KK: Sry 4 not updating in like 4 ever. I know, I know, the suspense, though there's not much of it at this point, my have killed u. But u all can blame my idiot teachers who kept giving me homework. But now its summer vaca and I've graduated, so I'm free to update whenever I want. Well, until my Japanese class starts anyway. Enjoy the chapter and plz review!

Chapter 6: Tratorous Mysteries

It was evening and most of the girls were asleep. Etsuki looked over at Yama. She was rubbing the back of one of the younger girls. Etsuki and Yama had helped most of the younger children fall asleep, and the exhibit air was filled with their gentle sighs and snores. Etsuki was slightly reminded of Katie's American daycare at naptime; it was so peaceful. Etsuki sighed and got up.

"Is everything ok?" Yama asked, looking up from her now almost-asleep child.

Etsuki nodded, "Yah. I'm just going for a little walk. My legs are stiff from kneeling down so long."

"Be sure you're back before the lights go out," Yama warned her.

Etsuki nodded and walked away in the direction of the large waterfall. She drifted lazily between large ferns and tall trees. Pink and purple flowers were just closing up their buds for the night. Etsuki sighed, rubbing her left arm absentmindedly as she thought. Everything was so peaceful, but Etsuki knew one person who couldn't, or wouldn't, enjoy the beautiful scenery: Sume. Etsuki was purposely making her way to the lonely woman's home in hopes of understanding why Sume and Yama hated each other so bitterly. She reached the base of the water fall and marveled at how easy it would be to climb up. It was almost as though steps had been carved into its surface so that people could climb. 'Of course,' she thought, 'they might actually have been.'

She climbed up the sheer rock face, grabbing onto vines and other various plant life when a foot hold couldn't be found. It wasn't a hard climb, but Etsuki had definitely done easier things in her life. Finally, breathing hard, she made it to the top. There she found Sume resting on her back, starring up at the high glass ceiling, even though the night sky couldn't be seen beyond.

Before Etsuki could even open her mouth, Sume glared at her, "What do u want?"

"I…um…I," what did Etsuki want? "I…I understand what you think of this place." She offered.

"You do, do you?" Sume lifted her eyebrow and sat up, "If that's true, then what do you think I think of here."

Etsuki thought for a second, "Well, it's pretty bad here. Yama's really controlling, and some of the girls seem unfriendly."

Sume chuckled, "What are you, a diplomat?" Etsuki responded the only way she could: blinking in confusion. Sume shook her head, "You don't get it, do you. It's horrible here, Yama is the most controlling person I've ever met, and none of the ladies here are worth making friends with. If you truly knew what I thought about this place that's what you would have said."

"But this place has good things about it too," Etsuki argued, "We get fed, we get free time, the--"

"They feed us and do other stuff for us so that we don't get any bright ideas about running away. The demons only keep us for their amusement. Besides, I have reason to believe that Yama's a demon too."

Etsuki nodded, "So I've heard. But why? I was never told why."

Sume was about to respond when the lighting dimmed. "They'll miss you if you don't go back soon," she said instead.

Etsuki shrugged, "I don't care. I--"

Suddenly, they heard voices from down below rising over the soft splashes of the waterfall.

"Etsuki!" It was Yama. Sume raised an eyebrow as if to say "See?"

"Etsuki!" Yama called again, "Come down from there. It's time for bed."

"I'll be down in a sec," Etsuki yelled, leaning over the edge of the rock face.

Some one else's voice, which Etsuki recognized as Hitizaki's, called, "Get down here now, Etsuki. You shouldn't have even gone over here in the first place!"

Etsuki was startled, but chose not to reply.

"You better be going or they'll shun you too," Sume prompted.

Etsuki nodded, "See you tomorrow, ok?"

Sume shrugged, "I doubt it. But, if you say so."

Slowly but surely, Etsuki made her way down the rock face. As she neared the bottom, she hopped off, landing next to Yama and Hitizaki. Hitizaki looked furious, while Yama seemed more triumphant. They began to walk back in silence, but Etsuki couldn't take it.

"Why do you guys have something against her?" She demanded, "Sure, she's volatile, but I think she could be ok given the chance."

Yama was staring straight ahead and didn't even turn as she responded. "There are things that happened before you got here that you don't understand."

"Maybe I would understand if you just explained instead of jumping to conclusions. I'm not a child Yama. I'm older than you are."

"Then act your age and stay away from her," snapped Hitizaki.

Etsuki was flustered. She was being ordered around by a girl who couldn't be more than half her age. Instead of responding she crossed her arms over her chest and stopped.

"Come on," Yama said, "The lights will dim soon and we'll be forced to waste oil."

The older woman didn't move, "Maybe Sume's right about you. Maybe you are a demon, or at least their spy."

Yama bristled, "Keep making accusations like that and you'll find yourself friendless and alone, just like Sume."

Before Etsuki could reply, Kowa ran up to them.

"Yama," she said, "One of the girls had a nightmare and wants to see you."

The leader of the ladies shot Etsuki a look that clearly said "I'll see to you later" before walking off in the direction of the group. Hitizaki followed her like a trained dog.

"Where have you been?" Kowa asked, falling into step beside a brooding Etsuki.

Etsuki glared at Yama's retreating back with as much anger as she could muster; the late time was starting to get to her, "No where I should have been."

Kowa looked at her in puzzlement but shrugged the matter off. She and Etsuki made there way back to the group of girls and lay down. Kowa drifted off in a matter of minutes after the lights went out, but Etsuki didn't find sleep coming to her that easily. She tossed and turned on the hard ground. Maybe it was just that it was her first real night there, or maybe it was that so much was going on that she was unaware about, she didn't know. All she knew was that there was more to the social order than she realized. She wished somebody would explain it. At last, she found a comfortable position and closed her eyes, welcoming the sleep that had eluded her for so long. Just before she faded, she heard something that sounded like a door opening and a raspy voice saying something. But ignored it, thinking it was just part of her dreams.