Disclaimer: I do not own RK.

Dome of Heaven

"Talking"
¨Talking¨
*Thinking*

Chapter 3. Travelling in the air


We're surfing in the air
We're swimming in the frozen sky
We're drifting over icy
Mountains floating by

Nightwish (cover) - Walking in the air
From album Oceanborn



Misao woke up and smiled. Sun had yet to rise and she could almost sense that this would be a beautiful day. Yes, it would be a busy day, but nice and warm nevertheless. What would she do? Others probably still needed her help. Chopping vegetables and serving people was not her favourite thing to do, but she could manage.

Something bothered her. There was something she had to take care of, but she could not remember. She sat up and watched around her room, suddenly noticing her already backed bags.

She remembered now. She had made an agreement with Senritsu. To discover the truth of her origins. Whether or not she was something Senritsu seemed to believe she was. The truth was that Misao knew hardly anything of her family. She knew that her parents and grandparents were dead, killed in the war, but that was all. She didn't know if she had aunts or uncles or cousins. She had asked, but nothing had been told. It was a subject avoided by one and all. If Senritsu was correct, then it would most probably shake up her world.

Misao hadn't seen either them after getting from the bath and walking into her room to rest and think. Think what? She would leave with some strangers that claimed that she was not a human in the words fullest sense. That she was actually something else, like they were. But what? That was something Senritsu had failed to tell her.

Misao stood up, suddenly feeling very tired. She didn't want to leave and what could she say to others?

"Good morning. Sorry, but I have to leave to discover if I am human or not. See you later. Bye."

*Yeah, right.*

But she couldn't just disappear. She could not explain or tell lie to them. She would have to leave a note.

Misao had done so few times in the past when she had been following Aoshi and trying to find him. Then they had known and understood her reasons but now they would not. She couldn't say that she would go to Tokyo because the truth about that was way too easy to find. And then they would all worry.

*Maybe they should worry. I must be losing my sanity. Agreeing to leave like that. Curse my curiosity!*

Misao walked to the only table in her room and took a piece of paper. Hastily she wrote down few lines.




~~


I am really sorry for leaving you to handle the rush time, but I had to leave. Something came up. I'll be back, soon hopefully.


~~




She thought for a moment, but couldn't think of anything more to say. They would be so mad at her for leaving no matter what she said. She changed her clothes to her normal Kyoto combination. If the others would see her dressed in her battle gear, they would become suspicious.
All the time she only thought just how stupid she was. Agreeing to leave with them, why the hell had she done so?

*I should have just ignored them, all the voices, Senritsu's words yesterday, everything. Then I would have been able to continue living like I have till this day!*

But in truth Misao had been a little bored. She always wanted action to her life, something to do. The peaceful life at the Aoiya just didn't fit her. She wanted to move and travel, discover new things. Unfortunately that desire had led her to this situation. She wanted to deny that she had ever heard any voices, but it was not a part of her nature and now she honestly wanted to know what it was that made her hear them. Besides, Senritsu had promised that if she wanted she would be allowed to leave even if she was right. But Misao had this strange feeling that if the answer would be yes, she would not want to leave...

The knock from the door interrupted her thoughts. She hid her note under her futon, not wanting others to see it yet. "Coming." She yelled to whoever was behind the door before rising to walk to the door.

She laid her hand on her door to open it and suddenly she knew who was behind it. Misao was not familiar with ki so she shouldn't have had any way of knowing who it was. But she did know. She felt it, deep inside of her heart. Strength. Comfort. Support. Wish to protect, to help embodied.

It was Senritsu.

Misao bit her lip and pulled the door open. There was no turning back now. She had promised and she would keep that promise.

Senritsu stood there, dressed and with all of her belongings and Kei. He stood behind Senritsu and Misao could feel his eyes on her. His expression revealed nothing, though. Senritsu cocked her head. ¨Are you ready? We have already paid for our visit.¨

Misao just couldn't get used to hearing her speak directly to her head. "Would you stop that?" Misao said, almost angrily. Anger that came from being a little afraid of the final answer. Senritsu blinked and opened her mouth to speak when Kei laid a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. Senritsu closed her mouth, but gave Kei a strange look.

Misao turned and simply took her stuff. She handed the bag to Kei. "I am not going to tell others that I am leaving. This bag is yours for now, not mine. I don't want to rise their suspicions for I am just going to leave a note. For now, I am just escorting you to... somewhere." She raised her eyebrow.

Kei nodded and spoke with a soft smile on his lips. "The closest forest is fine. Far from city if possible."

"Okay." Misao said but inside she frowned. Forest? Why did they want to go to a forest? She sighed. *This is some mess I have gotten myself into, but since it unavoidable now, I might as well make the best out of it.*

"Well, shall we go then?" Kei asked and Misao nodded. After giving a final look to her room, Misao shut the door and walked downstairs with Kei and Senritsu following her without saying a word.

Once again she was leaving her home. First it was to find Aoshi, second was to take Tomoe's diary to Tokyo. The journeys had always been hard and painful, but the results were always happy in the end. Hopefully, it would be so now also.
They were already at the door when Misao heard Okon calling her.

"Wait here. I'll be back soon." She left Senritsu and Kei to the door and headed towards the voice. Okon met her in the half a way. "Where are you going?" She asked.

Misao hated lying, but she really didn't have a choice. She didn't know where she was going, not yet anyway. "Senritsu and Kei asked me to guide them out of the city and I agreed. It may take some time."

Okon smiled. "Alright. I have things for you to do after you return." Then she turned and walked to the kitchen leaving Misao there to stand still. "I am sorry." She murmured quietly, turned and with Kei and Senritsu behind her, she exited the Aoiya somehow knowing that she would not be back soon. If ever.

They walked in silence, Misao leading them towards the mountain forest where Hiko Seijurou lived. Occasionally Misao heard whispers in her head and so knew that Senritsu and Kei were talking, but couldn't nor wanted to hear them. She had her own thoughts to keep her company, she didn't need others as well.

The forest was dark even though the sun lightened the sky. Misao chose the path that lead to Hiko's house, meaning to change it before they reached him. They had been walking for half an hour in the forest when Kei stopped. "I think this is enough."

Senritsu nodded. "Yes, but we shouldn't be on this path. Let's go deeper to the forest. No one will see us there."

"True, but then it is harder to take off." Kei said, not being so comfortable with the situation as Senritsu seemed to be.

"Not really, we just have to find some kind of a clearing. Let's search!" Senritsu smiled and waved her hand in the air like a child. "Kei, you go ummm... There!" She pointed to her left. Kei only nodded and disappeared to the shadows of the forest. He was used to the fact that his wife had her strange times.

"Misao. Would you mind going to that way while I'll search the opposite direction?" Now she pointed somewhere ahead of her.

Misao nodded, turned and was about to leave when she understood that Senritsu had not told her what she was to look for. "What am I supposed search for?"

Senritsu blinked and looked a little sheepish. "Some kind of a square where there is some space. We'll need it."

"What for?" Misao frowned.

Senritsu smiled. "Just look for it. If you find one, tell me or Kei so."

"Tell you how? By yelling? If we are far apart, I don't think you will hear me."

Senritsu blinked and shook her head. "No, no. All you need to do is think about him or me and then tell it to us. In your head, I mean."

¨I found something. Come and see. I think this should work just fine.¨ Senritsu turned automatically to the direction where Kei was and took a hold of Misao's hand. ¨Alright, love.¨

"Hey! Where are we going?" Misao complained. She hated being left into the shadow. Everyone seemed to do so and she hated it.

"Kei found a clearing for us." Senritsu said and pulled Misao forward.

"Huh? How do you---" Misao started before she realized that she already knew. "Never mind." She blushed a little. This was embarrassing. Senritsu only smiled.

They walked for few minutes before the forest suddenly cleared out. They were standing in a clearing and Kei walked to them. "This should work just fine." He said and Senritsu nodded. Then she turned to Misao with a serious expression.

"Listen now Misao." She started with a serious voice. "As you already know, we differ from humans. The difference is that while humans where meant to live on the surface of the Earth, we were created to live in the air. Our bodies are made to sustain the wind, coldness and speed we can reach. We are like... human-birds."

And she stepped one step back and closed her eyes.

Misao just stared at her disbelieving. This was ridiculous. She was just about say it to her when something happened. Senritsu's clothing moved a little and then more. It tightened in her front being pulled back. Misao saw something black appear behind her and started.

Wings started to grow from Senritsu's back. They grew bigger and bigger until both of them were as tall as she was. Every feather was raven black. Misao looked at the scene before her with wide eyes, this was not possible.

Senritsu opened her eyes and smiled at Misao who kept shaking her head. "That's not.. possible."

"Yes it is. To me and Kei now and to you in the future if I am correct and you are one of us. We are race that humans have already forgotten. Ancient stories tell about us, but none believes them anymore."

She pulled her scarf and covered half of her face with it and Misao saw Kei do the same. Then she gave one to Misao. "It's cold up in the air. Take this and do as we did." Misao took the scarf and Senritsu helped her to fold it well. Kei took their bags and the grew wings for himself like Senritsu had. Misao shook her head. *This is positively insane. Impossible.*

"Trust me, please." Senritsu held out her hand for Misao to take. She hesitated, but then sighed and took it. Senritsu pulled her close and fastened belts around her. "Hold onto me." She said with a gentle voice. Misao could not see her face, but she could have sworn that she was smiling.

Misao wrapped her hands around Senritsu who took her into her arms. "Am I too heavy?" Misao asked and Senritsu shook her head. "You are too light in my opinion."

Misao was about to comment that when Senritsu suddenly jumped. Her eyes went wide and then she closed them, anticipating that they would hit the ground soon. Strange wind brushed her face and when the hit didn't come, she opened her eyes. She saw Senritsu's wings flap before her with amazing speed and when she looked around, she saw that they were already far up. The ground was slowly getting further and further away. She saw Kei also flying ahead of them. He seemed to move faster than they did.

To her surprise Misao found herself enjoying up in the air. She saw ground moving under them with speed. Forests, houses and little rivers. Lakes glimmered in the sun. It was a little bit cold up here, but Senritsu had wrapped a coat around her and so she wasn't freezing. As she looked up, the clouds seemed just as distant as before. Senritsu flew up and forward, how Misao knew this, she could not explain. Somehow she knew how long distance they had covered and how up they were. No one from the ground would see them clearly this far up.

Suddenly Senritsu headed straight up and Misao gasped. The wind seemed a little warmer now and Misao knew that they had arrived to their destination. The world went white for a moment and then they broke trough.

What Misao saw surprised her and made her speechless.

Before her she saw a whole new world.


End of chapter 3.
To be continued in chapter 4.

To all you waiting for WoI, don't worry. I am working on it at the moment. It's half done already and since I know what will happen, it won't take that long before I'll get it ready to be uploaded.

Tiian