When will I stop spacing out and forgetting to post these chapters?! Eh, it's probably just because I'm used to only posting every six days at the least. (V2, if anyone was wondering which story was so lucky to have that schedule.) Anyway, I PROMISE that Chapter 3.1 will be ON TIME! (Even if school starts that day.)

Yikes! Don't you guys remember me grumbling and complaining in the last few posted chapters of 'A Spatial Tear' about school starting on a Monday? (They're back to Wednesdays, thankfully for my sanity.) Yeah, that was a whole year ago. Can you believe it? It felt... shorter, and yet longer at the same time. Shorter, because those Author's Notes are the last things I really remember writing for these stories before June. Longer, because of everything that's happened with my friends and dad and school... Eek, school...

So, enough of my rambling. This is it for chapter 2. It's a short chapter, compared to chapter 1, I know. And chapter 7 is four parts, too. But, chapter 4 is REALLY long... Okay, seriously? I need to stop rambling. And I need to yell at Tony, since he's supposed to update today...

I only own MY Original Characters/Artes. Some OCs/As belong to Tony(Marluxia of Avalon). But beyond that, I don't own TotA. Which sucks, because they killed all the God-Generals except Dist.

Chapter 2.4 – The Letter
Part 10

I yawned and stretched my arms out. It was about dawn, and I was just now waking up. But, that didn't really surprise me, after the Energy exertion from the day before.

"Finally awake, huh?"

I looked over at Dark and scowled. "I'd have been up sooner if I hadn't exhausted myself yesterday," I informed him. He raised an eyebrow.

"You're not usually this snappy," he observed. I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, I know. Give me a couple of minutes to wake up and I'll be my usual cheery self, though," I replied, standing and stretching out my legs. "So, when are we due to be arriving?"

Dark scribbled something down in what I guessed was his journal before sighing. "We'll be in Daath Bay sometime in the next hour, and it'll take at least another two hours to get to Daath from there," he informed me. I nodded slowly.

"I'm stopping by Aramis Spring. I've got an odd feeling…" I told him. He frowned.

"Feeling?" he echoed.

I shrugged. "It's probably nothing, but I just feel like I need to set something up. Just in case, I suppose. And if nothing else, it'll be worth the practice to draw," I told him. At the mention of drawing something, anything, my fingers started itching again, and I pulled out my sketchbook.

Sitting across from Dark and opening the sketchbook, I started drawing. He looked up at me with a mildly surprised look on his face, and I smiled at him before shrugging and returning to what I had been doing.

Lost in the shading I had been doing, I didn't notice when Dark stood. I did, however, hear the sharp inhale next to my left ear. Turning my head in surprise, I realized that Dark had been looking over my shoulder at my drawing.

I bit my lip. "Sorry. You were kinda just sitting there and—" I started. Dark shook his head.

"It's fine, I just… I hadn't expected… Wow… I… I'm not sure what to say…" he stumbled. I giggled and closed the sketchbook.

"I have a tendency to start drawing the first thing I see whenever I pull my sketchbook out," I told him. "It makes me feel like I'm preserving a memory."

Dark smiled, a real, genuine smile for once. "Nice to know that the memory of me writing about my personal problems has been preserved," he joked. I laughed and slipped the sketchbook back into my bag.

"I've got a picture of Nephry in there, too," I told him, pulling my bow and quiver on and following him out of the cabin. Koran followed us as well, and he nudged me slightly as we went along before growling.

"He wants to know if you'd take him with you to Aramis Spring," Dark translated. "I can't exactly bring him with me to Daath, which means he'll be stuck outside the city until I'm done."

I smiled and looked over at Koran. "I don't see why not," I agreed. Dark smiled again.

"Thanks, Kairi," he said quietly. I looked over at him and smiled back.

The three of us stepped off of the ferry together, and Dark headed straight out of town, Koran on his heels to avoid lingering in the small port town. Yes, there was Daath, and there was the port, but of course there was a small town around the port, as well as Daath itself.

So, after wandering around a bit, I left the port. Koran growled from the side of the road, and I grinned. "So, ready to head for Aramis Spring?" I asked him. He nodded and looked off to our left, in the general direction of the spring.

We had just barely set off when the first group of monsters attacked us. Letting Koran worry about keeping them away, I pulled my bow from my back, unleashing a small volley of arrows before I gave in, nodded to myself, and slipped into what I was starting to think of as my casting stance.

"O demonic gate, burn to ashes! Sapphire Riot!" I chanted, the arte landing on top of two bees that had been heckling Koran. He growled over his shoulder thankfully before jumping and landing on a wolf, killing it. A final arrow from my bow killed the last monster, and I smirked. "Piece of cake."

Koran nodded, and we headed off again, reaching the entrance to the caverns around the spring without finding any more monsters. I looked around curiously. "So, this is Aramis Spring, huh?"

Koran growled curiously, and I shrugged. "What? I've never actually been on this continent before. I know a little… okay, a lot about it… but I've never been here myself," I told him. Then I started forward again, heading for the caverns that would lead us to the spring.

Koran trailed behind me, his head swinging back and forth as he watched for monsters, and I kept an eye out myself. I didn't want to be caught off guard. Although, the monsters here were weaker than those around Keterburg, and I'd gotten used to those.

A warning growl caught my attention, and I drew a set of arrows, holding two and pulling the third back as a duo of gray crab-like monsters landed in front of me. Iron Crabs, I think they're called.

I released the arrow I was holding jumping back twice as Koran moved in to attack. "Careful, Koran! These things can petrify you," I warned the liger as he unleashed a lightning-based attack on one of them. He growled and nodded, I suppose as a gesture to assure me that he had heard, before continuing to attack the crabs.

I stepped back and started gathering up fonons again. "O frigid blades, pour forth! Icicle Rain!" I chanted. Once I had gotten the ratio right, it was no problem to actually use the arte.

Then one of the crabs got around Koran and charged right at me. Tossing my bow from my left hand to my right, I drew my sword and slashed at the monster twice, killing the already weak crab. Koran quickly dispatched the other, and I grinned.

"Next?" I joked. The liger barked out a laugh as I sheathed my sword and shifted my bow back to my left hand. Yes, I could shoot left-handed, but I was much more accurate right-handed, so it made no sense not to shoot right-handed.

We headed further into the caverns, having to backtrack more than once after having gotten lost, and finally, after a number of battles with monsters that I felt were weak, we reached the ledge above the spring. I grinned and looked down at it, then frowned and looked around.

If I was going to draw an Energy circle, I'd need a flat surface that could hold the chalk, and grass wasn't going to cut it.

Of course, I could always use the stone just inside the caverns. It was nice and dry, and it wouldn't be worn or washed away too easily, or too quickly, at least. I nodded to myself and started digging in my bag for the colored chalks we had bought, pulling out one of the white ones.

Koran growled questioningly as I bent over, sitting on my knees to start drawing. I smiled. "This is what I wanted to set up, just in case. I don't know why I think I'll need it, but oh well. Better safe than sorry," I told him. He growled an nudged me, then nodded toward the large, empty circle that was currently on the ground in front of me.

I frowned. "What's it for?" I guessed. Koran nodded. "It's a teleportation circle, or at least, it will be once I'm finished. Useful for cases where you have time, but you really do need to get out of a bind."

He sat quietly and watched as I drew every detail of the painstakingly complex circle out. I didn't like Energy circles, for this exact reason, but it was the only way to do really complicated magic without killing myself. And this was definitely complicated magic.

Once I was done, I took a deep breath and sighed before carefully standing and slipping the chalk back into its box. Then, looking over my work, I smiled. "Well then, time to leave… again," I muttered. Then I looked over at Koran and frowned. "Do try not to walk through it? My legs hurt from kneeling for so long," I told him. He nodded and stood, taking a couple steps back before jumping right over the circle. I smiled gratefully and slipped around the outside edge.

We wandered back through the caverns, taking our time and killing any monsters that came anywhere close. I made sure to pick up the Gald and items they dropped, knowing well that I'd need it all. Koran did a good job of warning me when the Iron Crabs were about to drop from the ceiling, and we both managed to avoid being petrified by the damn things…

Although, I've got to admit. Some monsters just aren't all that intelligent. A couple of the Iron Crabs attacked us, and ended up on either side of my liger companion. They started to charge, and Koran got out of the way, resulting in them running into and petrifying each other…

Koran and I stopped and exchanged looks before glancing back at the crabs. Yup, definitely not going anywhere any time soon…

I bent over and started laughing, and Koran's barking laugh joined mine as we started back along the path, heading for the light of the outside world.

"Wow… I didn't think that was even possible," I commented incredulously. Koran nodded, his eyes still rather wide, and I sighed and looked around. "Well… I guess I'm off to Daath now. How much longer to you think Dark will be? We were in there for a few hours, and he said it took a couple of hours from Daath Bay to Daath."

Koran's shoulders shifted, the closest equivalent he could get to a shrug, and I echoed the movement. "Might as well be going," I prompted. He nodded and we headed out of there, back toward the road.

The road had just come into sight when Koran's warning growl rang out. Nocking an arrow—an instinct to defend myself that was only becoming more honed over time—I spun around, bow in half-draw when I recognized the man that was approaching us. I frowned. The road was off to my left… what was he doing off to the right?

Koran growled at him, and that's when I realized that the man was in a defensive position, scythe shaft angled across his body.

"Koran, enough. Reighn, put that away or at least turn it away from him," I ordered, relaxing my arm. The blue-haired man did as I said slowly, his gaze never straying from the liger at my side.

"Friend of yours?" he asked cautiously. I smiled and nodded.

"Yup," I replied cheerfully. Then I frowned and crossed my arms. "What are you doing over here, out of curiosity?"

Reighn shrugged, slipping his scythe onto his back as the blue blade mysteriously disappeared. "I was bored and felt like killing a few monsters. What about you? The road to Daath is over there, and I'm pretty sure I saw you coming from that direction," he stated, pointing back toward Aramis Spring.

"Well, that makes two… Eh, technically three of us. But, I did promise someone that I'd meet them in Daath, so… Now I'm heading that way," I told him, pointing in the direction of the distant but visible cathedral spire. Reighn nodded.

"Yeah, I've got to head home myself. And home is over the river, so… Looks like I'll be joining you for a bit, unless your liger friend minds," he said, looking cautiously at Koran. The liger gave me a look that said 'if we must' before heading toward the road.

"Welcome to the party, then," I said off-handedly before following Koran. Reighn wasn't far behind me, and soon the three of us were on our way toward Daath.

We were about forty minutes into our journey when we crossed the bridge. Reighn stopped and shouldered the scythe he had out from our most recent battle.

"I'd love to continue with you two, but my little sister is waiting on me, and if I went all the way to Daath, I'd just have to backtrack again later," he explained. "See you around, Kairi," he added before wandering off, heading north along the river. I crossed my arms and looked over at Koran.

"I get the feeling I'll be seeing him again," I commented. The liger nodded, and then I huffed and wandered over to a tree, sitting and leaning against it. "Come on, let's take a break."

Koran sprawled out in the shade next to me, and after a few moments, I moved so that I was leaning against him instead of the tree. Of course, I was running my fingers through his mane at the same time, so I really don't think he minded.

We had only been sitting there for a while when a familiar voice rang out. "Oh, hey there!"

Koran and I both looked up, and I smiled when I saw Cantabile walking—correction, limping—toward us. My smile faded. "You okay?" I asked. The God-General looked at me in confusion, then smiled.

"Just a wound from a long time ago. It kept me pretty much bound to my desk for a couple of years, though. Nice to be out and about again," she told me, sitting down against the tree in the spot I had vacated in favor of sitting against Koran. "I take it Sync actually did send that letter, then?"

I bit my lip, then gave in and laughed. "I have to ask… Did you ever read it?" She shook her head, and I started digging through my bag. Once I'd found it, I handed it over, and Cantabile cautiously took the paper, as if afraid of the words written upon it.

I watched her expression go from confused to something that translated as WTF?! Which then turned into exasperation.

"I ought to make that boy start writing me letters whenever one of us is not in Daath. Maybe he'll figure out how to… you know… actually write a letter…" she muttered.

I doubled over laughing. "Nephry and I kept joking that you forced him to do it, and that he'd never written a letter before," I managed through the laughter until I was on the verge of hyperventilating from lack of oxygen.

Cantabile looked like she only managed to avoid laughing by worrying over me, gasping for breath against Koran's shoulder. A low rumble let me know that the liger was concerned too.

"I'm fine… I'm alive… I can breath…" I whispered. Cantabile smiled.

"Well, as amusing at this was… I do have to be at the port rather shortly," she stated. I frowned and looked up at Koran. Somehow, during my laughing fit, I had ended up on the ground.

"If I ask nicely, will you carry her to the port?" I asked him. Cantabile blinked in shock.

"You don't need to—"

"You were limping pretty badly, Cantabile. Besides, it's not like I can take Koran into Daath with me," I interrupted her as I pushed myself into a sitting position. "Besides, at least if Koran takes you, you won't have to worry about monsters, and he'll have something to do, other than sitting around waiting on me or his friend."

Cantabile smiled sadly. "Yes, I suppose that's true," she agreed. Then she turned to look at Koran. "But, only if you're willing."

Koran stood and growled softly, then nudged her gently. I giggled. "I'd take that as a 'yes'." Cantabile laughed lightly.

"Well then, thank you… Koran," she said. The liger growled softly, and once Cantabile had climbed on, he looked over his shoulder at me, a questioning look in his eye.

"I'll be fine. I've gotten used to the monsters around Keterburg, remember? Fighting on my own again will be a welcome challenge," I said with a confident grin. Koran let out a barking laugh before taking off.

"Take care!" Cantabile called over her shoulder. I grinned and called back:

"Why wouldn't I?"

Can anyone figure out who Kairi meets next chapter? If you remember the original storyline, it shouldn't be too hard... Oh, and don't forget to review! (I'd like to see a new face this week... hint, hint.)