Author's Note: Hello everyone! I'm glad to report that I am officially moved into my new place, my work hours are more manageable now and I'm no longer sick! So updates should return to normal very soon! I know this one was delayed (more so than I wanted it to be) but I've finally got back on track and got my passion for this story again. Thank you guys for sticking with me and giving me your thoughts. It's really helped through this rough time and is very appreciated. Now if only my college internet didn't suck and spend hours trying to load this chapter, then it would have been up sooner. Like seriously I've been trying to upload this chapter for 3 days and it kept failing. Library reopened and finally I got it to work.

But at least it's here now! Enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-Four

The Crystal Spa

"So everything we did yesterday was pointless?"

Yasuko howled in frustration, slamming her head against the desk. All three of her friends- and a couple other students- nearly jumped out of their skin as her furious voice turned into whimpers, her body shaking in near quiet remorse. "All that chasing around, hiding every time she glanced back and trying to act natural with him..." She threw her finger out toward Chao accusingly without raising her head. "All of that, and she still gets kidnapped? What was the point in going through all that humiliation if it didn't accomplish anything?"

Chao snorted, pushing her finger away. Her arm dropped to her side like a ton of bricks and he rolled his eyes. "You think you're humiliated? If anyone saw what you were trying to do with me I would never hear the end of it."

"We needed to act natural and you weren't even trying!"
"We lost our chance to act "natural" when you started using stupid code names!"
"She didn't even hear the codenames! All you had to do was stay in character and we would have been fine!"

"How was I supposed to stay in character when you tried to kiss me?"
"I didn't not try to kiss you!" Yasuko sat up in a rush, cheeks burning in a mix of rage and embarrassment. Chao jumped back, holding his hands up defensively as a stricken look crossed his face. "I was going to hug you and you over assumed!"

"I over assumed? When I backed off you threw me into the river!"

"I didn't "throw" you into the river I "pushed" you into the river." She crossed her arms with a huff, looking away. "Such is the natural reaction for a girl when a strange man tries to kiss her unexpectedly."

"Don't pull that crap on me I had nothing to do with that mess."

"Guys, guys." Yuna placed a hand on both of their shoulders, glancing between the two as she tried diffuse the destructive force growing between them. "What's done is done. There is no point in arguing over yesterday when we have a much bigger problem to deal with today."

"Yeah listen to Yuna." Chao said. "God knows how stubborn you can be. At least she can talk some sense into you."

"How stubborn I can be? Look who's talking Mr. "I-take-no-responsibility-for-anything-I do."

"Why would I take responsibility for something that is your fault!"
"Oh so it's my fault now?"

"Yes!"

Yuna sighed as the two's shouting intensified, dropping her hands form their shoulders knowing she would no longer be able to stop them. Sliding between them just before Yasuko launched herself at Chao, she dropped into her seat next to Yuuki, who looked extraordinarily calm despite the cat fight raging behind them. "They're like an old married couple." Yuna sighed, rubbing her forehead. "An old, equally matched, very loud, married couple."

"They've been fighting like this since Yasuko moved into town." Yuuki said "Within a week they learned how to get under each other's skin and they've been doing it perfectly ever since. They are very similar, if you haven't noticed. Neither of them likes to back down from a challenge, even if it's something pointless."

"A friendly battle of the unbeatable egos?"

"Something like that." Yuuki shrugged. "You learn to tune it out after awhile."

"Judging by the horrified looks from the dozens of other classmates I say that might just be something you learned, Yuuki."

He smiled. "I have been friends with Chao for an extraordinarily long time."

Yuna laughed softly, before sighing again. "I talked to Kana yesterday Yuuki." He looked up at her curiously, nodding slightly to encourage her to continue. "Everything seemed like it was going well. She was even starting to open up to me. Now that she's been kidnapped... she's probably going to think I had something to do with it."

"I doubt that, Yuna. Kana may be hardheaded sometimes, but she's very intelligent. More so than people give her credit for. I haven't talked to her long but she's always been reasonable. Besides... if she's trapped in that place..." His eyes dropped to the desk as his expression stiffened. "The last thing she's probably thinking about is whose fault it is that she's there."

"And why did you think sitting on that bench was a good idea anyway?"

"Where else were we supposed to hide the tree you ran into?"

"I didn't "run" into it."

"Well it sure didn't run into you!"

Yuna groaned. "They're still fighting?"

Yuuki laughed. "When neither of them want to lose it's almost impossible to find a compromise."

"Well, if they don't figure this out soon, King Moron will..."

The classroom door slammed against the wall, cutting her off and startling the two "Shut your traps you love sick baboons! This is a classroom not a couples therapy!"

Yuna sighed as Chao and Yasuko immediately dropped into their seats, arms crossed as they avoided eye contact with anyone else in the room. "I spoke too soon."

Yuuki only chuckled.

OOOOOOOO

Though Yuna had not been surprised to see Teddie waiting for them the moment they entered the world, she was shocked to see her adorned in a variety of glistening light blue and white crystals like an overly rich duchess planning on attending the most grand ball of the season. She had even acquired a crown in the time they had spent apart, though instead of placing it on her head the usual way, the bear had let it rest around her right in a way that give it more of a "royalty that just got out of bed" look. Even the buttons on the front of her body had gems attached to them. "Hello friends!" The bear held her arms out as wide as they would go. Crystal bracelets-each one too big for her wrists and only staying on her arms because of her giant paws- clinked against each other much more loudly than Yuna thought possible. "What do you think of my new look?" She twirled around on one foot like an ice skater preparing to do her first big trick. Except Teddie looked a lot less graceful and nearly fell over when she made it all the way around.

"Where did you get those?" Yasuko asked, leaning in to stare at the crystals with an confused look on her face.

"They've been all over the place since that new girl showed up." The bear said cheerfully.

"New girl?" All four said in perfect unison. Teddie jumped so violently Yuna was surprised her fur didn't fly off.

"Don't yell at me!" She cried placing her hands on her head as she turned away from them, her body shaking in fear.

"Honestly." Yasuko sighed. "How do you not have a backbone by now."

Her ears perked up and she glanced back at the group with a confused look on her pudgy bear face. "What's a backbone?"

Yasuko deadpanned. "Forget I said anything."

"Teddie." Yuuki took a step forward. Teddie flinched back again, but relaxed slightly when he kneeled before her. "I'm sorry we startled you, it's just been a difficult few days for all of us."

Teddie's ears twitched as she stood up staright in an instant, eyes beaming as she rested her paw on Yuuki's head. "Do all princes treat their princesses like this?"

Yuna nearly choked on air as Chao joined Yasuko in the zone of blank expressions. Yuuki, however, still looked unaffected. In fact, he smiled warmly at the bear, taking her free paw with his hand. "Of course they do."

Yuna leaned toward Yasuko, lowering her voice. "Does she have any idea what he's implying."

"I don't think HE has any idea what he's implying." Yasuko groaned. "Yuuki's the only guy I know that can be charming and have no idea what he's saying."

You haven't met Akihiko...

"Match made in heaven." Chao grumbled.

If Yuuki heard anything they said he didn't show it. "That new girl you mentioned," he said to Teddie. "do you know where she is?"

"She's close by." She said with a nod. "It won't take very long to get there, but I sense a lot of shadows inside, and I've seen a few wandering around outside." She dropped her eyes to the ground as she swayed back and forth. "They're bigger and scarier than the ones you guys fought last time."

"We'll we're bigger and scarier than we were last time to." Chao said, hitting his fist against his palm with a wide grin. "And we've got Yuuki so there's no way we can lose!"

"And with your help," Yuuki said standing as Teddie's eyes rose to meet his again. "There's no way we won't succeed."
Teddie's eyes lit up like a family tree at Christmas time. "I won't let you down my prince!" She exclaimed as she spun around to lead the way. "Follow me!"

She took off, crystals clanging together as she bounced onto the bridge with cheers of happiness. "At least we found someone that can talk to her civilly." Chao said, glancing at Yasuko.

"I can talk to her civilly." Yasuko snapped. "You're the one who scares her."
"I scare her? You're the loud one."

"Oh I'm the loud one now?"

Yuuki sighed as Yuna took a cautious step away from them. "Remind me to never let them pair up again or we'll have to listen to this for another few days..."

"They'll get over it." Yuna said with a shrug. "At least... I hope so."

Yuuki chuckled. "So if we walk away now do you think they'll keep fighting?"

"And miss out on a chance to show each other up? I don't think their egos could take it."

OOOOOOOO

The Crystal Spa was much more extravagant than Yuna had expected, and after seeing it glittering on the midnight channel that was saying much. The exterior was made of pure crystal, glittering as if it was permanently caught in a state of shining perfection. The doorway was golden with intricate flowers of various shapes and sizes engraved down the middle. More light blue crystals outlined each half of the door as grand crystal door knobs sat in the center, shimmering as brightly as the rest of the building. The golden pathway leaded to the doorway was swept clean, but the area all around the building and the path was sprinkled with crystal jewelry of all kinds identical to the ones Teddie wore. "This is... extravagant." Yuuki said calmly as he rested his hand on the hilt of his katana.

"Teddie said that these places are reality for the one that's in here." Yuna said stepping up beside him. "But they seem to get more and more complicated with every person thrown inside."

"I wonder why that is..." He murmured softly.

"I wonder if I can take some of these home." Yasuko said behind them, crouching to peer at the crystals on the side of the walkway. "Sell them for some extra yen..."

"Right because nobody will question that." Chao said.

"Hey it's worth a shot."

"We are not taking the possibly shadow infused crystals from this world back into ours." Yuna said.

Yasuko threw her the most pathetic pouty face Yuna had ever seen. "They wouldn't have to know where they came from..."

"We don't even know if stuff from here would make it back over there." Chao pointed out. "Just because we can get in and out doesn't mean everything else can."

"You guys are no fun."

A gleeful, get sinister laugh made them jump, except for Yuuki who Yuna had learned was rarely started by anything. The doors to the spa snapped open as a new figure leaped through it, striking a pose just a few feet away from them. A bathing suit clad Kana winked at Yuna, before she spun around and positioned herself into another, dainty pose. "Welcome ladies and... boys." She glanced over at Chao and Yuuki, her face twisted in disgust for just a moment before she turned her attention back to Yuna. "So you did come for me after all." She said with a giggle. "I honestly didn't think you'd bother. All those things you said to me seemed so fake I had a hard time believing you." Her smile widened as she held her hands out like she wanted to give Yuna a hug. "But you're here now!"

"Where's Kana." Yuna said.

The shadow's head tilted as her face fell to disappointment. "I am her, don't you see?"

"Cut the crap!" Chao shouted. "We know what you are."

"You know nothing!" Kana shrieked. The ground shook as she grabbed her head with her hands. "None of you know anything about me! You don't even try!" She stepped back behind the doorway and threw her hand out, eyes blazing with fury. "I'm going to become the most beautiful girl in the world, then you'll see. But until then, be gone from my sight!" She threw her hand up and the door slammed shut. IN an instant, the ground began to shake violently. Yuna braced herself as Chao, Teddie and Yasuko fell into each other. Yuuki remained perfectly still, eyes on the ground.

"Something's coming!" Teddie shouted as she rolled around on the ground arms flailing. "And it's really bad."

The ground outside of the pathway began to crumble. Chao immediately scrambled back, dragging Yasuko with him as the land broke in many pieces, dissolving away into an endless abyss. A large white figure shout out from the abyss, spinning around the air before snapping its wings out, Brilliant white feathers cascaded down on the group, slicing Yuna's check as she scrambled to avoid it. For a moment, the monstrous swan gazed down at them, wings flapping gently to keep it aloft. strands of crystals dropped off of its wings, neck, and feet, shimmering as if the sun was shining just for them. "What is that?" Yasuko said.

Suddenly, the crystals turned pitch black, and the bird let out a horrendous screech as its eyes turned crimson red. It shot into the sky, flipping over as it dove toward the group. "Run!" Yuna shouted as she and the others all leapt to the side. The bird snapped at air, before darting back into the sky. Yuna rolled over, holding out her hand as a card appeared. "Suzaku!" She closed her fist and the card exploded, blue flames erupting into the air. A giant red bird appeared, the rainbow feathers of its tail dancing as if in a breeze. Pulling its head back, it puffed out its chest and threw open its wings as wide as they could go. Feathers of flames shot off its body, striking the swan before it could attack again. The creature screeched as it tumbled off the side, but its cries of anger quickly turned to silence.

"Well that went down easy." Yasuko said as she peered over the side.

"Assuming its actually dead."

The doors to the spa swung open. Yuna pulled Suzaku back and stepped forward. "Let's hurry just in case."