Since I took this story off, then put it on again, I lost the reviews I had before... Would it be okay if the people who read before just left a review? And I want to thank the people who DID review - YOU'RE THE GREATEST! ::hugs:: I hope this is better than it used to be - when I was editing, I realised how many times I'd used the word 'look' before. If you find any other obvious flaws, tell me!

Chapter 2: A Well Hidden Secret

Noon, near where the boys fell down Gaia Falls...

Mia held a hand up to block the sun'spiercing rays as she gazed over the peaceful ocean. 'Hard to believe this piece of water could've overcome the 5 stubborn boys who I know... Maybe the storm was a lot worse than they predicted...'

Distant yelling and cursing could be heard from inside the steering cabin. "BUT I WANT TO FIND THEM NOW!!!" Sounds of china breaking could also be heard. A calm voice penetrated the yells, and soon after the noise stopped, and murmurs could be heard.

Mia sighed, turned back and headed towards where Jenna and Sheba were now talking quietly. Jenna had been like this for several days now. She thought it was all her fault that they'd disappeared, but she knew that that wouldn't have been true... Ivan had had the Teleport Lapis with him, which meant they could've escaped anytime they wanted. But they had grown attached to the ship - not that Mia blamed them... she loved the little boat too.

As Mia approached the other two girls,she saw that sheba helda map in her hand and was pointing some things out to Jenna. "...You see? It would have killed them instantly if they'd fallen here, because of those jagged rocks positioned there, and yet... I can sense a little of their life force from here... It's so strange..."

"What are you two discussing here? Jenna, you really shouldn't throw stuff around. At this rate, we'll run out of crockery." she stared pointedly at the bits of broken china on the floor that probably used to be a teapot before Jenna and thrown it at the wall.

Jenna stuck her tongue out at Mia in reply and turned back to Sheba. "So? Your point? If they're supposed to be dead, but are alive, then shouldn't that mean your assumption is wrong?"

Sheba glared at Jenna, losing her normally calm composure. Jenna's change in attitude was certainly annoying, and unfortunately also delaying them in finding the others. "As a matter of fact, I know of a sailor who has traveled the seas his whole life, studying Gaia Falls, and he told me that it is possible that those who fall down the Gaia Falls COULD still be alive. That's why we're here, because I know for a fact, that he is going to pass through here in – "she reached out with her mind to check, before completing the sentence. "3 minutes. So just be patient! "

Jenna pouted grumpily and sat back on her chair. Then she sighed and simply stared at the sky, sinking deep into thought.

Confused, Mia looked to Sheba for an answer. "Sheba, what are you talking about? You never told me anything about this person?!"

Sheba scratched her headlooking rather embarrassed. "We-ell... you see... He's..."

Mia started to look interested. "Ooh! Who is he? Is he..." she looked at Sheba slyly.

Sheba shook her head frantically looking shocked. "Oh no! Nothing of the sort! He's my adoptive brother! I met him once, before all this business with the lighthouses startedand, well... He was really kind to me... and... so... He adopted me!"

"Sheba! Why didn't you ever tell us?! I thought you were still – "she broke off at the look on Sheba's face.

Sheba shook her head, telling her not to worry, but deep down, she was still feeling the disappointment. Afterseveral monthes of searching with her friends, she had finally discovered her origins, and why she had been leftbehind in the village... They'd been killed by stray monsters, and the fact that she alone had survived would most probably always remain a mystery.

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't worry about it... I'll be fine... And Hunter is a great step-brother!"

Jenna suddenly joined the conversation. "Hasn't 3 minutes already passed?" Apparently, she'd been counting the time in her head while staing at the sky.

"Oh, yes!" Sheba turned towards the direction of the falls and –

"Eek!" Mia gave a little shriek and barely remained on her feet as a boat appeared right in front of them, silently, and not making a single ripple.

This boat was slightly larger than average, and was almost as well built as the Lemurian ships- but not quite. The whole boat seemed to be made of polished wood. There seemed to be something shimmering around the edges... Mia narrowed her eyes, trying to focus on it. It almost seemed like... The boat was covered with a layer of Psynergy. What...? People don't do that unless they wanted their boat to fly... and this boat was cetrainly not flying.

"Hi there, Hunter!" Sheba waved cheerfully at the figure on the steering wheel, apparently not at all taken back by the mysterious appearance of the boat. Mia looked like she was going to faint, staring at the strange ship wordlessly. Sheba climbed over the railings to the other ship without the slightless hesitation, much to Mia's amazement.

"Hunter, meet my fellow shipmates, Mia and Jenna!" She waved her arm towards the boat that they'd borrowed from one of the captains at the harbour.

Jenna raced over to the newly arrived ship squealing as she went. This was extremely out of character behaviour for Jenna.

"How did you do that?! It was... Amazing! That boat just appeared out of nowhere! Can you teach me? That was like soooo cool!" she was now hanging onto his arm, gazing up, like a student begging the parent to give them a lolly. Hunter gazed down at her with hisblue eyes, confused. "Er... and you would be...?"

"I'm Jenna!" Jenna said happily. "I'm a Mars-Adept, the best in the whole of Weyard! At least, I would have to be the most co-ordinated!" (gee, modest isn't she? )

Mia finally recovered from her shock and came over onto Hunters boat to introduce herself, though she still looked pale. "Hi... I'm Mia... and I'm not used to... Well... boats appearing out of nowhere... It's unusual." But she was frowning a little. Shouldn't she be used to strange things happening. since many strange things had happened since she'd joined Isaac's group of travellers.

Concerned about Mia's health, Sheba"Are you okay? Do you want to go lie down for a bit?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I hadn't expected thatto scare you! Sheba, do you mind taking her down to one of the my cabins? You know where they are!" Hunter said ignoring a babbling Jenna for a while. Then he added in a whisper, "And hurry up, I need to have a talk with you."

"I have something I need to talk to you about too," she replied seriously, gazing at him steadily. He nodded, understanding that whatever she wanted to say was very important to her.

Mia started to shake her head, to refuse the her help, butSheba gripped her arm firmly and dragged her down to th cabin. "You are coming with me, and there is nothing you can do about it. It wouldn't do the boys any good if you faint or become sick before we find them."

"...? Are we going somewhere to help them? Oh... good... Can you stop swinging so much? I'm getting dizzy..." Mia murmured, then fainted. Sheba shook her unmoving figure gently, worried. "You don't usually have such a weak disposition... Is their disappearance really affecting you that much?"

Meanwhile, on the deck...

"Preeeetty pleeeeeeease?" Jenna begged. Hunter was currently attempting tosteer the ship, but it was a little difficult with Jenna still hanging onto his arm, not having let go since she came aboard. He sighed. "Do you mind letting go of my arm so I can sail this ship properly?" He asked for the umpteenth time. Only to be ignored. Again. "Why can't you just transport it, like you did before?"

Annoyed by the constant interruption, he answered curtly, his words clipped. "Because it uses a lot of my Magic and I can't afford that right now."

Jenna abruptly let go andstared at him strangely. "Why did you say Magic instead of Psynergy?"

He cursed himself. "It's just another word I like to use, "he said, hoping she'd take that as an answer. Why couldn't Sheba come back little quicker?! It would certainly make things alot easier... There was somethingextremely important he needed to tell her.

"Oh, really... strange... Oh well! Sheba said you studied Gaia Falls. Is that true? Can you help us find our... friends? They fell down Gaia Falls during a storm..."The red headbecame more serious and let go of his arm. "Maybe I should wait 'til Sheba gets back..."

Right on cue, Sheba reappeared on the deck. "I think Mia is very tired... we'd better let her rest a bit... " She trotted over to the steering wheel to speak to Hunter. "So, what was it you wanted to tell me?"

Her stepbrotherlooked uncertainly at Jenna. "Would it be okay if... well..."

Jenna was clueless. Though she was considerably less clueless than Garet... "What?"

"Well... This is sort of private... Can you leave for a second?"

Jenna crossed her arms, expression angry and hurt. "And what exactly is it that you can tell Sheba and not me?"

Hunter stuttered a little. Jenna could be intimidating when she wanted to be. "We-elll..."

Sheba cut in. "Jenna, he is my stepbrother and you should show proper respect! Also, I've known him a lot longer than you have!"

Jenna humphed and stalked off to her cabin.

Sheba sighed and turned back to Hunter apologetically. "Sorry about that, we are all shocked by the sudden disappearance of Isaac, Felix and the others..."

He gazed at her quizzically. "Do you want to tell me your news first?"

Sheba shook her head. "No, you first."

"Alright. Do you remember how you asked me about my origins when wemet after you defeated the Doom Dragon?"

Sheba nodded, wincing a little. She hadn't spoken to Hunter for days after that because she thought he was deliberately keeping something from her out of selfishness. Ithad beena while before she realised there would have to be a very good reason for him to keep something that vitala secret.

"I'm going to take you all there - I think there could be something thatrealted tothe disappearance of your friends." He held up his hand to stop the flow of questions he could see building up in her mind. "Don't ask yet - I'm not sure how much I can tell you. Now, what was it you wanted to tell me?"

"... well, I realized something when I was studying this map. From what you told me, they would've most certainly died if they had fallen down at this point," and she pointed at a marked spot on the Gaiai Falls. "And yet, I can sense their life forces somewhere around the falls. It' not making sense..."

Hunter leaned forward, a guilty expression on his dark face. "I wasn't telling the truth. It's as simple as that. I'm sorry I lied to you, but it was necessary to protect..." he trailed off, not sure if he should continue. "Never mind," he said quickly, tilting her head slightly to one side, Sheba stared at him, before nodding slightly, accepting that there was something he didn't want to tell her yet.

"Can you go down and tell your friends to prepare themselves, as we will be leaving soon." Sheba bobbed her head in agreement, though she did look back at him rather strangely a couple of times as she went. Hunter sighed.There was so much they didn't know... And if he were to reveal to them a secret known to very few... Could they keep it a secret? He couldn't be sure yet...

Chapter End---