!"

Angel gave him a glare. "Kino, please! You never know, it could have happened."

Lydia nodded. "It is actually quite possible. Early scientists often debated over which of the five classification kingdoms to put Lilties in. Some thought they were plants because of the growth on top of their heads. Some thought they were animals because of their abilities to move and talk. And some others believed that they were fungi because of the legend that says they sprouted in the mushroom forest."

Mimi thought for a bit. "Come to think of it, they still haven't decided which kingdom we belong in, have they?"

Tenshin shook his head. "No, but today, most consider you animals above everything else."

The conversation was discontinued as everyone grabbed what they needed and headed into the forest. The popatumus refused to go anywhere near the forest, so they would have to continue on foot.

As they entered the forest, the sun all but disappeared as the giant mushrooms formed a giant ceiling of umbrellas, making it unusually dark for the time of day.

Miko shivered. "It's so cold in here."

Mu, sensing her chilled nature, wrapped his tail around her neck, purring towards her. She smiled. "Thank you, Mu. That's really sweet of you."

Kino looked at her. "Hey, I bet that I could keep you twice as warm as that little thing if you would let me."

Miko's eyes narrowed as she looked at him. "Don't even think about it, buster."

The Mu growled at him as well. He sighed. "Well, can't blame a guy for trying."

Angel shivered a bit as well, but soon got over it. Mog, who was still carrying the chalice and was covered in fur didn't even notice the change in temperature.

The others didn't take any heed of it. Tenshin looked over at some of the mushrooms in front of them. "That is interesting. Those mushrooms are glowing."

He ran up and carefully picked a few. "I'll have to take a closer look at these the next chance that I get. My sister may be able to use them in a potion or something."

Lydia ran up and began collecting some as well. "Mind if I help you with your research? If we manage to find a way to keep them glowing after they are picked, my grandmother can use them to mark the end of the cow pasture back home."

Tenshin nodded. "It is fine by me. Help yourself. I'm always happy to know that someone is willing to help me with my research."

They seemed to smile at each other through their helmets as they gathered a few more of the glowing mushrooms. They headed back to the group and Tenshin tapped the end of his helmet. "Well, sorry about the delay. Here, each of you can have one of the mushrooms."

Sano shook his head. "No harm done. Don't worry about it."

Everyone gladly accepted one of the mushrooms as their own.

Zen looked around and signaled them to keep quiet. "Shh! I hear something over there."

He pointed through a bit of foliage, namely low-growing mushrooms. They all looked over to see a pack of gremlins there, five to be precise, along with around four hedgehog pies.

Mimi looked over at Zen, who had his ax ready. "Zen, I don't think that we should rush in like this. They haven't noticed us and we can easily go around them."

Zen looked at her like she was crazy. "Where's the fun in that?"

Angel looked down at him. "Zen, listen to her..."

She would have said more, but something began to tickle her nose. She looked down at the mushrooms. They were letting out some sort of pollen.

She closed her eyes. "Ah... ah... Ah..."

Miko quickly put her finger under Angel's nose. Angel seemed to calm down. But, as soon as Miko took her hand away, Angel sneezed. "ACHOO!"

The gremlins and hedgehog pies snapped to attention and made eye contact with the caravaners.

Zen smirked. "Looks like there's no going around them now!"

He charged at them, shouting a battle cry, his large axe raised above his head.

One of the hedgehog pies hopped in front of him and took a deep breath. Kino's eyes widened. "He's a dead Lilty walking."

Mimi gave him an odd look, but then remembered what a hedgehog pie could do. "Zen, watch out! Those are hedgehog pies! They have fire magic!"

Zen ignored her and kept charging forward. The hedgehog pie exhaled, breathing out a breath of fire along with the carbon dioxide.

Zen was to close to dodge and got caught right in the center of the flame. It forced him back. Luckily, he didn't catch on fire, but one of the gremlins ran forwards and swung the bulb-like appendage on his head right into Zen's face.

Zen took a step back, but swung his axe with deadly precision. The gremlin dropped to the ground, dead, it's head appendage severed. Zen looked at everyone. "Guys, aim for that bulb thing on the gremlins!"

Tenshin and Lydia stepped forward. Tenshin looked at her. "If the hedgehog pies know fire magic, then I doubt that they will like blizzard magic."

Lydia nodded. "Right."

The both charged up their magic just as two of the four started running towards them.

Lydia threw her spell right at the first one. It sensed the danger and hopped over it. The spell impacted the one that was running behind it. It didn't freeze, but it was knocked backward a few steps.

Tenshin threw his at the one in air. It impacted and froze it. As it landed, it shattered with the ice that incased it. Some of its body parts did a few final spasms before finally coming to rest. Tenshin smirked at his handywork. "Funny thing about hanging in the air. It's really hard to dodge."

Lydia ran straight at the one she had knocked backward and brought her hammer down right on its head.

It stepped backwards, but made an attempt at biting her. It managed to catch her little finger in its mouth.

"Yeowch! Get it off!"

Tenshin answered her call and delivered a swift kick to the creature sending it to the ground. He looked at Lydia. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "I'm okay. It's just a bite." Truth be told, the wound was pretty was the base of her little finger was bleeding badly, and it didn't look like she would be able to move it for a while.

The hedgehog pie got back up and tried to lunge at them. Lydia raised her good hand and shot a thunderbolt at it.

The hapless creature had no chance to dodge and the bolt went right into its mouth and exited via the back if the head. It hit the ground and gurgled loudly before dying comepletely.

Tenshin looked at her finger. "Let me see that hand." He took her hand gently. His hand shook a bit as he took it.

She looked at him. "N-no it's alright. You don't have to..."

Tenshin silenced her by pressing his free hand onto her injured on. He muttered a few words under his breath and her hand glowed an aqua-blue.

He pulled his hands away and they would was healed. She gasped. "A cure spell."

Tenshin sat back and started to breath heavily. Lydia looked at him, worried. "Are you alright?"

Tenshin nodded. "No, it's just that using a cure spell can take a lot out of someone."

Then, Lydia threw her arms around him. "Thank you. I'm sorry that you had to give up your energy for me. I just got careless."

Tenshin gasped. He returned her embraced. "No, there's no reason for you to apologize. It could have happened to anyone and I would do the same thing for any of my friends."

While this was going on, Kino was trying to fight off a gremlin that was battering him relentlessly with his bulb. Kino was doing pretty well by blocking the attacks with his racket.

He stepped backward as the gremlin took another swing at him, the momentum of the bulb throwing him off balance. He smirked and aimed a good it at the head.

The gremlin reeled backward. Kino jumped forward and tried to attack it again, but the gremlin jumped back and snickered.

Kino growled. The gremlin swung his bulb again, but this time, Kino surprised it by grabbing the bulb when it was in midswing.

The gremlin's eyes widened. Kino grinned, showing off some very fang-like teeth. "Who's laughing now, dumbass?"

Kino squeezed the bulb, causing the gremlin to wince in pain. He squeezed it so hard that a white substance began to emerge from the bulb that could only be the gremlin's blood.

Finally, Kino took mercy on the poor creature and brought his racket down on the bulb, causing it to pop. The gremlin shrieked and fell to the ground, twitching slightly. Kino looked down at it. "The poor thing looks like it's in pain."

He slung his racket over his shoulder. "Well, I think I'll leave it like that."

He walked off to see how the others were doing. Miko was locked in combat with a gremlin and a hedgehog pie.

The gremlin was bombarding her with its bulb and the hedgehog was ready to use its fire spell. "Damn it! If that thing fires that spell, there is no way that I can dodge!"

Then, she noticed Mu was standing right next to the hedgehog pie. It bit the monster right on the leg. The hedgehog launched its spell, but the angle was off thanks to Mu.

The spell flew right into the gremlin. Evidently, the gremlins did not like fire. It fell to the ground, its carcass twitched as it continued to burn.

Miko smirked at the hedgehog pie. It seemed to gulp and turned to run. It never got the chance. She was on top of it within seconds and beat it to death. It was nothing but a bloody welt by the time she finally stopped.

She breathed heavily and picked up Mu. "Thanks for the help, Mu."

Mu licked her face and snuggled up to her.

Angel held her sword at the ready as the final hedgehog neared her. It thrust at her with its spikes. She veered to the side and dodged the attack, lashing out with her sword.

The hedgehog pie dodged to the side and tried to bite her, but missed horribly.

Angel countered by ramming her sword into the back of the monster. Its tounge lolled out of its mouth and it fell on its side.

Angel sighed. This had been a young one and it wasn't really experienced in fighting. She felt bad about killing something so young, but it couldn't have been helped.

Mimi stared down another one of the gremlins. It seemed to be staring uneasily at her spear. Regardless, it started to run clumsily towards her. She dodged the attack and sent the blunt end of her spear into its face.

The gremlin backed up, but he tripped her with his rather long bulb tentacle.

She fell to the ground but grabbed herself and rolled out of the way before the gremlin could take advantage of this situation.

She tripped him with the blunt end of her spear, sending it to the ground. She jumped up and quickly jabbed the sharp end of the spear into it. It went through the mandatory spasm before dying. She pulled out her spear and wiped it clean on the ground. "Cleaning this thing is always such a hassle."

Sano sighed as the final gremlin looked around and, seeing its companions dead, ran away. "Well, that was a waste of our time."

Everyone regrouped and started to travel onward. They had made some good progress when Mimi noticed an odd shadow on the ground. "Say, did you guys see that?"

Kino turned to her. "See what? Don't tell me that your going loopy on me now!"

Zen shook his head. "No, I saw it to."

Angel was about to speak, when she felt something grab her shoulders and lift her off the ground. There was nothing she could do, but scream, "Help!"

Everyone looked to see an odd creature flying off with her. It had the wings of a bat, the talons of an eagle, and the horn of a unicorn. Its body was rounded and one huge eye kept blinking at them. Its dragon-like tail swished from side to side menacingly.

Sano drew his sword. "It's an Ahriman!"

Tenshin raised his hand. "Don't worry. I'll bring him down with a gravity spell."

Lydia grabbed his hand. "No! If you do, you might hit Angel and even if you hit it, the drop will still do sufficient damage to her."

Tenshin nodded and lowered his hand. "Well, we have to think of something."

Sano stepped forward. "You guys get going! I'll follow the Ahriman and get Angel back."

Miko looked at him. "But Sano..."

Kino stepped forward and shook his head. "Let him go, Miko. He may be crazy, but he has a point. He would have a much easier time tracking that monster on his own."

Kino gave him an understanding look. "Good luck, man. And come back alive. Both of you."

Sano nodded. "Thanks, I'll see you guys later."

Sano ran off after Angel and the Ahriman.

He ran after it for some time before he finally managed to catch up with the monster. He looked up and saw that he was right underneath them. He had an idea. It was risky, but it was probably the only way of getting her down. "Angel! Draw your sword and impale him!"

Angel looked down at him. "B-but I'm so high off the ground!"

Sano shouted back, "Don't worry, I'll catch you! Just do it!"

Angel nodded and drew her sword. She thrust upward and impaled the monster. It shrieked and opened its talons, letting her drop.

Angel screamed as she fell straight downward, towards the ground. Sano stopped and stretched out his arms. Angel crashed right into him. He fell to the ground and she landed unharmed. She gasped. "Are you alright?"

Sano laughed. "I'm fine, but I could ask you the same question."

Angel got off of him and threw her arms around him. "I'm fine now, thanks to you."

Sano smiled and returned the hug, blushing at the close contact between them. "Um, we should find the others, shouldn't we?"

She nodded. "In a minute. Can we just stay like this for a few seconds?"

Sano answered by tightening the embrace. Angel opened her closed eyes and gasped. "Look out!" she shouted. She pushed Sano out of the way and took a fireball right in the chest.

Sano gasped. "Angel, are you alright?" he asked. He looked over to see what had assaulted them. It was a large purple plant, similar to a violet, but the center of the flower held a rather disturbing, toothy grin. It howled as Sano drew his sword on it. "It's a hell plant!"

Sano held up his shield as the monster launched another fireball at him. It glanced right off and Sano lunged forward. "This is for my friend, you jerk!"

Sano slashed the plant right at the stem. The flower fell of and wilted, the brilliant purple turning a dull brown.

Angel watched with a smile. Then, she noticed something slithering towards Sano. It was a baby carrion worm!

Ignoring all the pain the fireball had inflicted into her chest, she lunged at the worm as it raised up to hit Sano. She sent her sword right through its skull and into the brain. It didn't even wriggle. It simply stiffened for a second, then dropped dead.

Sano turned just in time to see her impale the worm. Angel fell backward, clutching her chest and panting heavily.

Sano looked at her, worried. "Angel, are you okay?"

She nodded, but winced. "I guess not. That fireball left a pretty big mark. I'm not sure if I'll be able to walk. The only way that I can move without hurting is if I take slow, big breaths."

Sano looked at her, a slight blush on his cheeks. "Well, uh, I could carry you."

Angel blushed as well. "Um, okay..."

Sano nodded and lifted off of the ground, piggy-back. They were both blushing even though no one was looking at them.

They walked like that for a long time until they came to a small clearing in the forest. Angel looked around and suddenly realized something. "Hey, Sano? How are we able to stay alive in the Miasma without a crystal?"

Sano gasped and almost dropped Angel. He gently set her down and thought of something. He pulled out one of the mushrooms that Tenshin had given him. "It has to be these mushrooms. Somehow, they must have some connection with the Myrrh trees."

Angel pulled out hers. "That seems logical." Then, she looked into the center of the clearing to see an odd plant staring at them. Wait, staring at them? "S-Sano?"

He nodded and looked at her. "Yeah?"

She pointed to the plant. "W-what is that?"

Sano looked over and gasped. "I-it's a Malboro!"

The plant, taking notice of the two, seemed to breath in deeply. It suddenly grew to nearly ten times its original size. It was now easier to see its features. It had a giant mouth filled with razor sharp teeth and a long, squirming tounge. It was green and had several eyes hanging off of membranes on the top of its head. The lower portion of its body was covered in long, gangly tentacles. It roared."

Sano got up and drew is sword. "Stay away from her!"

The Malboro replied by roaring once again. It was clear to see that it was rooted in place, but one of its tentacles reared up and made a slap at Sano.

Sano was determined to keep Angel safe and raised his shield. The attack was blocked, but Sano was forced to the ground. He quickly got back up and raised his shield.

Angle looked up at him. "Sano, attack! It'll just keep beating on you if you refuse to attack him!"

Sano looked at her. "Angel, if I move, then you'll be left vunerable to that thing! I refuse to let anything happen to you!"

Angel smiled. "Thank you. But please be careful. I don't want to lose you."

Sano nodded. "No worries. I'll be fine."

The Malboro reared back its ugly head and spewed out its poisonous breath.

Sano knelt down and used his shield to cover both of them. "Hold you breath!" he commanded.

Both of them took a deep breath as the poison gas rolled over them. Even though they did not breath anything in, the mere touch of the gas was like burning acid.

As the fumes subsided, Angel let out her breath. "God, that hurt!"

Sano lowered his shield and nearly lied down. "I-I'm sorry, angel, but I think I breathed some of that stuff in. If he does that again, I'm finished."

Angel gasped. "Sano, don't say that! You're gonna be okay!"

Sano shook his head. "Listen, I want you to try and crawl away. If I don't make it, at least you will."

Angel lifted her self and threw her arms around him. "Sano, if you die, then I die with you! I'm not leaving you here by yourself."

Sano, keeping the shield facing the Malboro, used his free arm to return her hug. "Angel..."

The Malboro roared again, as if trying to get their attention. Sano turned to face the creature. "Do your worst, you pathetic excuse for a plant!"

The Malboro reared its head back, signifying that it was going to breath out its poison fumes once again.

Sano braced himself. 'well, this is the end."

The Malboro was about to let its attack go, when a giant fire spell landed right in its mouth. It yelled out in pain, the attack canceled by the heat.

Sano looked around. "Where did that come from?"

Angel pointed over to the left. "Look! It's Lydia"

Sano looked and there she was in all her glory. Lydia had one of her hands raised as if she had just cast a spell. She looked at the two. "Well, this is a welcome surprise. We didn't expect to see you two alive again. We had just remembered that you two would have died just minutes after you left the chalice's protective field."

Sano smiled at her. "It's a long story. We'll tell you after we're done here."

The Malboro turned its attention on the intruder. It growled and opened its mouth wide again, only to have a second fireball landed in its gaping maw.

It roared in annoyance. Tenshin stood next to Lydia and put his hand down. "Well, we would love to hear it."

The Malboro was very annoyed now. It raised a few if its tentacles and tried to slam them into the two Yukes. A spear flew right into them, linking the tentacles together and keeping them from moving.

Zen rushed into the action and brought his axe down onto the tentacles, severing them from the Malboro, who roared in pain.

Miko appeared next to Sano and Angel. "Nice to see you two again. Ready to blind sight this guy, Mu?"

Mu nodded and purred. It jumped into the air and curled up into a ball. Miko pulled out her racket and hit Mu with such force, it sent him right up to the top of the Malboro.

Mu quickly scurried from one of the membranes to the next, biting them off as it went. Since each of the membranes contained an eye, the Malboro was soon blinded.

It screeched as each of the eyes fell to the ground. It was now completely blinded. Mu jumped off of the Malboro and jumped back into Miko's waiting arms.

The Malboro, now robbed of its sight, started to thrash from one side to another, trying everything that it could to kill off the intruders.

Kino jumped next to everyone else. "I guess I'm up."

He held up a small bomb. Taking a piece of flint, he quickly lit it. Next, he threw it up into the air and hit it with the racket. As with the two fire spells, the bomb entered the open mouth of the monster. A large explosion was heard and the Malboro lurched forward.

Everyone looked at it as an odd green liquid started to leak out of its mouth in great quantities. The body had stopped moving, but it continued to growl.

Everyone looked at Sano and Angel. Kino was the first to speak, as usual. "So, spill it. How did you two manage to survive out here without a crystal?"

Sano and Angel quickly explained everything that had happened to them, purposefully leaving out the more intimate parts.

Tenshin tapped his helmet in thought. "So, these mushrooms contain the essence of Myrrh. Interesting."

Angel nodded. "That's what we think."

Miko picked up the chalice from Mog. "Well, I think that they Myrrh tree is over there."

She pointed to a large glowing plot of land. They headed over to find that the tree was surrounded by a ring of the same mushrooms that had protected them from the Miasma before. Lydia nodded. "This proves it. These mushroom are formed as a reaction to the Myrrh."

Miko walked up to the tree and placed the chalice under it. As if on instinct, a drop of Myrrh fell from the tree and landed in the chalice. The chalice was now two-thirds full.

Miko took the chalice and brought it back to the others. "Two down and one to go."

Mu nodded and licked her face again.

They heard a familiar sound next to them. "Mailmoogle at your service, Kupo!"

Everyone received another letter from their family.

Sano opened his letter and blushed as he read it. 'Dear son, this may be an awkward time to ask you, but if at any time during you travels you happen to come across a suitable wife, please let me know. I really would like to live to see my grandchildren, but you just seem to have the worst luck being so shy. Just keep you eyes open and let me know. Signed, your mother.'

Sano smiled, even though the blush was still there. He quickly wrote a reply, assuring his mother that he would keep an eye open.

Angel sighed as she read hers. 'Dear Angel, once again, we are sorry about your flowers, but the new garden is coming along great. In about a week, it will be as if nothing ever happened to them.'

Angel dropped a small flower seed she had found into the envelope and wrote a reply.

Tenshin shook his head in sadness as he read what his sister had written to him. 'Dear brother, I'm sorry to report that a goblin managed to break into the alchemy last night. Although I am fine, the goblin destroyed several items in my possession. I'm trying my best to rebuild and rebuy what I have lost, but it is taking a big toll on my finances. With love, your sister.'

Tenshin reached into his baggy pockets and pulled out a handful of gil and one of the mushrooms. He slipped them both into the envelope and quickly wrote a reply saying that he hoped that she would be able to rebuild what she had lost and also asked her to research the mushrooms that he had found.

Lydia nodded in satisfaction at the latest letter. 'Dear Lydia, the ranch has had another expansion and we have been able to afford a few new animals here. Unfortunately, we need a few new cows. A few of the older ones died off yesterday. Well, best wishes to you and your friends, you grandmother.'

She nodded again and wrote back, saying that she will try and locate a few new cows somewhere.

Zen looked at his. He smirked. 'Dear Zen, Im tryin to save up some mony for you so you can get some new wepons and armer. Good luck, your brother.'

He shook his head. His brother was not very good at spelling, being so young. He scribbled a reply down quickly and put it in the envelopes.

Mimi sighed as she looked at her letter. 'Dear Mimi, if you have any time during your travels, we are in desperate need of more wheat seeds. Please send us some if you have a chance. Signed, your father.'

Mimi nodded and wrote down her reply, saying that she did not have any with her at the moment, but she would look for some in the near future.

Kino growled as he read his letter. 'Dear brother, How are you doing? Momma said your in a lot of trouble when you get home. She says it's for groping a girl. What's groping? Anyway, she says she's gonna give you the biggest spanking in history. So big, you won't be able to sit down for a few months. I don't suggest using the front door to the house any time soon. Signed, your brother.'

Kino growled and wrote down an angry reply. Not really the smartest thing to do considering the situation, but he wasn't one for thinking of future consequences.

Miko laughed as she read her letter. 'Dear Miko, today I caught one of the biggest fish that I had ever seen I went and took it home when one of my friends comes up to me and says "Say, your granddaughter is looking rather chunky today. And she's breathing funny. Does she have Athsma?" Just goes to show you that my friends and I are getting to old for our own good. Best wishes, your grandfather.'

She laughed and wrote down her reply, asking him to try and explain to his friends that she was no longer in town.

They all handed their replies to the mailmoogle, who fluttered off. Sano nodded and picked up Angel, bridal style. "So, where do we go from here?"

Mimi spoke up. "Well, maybe we should stop at Marr's Pass and resupply ourselves. Plus, I hear that there is a Myrrh tree growing in the old iron mines near there."

No one had any objections, so they started the trek back through the forest. Angel looked up at Sano. "Wait. Thank you so much for helping me back there. It means a lot to me."

Sano nodded and smiled at the girl in his arms. "Don't worry about it. I would do anything for a friend."

The conversation probably would have continued if it wasn't for Kino. "Hey, are you two love birds gonna make love or come with us? Make up your minds now!"

They both blushed, but Sano headed off after Kino's voice. Angel giggled. "It's no wonder to me why his mother has to disciplin him so often. After we get home, how long do you think it will take for him to regain the ability to sit down if we tell his mother about everything that he has been doing"

Sano seemed to think for a second before he answered, grinning, "I'd say around three to five weeks or so."

They both headed off after the others, laughing.

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Well, I guess that every chapter will end up pretty long. This one that you have just finished reading is twenty-four pages long! Not bad, eh? Anyway, As to a few reviews that I have received, I will keep the characters as long as I like! Sorry, but somebody doesn't like Kino. Said reviewer says that Kino is turning the whole thing into a parody. But, I'm going to keep him. As another reviewer said, 'Every great Anime story needs a pervert somewhere!'.

That aside, I am glad everyone is enjoying this fic so far! Read and review and I'll get the next chapter up as soon as I can! SCHOOL IS OUT AT LAST! YAYAYA!