Wow…and it seems like only yesterday that I was publishing Kokuyoku no Maigo for the first time…Oh how the time flies!! Well, since this story is partly about the crossing over to a parallel Universe (or Esrevinu, as the Thraens put it), this is going to be about what is happening on the other side of the Yumigata no Hikari (or, Arch of Light). Of course, since this is a parallel Universe, there are more differences than the counter-parts and the way Thraens write their names (with the surname first, and the first name following, so as to show respects to their ancestors). This chapter will be a bit of an eye-opener for those who have some unanswered questions – well, I hope this chapter answers questions… Anyways, here's Chapter 8!

Chapter VIII

Shinseki no Sukuimasu!

Day: Friday night, Three days earlier

Time: 2100 hours (9pm)

Location: Kaitou Kurai's house,

Onamuza, Iaknohin, Thrae, the Esrevinu.

(A/N: Iaknohin is the name of Kurai's country. Basically it's the Thraen counter-part of the DN Angel version of Japan. It's pronounced, ee-uh-NŌ-hin. (There's a silent 'k'.))

Kaitou Akai's P.O.V

Oh Nasahsio, what's taking her so long? She was meant to be helping me with my homework, like, an hour ago! Instead of helping me, she's just taking bugger ages, leaving me to throw a tennis ball at the bedroom wall for entertainment while I wait for her. I swear, when she gets back I'm going to be throwing the ball at her head! She's going to so regret standing me up like this when she very well knows that I need it in for tomorrow!

As target practise for when she gets back, I began throwing the ball really hard at a red mark on the white wall, from when Kurai had thought it a good idea to spray dye her then short hair red so as to confuse everyone at school into getting us mixed up – it never worked though: Mom had caught her at it just as she was about to do the first spray, causing her to miss and spray the wall instead. Thinking it was my idea, Mom made me clean it up, despite the fact that once spray dye hit a wall, it never budged.

Kurai may be annoying at times, but she always made up for it with something fun. In that case, I suppose I won't hit her hard with the tennis ball – I'll just have to throw it half as hard.

Looking up at the clock, I watch the minute hand move to the quarter mark – that meant it was quarter past nine. By this time on a Friday night, Kurai and I would have already chosen and started a DVD to watch until 11 pm, the choice usually some western teen-movie like Road trip or a medical drama like House, or even an emina series like Death Note.

(A/N: Please note, that Emina is the Thraen counter-part of Anime, just so you know)

However, if the reason was love-related, I may just allow her to be excused from her punishment: I've seen the way that she looks at Hikari Satoshi, and it's quite surprising that they aren't going out already. They are extremely good friends and it probably wouldn't be an understatement if I were to say that they would risk their own lives to save each other's.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps come up the stairs. They were quick and urgent and heavy – Mom's footsteps. She walked into the room, tears in her eyes and the phone in her hands. Her nose was running, and every now and again she would give a sniff.

"Mom? What's wrong? Who's on the phone?" I couldn't keep the fear out of my voice, and the worry was forcing tears to well up in my eyes.

"T-that w-was M-mrs Hikari. Sniff. S-Satoshi and K-Kurai n-never g-got home. Sniff. T-their mi-." she faltered, and took a deep breath. "T-their mi-missing-" she suddenly dissolved into tears, crying hard and loud. Stunned by the news, I was frozen to the spot, practically unable to move and comfort Mom. Something bad has probably happened to Kurai and Satoshi, and it pained me that I didn't know.

Finally summoning up my strength, I put my arms around Mom, patting her on the back. "Don't worry," I whispered, "The Police will find them. They'll know what to do." Suddenly, from the corner of my eye, something strange happened: the red spray dye on the wall began to slowly fade before my very eyes, until there was nothing left but the tiniest unnoticeable speck of red. My eyes widened at the sight, and I was half-convinced to bang my head to snap myself out of the insanity.

This isn't right: any sort of magic was banned in this Esrevinu, and the disappearing act of the spray dye was definitely breaching some sort of scientific law or two. Shiro will have to know about this: he's really quite smart when it comes science and that. Besides, it's his brother that's missing, and he will want to help at any cost.

Lying in bed later that night, I decided that leaving the finding to the Police was not the way to go: only recently, a little boy was taken from his parents, and he's still not been recovered after two years of desperate searching – enough time for the boy to be pronounced legally dead. No, it's up to Shiro and I to find our siblings if we ever want to see them again.

Suddenly, I sat up in bed, eyes wide with amazement. Of course! Why didn't I think of it earlier: Shiro and I must start our own Shinseki no Sukuimasu – a Sibling Search! There have been many reports of kids doing a Shinseki no Sukuimasu, and finding them successfully without Police assistance. Why not Shiro and I do the same?

Now: let the searching begin!

Hurrah! Chapter 8 has finally been completed! I was planning on having it a bit longer but that was then and this is now. Still, at least the chapter is done now.

You know, it's coming up to a full year since the first chapter of this story was first published. I know the progress has been a bit slow, but I've been getting less time for this recently, what with GCSEs and the like. Still, I'm going to make it my New Year's resolution to not be such a lazy ass and actually complete a story some time soon, or at least start updating more often.

Well, I hope all of my faithful fans don't lose hope on me just because I've been losing slack and not updating for weeks at a time: I do have other stories to do, you know.

That's it for now. I hope you guys have enjoyed my so far one year of service on here, and I'm hoping to make the next year an even better one.

Please R&R this chapter. SEE YA!!!

P.S. the chapter title this time means: Sibling Rescue, or Rescue of Sibling. I know that Akai have put it to mean Sibling SEARCH, but it really depends how you want to look at it.