LadyRainStarDragon: Shinji and Izumi? Hm. You'll just have to wait and see. :D

kurenoharu: Okay, I'll cut down on the love scenes. I promise. Chihiro spending everyday in the house? Uhm. I'll ask freezingsaphire about it.

Thanks for your reviews. )

Author's Notes/Warnings: This chapter is short, because I got reeally stuck on it and I can only thank God for freezingsaphire's help. I've been told that my characters are rather OOC, and I apologize. I'm pretty new to fanfiction, so I'm not too sure about the characterization and whatnot.

Disclaimer: Izumi and the God of Knowledge are freezingsaphire's. Shinji is mine. The other characters belong to anyone but us.

Chapter 2

Where is it? Izumi, having run out of breath, had taken to walking instead of running. She kicked a rock that was standing in her path, and regretted it immediately as she now had a sore toe to add to her tiredness.

Naturally, she did what miserable people usually did; she started crying. Not full-blown sobs when she had cried in her mother's lap, just tears rolling down her cheeks. She wiped them away angrily, and sat down on the rock she had kicked. She took the diary out of her bag and flipped through it. Perhaps Chihiro had left clues on how to get to the gateway in there.

Dear Diary,

I've made a decision. I will continue living life like any ordinary kid. I won't forget the wonderful things that have happened to me, but I don't really want people thinking I'm weird or anything; me talking about dragons and babies bigger than a fully-grown man. I painted a white dragon and pasted it in my room, to serve as a reminder in addition to the hair band. I even drew a map to the red gateway behind the painting, as I have been constantly going into the forest to visit it. It has taken so much self-restraint not to just walk in again. Oh, I've gotta go. Mom's calling me down for dinner. See you later. –Chihiro

The painting. Izumi got up and started running to Chihiro's house, her previous fatigue forgotten. She finally reached Chihiro's house, and made a mad dash for her cousin's room. The painting of the white dragon was hanging above the bed. In the four years she had disappeared, Chihiro's parents had refused to change anything in the room, firmly believing their daughter would come back one day.

Izumi carefully peeled the painting off the wall, and turned the piece of paper around. True enough, there was some sort of a map, drawn like any drawing done by a ten-year-old.

"Where are you going?" Chihiro's mother asked as Izumi ran out of the house with the map/painting in her hand.

"To find Chihiro!" Izumi called back as her aunt just stared at her, too stunned for words.


Haku thought the Council's reaction to their visitor was rather interesting; Yubaba had fainted, half of the rest had practically fallen over their feet apologizing, a quarter had freaked out and they were muttering to themselves, and the rest had just stared.

The God of Knowledge had a long-suffering look on his face. He looked like he wanted to yell "Just stop apologizing and let me speak damn it!" Instead, he cleared his throat, "I'd like to speak now."

The council fell silent, and listened attentively to what he was about to say.

"I suggest," he began slowly, (some of the council members still had dazed looks on their faces) "That we gather an army, and send someone after Nimokushi. I already have someone in mind, and I doubt he will fail to subdue the ex-lord, but it would be wise if the rest of the Spirit World were prepared."

"Sir, who do you have in mind?" Haku asked, fearing that he already knew the answer.

The God of Knowledge just blinked at him, "You of course."

"But there are other spirits more powerful than I am," Haku protested, even though he didn't know if what he said was true. He really didn't want to leave Chihiro alone with a psycho like Nimokushi on the loose, even though he was supposedly hunting down said psycho on the loose.

"You're Lord of the Spirit World for a reason boy, and a damn good reason it is too," the God of Knowledge replied, "You're fricking powerful. You would be even without the extra magic you got when you stepped into Lamba Core. Hell, you're even more powerful than your teacher Yubaba over there, and that's saying a lot," everyone glanced at Yubaba, who was still limp in her seat, "even though she's currently out cold."

"Uh," was all Haku managed as he blushed slightly; he wasn't used to receiving compliments as long as that.

"All right, discussion's over," The God of Knowledge ignored Haku, "I'd like to speak to Kohaku alone."

The rest of the Council filed out of the room, a few of them murmuring good-lucks to Haku.

"So, Nimokushi," the God of Knowledge began, "anything in particular you want to know about him?"

"What are his motives this time?" Haku asked. Please let it not be revenge. Please let it not be revenge. Please let it not be revenge

The God of Knowledge shook his head, "I'm afraid I can't tell you."

"Oh," Haku wilted. Well that was a fat load of help.

"Besides," the God of Knowledge grinned, "it's so much more fun if everything is a surprise."

He had to be kidding. Haku asked, "What must I do to stop him?"

"Find three magical items, and seal him away. There is no guarantee that the seal will be able to hold him forever, but he shouldn't be able to escape for let's say… a few centuries at least?"

"Where do I find them?"

"That, my dear Kohaku, is where the fun comes in."

Haku resisted the urge to throttle the god, "Where do I start?"

"Try the mountains you found Shinji in."

"Okay. What are the magical items and how do I use them?"

"I'll just let you figure that out."

"Right-o. I'm looking for three magical items I have absolutely no clue about with a lunatic on the loose trying to kill me, and I'm supposed to seal the lunatic away with the three magical items I have absolutely no clue about. It'll just be a clinch won't it? My wife may be in danger and I can't come swooping to her rescue if she needs help because I'm hunting down that lunatic. Well that's just dandy," Haku knew he was being bitter. He just couldn't care less.

"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit Kohaku," the God of Knowledge said solemnly.

"I forgot to mention a god who's a total sicko," Haku thought uncharitably. He was ready to tear his hair out by the handfuls.

"I heard that," said God commented lightly.

"You read my thoughts?"

"I read everyone's thoughts."

"Oh."

"It's okay. I've heard worse; some of which are actually pretty amusing. Anything else?"

"What are the chances…" Haku paused for a moment, and said softly, "of me succeeding? An army isn't going to stop Nimokushi. He's too powerful. He'll wipe them all out in an instant."

"Have more faith in yourself, Kohaku," the God of Knowledge offered one of his rare, genuine smiles, "I meant every word I said earlier, about you being powerful."

"Thank you," Haku whispered.

The God of Knowledge cocked his head to the side, as if listening to something. He grinned, "Well, duty calls. Good luck."

He saw Haku's stunned look and his grin turned into a smirk, "I'll try to make things as interesting and fun as possible along the way."

With that, he disappeared.

"Interesting and fun for whom I wonder…" Haku muttered to himself.


Finally. Izumi thought as she stood before the red gateway. She frowned. I should have left mom a note. She would be worried.

Shaking those thoughts of, Izumi walked towards the red gateway, and through it. She didn't see the God of Knowledge's trademark smirk, nor did she see him cracking open the invisible doors separating the two worlds, just like he did for her cousin Chihiro and her parents ten years ago.


Whee My first cliffhanger!