"Kiwa?" Kaoru asked nervously as they flew quickly away from the clearing.

"Shh," Acquila hushed her. "It'll be fine." He tightened his grip on her hand and pushed himself faster.

Kaoru's eyes widened but she didn't say anything more. She stayed away during the entire journey through the forest, it seemed like a long time though. When they made it out the other side, they were standing behind a house. Acquila pulled her forward, looking through the windows of the house. No one seemed to wake, which made sense because the sun was only just starting to rise.

He quickly pulled her around the house and down the street that it was on.

"The farther I get her away from the forest the better. I have to make sure she won't find her way back." He glanced back at her, only to see her nodding off. "If she sleeps for a while, I won't have to bring her much further. She won't know which way to go back."

Acquila led Kaoru quickly down the street and onto the next one, travelling as far as he dared to go without getting lost himself. When he stopped he peered into the windows of nearby houses until he found one where a young mother was waking up with a child who was just about four, two years older than Kaoru. Knowing that this woman had another child made Acquila feel as if this was Kaoru's best chance.

"Kaoru," he whispered to her, pulling her to the front of the house, "wake up."

"Kiwa," the young Hare said without opening her eyes.

"Can you land?"

Kaoru lowered herself to the ground and curled up in a little ball, still snoozing, right in front of the front door.

"Kaoru, are you listening?"

"Yeah, Kiwa," she sighed.

"I need you to do me a really really big favor, can you do that?"

"Yeah, Kiwa."

"Honey, open your eyes."

She opened her eyes, yawning, looking up at Acquila, trying her best not to fall asleep.

"You know how we taught you to fly? That was fun, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well, I need you to do something for me, okay? I need you to never fly ever, ever, again, alright?"

"Eva?"

"Ever, Kaoru. It's really important, okay?"

Kaoru looked at him and yawned again, closing her eyes. "Yeah, Kiwa."

Acquila looked around him. If Kaoru never flied, she would have less of a chance of finding them ever again. Less of a chance to leave this place. "Kaoru, what did I just tell you? Do you remember?"

"No fly eva," she sighed.

"Good, girl." Acquila stared at her for a few moments, making sure she was asleep, before turning and flying off.

"Where is she?" Peaches hissed the next morning back at the garden. "Where did you take her?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Peaches," Tuan sighed, continuing on with his work.

"Where is Acquila and that little brat?" he asked louder.

"Wherever Acquila decided to take Kaoru is his own business, Peaches. I'm sure they just went on a stroll and will be back soon. I never knew you cared so much for her, to be honest."

"This isn't over, Tuan," Peaches said through gritted teeth. "I will get her out of this garden if it's the last thing I do."

After Peaches left Tuan, Falon flew over to him.

Tuan looked up, "Thanks."

"It was only a little bit of him memory. You hitting him over the head was almost enough to do it, my coaxing just accelerated it a bit."

"Are you sure he'll never remember the fight in the forest?"

"I am sure."

"And you couldn't have gone further back with his memory, to a point when he was less... hostile?"

The old chao shook his head slowly. "It would seem suspicious to the others, but maybe with her gone now, he'll begin to act like his old self again. And everything will begin to return to normal."

"It's certainly quieter around here," Tuan sighed, looking around at the garden. The small group of chao that had taken to following Kaoru around in the last two years were sitting at the edge of the lake, staring out into the sky. A few were standing in the water, splashing each other, but the giggling that normally rang through the garden was gone. "Maybe it's better to erase everyone's memory."

"You know that's not possible. Everyone will feel her absence for a while, but soon they'll return to their own selves."

Acquila entered the garden just after sun down, only returning after seeing how the mother had reacted to Kaoru's presence and making sure she would be taken care of. He knew better than to act any way other than how he was actually feeling, distressed. He was worried for her and didn't like the idea that she was gone. Acquila was slightly relieved to have found someone so easily, but he couldn't let it out. He had to let his darker emotions rise if his plan was going to work.

"You!" Peaches saw Acquila straight away and ambushed him. "Where's the rabbit?"

Acquila looked at Peaches and let the pain fill his eyes. "Gone."

"Gone?" Peaches's loudness carried across the garden and a few surrounding chao flew over. "What do you mean she's gone? You released her?" The angry chao's voice was growing louder with every word and caught the attention of everyone around.

Tuan and Falon approached, standing behind Peaches at a distance, conveying to Acquila through signals that Peaches remembered nothing.

"No," Acquila whispered, looking down at the ground. "I didn't release her."

"Then where is she Acquila?" Peaches yelled. "Don't think you can duck the question!"

"She's dead, Peaches."

Peaches pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes, studying Acquila. "How?"

"I was walking with her in the forest and a large branch snapped, falling on top of her. Crushed her entire body. She was dead instantly."

Clenching his jaw, Peaches nodded. "I guess the problem is handled then."

"Is that really all you have to say?" Tuan asked from behind him. "The problem is handled."

"Isn't that all that matters?" Around him a few chao backed away, shocked at his words. "Isn't it?"