A/N: Hmm… No reviews but I'll continue writing, just to keep my mind off all the stress of my schoolwork and everything.

Chapter 7 – Chihiro's illness

Running like the wind back up the winding stairs into Takaya's home, both Taiki and Reina paused for a while to catch their breath before following Kaonashi out of the house and into the nearby park. Only after reaching a deserted part of the park did Kaonashi stop and undo the silencing spell he had placed upon them.

"Kaonashi! What did you do!" Taiki gasped as he bent over, struggling to catch his breath. Beside him, Reina also was doing the same.

"Taiki-kun?" Reina asked shyly.

"Um… yeah Reina? Your name is Reina right?" Taiki chuckled nervously. Crap… I sound like a total idiot. Taiki Thought.

"Yes, well, is this all a game that you and Takaya-san are playing around? Because I just cant… cant believe everything that the both of you have been telling me so far." Reina said in a rush.

"Well… I guess its understandable, I dunno why Takaya-san asked you to come along with me when he could have just wiped your memory and sent you home." Taiki replied, not looking her straight in the face.

"But… but if I come along, will I be holding you back? I want to meet your mother, who is… was my mother's best friend so many years ago. Before my mother died, she said her last wish was that she meet her best friend, Chihiro, one last time, but her wish was never fulfilled as Chihiro was never found again. So I want to see what kind of a person your mother was, what was it that made my mother so believe in her." Reina finished with a sob.

"I see… ok then, I'll bring you to see my mother in the Spirit World. Besides, I need to see my parents again, they must be worried sick about me by now, and I need to report to my father what kind of a being the God of knowledge really is…" Taiki murmured.

"Taiki-kun, it would not be advisable to return to the Spirit World, even as we speak, Nimokushi, the previous lord of the Spirit World is wandering the place, searching for you." Kaonashi advised Taiki.

"Then wouldn't it be better if I returned to the Spirit World, there my father would be able to watch over us for a while before we continue on this quest of the so called God of Knowledge." Taiki retorted.

"Yes, Taiki-kun." Kaonashi replied, opening the gate to the dimensional world.

"Chihiro… are you alright?" Haku asked as he placed a pillow under her head and supported her as she lay down onto the bed.

"I'm fine, its just… a lack of sleep…" Chihiro whispered as she closed her eyes.

"Are you sure? You can't be sick because I don't feel anything wrong in your body right now." Haku said anxiously, brushing back a few strands of hair that had fallen over her eyes.

"I feel very tired, and hot." Chihiro murmured softly, almost to herself. This confirmed Haku's worse fears. Placing the blanket over her and casting a soothing spell over the room, he left to the living room where he placed a hand onto the communicator, summoning Zeniiba to his house.

Immediately, Zeniiba appeared, looking older and more frail than ever. Seeing Haku's anxious expression. Zeniiba knew that she had not been summoned for a cup of tea and a long chat.

"Yes Haku? Whats wrong?" Zeniiba asked, sitting down on the sofa.

"Zeniiba-san… I don't know if it's the real thing but, I think that Chihiro is suffering from the time zone effect again." Haku said distraughtly.

"Time… Zone… Effect?" Zeniiba said slowly, a shocked look spreading over her face, "the one which creates a time lag for humans who have stayed here for too long a period of time?"

"The very one." Haku replied grimly.

"But you changed that years ago. It couldn't have changed back by itself, unless… "

"Nimokushi." They both gasped.

Line Break

Outside the hut, an old spirit stood with a cloak over his bent body, observing every move within the cottage, seeing the shocked expressions of the 2 spirits within, he smirked, " Kohaku, never in your wildest dreams will you imagine what I do for revenge."

As a gust of wind blew, Kaonashi spread his arms open and seemed to grasp at the very edges of space itself, pulling his arms down, Reina gasped as a portion of the space tore off, leaving a gap within the air, like a window that opened to nothingness.

"Relax, this is a space distortion window, it will enable us to travel to any dimension or world, right now our destination is the Spirit World, where you can see my mother." Taiki explained.

"Ok…" Reina replied, trying her best now to let fear show on her face.

"Ok, here we go!" Taiki said, taking her hand and stepping inside the window, imagining a picture of his home in his mind as a huge gust of wind blew him around, making him spin till he lost his consciousness.

"Nimokushi… it must be him!" Haku seethed as he paced up and down the room, ignorant to the pattering of the rain on the rooftop.

"Yes… Nimokushi seems to have the highest probability of being the one who overwrote your spell on the time zone effect. But right now isn't the time to be pointing fingers, now is the time for action that will save Chihiro's life." Zeniiba said sharply, so that Haku would listen.

"I will go into the Lamba Core now and see what can be done to change the rule." Haku said. Glancing back at Chihiro's room, Haku thought, I will save you, just hang on for a little while.

Turning to the task at hand, Haku sunk beneath the earth to emerge into the cavern of the Lamba Core. Moving to the panel that had the laws of the Spirit world carved into it, Haku ran his hand over the one governing the time within the Spirit World, changing it for humans to be safe within the Spirit World.

Returning to the Spirit World, Haku started, " Zeniiba-san, it is done…" Without completing his sentence, Haku was shocked. The cottage was in a mess, Zeniiba was nowhere to be seen, instead Haku saw the 2 people he had least expected to see at that moment: Taiki and Nimokushi, locked in battle.

"Taiki!" Haku gasped, then seeing who the other spirit was, a menacing expression of hatred filled his face.

"Nimokushi…" Haku growled.