Hello! I'm soooo sorry for taking so long to update this thing lately, but here go. BTW, thank you guys soooo much for giving me a total of 10 reviews! YAY!! does sad happy dance! BTW, Arisa is in a weird forest, and Kai has just walked out to meet her. He looks as young as she remembers...fades into story line

"Kai!" she screamed as she ran to the young man.

"It's good to see you, Arisa, why does it take you so long to talk to me?" Kai asked, smiling happily at her.

"Ah... well... I've been busy, with the new tournament and all..." she muttered, and looked away.

"Well, it's good to see you. I heard about your parents, I'm so sorry," Kai mumbled to her as he placed an arm around her shoulder.

"Feh, it's not that bad, it's not like I really care..." she said defiantly, but Kai could see tears in her eyes.

"You do care, and I wish you'd realize that you can live a normal life."

"Like the normal life you once live, eh, Kai? Need I remind you both your children and your wife died in that train wreck, but you didn't, I don't call that normal," Arisa said coldly, glaring at him.

"Ay, you can be so cold, and I don't know why. I guess it happened ever since Alex died," he replied, looking at her slyly out of the corner of his eye.

"What did you say about Alex?" she said, her voice hitting sub- zero.

"Nothing, I'm just saying you shouldn't carry that guilt. He's long since moved on and maybe you should. He died with no regrets," he said calmly, and placed an arm around her shoulder as they sat down against a tree.

"I just, feel bad, because I feel..." Arisa trailed off.

"You feel like your cheating on him by liking that Minomino boy, correct?" Kai asked, cocking his head.

"How did you...?"

"Simple, I may be here in this forest, but I'm very much tied to you, just like the Gaias before you," Kai replied simply, fiddling with a daisy that was growing out of the ground nearby.

"Hm...," Arisa sighed as she looked up at the clouds, "Do you know how long it's been since I've really looked at the sky, and noticed how pretty it is?" she asked Kai absentmindedly.

"I dunno, how long?"

"Years, and years ago. Do you think Alex would be mad if I started to like Kurama?" she asked.

"I think he would be happy, as long as you are happy," he replied, running his slender hands through her russet curls.

"It's just, he's so like Alex, it's almost uncanny. I've learned a lot so far in this tournament, but I'm so afraid, what if I let the team down?" she asked, a singular tear sliding down her cheek.

"You won't. Arisa, I've never seen you act like this. What brought on the sudden change?" Kai asked, smiling at her.

"I just realized that I don't want to die... it's a new feeling, that fear, for me," Arisa replied, staring at her scarred hands.

"Well, whatever it is, I'm glad it happened. So are you ever going to tell this Minomino boy that you love him?"

"No, why would I do that?"

"Because I thought you said you liked him."

"I do."

"You must have the most twisted logic ever," Kai muttered.

"I don't want to hurt him," she muttered...

(Back in the spirit world)

Kurama paced back and force, looking at the form of Arisa, who was dead asleep on the floor. What if she didn't wake, what happened back there? And why did she collapse?

He shook his head and did his best to try to wake her, but it was to no avail.

"Arisa, please, wake up," he muttered as he tried his hardest to shake her awake, but she had gone completely limp. It had been three hours since she was like this, and he could sense that her life force was very low. What was going on??

(Back in the forest)

"Arisa, I think it would be best if you go now, Kurama is worried sick about you," Kai said quite suddenly.

"What? How long have I been out?" She demanded as she stood up.

"Ah... four hours now, the sun has risen."

"Oh no! I've got to go! I'll do my best to visit you more often, bye" Arisa yelled as she faded out of the forest.

"I'll never get that girl... maybe it's best that way..."and with that Kai chuckled to himself, and looked up when he heard a young woman's voice calling for him.

"I'm coming, Matsuru," he called out and got up, and walked out of the forest.

"Who were you talking to?" the young brunette demanded.

"Just an old friend... Arisa..."

"Ah... Never did understand that girl..." Matsuru muttered, and Kai laughed...

"Arisa, please you must wake up," Kurama said softly as he shook her.

"Ah, please stop shaking me," Arisa said as she opened her eyes, and blushed as Kurama's face greeted her.

"I'm so glad you're awake, what happened?" Kurama asked, genuinely worried.

"I'm fine, I just got lost..." she muttered, and stood up shakily.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kurama asked, standing up to help her.

"I'm perfectly fine, but, uh, Kurama, I have something I have to tell you..." she muttered.

'This is it, I've got to tell him what I am,' she thought to herself, and she grabbed his hand.

"What is it Arisa?" Kurama asked, as he looked at her, utter confusion on his face.

"I...really need to tell you this... come with me," she said simply as she pulled him out the door, and to the nearby forest. Kurama watched as trees whizzed past him a blur as Arisa kept dragging him until she made it to a simple clearing.

The clearing was on the top of a large hill, and Arisa pulled Kurama to a sitting position next to her, and she took in a deep breath.

"Arisa, what is the meaning of this? Why did you take me here??" Kurama asked as he looked over at Arisa, her hair damp from the moisture that hung in the air, and her cheeks flushed a deep rose color.

"I need to tell you something, at the age of five, I was hit by a car. My family was camping, and I was walking across this dirt road, and this huge SUV came barreling down. It hit me, and I died instantaneously. I thought it was the end, but I put a fight, and didn't want to die, I never liked seeing my parents sad, and I knew that my death certainly would make them sad. So, Koenma made a deal with me, and let me come back to life, but as you know, it was my time to die, so my coming back was...er... unnatural. It seemed to make sense that I would be unnatural, too. The day I died changed me but I didn't know I had... well, you know, until I was 15 because my memories were erased. I was sadly awoken, and the powers that came back with me from my trip to the spirit world came very evident. I was scared, and I found out, I can't die, unless, well, stabbed through the heart. It was painful to know this, expecially when you see your friends and parents die. I should have been used to it, but it's something you don't get used to..." she muttered, and at that, she stopped suddenly, and took in a deep shuddering breath, her body wracking with sobs.

"Arisa's are you okay??" Kurama asked, as he looked at her with his deep emerald eyes.

"F..fine.. When I finally told my parents, they weren't very understanding. I went to a friends house, and he helped me. I was 26 at the time. When I became the last of my family line, I lost hope. I had placed a powerful seal on my body a few years ago. It gave me the form of a normal human, not to mention weaker powers. I thought that it would help to keep people from seeking me out, not to mention demons, but it didn't work. I... I... I am so afraid," she said, and she broke into large sobs, tears pouring down her face.

"It's okay, what are you afraid of??" Kurama asked, a worried look gracing his face.

"I moved so many times because people get suspicious, and I couldn't stand it, I never told many people, because I was afraid. I didn't tell you because I was afraid you would think me as a freak..."

"No, I would never do that, but Arisa, what are you to be exact?" Kurama asked, still confused. She said she couldn't die, does that mean she's an immortal?? No, that couldn't be it!

"I... I'm Gaia, the guardian of the Earth. I... for the moment, am a Goddess," She replied, and she looked up from where she had buried her face into her arms. She pulled her knees up to her chest, and sighed deeply.

For that instant, when the sun was rising, Kurama suddenly noticed how beautiful Arisa was. The sun illuminated her skin a deep gold color, and her hair reflected the colors with such tones, she seemed to be made of gold and bronze.

"That's.... amazing," Kurama said in wonder. He looked over to see the last few tears roll slowly out of Arisa's eyes, and they glittered like diamonds before they felt slowly to earth. In that very moment, time seemed to slow down, and he smiled.

"I... I need to be going, well, thanks, Kurama," Arisa said simply, her voice soft and smooth, and she leaned foreward, and kissed Kurama sweetly on the cheek, and walked off through the trees, leaving a very confused Kurama sitting on the hill, staring in wonder at the view the Earth was giving him. He placed his hand up and touched where Arisa had kissed him, and smiled, though he didn't know why...

YAY!!! I did it! Up to chapter Eight! Thank you soooo much to all of you who've read this, and even more thanks to all of you who review!! Thanks soooo much!!! cries happily This story will get better faster, plus please read and review, or else I will never know how good (or bad) my story is! Thanks!! - Vvictory sign w/ fingers)

Chapter 9 previews....the next round in the tournament fights begin, again, and Kurama finds out just how Alex died. In the meantime, Arisa is struggling with her inner demons, as well as the one in the ring with her! See ya soon in Chapter 9- Sorry