Hello again my faithful readers, and another hello to all you first timers. Welcome to Chapter Six of my story. I want to say a special thanks to all that reviewed after the last chapter. I really appreciate it. All of the reviews were helpful and insightful. Once again THANK YOU!!!

Disclaimer: I do not in any way own Escaflowne; it's characters, plots, themes, etc. Somebody else very lucky owns it and I kick myself everyday wishing that I were the intelligent bastard who thought it up first.

Anyway with that all out of the way, welcome to Vision of Escaflowne: Homecoming. Read on and enjoy.

Chapter Six: Hard Beginnings

"Pristelle!" Myami called out, as she got closer to Hitomi.

Pristelle understood her leader's unsaid command and quickly began to chant. Running, Van watched as the woman Myami had called out to glow white. He urged his legs to move faster as the energy beam swiftly ate up the distance between its starting point and Hitomi. He had to save her. If he lost Hitomi now after all that had happened between them he would never be able to live with himself.

Just as it was for Van, Myami saw everything move in slow motion. Myami saw the speed at which the beam was traveling and knew that neither she nor the man running to her sister would be able to reach Hitomi in time. She prayed that Pristelle would be able to complete the spell. She pushed her body to its limits. Knowing that she couldn't go any faster unless she revealed her wings, Myami did the only thing she could do at the moment. She called for help.

Tardus heard Myami's telepathic call and turned to Ryley and Yil. "There's trouble."

The two men nodded and the trio broke out into a run.

Hitomi knew that she should move. She also knew that moving was impossible. Something had frozen her to the spot. She stood terrified as the laser like beam sped toward her. Then she saw it. Beyond the light were two men. They must be the reasons why she could not move and was about to be shot. Hitomi could barely make out their features. The only thing that stood out was a small emblem of a twisted dragon.

Not knowing how she was going to survive, Hitomi closed her eyes. Using her powers she whispered to Van, "Aishiteru, Van."

Van almost didn't hear the words that Hitomi had sent him, but once they had registered he knew she was somehow saying goodbye. "Hitomi! NOOOOO!"

The beam of light was within inches of Hitomi's body when it suddenly crashed into an unseen wall. The force of the two powers clashing threw Hitomi back. She landed a few feet away, knocked out by the shock. Van reached Hitomi first and knelt beside her. Almost afraid to touch her, Van slowly pulled her onto his knees. "Hitomi?" Van whispered.

Myami reached her fallen sister and drew her sword. She had seen Hitomi's eyes register something when she had stared out in the direction of the beam's origin. Myami turned to face the spot Hitomi had stared at. It didn't surprise her that the perpetrators were no longer there. She reached her arm out and concentrated. A psychic barrier had been put up and she could not trace Hitomi's attackers. Pristelle reached her and Myami quickly explained that she had called out to the rest of their group. She then put away her sword and knelt next to a shaking Van and an out cold Hitomi.

"How is she?" Myami brushed away a strand of Hitomi's hair.

Van couldn't take his eyes off of Hitomi's face, "I don't know. She's breathing but I don't know if anything is broken."

Myami could sense Van's fear and uncertainty. She could also feel the love radiating from him. This man was in love with her sister. That touched Myami and she rushed to reassure the young man, "I'm Myami, this young woman's sister." Myami motioned for Pristelle to come closer, "This is Pristelle. She's skilled with white magic. May she tend to Hitomi?"

"I know who you are." Van slowly looked up at Hitomi's sister. "Hitomi and I are friends. My name is Van." Then turning to Pristelle, "Please help her any way you can."

"Ah, now I know why you look familiar. You are the King of Fanelia." Pristelle kneeled next to Myami and placed her hands slightly above Hitomi's figure. "Your Highness, just hold her still and I will see if there is anything that needs mending."

Myami smiled, "My sister makes friends in high places, I see."

Just at that moment Tardus, Yil and Ryley appeared, swords all drawn.

"Myami." Tardus stood next to his friend. "What's going on?"

Ryley had already put away his sword and seeing that Pristelle was occupied, stood silently behind her. Yil had seen that the commotion had passed and was content with making sure that the area was secure. Tardus could see that they were beginning to draw a crowd and nudged Myami, "Mya-chan?"

"Somebody shot an energy beam at Hitomi. Luckily, Pristelle was able to use a shielding spell to deflect the blow. The down side was that because the shield wasn't fully manifested the back fire knocked Hitomi out." Myami quickly explained.

"Is she all right?" Tardus looked down on the young woman who looked so much like Myami.

Myami turned to Pristelle, "Pris is still doing her thing."

The group remained silent as Pristelle began the healing process with Hitomi. It wasn't until a minutes later when Pristelle slowly lowered her hands. "She's going to be fine."

At Pristelle's words, a breath that the group didn't know that they had been holding, released itself.

"What happened?" Van asked as he gathered Hitomi closer to him.

Pristelle motioned for everyone to stand. Once they all had risen and Van had settled Hitomi comfortably in his arms, Pristelle explained, "The backfire from the two energies short circuited her own psionic field." Everyone except Myami gave Pristelle a blank stare. Pristelle sighed, "In other words besides some bruises and sore muscles, she'll be just fine."

"Now I think would be a prudent time to get her to a place where she can rest." Ryley suggested.

Van shook his head, "Not yet. Hitomi had had a vision about Myami before all this occurred and sent an all call to our friends. We should wait before heading back to the castle."

Fortunately they didn't have to wait too long for their companions. Allen and Merle came running from the west side of the city. Immediately after they had appeared a panting Millerna, Dryden and Selena came rushing from the eastern quarter.

"We're here." Merle chirped. It was then that she noticed Van holding Hitomi and the four new faces surrounding them. "Oh my god! What happened here?" Merle ran quickly to Van's side, "And who are these people?"

Millerna, Selena rushed to Merle's side with Allen and Dryden following close behind. Allen glanced at Hitomi's unconscious figure then stared angrily at the outsiders. Jumping to conclusions, Allen unknowingly placed blame, "Why did you let this happen to Hitomi?"

Van couldn't believe Allen's audacity. He was about to give Allen a piece of his mind when Myami placed a hand on his shoulder. Already angry for not being able to capture the people responsible for her sister's injuries, Myami became even angrier at being accused of hurting her sister, "Who the hell do you think you are?" Myami walked around Van to stand in front of Allen. Being 5'10" Myami never felt intimidated by anyone, man or woman. But it annoyed her to no end that she had to tip her face up in order to speak to Allen, "I would NEVER hurt Hitomi. She's the only family I've got now. And, whoever you are, you have no right to accuse me of something without having any facts to back it up."

Allen's eyes grew wide. Not only had he lost his temper, he had lost his temper with Hitomi's sister. Allen shrewdly studied the woman before him. In her face the resemblance to Hitomi was unmistakable. How could he have not noticed those green eyes? Allen, having been put in his place, found himself speechless.

Selena knew her brother had overstepped his bounds and sought to suppress any conflicts, "What my brother, Allen, said is inexcusable, but please accept our apology." Selena sidestepped to stand next to Allen, "I'm sure that it was only because he was worried about Hitomi that he overreacted."

Allen could feel embarrassment creep into his veins. Not only had he jumped onto an unfair conclusion, he was being salvaged by his younger sister. Allen cleared his throat and found his voice, "Like Selena has said, I do apologize for the confusion." Allen continued in order to keep his embarrassment from showing, "We are friends of Hitomi and Van-sama."

"I am King Dryden of Astoria and this is my wife, Queen Millerna."

Myami bowed in respect, "It's an honor to meet Astoria's royalty. My name is Myami." Myami stood up straight again and introduced her friends, "This is Tardus, Yil, Pristelle and Ryley."

"Please don't feel as if you need to pay us homage." Millerna quickly intervened, "Hitomi is our friend and any friends of Hitomi are friends of ours."

"My name is Selena," Selena introduced herself.

Merle wasn't about to be left out, "I'm Merle."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all, " Ryley smiled warmly at everyone.

Myami grinned warily. She certainly liked everyone well enough, especially Van. The intensity behind the young man's eyes reminded her so much of herself. The only one she didn't quite like was the blond man, Allen. For some reason he just rubbed her the wrong way and she couldn't help but feel uneasy. But for the sake of her sister, she would befriend the boar of a man.

"What happened here?" Dryden's question cut through the introductions.

Yil who had been silent the entire time decided to explain, "It seems that Hitomi was attacked. Pristelle has tended to her and she'll be just fine. We haven't been able to find the perpetrators. We were about to take her somewhere to rest, but Van informed us that Hitomi had called out to you. So we have been waiting here for all of you."

"It seems that a more detailed explanation would be more reasonable back at the palace. Why don't we all head back as it seems that we have drawn an extremely enormous crowd," Selena nodded her head at the abundance of people surrounding them.

From some distance away, perched on a rooftop, Dorser and Nigel gazed at their handiwork. Although Nigel didn't get to damage the woman, at least he had the satisfaction of knowing that he was part of the reason why she was currently unconscious. Nigel smiled, "Look at them. You were right. Now they're all going to be at the castle. Even Myami."

"Everything is going according to plan." Dorser patted Nigel's shoulder, "Now we wait till tomorrow and see what we find."

Nigel nodded and chanted a short spell and the duo disappeared from their vantage point.

~Royal Palace~

Once Van and the others returned to the castle, Millerna quickly saw to everyone's needs. Myami, Ryley, Tardus, Pristelle and Yil were swept up in a whirlwind of maids and butlers. Merle and Selena gaped at the proficiency Millerna ran the castle. Before they knew it, Millerna had everyone off to their own separate quarters and Hitomi settled safely in her own room.

Millerna nodded in appreciation. She had her friends settled and set off with strict instructions that they all attend a quiet and informal late dinner. So much had happened today and all needed explanations. Millerna turned to head to her own room to get ready and found her husband smiling warmly at her.

"You never cease to amaze me." Dryden put an arm around his wife and began to walk her to their room, "Someday you'll have to let me in on the secret of how you get things organized so quickly."

"Someday," Millerna offered. Then stopping Dryden, Millerna asked, "What's going to happen now? The sisters are reunited. What about Hitomi? Will she be all right?"

Dryden squeezed her comfortingly and began their walk again, "Patience. As for Hitomi, she is resilient. She has proven so many times in the past. When she awakens, she will be as good as new. Now, why don't we both get ready for our new guests and for the many new questions and answers that will be provided this evening."

~Myami's room~

Myami stood dumbfounded in the room the Queen had put her in. She had already looked around the comfortable quarters to find various Astorian gowns, comfortable seats and pillows, a large bed, and a door that connected directly to Hitomi's room. "How in the hell did she do that?" Myami referred to Millerna's adeptness at handling a bustling situation.

Not sure what she was supposed to do before dinner, Myami quickly freshened up in the adjoining bathroom then ventured to sit with her sister. She silently opened the door that connected their rooms and found a visitor already occupying the chair by the bed.

Van was holding Hitomi's hand in complete silence, almost as if he were choosing carefully what to say to her. Myami didn't want to disturb the scene and turned to close the door. She would spend time with her sister later. It seemed that this young man needed Hitomi right now more than she did.

Van heard a swish of cloth and raised his eyes from the bed. He saw Myami turning around to leave the room, "Wait." Releasing Hitomi's hand, Van stood and took a few steps towards Myami, "Did you want to sit with her?"

Myami nodded, "It's okay. I can sit with her after dinner." Myami then turned again to exit.

Van didn't want Myami to leave just yet, "Don't go. Please sit and watch over her with me."

Myami couldn't say no to Van's offer. Quietly, not wanting to disturb Hitomi's rest, Myami pulled a chair up to the bed across from Van. Van looked at her and seemed to stare at her for a moment before speaking, "You look so much like her."

"I know." Myami grinned, "We always resembled each other almost to a tea. It was our hair colors that would give us away."

"How did you find us?" Van found that he wanted Myami to stay not only to have someone to talk to, but to gain answers. He needed this time alone with Myami.

Myami pulled the pendant out from underneath her vest, "I used my pendant to find her." Myami felt the stone hum. Her gem began to glow a soft pink and the same glow began to appear underneath both Van's and Hitomi's shirts, "And it seems that both you and Hitomi have one as well." Myami watched as Van's jaw fell to the ground, "I see that my mother and grandmother have parted with their stones and somehow passed it on to the both of you."

Van finally got over his speechlessness, "Hitomi's grandmother gave the necklace to Hitomi after you disappeared and way before she visited Gaea the first time," Van recalled Hitomi telling him about the incident, "Then she gave that necklace to me and…"

"What do you mean first time?" Now it was Myami's turn to be surprised, "She's been in Gaea before?"

Van nodded, "Right before the beginning of the Great War." When Myami didn't speak, Van continued his explanation, "During the time I was performing the ritual right of claiming the throne of Fanelia, some how I was transported to the Mystic Moon. The dragon I had been fighting was transported along with me. The place where I appeared happened to be the same place Hitomi was at that time."

"So then what happened?" Myami snapped out of her stupor.

"Once I had defeated the dragon and taken its synergist, Hitomi was transported back to Gaea with me," Van cut to the bottom line. "While she was here, The Great War began and ended. She was instrumental in defeating Zaibach."

Myami sat silently as she absorbed all the information that Van had just provided. She couldn't believe it. Her sister was a war heroine. "How was she instrumental?" Myami was so interested in finding out more about Hitomi's life. "Were you there by her side?"

Van nodded in response, "Yes. A lot of people stood by Hitomi's side. Her powers helped a great deal during many of the battles. In the end it was the power of her heart and her compassion that defeated Zaibach." He gauged Myami's reaction. Her eyes showed her admiration, love and awe for Hitomi. When Myami didn't respond he assumed she was waiting for him to continue. "I fell in love with her then, " Van felt as if he needed Myami's approval, "But I never had the chance to tell her. She returned to the Mystic Moon. I missed her greatly and when we discovered that we could communicate through our minds regardless that we were on separate worlds, we kept in touch for the last five years."

"I could feel the love you have for Hitomi. Your aura radiates it brightly." Myami searched for the appropriate words, "But in that love it seems there still lingers uncertainty. Why tell me first before telling her?"

"How did you know that I haven't told Hitomi?"

"The way you are right now. I know that you feel that you need my approval, but in reality you don't need anyone's approval, least of all mine. It is Hitomi's approval that you're searching for and the only way you're going to get that is by telling her how you feel."

Van's eyes stared at Myami wearily, "She told me she loved me right before she thought she was going to be killed today." He took a deep breath, "The thought of losing her today nearly killed me as well. I can't live without her."

Van's quiet confession touched Myami. She stood and made her way around the bed to lay a hand on Van's shoulder, "Tell her. That is my only advice. But for now," Myami gently pulled Van away from Hitomi and went to kiss Hitomi's forehead before settling the blankets around her, "We have a dinner to attend." Myami linked her arm with Van's and proceeded to lead him out of the room; "While you escort me to the place we're having dinner, why don't you tell me a bit about yourself and about Hitomi. Then you can ask me about me. Deal?"

"Deal." Van took heart in Myami's acceptance of him. Even though he knew that things would become harder before they became easier, at least some things were falling into place.

The two companions walked talking about each other and Hitomi. A new bond formed, one between, what Myami hoped was between, what would become a brother-in-law and his sister-in-law.

~Hallway~

Minutes later, after a quick peek in on Hitomi, Merle made her way to Selena's room. Before they had been scuttled into their rooms, Selena had asked Merle to come by and pick up her and her brother up for dinner. Merle hummed a tune to herself as she thought about the events that happened that day. New people, whether they are friend or foe remained to be seen, were now a part of their group.

She was almost to Selena's room when her thoughts settled on the cat man that seemed to be Myami's companion. She had seen those of her race before, but somehow this one cat man had her intrigued. Merle put those particular thoughts into the back of her mind and lightly knocked on Selena's door, "It's Merle."

Inside the room Selena smiled, "Coming Merle!" Selena stood up from her vanity and opened the door.

"So you ready?" Merle popped her head into the room, "Where's Allen?"

"I don't know. We should check his room." Selena put away some things and then left the room.

Merle followed Selena and the two friends chatted, "So what do you think about Myami and her friends?" Selena was curious about what Merle thought.

"They're decent enough," Merle offered. "Not to mention that Tardus is a incredibly handsome." Merle thought that last comment to herself.

Selena nodded in agreement, "They are all certainly loyal to Myami. I admire that. Too bad Allen started things off on the wrong foot."

"Yeah, but beginnings are hardly ever easy. And when they are it usually signals even more troubles on the horizon."

"Hopefully Allen will behave this time." Selena turned to Merle before she knocked on Allen's door, "You know lately I feel as if Allen's and my roles have been switched. I feel like the older sibling."

"No kidding," Merle chuckled.

"And you know what?"

"What?"

"I like it."

Both women laughed as they stood in front of Allen's door. The laughter attracted attention from the occupant within the room and Allen opened the door. The sight of Selena and Merle laughing hysterically, made him quirk a brow at them, "And what is this all about?"

That question only earned him more gales of laughter from the pair. Shaking his head he closed the door to his room and gave each woman a little push, "All right, whatever it is I guess I wasn't meant to hear it, but we have to get going."

Merle and Selena had finally calmed down. Selena winked at Merle and turned to Allen, "Whatever you say, big brother."

That brought the girls into another fit of laughs. And it continued that way as they made their way into the informal dining room.

Allen sighed, "What did I ever do to deserve this?" Allen looked to the two women and found himself chuckling at their display.

Close to their destination, Tardus, Ryley, Yil and Pristelle were walking together to what the maid had called the "informal dining room". For the most part, they were awed at the lavishness of their accommodations. They were treated with kindness and now they were all feeling a bit out of place.

"What do you think is going to happen now?" Pristelle gripped tightly onto Ryley's arm.

Tardus shrugged and they continued to walk on. Knowing that Myami had no intention of returning to the Haven, he wondered how he would break that news to their three friends. As far as they knew, all the quest involved was finding Hitomi. But now that they had found her, he was sure they were thinking of returning home. He was also sure that once they knew that Myami wasn't going to return, that they would insist on staying as well. He needed to consult with Myami about what they were going to do.

"I think we're here." Yil pointed to the large two doors that stood to their left.

Ryley gaped, "If these lead to the 'informal' dining area, what kind of doors lead to the main dining room."

With that last comment an unsure group of people knocked and entered the room.

~Dining Room~

Millerna and Dryden looked up from their seats at the head of the table. Dryden stood, "Welcome, friends." Dryden gestured to the cozy seats, "Please take a seat."

The group nodded and all headed to the side of the table opposite of the queen. Sitting all next to each other, Pristelle, Ryley, Yil and Tardus murmured their thanks.

Tardus spoke up for them, "If I may ask, where is everyone?"

Dryden, who had already reclaimed his chair, smiled, "Probably being late."

"Please don't feel uncomfortable with us," Millerna sought to comfort their guests, "You are friends of Hitomi's only sister. Making you friends of Hitomi and their friends are friends of ours as well."

"I'm sorry if we're putting across that impression," Pristelle fiddled with her napkin, "But I won't lie to you, we are uneasy, mostly because we've never been in such an environment before. It's all so luxurious here. We've all led simple lives until now."

"We are truly grateful for your hospitality," Tardus finished.

Dryden nodded in appreciation, "You're all very welcome. It's the least we could do."

Millerna gestured to the two tables at the back of the room, "Please don't hesitate to eat now. It's been a long day and since everyone isn't here yet, I don't see why we have to wait. They'll understand that we got hungry," Millerna stood and headed for the tables laden with food.

"My wife's correct. It's their fault that they're late." Dryden also stood and went to join Millerna.

Pristelle stood and shrugged at the looks she got from the others, "Hey, I'm hungry." With that she went to join the king and queen.

Ryley watched as Pristelle gathered up a plate. He almost choked on his drink when he heard Pristelle ask Millerna how she kept such a wonderful glow on her face.

"I think I better join them if I want to keep Pristelle from delving any deeper," Ryley stood to grab a plate.

Tardus and Yil sat and looked at each other. Finally as their companions began to go back to the table Tardus and Yil stood and went to get their dinners. As they went to the food tables, Myami, Van, Merle, Selena, and Allen entered the room.

Myami bowed, "I apologize for us being late. We got caught up in conversation," Myami gestured to Van.

Millerna turned to Selena, "What happened to you guys?"

"Just a case of the giggles," Allen explained and went straight for the food. Selena and Merle burst into laughter again, "See what I mean."

Millerna shook her head, "What's so funny?"

"Uh, nothing…." Merle said in-between chuckles

"Sorry," Selena stopped and hid her smiles as she went to retrieve a plate of food.

Merle did the same and once everyone was seated, the group's dinner began with polite conversation.

~Trundle's Inn~

"Nigel!" Dorser banged on Nigel's room door. It was getting late and Nigel had been sleeping since they had returned to the inn. "Nigel!"

Inside the room, Nigel put the pillow over his head and cursed his existence, "Go away, Dorser. I'll deal with you in the morning."

Dorser, upon hearing Nigel's response, debated whether or not to barge in. Deciding for the latter, Dorser used his shoulder to burst through into the locked room.

Nigel looked up from under the pillow, "For Gaea's sake! Don't you have any decency? I've been trying to catch up on all the sleep we've lost the last couple of days. You said that things were fine, what do you want now?"

"Things are fine." Dorser found a chair and plopped himself into it, "I've been trying to get you to open the door for the last half hour."

"I know," Nigel flipped onto his back, "I've been trying to ignore you for the last half hour. So tell me what the hell you want and then I can get back to sleeping!"

Dorser stared at his irritated associate, "I was going to go out and observe our prey. Just wondering if you'd like to accompany me."

Nigel stared at the ceiling. Dorser's idea had promise. "How late is it?"

"Late."

"Just why exactly are we going to the palace, if we aren't going to steal the scepter and the sister?"

"I think we owe Myami and friends a taste of what's to come. Besides, it will give us a chance to take a look at the palace's security." Dorser rationalized for Nigel.

Nigel lay for a moment and thought. He knew the main reason for this little escapade was Myami. After seeing her today, Dorser probably couldn't take his mind off of her. Sure there had been other women after Myami, but none had captivated him like Myami had. Nigel was more interested in retrieving the missing pages than Myami, but he also knew that he would be able to cause some damage before the night was through.

Dorser and he had already discussed that they couldn't wait for the scepter to be brought out for the chance to take out the documents. Especially with the timeline that they were on, a quick retrieval would be most pertinent. It would make sense to test the palace's defenses. "When did you want to strike tomorrow?"

"Late in the evening. As always night is best."

"So tell me again why we're going to do this?"

"Some fun. Master Kirok never said that we couldn't enjoy ourselves."

Nigel thought for one more moment before he threw the blankets off and began to get dressed, "Give me five minutes."

Dorser smiled in victory as his thoughts began to drift. He would pay Myami a visit and satisfy his curiosity about her. Standing up and leaving the room, Dorser went down to the stables to get ready.

~Hitomi's room~

Myami sat quietly on the window seat observing the palace grounds. She had gone straight up to Hitomi's room once she and the others had finished their conversation. They had talked all through dinner and once they had all eaten, moved to the connecting lounge to continue their discussion. Myami got up from the window seat to sit at the chair by Hitomi's bed.

They had all asked questions about each other. Myami and Tardus had eventually explained about their origins. After her revealing conversation with Van, she had found out that everyone was informed as to how Myami had disappeared in the first place. The discussion went on further to describe the various events of the Great War and how they, as a group, came together in friendship.

For the most part Yil had stayed silent for the majority of their talk. Ryley and Pristelle and explained the relationship between their small group of friends and the dynamics of their home, the Haven. In turn Myami had had a few questions of her own. She knew that her mother had died, but she didn't know how. Van had provided the answers for her, as Hitomi was not available to answer those questions for her. Tardus, Yil, Ryley and Pristelle each asked about different subjects as did Millerna, Dryden, Merle, Selena, Allen and Van.

The hodge-podge of people continued their question and answer session late into the evening. At the end of it all, every side was more informed. The only question left unanswered still lingered in everyone's minds, "What's going to happen now?"

Myami sighed, "So many people care about you Tom-Tom." Myami laid her head down on her sister's hand. She had learned one thing this evening; Hitomi was well taken cared of. "Where do I fit into your intricate puzzle?"

Van stood outside Hitomi's door debating whether or not he should go in. He knew Myami was in there sitting up with her sister. He put his ear to the door and listened for any sound. When no sound came through, Van quietly opened the door. What he saw made him smile. Van crept up and kissed Hitomi's cheek, tucking in the blankets securely around her shoulders. Knowing that Myami would want to be near Hitomi he settled her onto the settee by the bed. Van took one last look over the siblings and as quietly as he had entered the room he left knowing that things were heading in the right direction.

Myami opened one eye and watched Van leave the room. She smiled lightly in the dark room. It meant a lot to her that he had taken the time to help make both her and Hitomi be comfortable. That man was certainly a good blessing for her sister.

As Myami began to fall asleep, she too wondered what they were going to do now. A force was drawing her mind, but to where she did not know. She hoped that Hitomi would awaken soon. She knew how much a psionic charge could keep you out of the loop. What Hitomi was experiencing was not unlike the memory overload she had received almost a month ago. Soon her mind was getting too tired to stay awake. It had been a long day, and if she didn't get any rest soon, she would be worthless to anyone in the morning.

Myami closed her eyes and thought of her mother. "Mother, Hitomi's found me. Guide us to what we need to do."

Out in the distance, beyond the seas, an island arose from the waters, its landmass bursting through the waves, disrupting many cycles of life in the area.

~End Chapter Six~

~Author's note~

I KNOW I KNOW!!! It's been two weeks, not the one week that I promised that this story would be out. I had to reread and revise this story over and over again, so that the transition would be smooth between the reunion and their beginning of their quest. I won't make any more excuses about why this was late, but I do want to inform all my readers that I will try especially harder to get my story chapters out at least weekly. This way, if I do go over the week status, just like I have for the last two chapters, I can point out that I am trying.

I do hope that you've enjoyed this chapter. I do admit that this one isn't as exciting as the other ones, nor is it as moving, but it is important to have such a transitional chapter to expedite the characters and their involvement with each other.

THANKS AGAIN!!!! FOR READING, REVIEWING, AND UNDERSTANDING!!!! Please don't forget to review, even if it is to yell at me for being late, cuz I deserve that.

So sorry and until next time, please stay tuned for Chapter Seven: Awakenings!