Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon or the Arthurian Legends. I do, however, own Akebono and the creation of Avalon as a world in itself.

There's no one in town I know
You gave us some place to go.
I never said thank you for that.
I thought I might get one more chance.

What would you think of me now,
so lucky, so strong, so proud?
I never said thank you for that,
now I'll never have a chance.

May angels lead you in.
Hear you me my friends.
On sleepless roads the sleepless go.
May angels lead you in.

So what would you think of me now,
so lucky, so strong, so proud?
I never said thank you for that,
now I'll never have a chance.

May angels lead you in.
Hear you me my friends.
On sleepless roads the sleepless go.
May angels lead you in.
May angels lead you in.
May angels lead you in.

And if you were with me tonight,
I'd sing to you just one more time.
A song for a heart so big,
god wouldn't let it live.

May angels lead you in.
Hear you me my friends.
On sleepless roads the sleepless go.
May angels lead you in.
May angels lead you in.
Hear you me my friends.
On sleepless roads the sleepless go.
May angels lead you in.
May angels lead you in.

~Hear You Me by Jimmy Eat World~

This is dedicated to Miki Chen, my best and truest friend. May we one day meet again.

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Chapter 6:

The Tide of Battle

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The world was crashing about her ears, and all Makoto could hear was the almighty roar that rent the air and forced the ground beneath living dragon cage and human captive to give a heavy lurch.

The black dragon's head whipped around in order to see what had caused the disturbance, his long neck twisting into a graceful arc with deadly talons of bone still following the trail of his spine. Two dragons, scales shining like golden sunlight, were embroiled in a battle of epic proportions. The one Makoto recognized as the leader of the black dragons had his teeth clamped around the neck of the other, but a quick swing of the second dragons tail parted the two of them, and allowed Makoto a good look at both. For some, inexplicable reason, Makoto trusted the newly arrived golden dragon with his crown of elegant sweeping golden horns of bone, following the curve of his spine like flowing locks of hair. Dozens of inhuman war cries drew Makoto's attention heavenward where hundreds upon thousands of multi-colored dragons blotted out the blue sun's rays, casting shadows on the weary soldiers below and looking for all the world like millions of stars reflecting the sun in a prism of colors. Reinforcements had arrived, but they were for Kochi, not the Dark armies.

The black dragons were obviously outnumbered by twice their number, and some fled in fear. Most, however, bunched their muscles before leaping into the air, screams of rage and trailing wisps of smoke following their ascent into the red, green, blue, and brown shimmering bodies. The fight was nearly over before it started.

Toshinokou had told them before that a dragon's power was distinguishable by their color. Brown at the very bottom with black being not much better. Green was just above, followed shortly by blue. Red dominated them, but all were overshadowed by the contradicting magics of earth and illusion found in equal amounts in the gold and silver dragons, respectively. If that hierarchy were true, then the black Lesser Dragons did not stand a chance against the brightly colored Elder Brethren.

Even as the battle in the air was taking place, the two golden dragons were still fighting ferociously against one another. Enemy soldiers were surrendering all around Makoto as well. After being targeted by their supposed allies, and being protected from the flames by alleged enemy magi, most were reluctant to pick up arms against the ones who had saved them. Some still fought, but they were quickly eliminated by wooden arrows tipped in silver that hit with swift and deadly accuracy.

Dropping from trees and emerging silently from dense growth were an entire army of elfin warriors. Their platinum blonde hair glowed dully from the shadows, making them appear to be wraiths or spirits, not of flesh and blood. But soon the light-footed men and nimble women, all dressed in clothing of flowing material the color of the forest they had effortlessly moved through, stood among the fellow soldiers, guiding everyone quickly and surely from the clearing and battlefield. Even with victory in their grasp, they were still not quite safe yet.

Bodies of twisted bone and burning flesh plummeted into the ground as the black dragons were defeated high above in the air. Upon impacting they created small craters, demolishing trees, soldiers, and homes, killing anyone who had the misfortune of being under them. And because of the ease with which the more powerful dragons above were killing their demonic brethren, the monolithic sable dragon carcasses were soon becoming as dangerous to the small human soldiers as bombs. Makoto found herself being drawn along in a crowd of tired, wounded, and grateful warriors. All dressed in dragon hide and mindlessly following the beautiful, pointy eared man in front of them, his quiver not so much as bouncing as he stepped lightly and agilely along the ground.

It took a while for the shout to register in Makoto's mind, but once it did, she recognized it immediately. Up ahead, with her blue-haired lover leaning against her, stood Haruka, a few cuts and bruises on her, but nothing major. For the most part, the two seemed to have avoided the dragon's all together. The worst injury seemed to be Michiru's twisted ankle, and even that was only a mild irritant to the senshi of Neptune. Makoto knew that she herself had not faired nearly as well as the two in front of her. Now that her mind was not attempting to keep her alive, it was screaming at her about her pains. The beating she had taken earlier from the mage seemed as though it had occurred weeks before in her memory, but her body, apparently, thought otherwise. She was fairly sure that some of her ribs were bruised if not broken, and her back felt as though it were on fire from the multitude of scratches and bruises that littered it. Her joints were protesting her movement, and Makoto was also fairly sure that her dragon hide armor had not protected her from the flaming breath of some of the dragons. She knew that any exposed skin that was showing was red and raw from a close call when dodging a flame.

As she approached Haruka and Michiru, she noticed the worried frowns the two wore on their faces. They were obviously concerned for her, and Haruka looked decidedly angry. Makoto's day seemed to be snowballing downhill, and rather rapidly at that.

"What the Hell happened to you?!" Haruka demanded, masking her concern with anger.

Makoto smiled tiredly, attempting to reassure them with a nonchalant countenance, but when Haruka's frown darkened, she gave up the effort it took to hold the small smile on her face. "I had a run-in with a few dragons."

A snort of laughter from above them drew their attention upwards immediately. "I'd hardly call them a *few* dragons. Their number was closer to a hundred I'd wager."

"Who's there?" Haruka called, drawing her sword and dropping into a fighting stance beside Michiru. Makoto would most likely have followed suit had it not been for the fact that doing so would most likely have forced her already precariously perched body to collapse.

"Now there's no need for that." The disembodied voice told them. In the next instant, a figure had dropped smoothly from the tree, landing crouched on the ground. Then with a grace implying worlds, the voice stood tall and straight. His height easily reached Haruka's, but he had more of a wraith-like appearance than even the masculine female did.

"Elf," Haruka said, as though the single word explained both his mischievous tone and apparent grace.

"Lasheynir at your service, sir... erm... madam" he replied, not sounding embarrassed or in the least bit contrite for his slip. Soon another blonde haired figure had dropped down beside the elf, one that the senshi recognized immediately.

"Mina-chan!" Makoto cried, overjoyed, thrilled to see that her friend was unharmed.

"Hey Mako-ch--" Makoto could not help the wince that followed Minako's abrupt gasp when she saw her friends features.

"What happened Mako-chan?" Minako asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Are you deaf as well as dumb? She had a run-in with dragons. I'd say she looks pretty good for having just encountered an army of magi and magical beasts. At least she's not a burned corp-- Itai! What was that for?!" The loud-mouthed elf cried, nursing a new bump on his head.

"For insulting me and my friend." Minako told him, her nose in the air as she slung a golden bow over her shoulder again. Then Minako's clear, blue, concerned eyes were on Makoto again. "Can you make it back to the castle alright?"

Makoto, pride once again interfering with any personal comforts she might have gained by accepting help, determinately replied that she was fine and could walk the distance to the castle.

Her three friends looked unconvinced, but did not comment and began to walk in the direction of the haven.

Halfway into their journey, Makoto began to regret her rash decision to go without any help. Her limbs were achingly, her muscles liquefied, and her body was one mass of bruises, scratches, and pain. Each step forced a new wave of agony to assault her, and Makoto was not sure how much longer she could last.

"You self-centered, egotistical, narcissistic, supercilious, pompous... thing! I've been around for more centuries than you could count. How dare you call me infantile!" Makoto, although she recognized the voice, had never in all her life heard it using that tone.

"Setsuna?!" Obviously Haruka had never heard her loose control over her calm, calculating demeanor either.

When Makoto rounded the corner, she barely contained her gasp of surprise, although, she knew beyond any doubt, that her jaw had most likely come unhinged in the process. Beside her, Minako seemed to be having similar problems. "Oh kami." Minako breathed out the words in a whisper. Lasheynir was frowning darkly when he noticed the blonde's reaction, and had Makoto herself not been in a similar position to Minako, she most likely would have commented on it. But as it was, neither one could find a voice to speak with.

The most beautiful man Makoto had ever laid eyes on stood directly in front of her. A ghost of a smile softening his features into an even more ethereal look. He was a fair man with flaxen hair that shimmered like sheets of diamonds beneath the faintly glowing sun, and his blue eyes mirrored the color of an untainted, paradisiacal lagoon. Their depths impossible to gauge and darkening depending on mood. His face was soft and curved, looking almost effeminate in its shape and adding to his beauty. Makoto found herself wondering what on earth had possessed Setsuna to argue with such a man. He was a god, Makoto was sure he was. His tanned skin glowed with health and its own personal light.

"Turn off that charm, gandharva, before I turn it off for you." Had Minako not been so enraptured with the pure, heavenly beauty before her, she would have swung the bow at Lasheynir's head a second time for speaking so rudely to the perfection in front of her.

"No need to ruin my fun, elf. Besides, I don't see you turning off your charm anytime soon."

Lasheynir frowned darkly, his features morphing into a perversion of his previous expression, looking more demonic now than mischievous with his angular features, pointed ears, and gleaming white teeth. Compared to the perfection before them, the elf was evil incarnate.

"My illusions and charms do not force women to bed me on first glance, and the name is Lasheynir, not elf."

Then, just as suddenly as Lasheynir's change of appearance had occurred, the gandharva's entire body seemed to shimmer, its previous figure blurred by lines of magic and energy before beginning to solidify. Setsuna did not move nor react, as though this was nothing new to her. Beside her, Makoto felt rather than saw, Minako take a surprised step back, her platinum haired friend interposing himself between her and the now demonic man-like creature. Where once, the man had been beautiful and lovely beyond all physical limits and comprehension, now he was the exact opposite. His smooth, unblemished and perfectly shaped face was now marred by scar, pockmarks, and uneven edges. His cheekbones jutted out from his face, leaving the eyes and hollows of his cheeks looking sunken and depraved. His ears, once the smooth shell-shaped roundness of perfection, were jagged and pointed with multiple spines of cartilage poking from their apex. His hair, no longer glowed, and now looked more dirty and ragged similar to a tangle of bramble, and his once clear blue eyes, appeared murky and dark, like cesspools of unimaginable horrors that lurked just beneath the surface. A scraggly pair of dirty gray and brown feathered wings protruded from his hunched back. His once seemingly delicate hands were now long and garishly disfigured, cruel twisted knobs of flesh and bone pieced together haphazardly, gnarled and wrinkled with long fingernails of dead skin sharpening into razor edged talons. Even his clothes had morphed with the transformation. Instead of the loose flowing white of an angel, he wore a dark, black cloak of rags. Just barely visible beneath the material were a pair of gray, scaled feet, black talons curving from each of the three curved toes as well as the back claw.

Makoto felt justifiably repulsed as she looked at the once beautiful man who had become a monster like creature with the features of a demonic bird.

Minako's bow was suddenly draw, and Makoto saw the vicious looking figure in front of her tense and lower himself into a predatory position. Recognizing a dangerous beast when she saw one, Makoto made a quick grab for the bow, but Minako was already putting it into use.

"Itai! Itai! What the hell did I do now?!" The unlucky elf cried.

Calmly replacing her bow, but eyes still narrowed in supposed anger, Minako took a step forward, and the elf unconsciously cringed. "If that's what that 'grand-have-at-her' looks like when he gets rid of his charm, then what do you look like?!"

The rest of the forest's occupants joined Makoto in face faulting. Typical Minako, she thought ruefully.

The bird-like demon man, a sweat drop rolling down the side of his head, looked on amusedly at the blonde-haired duo in front of him. "I am a gandharva, not whatever it was that you called me. And your little elfish friend there does not change when he looses his charm, you just don't become quite so enamored with him when its off. Although, I don't think that was ever a problem with you Child of Venus."

"What are you?" Haruka demanded, drawing the sword Toshinokou had given her earlier.

"I told you already, I am a gandharva, and before you ask, no I am not a demon, merely demonic in appearance," he told them, letting his fangs and jagged teeth show in a taunting smile. "So Child of Pluto, my juvenile companion, would you like to introduce me to your friends, or shall I be forced to guess who they are like I have with Aphrodite's daughter."

"Call me a child one more time Apsara, and I will personally ensure that your pretty boy form isn't nearly so appealing anymore." By now, Haruka was gaping so openly that she never noticed when Setsuna introduced her or the other senshi to Apsara.

"Hm..." Apsara began, a contemplative look creasing his broad and ugly forehead. "We are still a good ways from the castle, and most of you look dead on your feet," Makoto knew that she was the only one who looked that way, but was grateful for Aspara's misdirection of the truth. "Just wait another moment, and transportation will be here momentarily."

Then, before Haruka could protest with her usual suspicious nature, Aspara opened his mouth and began to sing. The song floated through the air as though it were a tangible thing. And, although Makoto could not understand the words, she knew exactly what it was saying. The song was voiced with such emotion and feeling that it was impossible not to hear it as well as feel it. That was the first time that Makoto noticed that throughout all of the gandharva's transformation, his melodious voice had not changed with his appearance.

Suddenly, the tone of the song dipped into a pealing note of question, sung so low and vibrantly that the entire forest echoed its call. A cloud of birds rose from the trees, singing in tune with the bird-man's voice, a symphony of song and voices. There was an underlying rhythm to the orchestra as well, a pounding of drums. Then Makoto realized that those were not drums, but were actually the thundering beat of hooves. And before anyone could comprehend what was happening a herd a brilliant white horses were running through the woods, the senshi and their companions directly in their midst. One by one, the swift, beautiful beasts disappeared into the foliage once again, until only six of the original herd were left. The tallest of them all, easily standing a good six feet above an average sized horse, went straight to Aspara, nuzzling his muzzle against the man's hand, as the bird-like man in front of them stoked the silky stands of the wild horse's mane. He grabbed a handful after a moment of reassuring murmuring and then swung himself onto the animal's back with a grace that belied his deformed features.

"Well, don't just stand there, these unicorns have graciously allowed us the privilege of giving us a ride back to the Kingdom of Kochi. Do not spurn their hospitality."

"Unicorns..." Minako breathed in an awed whisper, as the beautiful woman ran a hand along the sleek muscles of the stamping beast. None of them had noticed the curling horn of ivory bone that jutted from the beast's forehead until now.

Haruka eyed the snorting horse in front of her warily, "How do we know that we can trust your word?"

"He may be ugly and a rude, conceited bastard, Haruka, but I assure you he is trustworthy. He aided me greatly in the battle," Setsuna told her gently. Haruka grumbled something unintelligible before grabbing a fistful of hair and leaping onto the back of the animal. It snorted in an annoyed fashion and considered bucking, but then a mischievous gleam lit its eye, and the unicorn stilled its movements.

The other senshi easily pulled themselves onto the unicorns' backs as well, although a little more gently and gratefully than Haruka. Makoto seemed to be the only one not yet on the beast's back. She petted her animal's flanks lightly, wondering how she was going to be able to make it onto the unicorn's back with what little strength she had. The dilemma was solved for when the pale blue eyed creature kneeled on the ground in front of her. Smiling appreciatively and murmuring quiet words of thanks, she slid onto the unicorn's back, gently taking a hold of the silky mane.

Their journey was swift and smooth, and other than the occasional low hanging tree branch that Haruka's horse seemed fond of running her into, the sleek, powerful animals ran effortlessly. Makoto was amazed at their gentleness, she was laying slumped along the gracefully arched neck of her ride, fatigue and pain clouding her vision, while the magnificent animal sped smoothly and silently along the ground, far more wraith like in appearance than his massive size implied.

Suddenly, sprouting from above the trees and towering high above them was the Kingdom of Kochi, the grand gray castle cloaked in the forest's mists and its massive gates rising high above them. From all around numerous soldiers, human, elf, and all manner of being, converged on the entrance. A steady stream of the tired, wounded, and battle worn. The conflict was won, but at great cost. Large dragons with scales shining iridescent in the diffused blue sunlight carried many of the far weaker soldiers in their great curved talons, the sharp bone caged gently around the wounded and dying. Makoto herself was grateful to see two small forms fighting against the streaming crowd, blue and purple hair easily visible among the helmeted or blond warriors.

"Minna-chan! Oh you're alright!" Ami cried, in so uncharacteristic a tone that none responded at first. Then, as she drew closer, Makoto understood her reason for fear. Covering her hands and the once white tunic she wore over her dress, were washes of red color. So thick and coated that drops of liquid were still falling to stain the already tainted ground. Ami reeked of death. Hotaru, the second healer they had taken from the group of senshi, looked no better, although she was certainly much cleaner. She looked about ready to drop from exhaustion, her now limited skills in healing had obviously drained her of energy, and the frail young girl had always been weak to begin with.

"Oh, kami, Mako-chan," Damn, she cursed silently, they'd spotted her. "Hurry, get her inside quickly, she looks ready to drop."

Makoto noticed that they were speaking about her as though she was not even there, but in her state of pain and exhaustion, she no longer cared. Colors and shapes were blurring together, while voices faded farther and farther into the background. Someone was yelling, she was sure of it, and another person was moving her now, perhaps two, it was impossible to tell, at least in her present state.

Water was rushing in on her from all sides, and the dull roar in her ears was mounting. She felt as though she were drowning, suffocating beneath the all-encompassing liquid, unable to swim and unable to breathe. The ocean's abyss was calling her, and she welcomed it, for blackness was a far more pleasant change to the misty death of the suffocating, gray water.

Slowly the roar was fading, taking with it the whispers and failing vision until silence reigned her world and darkness swallowed her whole, pulling her farther into its murky depths.

* * *

Groggily, Makoto raised her head, immediately regretting the slow action, as the pounding increased tenfold within her skull. The pillow, although soft, offered little comfort for her pain. When she dared, once again, to open her eyes and attempt to sit, Makoto momentarily believed herself still to be trapped within the inky black of the abyss. Memory slowly returned to her, and carefully she slid from the bed she now lay on, the same one she had attempted to sleep on the previous night. 'Had it only been so long, only a little less than two day since their arrival here?' Makoto wondered absentmindedly. With her first step, she stumbled upon her own feet, legs screaming in protest against movement. Clutching and pulling her way forward, Makoto managed to reach the window of the room, gazing curiously outside. Beneath the battle scarred stone tower, in the expansive green courtyard, stood the armies of Kochi and its allies, those at least who could stand anyway.

They were celebrating, Makoto realized belatedly, unable to see the kind of drinks they held in their hands, but knowing it to be at least slightly alcoholic. Dancing and jostling, joyful and tearful, young and old, all stood together beneath the now black sky and waning moon. Children ran along the green ground laughing, while men fought for blushing ladies with swords, charm, and wit. Beings of all shapes, sizes, and colors decorated the bursting yard. The celebration carried on even into the forest, with thousands upon thousands of lanterns dancing like fireflies within the leafy exterior. A warm, orange glow of the setting sun lit the horizon.

However, after glancing at the still brilliantly glowing moon, Makoto realized that it could not be the sun. And for the second time in the same day, the dragons swept across the skies of Kochi. This time, however, they too joined in the festivity The titanic golden leader flying at their head, before suddenly, with a great cry, a shower of sparks fell from his smoking mouth. By the time the raining liquid fire reached the revelers down below, it had lost all its heated potency, becoming nothing more than falling stars in a child's eyes. Still more dragons flew overhead, circling around the castle yard and raining down showers of fiery confetti upon their heads. As one mass they moved, a great bulk of pumping wings and exhaled breath, no way to tell their color or size in the night or the orange glow of their fire.

A sharp cry rent the air, and the golden dragon, flaming mouth gaping open and streamers of smoke and red heat trailing behind him, plummeted towards the ground. He pulled up smoothly, well above the ground, and the crowd below gasped and stood in awe. His golden body, illuminated by a red glow and accented with trailing processions of thin, streaming smoke, rose straight into the sky, towards the waning moon visible at the eye of the circling masses of dragons. Spirally ever upward, the golden dragon let loose another sharp, piercing cry as his body and wings emerged from the eye of the storm, the center of the circling dragons. Then, as if on cue, the multitude of flying beasts dropped straight down, some pulled out after a shallow dive, while others gained momentum and speed in their dizzying fall before they pulled up sharply. Others swooped spectactularly through barrel rolls and loops as they cried aloud their victory. Flames danced as though alive among the sky with the scaled dragons exploding into life from their fiery burst. Sparks floated free and frequently to the earth as the writhing mass pulsed with life and passion, colors bursting into being and being drowned in blackness in the next. Everything blurred together until it was not a mass of dragons, but a living embodiment of fire, colors morphing smoothly from one to the next before being lost within a blazing inferno consumed further by shadow. But still shining like a beacon against the night and its endless backdrop of stars, floated the golden dragon, his crest of spiked bone looking kingly against the glowing moon's beauty. With membranous wings outstretched, the diffused light filtered down upon the thriving, living mass of dragon flesh, dappling their backs and wings with silver light and glinting off razor edged scales and talons painting each with a silver glow, accented by the color of flames and curling black smoke.

The courtyard was alive with activity, all entranced by the show of the dragons. Makoto, however, while in awe, was now looking deep into the woods. All of the gleaming scales outside her window shone with the silver of the moon, but not one of them had the near silvery wraith-like appearance of the mist. None glowed of their own color and Makoto found herself wishing that she could find that dragon who gleamed like the moon's muted silver light, not these dancing red flames who stole the moon's light. Makoto missed the mist.

Most of all, however, she missed Akebono. His gentle, mammoth presence offering comfort and companionship in world she could not understand. In a place where the very mist breathed and lived, granted wishes, and dealt out death. Not even her friends of nearly five years, all of whom had been thrust into the same situation, could understand her fears and insecurities. They had not inhaled the mist of Avalon; they had not walked amongst a living legend forged of mist; they did not ride the back of a sleek, silver scaled myth

The celebration still lit the night sky like the rising sun as breathes of dragon flame exploded in trailing palms of primeval fireworks, but with thoughts weighing heavily on mind and heart, and injuries burdening her tall frame, Makoto fell bonelessly to the soft expanse of the bed. Her body begged for rest and her mind for relief. Neither came easily as the exhausted brunette fell into a troubled slumber. The ebbing moon rising higher into the inky depths of the sky lit the tossing girl's ivory face as she rolled away from the noises of revelry drifting through her slitted window. She slept uneasily for her dreams were plagued by eyes the color of Avalon's sun, smoldering from the depths of burnished silver and beckoning her forward through the mists of her dreams into forests beyond, calling and begging with a siren's plea. An unignorable summon that Makoto longed to answer.

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Thanks:

Vash-chan AKA Makoto Almasy - You have no idea how grateful I am to you. Your review was so uplifting, it got me writing this next chapter right away. So any readers out there have you to thank for its quick release. I'm so glad you like how I portray the senshi, I try my hardest to keep them in character and add a few of the more understated quirks from the show. I want people to identify with my characters, and I'm so happy that someone appreciates that. I take your comments as high praise, because I'm so in love with your stories as well. They're always original with so much wonderful insight into Makoto's true character. And, as an added bonus, I'm going to start working on the next chapter right away, which includes a ton more interaction between Makoto and her dragon friend than has been seen so far. Hope you enjoy!

JupLuna - I've always admired your stories (the plots are so imaginative and the writing style is beautiful), and thanks so much for being understanding, you have no idea how much it means to me. I hope you didn't have to wait too long for this chapter, I tried to finish it and get it out sooner. Thank you so much again for understanding, I just love all my reviewers. You guys are the best!

Sonar - Um, okaaaay. I'm afraid I don't entirely understand, but as long as your enjoying the story, then I don't mind what you want to say about it. Although, to make my point, I don't think that there are any gargoyles in this story. Its loosely tied with Arthurian legends. Of course it also may just be the fact that I haven't seen that show in a long, long time that make me not understand why my story will be a cross-over with that one. If you care to explain, would you mind e-mailing me, because now I'm really curious.

Kourui - I can't begin to explain how much it means to me that you guys are being so understanding about this. I'm on a writing kick at this moment, so I'm working as hard as I can to get these stories out for you guys. I'm so grateful for your support, it really means the world to me. Hopefully this chapter didn't end on too much of a cliffie. You truly have no idea how much it lifts my spirits to read these reviews. I've needed it, and a simple little thank you is never going to show my true gratitude, but I'm trying just the same. Perhaps I should dedicate one of these chapters to my faithful reviewers... I really love you guys!

jupiterhime - All of you have been so understanding, I can't thank anyone enough. I'm not healed yet, but with my friends there with me, it's getting a little easier. And I'm really flattered that you like my story so much. Reviews from you guys have just made my week! Coming from a wonderful author such as yourself, it just means so much more. Hope this chapter wasn't too long of a wait. I'll try and be quick with the next one too.

Sailor Emerald - Are you kidding me?! You're stories aren't good enough?! Geez, and I thought I was humble. I get all these reviews from such wonderful authors, and they say the nicest things about my story, and then they don't even acknowledge their own skills. Getting these reviews from authors I've always admired is such an ego booster. I really can't find the words to thank you guys for all that you've said or done to encourage me (and I tried to avoid too evil of a cliff hanger in this chapter). I wish I could just give you all hugs, I appreciate you guys so much. THANK YOU!!!!

Brandy - Thank you, thank you so much for understanding, and for your support and comments. It really helps to know that people care, and writing helps me to just vent a little and get my mind off things. I'm so glad that you like my story, and reviews always make my day. I got this chapter out amazingly quickly, and I have my wonderful reviewers to thank for that. Hope you enjoy it, and I tried to tone down the cliffie a little and not kill my readers with suspense for all that they've given me recently. Thanks again, you have no idea how much I really love you guys.

Lasheynir - Lä·shâ·nir