Me: "Once again, SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT! After having Laurie (btw, thanx for all the reviews) point out how long it was since I had updated, I kinda rushed to finish it. I've just been really busy recently. Anyway, THATZIE, PLEASE DON'T FEEL LEFT OUT! Unless you object, I WILL figure something out. RATH AND SET, are you really going to put all those ideas you we came up with into your fanfic? 'Cause that's gonna be one disturbing story. BUNNY (that's you, Cristina) wow, you actually made it to this chapter. Still get what's going on? NIKI, sorry, but for what, I'm not positive. Bronze, you say? Interesting. AHARAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR REVIEWING ME! It really does make a difference. ~_^"

Kenshin: "There goes. Once she opens her mouth, she can't shut up. I swear, this full moon is making her loony."

Me: "Elven blood, must I remind you? Now, I know that we still havn't left the Demon Lord's Castle, but I PROMISE YOU we will in the next chapter. Also, another name change has taken place. Jamie is now Xandria. Rath, I decided, the name suited you a lot better. And I do not, unfortunately, own Demon Diary, Inuyasha, Ranma 1/2, Yu-Gi-Oh, Gundam Wing, or Yu Yu Hakusho. Buh-bye!"

Kenshin: "Buh-bye? The moon IS making her loony!"

=^o.o^=

Kenshin grabbed on to the back of my shirt, preventing me from darting down the hall.

"Where do you think you're going?"

I paused, embarrassed.

"Um, yeah, how exactly do you get out of here? I mean, besides jumping out the window," I added, for that would be something Kenshin would suggest.

Kenshin cocked an eye and gave me a puzzled look.

"When you get outside, where are you going to go?"

"Looking for Yuske, Shampoo, and Duo."

"Where?"

"Uh, um, well, you know-"

"Do you expect them to be just taking a hike on the mountains? Or perhaps worshiping at the temples? Or, who knows, maybe they could be in town, taking a bite-"

I whacked him upside the head.

"I'd prefer you didn't rub in my stupidity."

Kenshin let go of the back of my shirt and rubbed his head.

"That's why we're all supposed to be meeting in Eclipse's office right now."

Right after he side that, he disappeared and the wind was knocked out of me.

"I'd wish you'd warn me before going into you're soul room," I snapped.

Don't talk to me out loud. You look crazy.

Fine then..

Thank you.

I looked around.

You looked over the fact that I still don't know my way around.

I'll tell you.

Why can't you come out and walk yourself?

I'm tired.

You're lazy.

Shut up and just start walking before we're late.

Where?

To the right.

Are you sure? I would think left.

I thought you said you didn't know your way.

I just don't want to get lost, like last time you tried to lead. Maybe we should ask for directions.

No.

Why not?

Ok then, lets see, who should we ask?

Haven't I already told you not to rub in my stupidity?

And so, after giving Kenshin a hard time and a few minor arguments, we managed to find Eclipse's office without missing anything. Actually, that was because Eclipse didn't want to start without us. We entered the room to find Set, Xandria, Cassidy, Laurie, Sesshou-maru, Bakura, Marik, Chris, Erutis, Raenef, and, surprisingly, Takumi all sitting and glaring at us impatiently. Eclipse, sitting at his impressive solid wood desk, seemed to be the only on not annoyed with our lateness. Actually, he didn't really notice when we came in. He was too busy staring into space at the blank wall in front of him. Why he was staring at the blank wall, I have no idea. There was plenty to stare at in his office. Along the walls leading up to his desk were pictures of past Demon Lord Raenefs accompanied with not so pleasant tapestries depicting the Hangma War. These ended at the curtain that would usually go around Eclipse's desk. Today it was pulled back. Behind the desk was a large window with a dark wooden bookshelf on either side. Both were nearly overstuffed with old books written in a language I had never seen.

"About time, Set growled.

"Sorry, we took a wrong turn at the fighting arena and ended up somewhere near the kitchen," I explained.

"Where's Kenshin?" asked Takumi.

"He refuses to leave his soul room."

I heard a snicker echo in my head.

"Oh, shut up in there," I snapped, knocking on my skull. Everyone stared at me. I was whacked upside the head from behind.

"I'm out here, baka."

I turned around and glared at him.

"You only do the to spite me, don't you?"

He grinned. Eclipse cleared his throat.

"Perhaps we should start? Take a seat, please."

Eclipse waved a hand, and two matching chairs appeared beneath us.

"Now, there is no mistake we are tight on time, so lets get straight down to business. As you all should know, you are about to go out on a mission to find the remaining lesser swords. Where these are, we cannot be sure."

"Huh? Why would that be?" inquired Laurie.

"Well," Eclipse began to explain, " if you hadn't noticed, so far, four swords have managed to make their way here, where Zhiren is currently hiding. It appears that the blades are getting restless after so much time without a battle between Yharas and Zhiren, so naturally they'd be coming to the closest greater sword. Since Yharas hasn't been heard from for such a long time. Now, the thing is, these swords have the ability to teleport to other worlds, bit they can only teleport at random. When there is a specific destination in mind, a particular sacrifice is needed-"

"Sacrifice?" Cassidy yelped.

"-of a little blood-"

"Oh," I commented calmly. "Is that why Kenshin told me not to touch the blade?"

"Yes. Usually after the sacrifice, the blade jumps around to random places until it eventually finds the destination. Interestingly, yours seemed to have it's own destination in mind, managed to act own, and got here on it's first try. I have a feeling that the same would have happened with the blade Marik and Bakura brought us is they hadn't been lugging around a mortal. The thing is, when these blades leave there home to go some other world, they leave a trail of their gems behind, as if they were leaving markers to find there way back. Cassidy and Xandria, you will be familiar with this marker. That was what brought you here."

"Wait, did Riyo's sword leave that behind?"

"Yes. Anyway, what I'm afraid of is the others will not be as lucky. They could end up in hostile places, or who knows, may be in tricky predicaments at the moment. We cannot be sure how their blades will work."

"What?" Xandria burst out. "You mean, you're about to send us out on some wild goose chase for three swords that can be anywhere in the universe?"

Eclipse grinned.

"Yes. But this time, it won't be as difficult. Xandria, as you may have noticed back in your wold, Riyo's sword did not activate until you touched it. The reason for that is because unauthorized mortals cannot control the blades without permission. Now, let me just say, there is a way to teleport to other worlds with the guarantee that you will get to your destination on first try. Sesshou-maru, will you do the honors?"

Sesshou-maru gave a sharp nod.

"Cataract of Reverberation. Was named for how one exists in every world, each leading in to the center of space. There, any world can be accessed. Only when a lesser or greater sword is present can one enter, and unless a greater sword is present, one is likely to get lost."

"Which is why it's a good thing Sesshou-maru is present," Eclipse nodded.

"But still, how are we supposed to actually find them?" Raenef spoke up. It was then that I noticed how quiet most of us had been.

"Well, I suggest that you check their own worlds first. If unable to find them there, find the trail marker their blade left behind."

"Oh great. I see that you seemed convinced that you're not coming with us," Set mentioned.

"No. I am not."

There was a great sudden uproar at this. Once again, much cursing, excessive threats, and few punches were used to calm us all down. Once order had once again been restored:

"Why not?"

Eclipse closed his eyes.

"There are things relevant to this quest that I must deal with here. Alone." Eclipse added the last part as Takumi tried to open his mouth.

"Then who is going to go in your place to represent you?" calmly asked Sesshou-maru.

"Isn't it obvious?"

Eclipse nodded to Laurie.

"That girl."

"Me?" Laurie asked in surprise.

"Yes, you."

=^o.o^=

Agent Sharpe strolled in to Bill Hughes "office" on the second story of the forensics' lab as calmly as possible.

"Hey, Melissa!" Bill greeted her. "Wassup? Hey, you wouldn't know what became of those bullet samples from the Johnson case, would you? Grace needs to check 'em out."

Agent Sharpe placed the gem, along with the bag containing the blood samples, down on Bill's desk.

"I'm not on the Johnson case anymore."

"You're not? Oh, yeah, they put you in that kidnapping thing with Banks. Now what do you have for me here?"

Sharpe gestured towards the gem.

"Recognize this?"

"No."

"Remember that kidnapping case we had a seven years ago, the one that was never solved? That teenage girl went missing?"

"You mean Charoletta LeParas?"

"Yes. Remember that blood sample we brought in? Were you told what was found in that blood?"

"People tend to be reluctant to tell me the whole story."

"A diamond. A diamond similar to this one in front of you. Wanna know where this one was found?"

"Where?"

"In one of the victims rooms. If I remember correctly, in relation to the room the other diamond was found seven years ago, they were found in the same position."

Bill didn't say anything. Sharpe pulled out a photograph and threw it down onto the desk.

"This look familiar?"

Bill let out a gasp.

"She-she-she looks just like-"

"Yeah, I know. The resemblance is scary, isn't it? Know who it is? That's the girl who went missing most recently."

Bill looked up at Sharpe.

"What do you -"

"Melissa! Bill!"

Agent Banks just came bursting in.

"Melissa, you won't believe it! I went back to the visit the scenes, and at the first and fifth-"

Banks stopped for a moment to catch his breath. He dropped five bags onto Bill's desk. One contained a sapphire, two an emerald, and the two others, blood samples.

"TheseI found these, the sapphire in the first, the emeralds in the fourth and fiftheach in a fresh pool of blood! I swear, it was as if they had suddenly appeared out of nowhere!"

Melissa turned back to Bill.

"Bill"

"What do you want me to do?"

"Check the blood samples, and have the gems examined. Compare the results to what was found on that crime scene seven years ago."

=^o.o^=

By now, I had lost count of the number of threats used to calm down the who-knows- what-number-we-were-on fight that took place since we got here, this time caused by Eclipse's outrageous decision.

"Y-y-your what?" Bakura stuttered. "You're going to let a mortal used your blade?"

"Why not? She would seem responsible enough. She's probably more safe with one than Xandria over here. ("Hey!") Besides, I feel that she should be apologized for being pulled into this. Besides, I have my reasons."

"A mortal!" Sesshou-maru spat the word like poison. "You call yourself a demon! What demon would do that?"

Eclipse folded his hands.

"A Crystal Blade. Handed over to one who had nothing to do with the present wars until now. Now tell me Sesshou-maru, how did that happen? I would have expected the blade to be handed over to one of her own."

Sesshou-maru would not answer Eclipses question.

"What happens between either of the great armies is none of our business."

"Then since you will not fulfill my curiosity, I have no reason to explain my decisions to you."

Eclipse turned to Laurie.

"That is of course, unless you have something against it."

Laurie blinked with surprise.

"Well, um, I, uh, I guess it's ok"

Eclipse rose from his seat.

"Ok then. I guess everything's settled. You know what that means?"

Blank stares.

"Oh, come on? Kenshin? Set? Riyo? No one?"

Sesshou-maru cleared his throat.

"What his trying to say is that your quest"

" begins NOW!"

VOOSH! I usually don't get motion sickness. I guess that means I have yet to get use to transportation spells.

=^o.o^=

Mokuba looked on at the scene before him in disgust. Mokuba had lost count of the number of days he had been traveling with this witch, but it had been long enough. Mokuba couldn't tell how much linger he would be able to take this. Here he was, tied to a tree, while in front of him, that other prisoner was being treated like a guest! There he was with Zhiren, laughing together. Most likely at someone else's misfortune.

This boy-Max was his name? -had been with them for less than a week, and Zhiren was treating him better than some of her own soldiers. For now, at least. This Max was an idiot. Mokuba had witnessed all of Zhiren's little tricks. How could he be stupid enough to fall for all of them? It was obvious she was just using him. She could not be this nice for much longer. Max's doom was soon to come. Just wait. All Mokuba had to do was sit back and wait.

TO BE CONTINUED