Hey guys, I'm back!

Thanks for all your reviews… it's your support that keeps this story going!

And now, chapter six…

Enjoy!

From last chapter:

"I hope Ginji and the others come soon. I don't know what's going to happen now."

"So, where are we going to start looking for her? Babylon City's a big place." asked Himiko once they had entered Mugenjou and were heading towards the upper floors - including Babylon City.

"We'll just have to split up into groups, I guess, just like when we went here for the IL retrieval." answered Kazuki.

"But then we wouldn't know where the others would be!" argued Shido.

"And we could get lost." added Jubei quietly. "We may be familiar with Mugenjou but that's just the lower levels. We've never been able to go to the upper areas."

Suddenly, Ban had an idea. "Why don't we do it this way? We'll separate into two groups, one with Himiko and the other with Kazuki. Himiko can use her tracking scent while thread spool can use his strings. That way, we won't get lost. 1" He suggested.

"So we've solved the problem of getting lost," said Hevn, "but if one group finds it, how will the other group know?" she asked.

Ban thought for a while, then said," Ginji can go with Kazuki so if they find it, he'll just send a bolt of electricity into the sky. Then, monkey trainer, you go with Himiko. If you find it, just send one of your animals over or something like that, understand?"

"I never knew Ban could be this smart. Looks like he's changed, for the better hopefully." thought Himiko unconsciously. Then all of a sudden when she realized what she had been thinking, she blushed furiously and thought, "Wait a minute, this is BAN we're talking about!"

Ban glanced at her and was surprised to find that she was blushing furiously. He gave her a puzzled look, which only led her to blush even more. "I wonder what's up with her?" he thought.

Ginji's voice interrupted his thoughts. "So who's going with who?"

Immediately, Jubei sided with Kazuki. Akabane sided with Himiko, causing Ginji to let out a sigh of relief. Hevn went over to Ginji, not wanting to be with Dr. Jackal.

"That leaves me to be with Himiko…and the monkey trainer." thought Ban as he walked over to Himiko's side.

Shido glared at him and said, "Explain to me why I got stuck with you again."

"Tch. You and I just have rotten luck when it comes to these things." He replied, popping a cigarette into his mouth.

"We'll head this way and- " said Kazuki, pointing to the right corridor.

"- And we'll go that way." finished Himiko, pointing in the opposite direction.

Without another word, the two groups headed into the separate corridors, oping to find Natsumi before they were too late.

(Babylon City)

A flicker of movement caused Natsumi to look towards the door, breaking her reverie.

The door creaked open, revealing Ryuki standing behind it. He smiled at Natsumi and said, "Come on, you need to practice."

Natsumi nodded and followed him, for she trusted him with her life.

When they arrived at the training hall, Natsumi merely glanced at it.

"It seems to me nothing's changed around here." She observed. It was true. The metal walls looked exactly the same as it had a few years before.

Ryuki ignored her and simply said, "Let's get to work.

(2 hours later)

After two hours of kicking and punching, Ryuki finally agreed to take a break.

As Ryuki was sipping water from his water canteen, Natsumi, who was lying down on the floor, suddenly asked, "Why are you helping me?"

Ryuki looked at her, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, why are you helping me to train. You're still a part of the Forbidden Section, right? If so, I'm supposed to be considered as your enemy. Now do you get it?" she replied exasperatedly. Honestly, Ryuki could be so thick sometimes.

"Well, I was ordered to by my boss." He said simply, hoping that his answer would satisfy her curiosity, even though he knew it would not.

Natsumi sighed, "Ryuki, you know that's not that answer I want."

Ryuki paused for a moment to close his water canteen before sitting on the floor next to Natsumi.

"I…I don't want our, no, my boss to win." He said.

This puzzled Natsumi. She had would have thought that Ryuki would want her to lose so that she would be able to stay with him.

"Why?" she asked curiously.

Her friend cleared his throat and began to explain. "After you left, I was a bit sad to say the least. However, over some time, I realized that you had made the right decision. You were too young to do all the dirty things we were ordered to do. Besides, sometimes, I would come down from here to take a look at you in the Honky Tonk." He paused as Natsumi looked at him in surprise.

"When I looked at you, you seemed very happy with your new life and that made me feel… good, I guess. I realized that the reason I helped you train and the reason I brought you here to the Forbidden Section was because I wanted to make you happy. When I met you, you seemed sad and lost so I thought that bringing you here would make you have a purpose in life, to be able to belong somewhere. Now I realize that what I did was wrong and I want to make up for it. I exposed you to things that no thirteen-year old kid should have seen. What you should have is a happy and normal life and if that's what you have outside, then I'm gonna help you get it back."

There was a pause after as Natsumi thought about what he had just said.

Finally, she smiled and replied, "Ryuki Tachimori, that must have been the sappiest thing you ever said in your entire life."

They both began to smile and laugh until they felt more comfortable with each other, just like before when they were partners.

"But Ryuki, you did make me happy, when you brought me here." Natsumi said seriously, "It did give me a purpose in life and it made me feel like I was in a family. It made me feel good about myself because I thought we were helping people, or so I thought. But when I went outside, I realized that there was more to life than killing, you know, that sort of thing. And even though I'm happier outside, I'll never forget you and I'll always be grateful for what you did for me." She finished, smiling at him.

"That's good because I'll never forget you either," he said smiling at his young friend. He took one look at the old clock hanging on the metal wall and said, "We have to practice, that is if you want to beat him."

She nodded and stood up. "Let's get to work."

As Ginji and the others were looking for her, a thought came across Ginji's mind, despite all his worries and anxieties.

"We'll find you Natsumi, I promise."

Author's note:

1 I got the idea from "Wilhelm's Manuscript" by A Guy Named Goo. You should read it because it's really good!

I'm done! I'm sorry if this chapter was a bit too mushy and sappy but I just wanted you guys to understand Ryuki and Natsumi's feelings.

Oh and please don't expect any updates from Dec.6 - 16, or something like that because we have our T.E's. All Assumptionistas should know this. If you don't know what that means, it means our Trimestral Examinations or in other words, one heck of a long test which I really have to study for so I won't have time to post new chapters. Please don't blame me, blame our teachers!

Well, until next time!

P.S – If you people want to add me in Friendster, my email is . If you guys want to add me in Gaia, my username is moongoddess93. If you want me to add you, just tell me your email or username and include it in your review. (This just gives you another reason to review!)