Disclaimer: Yes, yes. I don't own shit and everybody knows it. Nothing knew here.

Author: I know that basically all my fanfics are short, but I try my best. (I guess that counts…. right? ;;)

When Wolves Cry

Chapter 2: Beyond the Door

Kaoru opened the door and gasped. "My god…"she said in awe," How is this possible?"

Misao merely smiled at her. "You like?" she giggled," I know. It's pretty amazing. But you get used to it."

Beyond the door was something you rarely find anymore. "Paradise," she whispered.

"Hm? Did you say something, Kaoru?" Kaoru shook her head.

Kaoru was right. The place beyond the door is paradise. All sorts of plants grew and blossomed. Trees adorned many fruits that satisfied the hunger. There were waterfalls scattered about, filled with a variety of goldfish, kois, and other water creatures. Everywhere you look, there was life.

Suddenly remembering what the business was to come here, Kaoru said to Misao," Hey. Where's the shopkeeper?"

Misao answered," You'll see. Oh, by the way, do you mind getting that kimono wet, Kaoru?"

Kaoru had a gut feeling that she was going to have to do something that involved wetting her favorite kimono. "What?" she panicked," Why? What for?"

"Just answer the question. We don't have all day."

Kaoru gave in. "Fine, but, if it gets dirty, you're buying me a new kimono." Misao nodded with a smile and pushed Kaoru towards an old tree in the middle of the 'paradise'. Its branches were gnarled and broken. Its wood was infested with many insects, crawling in and out of it. Misao saw Kaoru in discomfort.

"Don't worry, Kaoru," she soothed," Nothing's going to happen. It just looks old. It's nothing compared to the other trees in Kyoto, eh? Now, let's go to the shopkeeper. This won't take long." Misao knocked on the tree a few times. Then a huge piece of the wood suddenly moved out of the way, revealing the inside of the tree. It looked so cramped that only two people could have fit in it. "It's okay, Kaoru. You go first. I'll be right behind you." Kaoru silently nodded and reluctantly went first into the uncomfortable tree. Misao went in with her. "Here we go!" Misao exclaimed, and she kicked the inside top of the tree. As she did that, the wood below them disappeared and the two fell down what felt like a long, metal pipe going down.

Kaoru screamed in agitation while Misao screamed in delight. "Don't worry, Kaoru!" Misao yelled, trying to get past the high volume of Kaoru's screaming," It will only last a little while! Besides, the landing won't hurt a bit!"

Suddenly, the falling stopped. They landed on what seems to be a cloud. Misao landed perfectly on her bottom. Unfortunately, Kaoru fell on her front and ended getting her head stuck in a cloud… literally. Kaoru, finally, got her head out and inspected her surroundings. They seemed to be in the sky. Confused, Kaoru looked below her and, once again, panicked.

"Oh my god! We're in the sky! How the hell did we get here?!"

Misao, having being fed up with Kaoru's raised decibels, she tried her best to console the girl. After all, she acted somewhat like this on her first experience, only, milder.

"Uh…" Misao stuttered, having no idea on what to say to Kaoru," Don't worry. We're almost there. Just bear with me!" When the cloud finally stopped, Misao quickly grabbed Kaoru's hand. "Try not to scream please!" Before Kaoru could say anything, the cloud disappeared and they ended up freefalling through the sky.

Kaoru tried her utmost best to keep her mouth shut, turning to her best friend for comfort. Misao looked bored. She said," Go on, keep yourself entertained. We're going to be here for a while." All of a sudden, Misao got a book and a cup of tea from the air.

'Man, this place gets weirder and weirder every minute,' Kaoru thought,' oh well… This is out of the ordinary. I guess I should enjoy it while I can.' Realization hit her like a baseball coming at full speed from the neighbor's backyard. She exclaimed," Whoa, how'd you get that, Misao?!"

Misao, not looking up from her book, said," Just reach out your hand and think about something that you want in it. Oh by the way, make sure you catch it before it goes away. You don't want to waste anything, now do you?"

Kaoru slowly absorbed the information into her head. 'Huh…' she thought to herself,' Will this really work?' She stretched out her hand and thought of something. In a few seconds, a little fairy appeared in her hand.

"Hello," it said," I'm your guide for his trip. So far, we are falling down from the sky. Please keep your hands and legs close together so your landing will hurt less."

Kaoru was shocked. "What the..?!" she screamed. And, in her surprise, threw the little fairy away. "Whoa!"

Misao, having seen what was going on, said," Why'd you do that, Kaoru? That was your guide to whatever's going on around this place!"

Kaoru panicked. "That was my guide?!" Misao nodded.

But, before any of them could say anymore, they landed on a giant mushroom that cushioned their fall.

"What…are…you…doing here?" A smoky voice said from behind them. Kaoru whipped her head around. It turns out that the voice came from a giant caterpillar, smoking from the plant growing next to the mushroom. (Sound familiar?)

"Excuse…Excuse me?" Kaoru slowly replied in shock. Misao interrupted.

"Oh don't pick on her, Gerardo, she's new," Misao said with a grin. (Sorry, couldn't think of a better name… ;;) "This is Kaoru," pointing to the surprised girl next to her," But if you'll excuse us, Gerardo, we have to go see Aki." Misao took Kaoru by the arm and they stepped off this giant mushroom.

The caterpillar looked irritated. "It's always about Aki, isn't it? Why can't you just visit just to say hi to little ol' me?"

"Sorry 'bout that," Misao answered as she took Kaoru with her deep into a forest," Maybe next time, huh?"

Misao looked at her silent friend. She looked at her friend with worried eyes. "Kaoru?" she whispered," Are you okay?"

Kaoru nodded her head. "It's nothing," she said with a smile," It's just that everything here is so…. New to me."

Misao pouted. "Well, you should have noticed that for the first few minutes you were here. It's kind of hard to miss that, isn't it?" Kaoru put on her guilty face that said,' Well you should know that I have a knack for missing even the most obvious things!!'

"Ok, we're here!" Misao exclaimed.

"We're where?"

"Just look, Kaoru!"

Kaoru looked in front of them and awed. 'Oh my gosh,' Kaoru thought to herself,' It's so beautiful.' It was a beach. But not just any beach at that. It looked so natural. Kaoru knew that trash and other nasty things pollute most beaches of today. The sands looked so brightly yellow. The water looked so clear that it almost looks like glass.

Misao giggled at her friend's gaping mouth. "Close your mouth, Kaoru," she said with a chuckle," You'll look like a fish."

Kaoru instantly closed her mouth in embarrassment. "Save your awe for later there is something else that you'll gawk at. But, for now, let's go there." Misao pulled Kaoru into what looked like a bathtub floating in the water and pointed at the island just ahead of them. (Yes, yes. This bathtub thing was from the game Tales of Symphonia. P.S. Kratos is one hot mercenary!)

Kaoru looked at the bathtub with disapproval. "We're going to the island… in that?! We're going to sink!"

Misao merely shrugged. "Oh come on! It's going to be fun! It won't sink!" And she pulled Kaoru in until she fell on her bottom and started to row the tub as fast as she can. "Don't worry, Kaoru. The pain of the uncomfortable position you are in will wear off once you start walking.

"Great," Kaoru groaned.

It seemed like an eternity until they reached the island. Once they docked their bathtub, Kaoru took this chance to relieve herself of her back pain by running around in an unladylike fashion. (Whoohoo! Imagine this everyone! Kaoru doing the chicken dance!)

Misao just sweat dropped. 'Kaoru seriously looks like a chicken,' she thought to herself.

And they continued walking on the island, walking towards the tower that stood high in the middle of it.

Author's Note: Yeah, yeah. I get it already. I did say that I was going to update more often… --;; Shame on me! But… sobs I'm grounded!!! Nooo!!! So, I'm taking advantage of me being at my cousin's house and updated just for you guys!!! But I'm gonna need a hell of a lot more reviews!! Come on people! Only 2 for the first chapter?! That's evil!!! T.T

Kratos: That's what you get for tying me with chains and locking me in your closet, which I must say has something unearthly growing in it.

AN: Oh, that's just Sephiroth, my cactus.

Kratos: Why do you have a cactus in your closet? Never mind that, why the hell do you have a rubber chicken in your closet?!

AN: What? It was a birthday present!!! . It's not my fault people think I'm weird!

Kratos: I'm sure they had their reasons….

AN: Shut up! hits Kratos on the head with a fan You're supposed to be knocked out while I commence unspeakable things to you….

Readers: We knew there was a reason this was rated R!!!

Kratos: No! No! Get away from me! What! What are you going to do with that can of shaving cream!! No!!! Not the cherry sauce! Why?! Why?!

Readers: silently walks away as they hear Kratos screaming and me laughing maniacally