Well, here's another chapter I've written for your entertainment. Pretty cool surprise, eh? You get two chapters all in one day! This has got to be the first great thing I've done to this story.

ALSO, go back and re-read the other chapters. I've been modifying and changing things around, so if you get confused in any part of the story now, you're gonna have to go back and see if you missed anything new that I added. Hope this helps you!

I yawn and turn over on my side, relishing in the warmth of my soft bed…. MY BED! The last I remember I was in Hiei's arms! I sit up suddenly, wincing at the dull pain in my arms and legs. I glanced down and notice several bandages wrapped around my left arm and right knee. Apart from that, no bruises; no cuts; not anything. 'Must be Yukina's doing.' I thought, 'What with her and her special healing powers.'

"I'm glad to see you're up now. I thought for sure you'd be out for several more days." Came a calm vice to my left, and I turned to see Kurama leaning casually against the wall, the door open. 'That's odd. I didn't even hear or see him come in!' I smiled at him. It was always better to be polite before you interrogate someone ruthlessly.

"Um, Kurama?" I asked.

"Yes Aki?"

"Um, about yesterday… is Hiei going to train me again?" I silently prayed he wouldn't. I wasn't so sure if I would survive the next training session with him or not! Kurama smiled reassuringly. "No. you get two more days of rest after each training session until you become comfortable and build up endurance. We won't have you training all day… yet." Kurama said, letting his smile slip into a slight smirk. I glared. He was so not being funny. There was no way I would ever be able to train all day non-stop. Just because everyone thought I was part-demon didn't mean I could suddenly be like one!

I was snapped out of my way-ward thoughts by Kurama's voice. "….Also, Koenma wishes to speak to you later on this afternoon. You two weren't properly introduced, and, uh… he never did get to finish talking to you. You passed out, remember?" he said, and I looked away. Does he always have to say embarrassing things like that? Why couldn't he just let it drop? Just because I was having a rough day and the information Koenma had told me messed me up, didn't mean he had to keep rubbing it in my face!

I said nothing but nodded. There. Now he can stop bothering me about that.

To my surprise it actually worked, and he dropped the subject right then and there. That in itself was a miracle. Can it be true? But it seems Kurama wasn't finished speaking. He continued his unnerving stream of thoughts. "Anyway, I think he wants to talk to you about your training. He'll send Botan to pick you up and take you to Reikai when he's ready. Afterwards, I'll come get you, okay?" he said, and I looked to him in question. He was picking me up? Why couldn't Botan just take me back?

Kurama must've read the question in my eyes and grinned. "Botan won't be able to bring you back. She has her duties as a ferry girl to fulfill. It's either me or Hiei to collect you…. But I don't think Hiei is up for the job. He seems rather… 'upset', about something. Perhaps, you know what's troubling him?" he said, and I immediately caught on to his little game.

Oh no. He was doing it again! Using his clever, subtle tactics to pry information out of me he thought I had. Well he has another thing coming! I don't know what's wrong with Hiei. I didn't even know anything WAS wrong with him until he told me! Besides, I could get care less what happens to that freak. It's because of him I suffered so much yesterday. I hope he feels sorry for what he did! I knew Kurama would get on him about it!

This little fact pleased me immensely, and I held back the crazied grin that struggled to place itself on my lips. I wouldn't want Kurama to think I was truly demented, now did I?

So instead of answering him 'no', I merely shrugged my shoulders, plastering on a how-should-I-know?- look. This was enough to satisfy his curiosity for the moment, even though I could tell Kurama wasn't all too pleased with my reply. Did he really think I would open up and do whatever he asked of me? He may have that control over any other female, but he would not have it over me. I was free. NO ONE could control me. No one….

He said nothing more after that (that was of any importance to me) and left me to myself. I sighed. Kurama, though he tried so hard to be a good person, could be a rather annoying male at times. A bit nosy, too. He may act more mature and be more mature than any other guy I may run across, but that didn't make him perfect. Everyone had faults, that much I knew. No matter how perfect he may seem, I'm sure even Kurama was housing a few deep dark secrets….

I looked outside my window, to the tall majestic tree right beside it. My eyes landed upon a familiar black figure perched upon one of the higher branches, and I knew it had to be Hiei. We both stared at each other for a moment, lost in thought and the serene silence, then…. He was gone. A bitter frown fell upon my face, and my chest tightened with unexpected pain. I don't know why him leaving me would become such a big thing, but it did. And it hurt. I pushed it away.

Pain isn't as severe if you choose to ignore it. Only when you welcome it does it destroy you utterly.

I quickly bathed and changed into some clean clothes, feeling very refreshed and alive. If I didn't need to go see Koenma, I just might go downtown to do some shopping! It was a nice day out after all. And it would be a terrible waste if I spent it all in indoors!

I walk out into the main room to notice the blue-haired deity already waiting for me. Botan looks up the moment I enter the room and hurries over to me. She takes my hand in hers and before I have time to protest, drags me to the door. "Come on, Aki! We're going to be late getting there if you don't hurry up!" she says cheerfully, and I begin to wonder exactly where all her enthusiasm comes from? Maybe she takes some type of drug or something? Or maybe it's a mental defect?

My mind is suddenly jarred back to reality as Botan pulls me to a stop. I look around. Hmm, I wonder if we'll be taking the bus. I bet it's downtown or in the city some where. That would explain why Koenma acts like a pampered businessman's son.

I tap Botan on the shoulder, and she looks up from the mirror in her hand. "Yes?" "Hey Botan, just where is this Reikai? Is it close by? Are we going to take the bus, or walk…" My words were cut short as Botan burst into peals of laughter, doubling over and gripping my arm for support. I was beyond alarmed. Just what was her problem now? I was being serious!

I glared at her and struggled to control my temper that threatened to blow out of control, and said in the nicest voice possible, "Just what is so funny, Botan?" Botan stood upon hearing her name and grinned like a mad woman. "You!" she gasped, wiping the tears from her eyes. "We can't take a bus or walk there! Reikai is above us, silly!" Now it was my turn to be thrown for the loop. Above us? Was she on crack or what! How can a building be in the frickin sky! That made no sense. None at all.

It seems, in order for me to survive my encounter with this particular group of freaks, I would have to pick up their freakish ways. Otherwise, I would never be able to fully absorb half of the lies they told to me. A place within the sky. That was the biggest load of crap I have ever heard in my whole life! Did she really think I was going to believe such an outrageous lie?

I raised an eyebrow and gave Botan a skeptical look, letting her know I was on to her. "Okay then? If it's in the sky, how do we get there?" I said, waiting to see how she was going to answer this question. What lie could she possibly come up with to make it seem realistic?

"By taking a portal! Let me finish connecting to it on my communicator, okay?." She replied, motioning to the mirror in her hand. I rolled my eyes. That's it? That's the best she can come up with? Oh well. If she wants, I guess I can play along, just this once. It seems my previous intention to leave them all as soon as possible is beginning to be near impossible. I don't want her to feel like I don't trust her…. even though I don't. Now it's my turn to tell a lie….

"Right, okay. Let's get this 'portal' of yours up and running so we can go! I can't wait to see what it's like there!" I said, smiling brightly. Botan took it I finally believed her and smiled back before pressing several 'buttons' on her mirror.

And then, much to my horror and disbelief… a portal appeared. A small, swirling circle materialized in the air beside us, the smoky-white color of it twisting and writhing as though it were alive. I swallowed hard. Well, this was certainly something different! I don't know how to explain this. It was obvious this was no illusion. And I was too awake to be hallucinating. It wasn't even hot out for it to be a mirage. So just what was it? This can't really be real…. can it?

I don't know. I don't know. Suddenly, I regretted ever coming here, as the faint possibility that all the lies they had told me, were indeed actually truth. Maybe it wasn't their fault. Maybe it was my own. If I hadn't been so stubborn and ignorant up til now…

Botan gave me a pat on the back. "Well, Aki? Aren't you going to go through?" she asked, eyeing me in careful concern. I said nothing in reply, sliding the mask in place to cover up my fear and hesitation. That was the very last thing I wanted; for her to know I was scared of a little portal!

Suddenly, I didn't know what to do. I wasn't so sure about this. I had never been confronted with such a horrifying truth.

Right now, I was seriously hoping for more lies….

Well, I hope this chapter was rewarding! Now I'm seriously gonna start working on updating sooner! Really I will! Just remember that every review counts...