**Hellllllooooo again! Another chapter, unfortunately, its kinda short. This time, I respond to reviewers first! ::grins::

SilverShadow -- hehe...thanks. Some people don't like self-insertationy stories, although I've read them before and like them, so...::shrugs:: Glad you like it! ^_^

Pen2 -- Arigatou! I'm glad you laughed! Some of this is supposed to be funny (a lot during the beginning), but later on possibly not, so that's why the other genre isn't humor.

ReiHino -- Heh...thanks for letting me use you as the main char. ::grins again::

Saito Nishigawa -- Sorry, but the whole not being able to escape from battle thing was too funny to pass up! ::giggles:: FYI, everyone, she figured it out. ^_~

Docuta and Suzie Croft -- Arigatou! Glad you like it!

Mr. Anonymous who didn't leave a name.... -- Okay, this is a hard one to respond to. I'll take this as being CONSTRUCTIVE, so here's my response...the story goes fast right now because I want them to get moving on their adventure and get the whole exposition part of the plot over with. Plus, I hate it when stories take so long to get to the point...so I guess its partially a personal preference, ne? Now, as for the plot holes...all will be explained. Be patient. ^_^ Next time, please leave your name so I can get more use out of the criticism, please, or be more specific. Thanks!

Now, on with the story! FINALLY! (Doncha hate it when half the chapter is the author talking the whole time? ^_^)**

Arashi and Niet were packing things as Yueh tried to figure out how to tell her parents she was going out to save the world from a creature from another world with one person she had met online and another she had never met at all.

"I mean, what can you say? 'I unleashed Sin and now I have to kill it?'" Arashi asked. She shrugged while Niet found another blanket and began to fold it. "Really, you should just be straightforward. There's no way around it."

Yueh sighed and fell upon her now barren bed. "How would you tell your parents?"

Arashi giggled and waved a hand dismissively. "I wouldn't. They'd haul me off to the psych ward."

Yueh gave Arashi a sad look. "They already tried that."

"Then what do you have to worry about?" She pulled Yueh off the bed and gave her a pat on the back. "Just say you're going and go!"

"Maybe we should just, well, leave," Niet spoke up. She finished packing the last bag and shouldered it quickly. She handed the others their backpacks as she spoke. "It would be quick, and that way no one questions Yueh's sanity."

"Not that we were anyway," Arashi added reassuringly. She threw her backpack on her back and grunted. "Did you have to make these things so heavy?"

"They're not that heavy. Besides, we don't even have any food for the trip." Niet walked out of the room first, with Yueh and Arashi following.

"North north, north we go," Arashi half sang. She strode ahead of Niet and opened the door for her companions. "North north north."

Yueh sighed. Arashi was obviously nervous about being summoner. The stress was getting to her, it seemed. She was halfway out the door when she heard someone call.

"Paula? Paula, have you seen your brother?" Her mother's footsteps were coming quickly up the hallway. Yueh pushed the others out of the door and slammed it behind her. She leaned against it as her mother came in. "He looked a bit pale earlier and I--"

It was then that her mother's eyes drifted to the bag on Yueh's back.

"Paula, are you going somewhere?"

It was time to do something Yueh was quickly becoming good at: lying.

"I'm going over to Raisa's for a sleepover, remember? You said I could last week," she explained, beginning to release her death grip on the doorknob. Her mother's face contorted slightly.

"I did?"

"Yeah! I told you all about it! We're going to play MadLibs and watch Sailor Moon and, um, draw all night! Remember?" She creaked the door behind her open a bit.

Her mother put a hand to her chin. "I...don't quite remember saying that." She looked back at her daughter. "But its all set up already?"

Yueh nodded vehemently. "Yeah. In fact..." Yueh glanced at her wrist, despite the fact that she wasn't wearing the watch. "I'm going to be late if I don't hurry!" She swung open the door and shouted a hearty "Good-bye!" as she slammed it back shut.

Her mother blinked. "Have...fun."

Niet and Arashi were waiting at the end of Yueh's driveway, with Niet watching Arashi pace nervously. Yueh ran up to the two and stood next to Niet.

"North north north..." Arashi stopped in front of Yueh and Niet, her glasses down at the tip of her nose. "Which way is north?" Yueh gave a shrug, and Niet pointed in two directions like the Scarecrow on the Wizard of Oz. Arashi sighed. "We're getting nowhere."

"'Ello, ladies." A voice came from their right, and all three turned around.

A man in an odd green hat and matching clothes bowed. "'Ello, I am O'aka the 24th, Merchant Extraordinaire! 'Ow may I be of service?" He had a heavy British accent, with a slight bit of Australian to it.

Arashi gaped, Yueh blinked, and Niet just sighed.

O'aka stood tall. "If ye haven't 'eard o' me, I'm quite surprised. My father started this business when 'e was my age." He gave a little nudge in the side to Yueh. "Quite the man, 'e was."

Yueh regained her wits first and cleared her throat. "Erm, O'aka, we are in need of a map."

"Ah, a map! O' course I have one o' those!" He dug around in his pack as he talked. "What you need the map for, ladies? Vacation? Dangerous time for a vacation, it 'tis. Ladies like you shouldn't be walking around withou' a protector." He pulled out an oldish looking piece of parchment, colorful and shaped like the west coast and surrounding area of the United States. "'Ere we are! Map of New Spira!" He handed the map to the only attentive girl (Yueh) and smiled. "That'll be 100 gil, if you please."

Yueh coughed. "GIL?"

O'aka stood back a bit. "O' course, gil! What did you think I'd ask for?"

"Dollars?" Yueh suggested, rolling up the map.

O'aka's eyes crossed. "Dol-larz. What in Yevon are those?"

Yueh's shoulders drooped. "Currency." O'aka simply shook his head and reached for the map.

"If you don't have gil, you can't buy, ladies. The vacation'll 'ave to wait."

"I'm a summoner," Arashi suddenly blurted out. O'aka glanced at her for a moment, and suddenly did the Yevon bow.

"Sorry, Lady...ah.."

"Arashi."

"Forgive me, lady Arashi." He gave a nod of his head as he continued. "I will gladly donate the map, however, I do have a business to keep." He straightened up proudly. "Must keep the dynasty goin', you see." O'aka gave a small glance up at Arashi. "Will you be needin' an'thing else?"

"No, no, thank you greatly for your...uh...gift," Arashi improvised, returning the Yevon bow. "It will...um...assist us wonderfully on th...the...erm...pilgrimage." She gave a slight nod, which O'aka returned.

"Good luck on th' pilgrimage, Lady Arashi." And O'aka left, humming to himself.

Niet just blinked. "That...was who?"

Yueh thought for a moment. "Does it bother anyone else that he called this 'New Spira?'"

"Lady Arashi...that bothers ME." She took the map from Yueh and stuffed it in her backpack. "North to the first temple."

"Righto!" Niet agreed.

The two started off as Yueh looked back at her house.

She closed her eyes and let the wind blow through her hair as she thought of the adventure and dangers ahead of her and her companions. Slowly opening her eyes, she bid a farewell to her house...hopefully not her final one.