Chapter 1: The 5 princes

Mysti: Hi all! I just wanted to let everyone know that this is my first book sooo, be nice! no flames. please. alright just so everybody knows... I do not own anything! Not even Pheona and Skye. I do own Mysti though! okay... so I don't own. this story got it! My friend wrote it and now this is the story! Oh yea... um... I sorta messed up and wrote all of the story in one little chapter.. and so like yea... so have fun and there will be a secual and another one after that! haha! I don't own InuYasha, Kenshin Yu Yu Hakusho or Fruits Basket! alright and I think there is mentioning of Bakura from YuGiOh and I don't own him either! Sorry Snowy...

It was a warm day. 14-year-old Pheona felt like dropping her boring stitching and taking a dip in the lake. Although she was of royal blood, she was forbidden to do many things you and I could do without permission. Yes, Pheona was a princess, but she was neither stuck-up nor perfect. I would much describe her as an adventurous tomboy. She did many things she would get in very deep trouble for. One is practicing swordsmanship.
Pheona went to school, and as you probably do, thought it was boring and a waste of her time. The friend she had known for life was Mysti. Mysti was a complete opposite of Pheona. She liked dresses, frills, and other girly things. One thing that made their friendship come alive was their knack for adventure. Their mischief also lead them to things both good and bad. Pheona lived in a castle, as all princesses do, and she and Mysti would hunt for secret passageways. They found two so far. One led them to a secret room in which they would go to play or simply have privacy. The other one, I am sorry to say, lead to a plump lady's room.
They were both skilled with a sword, although Mysti preferred a bow and arrow. As I told you, Pheona practiced swordsmanship without permission. Her father, King Sesshomoru, had passed away long ago. Her mother, Queen Skye, saw to it that Pheona was brought up like a lady, something she barely succeeded in.
As we were saying, Pheona felt like putting down her boring stitching and take a dip in the lake she was seated by. Of course her mother had forbidden it, so she gritted her teeth and continued. But something caught her eye. A figure was running towards her.
Without thinking she put her hand behind the tree she was seated by, landing on her sword she had hidden there. But as the figure came closer, her hand relaxed. It was only Mysti, for once dressed in plain slacks like her.
"I have incredible news," she said, adding up the suspense, "It's been rumored a Dark demon was seen near the Portal."
"Does Mother know about this?" asked Pheona.
"If you mean the queen, probably, because my mother knows. She's spastic." Then, screwing up her face and adding a mimicking tone she said, "Oh, my, oh, my! This can't be! No, no, no, no! Lock the doors, send an army, something! Oh, no, dear me, dear me!"
Pheona laughed. A fully-grown demon could make an explosion that could blow up a moon, let alone rip up locked doors and defeat a small army.
"And that's not all. The 5 Princes are coming to help, and the queen has invited them to stay at the castle!"
Although they were not of royal blood, the 5 Princes were worshiped because of their amazing powers. Kuwabara, being oldest and ugliest, wielded an energy sword. Heie was next eldest, but was shortest, being under 5 feet. He was half fire demon, half ice. Inuyasha was in the middle, part dog demon, half human. He carried the Tetsaiga sword and had a keen sense of smell.
Karama was next. He could transform into a full fox demon and carried a deadly rose whip. 19-year-old Kenshin was full human, but had god-like speed and a deadly sword. He was also undefeated and his only weakness was his soft heart. Neither Pheona nor Mysti had seen any of these princes, but it was said most of them were quite handsome. At this they became popular among the women, and, although Pheona had no interest, many had started their own fan club on each prince.
The queen approved Pheona's request to have Mysti sleep over, for she had done it many times before. Mysti was absolutely jittery, because they were to have dinner in the Grand Hall with the usual dukes, knights, the queen, and the 5 princes. Even Pheona couldn't help but dress carefully also. She eventually chose a periwinkle gown that flowed and sparkled with every step and set off her astonishing violet eyes nicely.
The Grand Hall was decorated elaborately to welcome the 5 princes. The tablecloth was gold with the kingdom's initials embroidered in the center in silver, KK, for Kingdom of Kyrria. It was set with silver goblets and gold platters. Everywhere you looked there was gold and silver. Golden tapestries hung in every corner. The servants were dressed in silver. The chandelier even had moving lights, which Pheona later discovered were live pixies. It was truly the queen's way of saying hello.
When dinner was announced and Queen Skye said her welcomes, they sat down to eat. How right Mysti was - the princes are handsome, thought Pheona! Kuwabara was certainly the least attractive, but the rest were. Heie had a black cloak and a headband with crazy black hair that stood on an end. Inuyasha had long, silky white hair that cascaded down his back. Although he had white hair, his face was young, and he was sniffing his food like a dog. You could tell he was a demon by his periwinkle ears, minor fangs, and sharp claws. Karama did not look like a demon, although Pheona knew he was. Truthfully, he looked very feminine with long rose-red hair that was almost as long as Inuyasha's and the greenest eyes she had ever seen. Kenshin was seated next to him and had orange-red hair and violet eyes like hers. He also had a mysterious cross-shaped scar on his left cheek. Probably from a battle, thought Pheona, I wonder if Mysti notices.
Just then Mysti whispered, "I didn't think Karama would look so…cute! Look at those eyes! I didn't think eyes could be that green!"
Dinner was delicious, as the queen had hired the best chefs in the kingdom, but Pheona's eyes kept focusing on each prince. She wanted to ask them something and start a conversation, but her throat was stuck. She noticed the same case was with Mysti.
After dinner, a ceremony took place. It included long speeches and lengthy rituals to welcome the 5 princes, which was very boring. Pheona rolled her eyes and pretended she had dropped something, making a big deal of searching all the way to the door and escaping.
It was evening now, and the lake was even more beautiful than the daytime and fireflies were buzzing all over the place. Pheona slipped off her shoes and walked to the edge of the lake. Her mother would be furious with her. She dipped her toes in the cool, sparkling water. Right away she felt relieved in the hot summer air.
"So you left the ceremony too," said a voice from nowhere.
Pheona gasped and turned around quickly. It was Kenshin, the youngest of the 5 princes. Had he seen her? Of course he had, Pheona thought to herself, he probably had seen me leaving and had been watching the whole time! She punished herself in her mind. How could she have been so careless?
"Oh…I-I didn't see you there," she stammered and blushed deep red with embarrassment.
"It's alright." He grinned. "I have the habit of spying on people." His voice was good-natured and honest.
Pheona sighed. "I'd love to take a dip in the lake," Pheona muttered, more to herself than to Kenshin.
"Why don't you?" Kenshin said as he sat down by Pheona.
Pheona was shocked. "Mother forbids it. She says I am to become a good, formal queen, and not some sorry rascal."
Kenshin laughed. They talked and laughed a lot after that, as Kenshin had a good sense of humor.
"May I ask you how you got your scar?" Stupid, foolish me! Thought Pheona, and we were just talking too. Now he'll get offended and we'll probably never talk again!
But his voice was not at all offended as he spoke, "A certain woman struck me and had very sharp nails."
Pheona wasn't sure if that was true or not, but she laughed anyway. They were on that subject for nearly 2 hours, and it got really, really dark.
"Well, Princess Pheona, I'd better leave now. May I walk you back?"
"Of course, but first, call me Pheona."

Chapter 2: Snowa

"You talked to him!" Mysti exclaimed the very next day, "And he walked you back?"
Pheona and Mysti were seated in Pheona's room, combing each other's hair and chatting about last night.
"It wasn't that bad," Pheona replied, "We just talked about how he got his scar and stuff like that."
"How did he get his scar?"
"He said someone slapped him with very sharp nails, but I'm not sure. Those cuts were definitely made by a blade, whose holder must've been very strong to make a scar on a person like Kenshin," Pheona said wisely as she brushed Mysti's long, golden hair.
Just then Ada, one of the servants, said that it was time for school. The girls quickly made their hair and headed down the hall, still whispering and giggling about last night.
The queen felt that Pheona should attend a public school, for if she was to become queen, she should "socialize with her subjects." Even so, she sent guards at every entrance, even windows. This irritated Pheona greatly and she often tried to persuade her mother to dismiss a couple. The soldiers eventually lessened a bit, but the queen remained firm on the ones that were left. Pheona had given up and her classmates had gotten used to them anyway. Today, girls were extremely anxious to meet up with Pheona.
"Your Majesty, could you hook me up with Karama?"
"Pheona, do you think you could get me a talk with Inuyasha?"
"Pheona, if you're my friend, you'll talk to Kenshin about me," said a girl she didn't even know.
At last Mysti came to her rescue. "The 5 princes aren't interested in any one of you and if you don't shut your face, I'll shut it for you!" And at that, the crowd ceased at last.
School was usual. The same teachers and subjects, but the real fire started at home.
"The queen wishes to see you," alerted Ada when Mysti and Pheona were back home, "And she doesn't look too happy."
Pheona didn't dare look at Mysti, but did gulp and walk down to the queen's chamber as slow as she dared. The door creaked as she opened it. The queen looked vivid as she excused her servants. They were alone.
"May I ask you why," the queen asked slowly, "You thought you had permission to talk to a Prince?"
"I-I'm sorry…I," Pheona stammered as she shrank. She tried her best to hold back tears.
She was sure Kenshin had not told, but had her mother seen…? she shuddered at the thought.
"You snuck out of the ceremony, without my permission, waded in the lake, without permission, talked to one of the princes without my permission, and I pray you used an appropriate topic for your secret conversation. And," the queen bellowed, "You are grounded. No sleepovers with Mysti, walks in the garden, nothing for a full month. I am ashamed of you. The prince could have seen your ankle, which reminds me you will not see anything of any one of them for a full month too. You will stay confined to your room and come out only for school. Meals will be delivered to your room. Am I clear?"
Pheona nodded, as she did not have any words. She felt so small next to the queen. She also felt so ashamed. How could she ever apologize to Kenshin and Mysti? When Pheona was dismissed, she returned to her room. No people or anything for a month! She was used to punishments, but she had never gotten a punishment for a month! Pheona sighed and sat at her desk. She looked out the window in front of her, and it was a long time before she noticed what she was looking at. Pheona blinked. Outside was a cat, a kitten actually, as pure white as snow. It had bright emerald eyes as green as Karama's. It apparently had climbed up the tree outside her window and was having difficulty getting down. Pheona opened the window and quickly grabbed the furry kitten. At first it squirmed and mewed, then claimed defeat and stopped protesting.
"I shall name you Snowa, for you remind me of both snow and Karama," said Pheona.
Pheona presented the kitten to her mother, the queen, and she reluctantly approved. Although the days were lonely without Mysti, it was a bit better with Snowa. Pheona fed Snowa from her own plate and Snowa grew bigger within days. When Pheona's punishment was over, Snowa had grown a little past Pheona's knees and began to sprout small fangs.
"You smell different," said Inuyasha one evening at dinner, as he was part dog demon and had a strong sense of smell, "Are you by chance part demon?"
"I…don't think so. Why?" Asked Pheona.
"I don't know. You just…smell like demon."
"Is it a Dark demon?" Pheona was getting nervous.
"Yes, but for some reason it's a good dark demon."
Pheona was confused. No one had entered her room except Ada, the servant, the queen had made sure of that, but unless someone at school…
"Don't be ridiculous. Dark demons can't just walk through the castle into the princess's room unnoticed," objected Karama.
"There is such thing as Dark demons with invisibility powers, you know," said Kenshin thoughtfully.
Just then, Snowa came and licked Pheona's hand.
"Oh no, I forgot to feed you again!" Pheona exclaimed and fed her some seasoned trout from her plate.
While Snowa licked away happily, Pheona returned to the conversation.
"So do you think that…?" she trailed off, as Karama, Inuyasha, and Kenshin (Kuwabara was away) were staring at her as if she had sprouted extra arms. "What's wrong?"
"When did you get that cat?" asked Heie.
"Uh…I found it in my room while I was grounded. Why?"
"Your 'cat' is a demon, actually," Inuyasha said simply between mouthfuls of pork, "A Dark demon."
"It seems you somehow had influenced the cat demon when she was a kitten. Then she thought you were her mother," Kenshin said, "Now she assumingly follows you everywhere. Am I correct?"
Pheona blinked as she took all that in. "She does follow me, and I found her when she was a kitten, but…"
"It's a relief you found that cat before it advanced into a fully developed demon, but the question is how? The castle is located far from the Portal," said Inuyasha.
Inuyasha looked at Heie. They both went to the queen and whispered something. The queen nodded slowly and they all left. Pheona was very puzzled. She was also ashamed she had yet again done something that would threaten her kingdom. She looked down at Snowa. A tear leaked out and landed on Snowa's nose. The first tear she'd cried for 5 years. She had been trained not to cry in public. Snowa nuzzled against Pheona's knee. Suddenly all the emotion she had ever felt seemed to go to Snowa, which made her heart feel considerably lighter.
"…and they're favored among the other Dark demons because they suck away sad or angry emotions," Karama was telling Kenshin.
Pheona smiled.

Chapter 3: Their first adventure

The next day Pheona had no school because it was a weekend. She took long walks with Snowa in the gardens, savoring the freedom after her long punishment. On the fifth walk around, she came across Kenshin. He was apparently in deep thought, but Pheona approached him anyway. She was less nervous around the princes now that she got to know them.
"I'm…sorry I've caused so much trouble," said Pheona as she looked at the ground, "I didn't even mean to bring in a Dark demon into the castle. She seemed like a helpless kitten."
Pheona looked down at Snowa. Snowa's nuzzle had grown longer, making her look more like a fox, and her fangs were now protruding from her face and very obvious.
"It's actually good you found her," Kenshin said, motioning for Pheona to sit down, "Don't blame yourself. Snowa may come in handy."
Just then, a scream came from somewhere behind them brought them both to their feet.
"Did you see anything odd when you came down here?" asked Kenshin quickly.
Pheona shook her head, and they both dashed to the direction of the scream. As they ran, they pulled out their swords (Now that the queen was gone with Inuyasha and Heie, Pheona could freely wear slacks and carry her sword). When they got to the scene though, they lowered their swords. Pheona was disgusted at what she saw.
Kuwabara was crying, "Help me, help me!" while rolling on the floor with laughter. Karama, who transformed into his full demon form, was laughing also. If it weren't a false plea, Pheona would have noticed how handsome he was transformed into a huge fox. Kenshin glared at both of them, but did not move.
Then, quite suddenly, Karama tripped over a large hedge. He seemed to have forgotten they were still in a tight garden and started to fall towards Kenshin. Kenshin dodged it naturally, but Karama's gigantic massive body beat him. Karama had fur and it would have done minor damage if Kenshin's sword had not been out. It cut into his shoulder blade as Karama's weight smashed it down. It was as if everything was in slow motion.
"Kenshin, no!" Pheona screamed.
Karama quickly changed back into his human form, but it was too late. Blood splattered from Kenshin's wound onto the grass. Pheona went over and carefully removed the blade from his shoulder. The cut was a big gash from Kenshin's ribs to just below his neck. Any higher would have meant instant death. Kenshin seemed to mouth something, but coughed up blood instead. He passed out from the effort.
"We need to get him to a doctor," instructed Pheona.
She ripped off a length of cloth from her sleeve and placed it on his wound.
"That'll help the loss of blood for now," said Pheona.
Following Pheona's instructions without hesitation or arguing, Karama lifted Kenshin's limp, bloody body and they all started to the castle at a run.
The doctor finally came and washed Kenshin's wounds. He was still unconscious, but sleeping peacefully.
"He will be alright," the doctor assured as he saw their anxious faces. "It is good you quickly stopped the blood loss."
He gave a small bottle to Pheona.
"Give him this after he wakes up. It will lessen the dizziness he will feel. Feed it to him with food or water." And he left.
Pheona gave both Karama and Kuwabara a piercing glare and pocketed the small bottle. She did not talk to them for the rest of the day.

Chapter 4: Blackout again

Kenshin surprisingly woke up the very next day. Pheona went to feed him breakfast and at first he objected, but his arm was in a sling for faster recovery and was feeling slightly woozy, so he gave up in the end.
"Why don't you let a servant do it?" asked Kenshin, "I'm sure you have better things to do."
"I want to make sure you are fed properly in order to recover quickly," replied Pheona.
After this, there was no more conversation, for Kenshin was feeling tired again and fell into a deep sleep.
Pheona watched him for a while and then went to her favorite spot by the lake to train. Pheona had gotten to a little training, however, when a ruthless scream came from the distance. Again? thought Pheona, and she ran to the scene, Snowa trotting at her side. As soon as she got there, she knew it was no fake.
A huge cat, similar to Snowa but as big as Karama in his demon form, was attacking Kuwabara. Kuwabara was defending himself with his energy sword but every time he slashed at the beast, the wound would grow back, fully healed. The cat demon also seemed to get stronger and bigger with each strike. Pheona raked her brain. A demon who sucks out energy from its opponent…she thought, and quickly thought of a solution. Not only was her sword made with dragon fang mixed with silver (which is considered unbreakable), but there was a secret compartment hidden inside a false, hollow jewel on the handle. Most people would hide a small potion or charm, but Pheona had hidden a key, a special gift from her grandfather long ago. The key was tiny, no bigger than your thumbnail. It could "unlock any secret", but could only be used 3 times per owner, which one of them Pheona had used foolishly when she was young. It also opened a certain door, which Pheona never discovered. Pheona threw the key at the demon and instead of hitting it, it stopped about a foot from its nose and it seemed that time had froze. Everything had stopped except Pheona. She closed her eyes and thought very clearly, how are you defeated?
It was a second before a cool female voice answered, "I must be stabbed by a human and a normal sword with absolutely no powers at all."
Clever, Pheona thought, its weakness is an average demon's strongpoint. Then all of a sudden time was normal again. The key flew back to its normal position and Pheona lunged at the monster. The demon surprisingly lunged back, causing Pheona to dodge. This is going to be harder than I thought, thought Pheona.
"Watch out!" shouted Kuwabara.
The monster attempted to swipe at Pheona with its paws, which were practically as big as she was.
"I can't believe I'm saving you after what you did to your brother," Pheona muttered under her breath.
This time it managed to cut into Pheona's knee, but despite the searing pain, Pheona saw her chance. She stabbed the beast square in the heart with all the strength she had left. The beast once again swiped at her other knee as it was dying. No longer able to stand, Pheona's mind went blank, and she fainted.

Chapter 5: Flight

"An incident everyday! Any more and I'll run out of medicine and bandages!"
Someone was speaking. Pheona slowly opened her eyes. She was in her room, and there was the doctor from yesterday talking to…Kenshin! Oh no, she had fainted! She sat up and looked around her room. Her room was the same, periwinkle like her eyes and the theme the night sky. Snowa was at the foot of the bed, no doubt standing guard. Snowa woke up and, realizing Pheona had woken up, gave a comforting nuzzle. The doctor had left now, and Kenshin noticed Pheona was awake too. He had a small bottle similar to the one Pheona had given to him yesterday in his hand.
"You know the routine," he said, smiling, "I'll have them bring up food if you want."
He handed her the bottle.
"No, I'll swallow it plain," answered Pheona, as she had found she had no appetite from yesterday.
She took a sip and grimaced. It was horrible! She was surprised Kenshin had taken it with no expression. She shut her jaw tight and gulped it down as best as she could. She also knew why Kenshin felt drowsy after taking the medicine. The doctor must've added sleeping pills in it, for when she put the bottle down, she felt her head spin. Soon Pheona was sleeping a deep, dreamless sleep.
When Pheona woke up, she had the feeling that someone was watching her. She looked around but saw no one. She shrugged, then looked at the clock beside her bed. Oh no! she thought, I'm going to be late for school! Pheona quickly dressed and grumbled because she wasn't going to be able to walk with Mysti. When she got to school, however, Mysti was nowhere to be seen.
"Mysti is probably sick," Betsy guessed.
Betsy was Pheona's second best friend and was whom she hung out with when Mysti wasn't there. Betsy was at times bossy and thought only of herself, but she was okay and was better than nothing anyway.
"Class, quiet down," said Mrs. McNerney, "We have a new student today."
She smiled down at a young girl with a long braid and dark olive skin. She also had glasses and the strangest clothes Pheona had ever seen. She wore a silk, beaded blouse and matching trousers like a boy. She was very pretty and had a strange incense-like smell about her.
"Her name is Kaiya Amir and she will be one of you from now on," finished Mrs. McNerney.
Kaiya took her seat and didn't say a word.
At lunchtime the class went outside to eat, since it was a nice warm day. Betsy and Pheona went to take their favorite spots by the tree, but found it was already occupied by something particularly filthy.
"Find your own spots, idiots," sneered Song, "Or do I have to give you a map to find one?"
Song had flunked the eighth grade twice and was very rude indeed. She was head of her also bratty gang and you were lucky if you never met her. Whatever she did, the gang did. If she decided wearing a skunk atop your head was fashionable, it was, and the gang would do it. Stupid and idiotic really, but unfortunately every good story must have a nut.
"Move," Betsy said, "Or I'll tell Zack you have a major crush on him and would like to make out with him whenever possible."
Song cursed and flushed white.
"You can't prove it," Song jeered, "He won't believe you."
Amazingly, Betsy pulled out a book, Song's diary, from her pocket.
"June 12, 2010. Dear Diary, oh heaven! Zack spoke to me today! I think he likes me. How I want to tell him I love him very much, and I'd love to kiss him! How I love…," Betsy trailed off, as Song had lunged for the diary, "Promise you will never stick your filthy nose in other people's business again."
"Okay, okay I won't!" Song shouted desperately as she lunged again, her face red from the effort.
"And you won't bother us either?" Betsy said as she yawned with boredom.
"Yes! Whatever you want!" Song screamed, her large rear end perspirating now.
"And leave our spot alone also," Betsy said, and dropped the diary.
Song caught it in midair and hugged it as if it were her only treasure. Then she swore loudly and walked off, her gang trooping behind her.
Betsy flopped down and laughed, "I made 100 copies and memorized the whole thing."
Pheona sat down too.
"How did you get it!"
"Nicked it out of her bag when she was flirting with Zack," answered Betsy slyly.
"May I sit here?" said a voice.
It was Kaiya, and for a foreigner she had pretty good Kyrrian.
"Sure," Pheona said.
Up close, Pheona saw that Kaiya had golden eyes and ears that were sharp at the end.
"I'm half sorceress," Kaiya explained as she saw Pheona's and Betsy's puzzled looks, "My mother is a full sorceress, who married my father, who is human."
Kaiya spent the whole lunch hour telling about herself, which was quite interesting. Her grandparents were furious that their daughter wanted to marry a human. They had traveled here from Araiya, which explained Kaiya's exotic clothes. Araiya was located past the Kanyaic Mountains, and very close to the Portal. The Araiyan people were very religious and since they were so close to the Dark demons, before the Portal was created, they were always at war. They were also very religious and now only a small clan and unknown to the rest of the world. They were very strong although they were small, and struggled to keep their cultures alive. Kaiya explained all this very proudly and boldly. Kaiya showed them her power by putting her hand over a bald patch in the ground. Instantly a huge yellow sunflower sprouted out of the ground. Slowly Betsy, Pheona, and Kaiya became natural friends.
After that day, they had very much fun. Pheona gave a tour of the castle and gardens and even the secret room that she and Mysti had found. Then Betsy's turn, and she showed Kaiya her village. Kaiya walked wide-eyed from and to every place they visited and ooed and ahed in all the right places. They laughed and giggled when Pheona told them about the 5 princes, and when it was time to leave, they decided to play together as soon as possible again.
Pheona was smiling all the way back to the castle. She was about to flop down on her bed when she saw that there was something already on it. It was a letter, and as she skimmed it over, her face got paler and paler with both shock and fear as she read on. It was in fancy, curled text and very brief:

Princess,
Your friend is to be lost forever if you do not give me the Key. Your instructions are simple. Reach the Portal within 5 days. A special someone has delivered this note, for I am still on the other Side. You are to give me the Key after you unlock the Portal to the other Side, releasing all Dark demons.

There was no signature. She knew at once they were talking about Mysti although they did not include her name. At first Pheona wanted to tell someone, but she may get them killed. It was so sudden and horrible she felt like crying, but there was no time to do that. She would have to leave as soon as possible and probably at night, as not to arouse anyone or look too suspicious. She wrote a note and left it on her desk saying that she would come home soon and not to worry. She left out where she was going, as she did not want the queen to send anybody with her.
When dinner was over, although she did not eat, Pheona went to her room and started packing anything she might need: food, her sword, and a blanket. She pretended to go to bed, but stayed wide-awake and waited until midnight. When her clock hand turned to twelve, she got out of bed, she quickly dressed again and walked to the stables. Snowa was now kept there, as she had now grown to the size of a horse. This actually became quite useful, as now Pheona could ride her. But before she had made it halfway down the hall, Pheona bumped into Kenshin.
"A midnight stroll?" Kenshin questioned, arching an eyebrow.
Pheona had a hard time answering as her head filled with excuses, "Uh…well, Snowa has…laryngitis…and, well, heh, I want to visit her, I really miss her you know, and well…"
Pheona trailed off, seeing the confused look on Kenshin's face.
"Why don't I walk you there," Kenshin said, still confused.
Caught, Pheona had no choice but to lead Kenshin to the stables. Snowa seemed to be waiting for them, as she bounded up to meet them and literally knocked Kenshin over, licking his face.
"She doesn't seem to have laryngitis," Kenshin said as he laughed while getting continuously licked by Snowa.
He stood up and gave Pheona a searching look that made her cry, collapsing onto a nearby bench. She told him everything, beginning with Betsy telling her that Mysti might be sick, to her walking to the stables. Kenshin listened intently through the whole thing, not saying a word.
"I'll get Karama," Kenshin said in the end, "Do you know of anyone who would like to help but would keep a secret?"
Betsy and Kaiya were the only ones that she had left. She didn't know about Kaiya, but Pheona knew Betsy was excellent with a bow and arrow. Perhaps Kaiya would use her magic. Pheona nodded.
"Good. Get them as soon as possible and meet back here in 20 minutes," said Kenshin, and he ran back to the castle.
Pheona ran in the opposite way, to the village where Betsy lived. Oh no! Pheona thought as she ran, I don't even know where Kaiya lives! Hoping that Kaiya was sleeping at Betsy's house, she reached the window of her bedroom. She eased open the window and, sure enough, Kaiya was sleeping on a mat beside Betsy's bed. Kaiya woke up immediately, but with Betsy it was a different story. They shook her gently, then violently, but nothing worked. Finally Pheona gave her a hard pinch while Kaiya held her mouth so she would not scream. Betsy jerked awake. Pheona quickly whispered her story, and how she planned to save Mysti. Surprisingly, they both agreed immediately and packed quickly. Both Kaiya and Betsy left notes for their mothers like Pheona and quietly made it to the stables where Kenshin and Karama were waiting. Betsy had brought her flying pony with her as well.
"Well, I guess we should…leave," Karama said.
They all mounted, Pheona and Betsy on Snowa, Kenshin and Karama on the pony, and Kaiya had brought her own flying carpet.
"Wait!" It was Kaiya, "I know this…"
She said some strange words while pointing at Snowa.
When everyone stared at her, she said, "It's a levitating spell. We'll get there much faster if we fly. It's only temporary, so I'll have to do it every few hours. Go ahead. Try it."
Pheona tugged at Snowa's fur a little to make her walk. She wasn't sure about this. Sure enough as soon as she took a step, they floated about 6 feet off the ground.
"Amazing!" Kenshin exclaimed.
Kaiya beamed, and they took off into the air, the stars their only guide. At first it was sensational, to feel the cool night air whip through your hair and fly into the moon, and Pheona felt free and light. Then it got cold, and she huddled against Snowa's thick fur for warmth.

Chapter 6: Another addition

Pheona woke up just as the last stars were vanishing, not even realizing she had dozed off. It seemed everyone was asleep, except for Kenshin and Karama, who were keeping a watchful eye on anything that looked suspicious.
And so the day wore on, the sun their only source of warmth. They were thankful when it came up and washed its rays upon them. Pheona wondered if Betsy and Kaiya's mothers had received their note and how they would react. What if she got their daughters killed? They would never forgive her, and she would never forgive herself.
They stopped to rest and have lunch near the west side of the Kanyaic Mountains. Kaiya's eyes grew wide.
"When I was young, I visited my grandparent's house, where I met a friend. I don't know if she is still there, but she is a sorceress, and can be a big help. Do you think we could stop by?" Kaiya asked in a jumble.
Stopping by in a village would definitely slow them down, but Kenshin answered, "I suppose we could use another helper," and smiled reassuringly.
Kaiya smiled back, and they all continued eat again. Kaiya simply took a swig from a strange elaborately carved bottle, and said she was full. Pheona offered some of her lunch, but Kaiya shook her head. She explained that the bottle contained a special liquid that never ran out and filled your stomach with one sip. Pheona nodded, and Kaiya returned to her carpet. As I have told you, Araiyans are very religious. Sure enough, Kaiya knelt down and devoted the rest of the time to praying.
Pheona had packed some raw fish especially for Snowa. Pheona heated it up on a small fire they had started, and Snowa was now munching away happily.
Betsy's horse, whom she had named Starlight, had picked up some fruit that had fallen out of a nearby tree, and had made a lunch out of that.
When everyone was refreshed and full, they put out the fire. Kaiya did another levitating spell on Snowa, and they took off, flying higher in order to pass the towering Kanyaic Mountains and reach Araiya on the other side. Finally they were so high up that it had to be near 0°. The warmth of the fire they had felt at lunch was completely gone now. It was now snowing also, and everyone was shivering. Pheona got out her blanket and flung it over Betsy and herself. She then shook some snow off of Snowa's fur and wrapped her arms around Snowa's neck. Snowa had helped her many times since she was found, and Pheona was grateful. Snowa's ears twitched forward for a moment, meaning she understood. Pheona smiled.
"Can't you make a fire? One that can blow against the wind and fly through midair?" Betsy called to Kaiya.
"The two levitation spells took a lot of magic from me," Kaiya answered, "Any more and I'll die."
"In other words so you'll understand, shut-up or Kaiya'll die," said Pheona to Betsy.
At this, Betsy obediently shut her mouth.
At last they spotted the tiny villages of Araiya. Kaiya pointed hers out and they descended. They were relieved to get out of the cold air.
When Kaiya heard that her grandparents were away somewhere, she was slightly disappointed, but asked other people she knew if they knew where Arina, her friend, lived. They responded that Arina had moved to a neighboring village. They eventually found her near nightfall. She was in a meditating position, her legs crossed, covered with metal armor instead of cloth. She was staring at a boulder a few feet away from her, hovering inches above the ground. She had long, black hair like Pheona's, only held in a tight braid that ran snake-like down her back.
Kaiya tapped her shoulder. Arina continued to stare at the boulder. It landed on the ground with a soft thud. Arina turned around and gasped They embraced and cried.
"Is it really you?" Arina asked in Araiyan.
When Kaiya nodded, Arina said, "I thought you moved to Kyrria. Are you moving here again?"
"No," Kaiya said, "I came here to ask you to help us on a quest."
Kaiya motioned toward the rest of the group. She told her the whole story, in Araiyan.
At the end she said, "And we would like you to join."
"Of course!" Arina answered, "It's time I put my power to use!"
They went to Arina's home, a small, but charming hut. At first Arina's mother simply refused, but begging and pleading from everyone in the group made its way.
"As long as you stay for dinner," her mother said, "And I won't take no for an answer."
So they ate a grand meal fit for a king. Everything was delicious, and that everyone kept telling Mrs. Yung until she turned bright red. They laughed and talked until it was time for bed. Mrs. Yung insisted that they stay to rest also, as she had enough room for everyone. Pheona and Betsy slept in one room and Arina and Kaiya the other. There was a futon for Karama and a small couch outside for Kenshin, where he insisted on keeping watch. Starlight was tied to a tree not far from the hut, where the poor horse was forced to sleep. Snowa could not sleep with Pheona, but firmly remained as close as possible-on the porch with Kenshin. They slept soundly through the night, except for Kenshin, who had to put up with Snowa's snoring.
They woke up quite early the next morning. Mrs. Yung literally stuffed them with fifth and sixth helpings of breakfast. When it was time to go, Mrs. Yung cried so hard, she had to hold on to her daughter for support, but eventually let them go. Like Kaiya, Arina flew on a magic carpet. Kaiya, fully recharged, did the levitation spell on Snowa, this time accompanied by Arina, who's attachment should make the spell last longer. As they flew, Mrs. Yung's outline got smaller, until she was only a speck of dust, and then disappeared completely.

Chapter 7: Karama's rose

It was near noon when it happened. It was so sudden; no one even saw it coming. It was a hot day near the Portal, and no one expected a Dark demon.
Dragons aren't actually Dark demons, they're Dark animals. They have a mind of their own and were at times stupid. They come in different colors and can only be tamed, as most demons are, if they are captured when they are young. Kyrrian dragons are not like storybook dragons. They are one of the most fearsome beasts and you were lucky if you died without seeing one, for once you saw one, you died a mere seconds after. They were one of the few Dark animals let to the Light Side because they were being hunted for on the Dark Side for their steel-hard hide. Araiyan dragons were by far the most fearsome and dangerous, so you may die instantly after you glimpse one, especially when it's hungry. The dragon the group encountered was an Araiyan dragon, and it was pure luck that it was a baby and it wanted to play first.
Betsy had jumped over to Kaiya's carpet and Pheona on Arina's. They were playing some sort of a clapping game. If you messed up, you had to answer any question asked to you truthfully. They giggled and whispered while the boys looked at them questionably. Finally, they gave up. Karama began dozing off on Starlight in the hot, scorching sun. Kenshin was teaching Snowa tricks in midair, and it wasn't until he got stuck upside down and the girls had to rescue him that he started taking a leaf out of Karama's book and started dozing off too.
Out of nowhere, a huge claw swiped at Betsy. She screamed as blood poured onto Kaiya's carpet. Kaiya took no notice, but healed her wound with a couple drops of potion.
Karama jerked awake. Kenshin and Pheona pulled out their swords. Overhead, a huge jet-black dragon loomed, with bat-like wings and a blue flame. It swiped again, this time at Pheona, who screamed also. She fell, but caught onto Arina's carpet just in time. She dangled a few mere miles above the ground. Falling would mean instant death. She gulped. Arina quickly grabbed onto her arm.
"I've gotcha," Arina told Pheona.
Seeing her prize, the dragon dove right into Pheona. It grabbed hold of her and pulled, its razor-sharp claws digging into her skin. Pulling Pheona meant pulling Arina also, who screamed and fell. She grabbed onto the edge of the carpet. Eyes glittering, the dragon pulled once again on the dangling pair, but this time Kenshin was way ahead.
He jumped off of Snowa and hopped onto their carpet. He sliced off the dragon's claw, and it roared with pain, greenish dragon blood pouring out.
Then it was Karama's turn. He pulled out a seed and immediately it began to grow, and sprouted into a beautiful red rose. The dragon nearly snorted with laughter. Karama smiled. The rose evolved into a huge, deadly whip. When the dragon was distracted, laughing, Karama flung the huge mass of spiky thorns at the beast. The poison thorns dug into the dragon despite her scales, and she crashed into the field below.
"How dare you underestimate me," said Karama.

Chapter 8: The Portal at last

There was a forest nearby, with a creek in which they washed their wounds. Pheona's wounds were by far the worst, but she wouldn't let anyone wash them for her. She did, however, let Kaiya have a look at her arm, which had two deep gashes - imprints of the dragon's claws. Two drops of potion did the trick, and soon her arm was healed. They ate and slept until they were refreshed once again, and headed toward the Portal.
The levitation spell had worn off by now on Snowa, but they needn't fly, as they could easily walk instead.
They came to the location of the portal, but did not find anything; an entrance, a gate, nothing. There was only a vast forest that seemed to go on forever. Soon, however, they found it. It was only a floating handle, the old-fashioned kinds that were elaborately decorated and had a keyhole. This one looked as if it were ancient, decorated with huge rubies and emeralds. It also looked as if it were made from solid gold.
"Well, I guess we should…go in," said Betsy.
She walked forward and touched the knob. Immediately, she drew her hand back, as if she were charged with an electric shock.
"It burned me!" Betsy exclaimed.
"I believe only a member of the Royal Family can open it," said Kenshin wisely, "Or so I heard."
Pheona stepped forward, nervous, and reached for the handle. Surprisingly, it burned her too.
"Well, that's final, no one can open it," said Arina, throwing up her arms.
"Don't say that," said Kaiya, "That would mean we came all this way for nothing."
"That's right. And we still have to save Mysti," Pheona said, "Isn't there another way in?"
"This is the only way. There are others every few miles, but they're all the same anyway," Karama said while gesturing toward the door.
Pheona bit her lip, deep in thought. That keyhole is a strange shape, and a bit too big for the key in my sword, Pheona thought quickly, but if I ask the door how it opens…
"Guys…I have an idea," Pheona said slowly.
Pheona opened the false jewel on her sword and took out the tiny key. She threw it at the door, and time froze. The key stopped a few feet from the knob.
This time she said aloud, "How can you be opened?"
Instead of a cool female voice, the key inserted itself into the hole. Pheona slapped her forehead. Duh! She thought, it was just right for the key itself, head and all, not just the teeth. She had wasted a whole wish! She cursed, but time had unfroze again. Before she could explain anything to the rest of the group, there was a white blinding light. The Portal had opened at last.

Chapter 9: The first match

When the light faded there was a gaping hole where the door was supposed to be, just large enough to fit a skinny person. It was too dark to see what was beyond it.
"I'll go first," said Kenshin, but Pheona stopped him.
"Mysti is my friend and my responsibility," she said.
Pheona took a deep breath and walked into the Portal.
Instead of walking through a door, she fell, or rather floated. Pheona couldn't move - she was paralyzed. Her head hung down and all she could see was her feet, which were suspended in midair, hung in the darkness. Then, suddenly, she flew down at full speed, her hair flying behind her. It took all of her strength to hold onto her sword. She landed on a strangely soft ground. She lifted her head up, her eyes fuzzy. She was in some sort of arena. Pheona stood up and pulled out her sword, in case someone jumped out and attacked by surprise. There was a movement behind her, and she jumped and turned around. It was only Betsy, who had supposedly gone through the Portal second. Then came Kenshin, Kaiya, Arina, and Karama followed in the rear. They all had landed on a huge cushion, or mattress. There were empty cheering boxes on either side. It was totally weird. You'd think the Dark Side would be a huge, black forest with crawling creatures everywhere, something scary. True, the arena had an eerie feel about it, but it was deserted and not something you would expect.
"Where are we?" asked Betsy, standing up.
"I'm not sure. It looks like some sort of an arena," replied Pheona.
"A death Arena," said Kenshin, "Where warriors come and fight to the death."
"Right you are, Himura Kenshin," said a new voice.
The lights flickered on, and a huge crowd was cheering in the boxes. The new voice had come from a figure at the far end of the stadium. It was too far away to tell distinct features.
"I am surprised you came," said the Dark demon, walking towards the group.
Pheona didn't know whether to attack him or not, so she did nothing. He called his guards, who were big, bulky demons, and they brought out a wriggling creature.
"Mysti?" Pheona exclaimed, "Mysti!"
Pheona rushed forward, but the guards stopped her. The demon smiled.
"You will play my game or this filthy creature will suffer," he said as he kicked her.
She yelped.
Mysti literally was filthy. She wore the same clothes she had worn when Pheona last saw her, which were now cut and ripped to rags as if she had mopped the stadium with it. She was bloody and bruised in every spot imaginable. Pheona felt hatred build up inside her. The demon smiled. The demon was actually quite handsome for a Dark demon, with short orange hair and deep brown eyes, but had a stone cold heart and an evil reputation.
"I am Kyo, master of evil and king of the Dark Side. Here you will fight a one-on-one fight with one of my warriors. Each fight will be a death match. If you win, I'll let your friend go. If you don't, well, you won't be alive anyway!" Kyo said as he smiled his evil, hanes smile.
"Yeah right," muttered Pheona under her breath.
Kyo clapped his hands twice. The arena-like platform rose, forming steps on either side of it for opponents to enter. Kyo and Mysti were brought to a balcony, where they could observe the fight peacefully.
"First up, Elizabeth!" shouted Kyo as his voice rung out and echoed through the arena, "She will fight Hodburd, the crushing Dark demon."
Betsy walked onto the platform, where there was an ogre-like demon on the other end. He had pale blue skin and was staring stupidly at Betsy as if she were an over-sized sandwich instead of a person.
"Choose your weapons!" Kyo shouted again.
A huge metal shelf was brought up to the platform. On this shelf were knives, swords, spears, darts, clubs, and anything else you could think of. They were all in good shape, but there was a slight disadvantage for Betsy; they were made to fit Dark demons and most of them were too large and heavy for Betsy to lift and move quickly. Kyo probably had made sure of this, but instead of protesting, Betsy took out her own bow and arrow. The ogre chose a club.
"Silly human," the demon bellowed as the crowd jeered, "You cannot pierce my skin with that wooden arrow!"
But Betsy remained firm.
"Let the match begin!" shouted Kyo.
The Dark demon charged at Betsy. He ran at full speed and managed to swipe at her head. She dodged it, but it got the tip of her cheek, which was turning an ugly purple. The demon laughed and charged again. He hit Betsy square in the stomach. She skidded and tumbled at least ten feet. The demon laughed once again.
"I should've known a mere human like you couldn't have beaten me!" the demon jeered as he slowly walked over to Betsy's limp body, "I will now eat you whole!"
He opened his mouth wide, which must have fitted 2 full-grown men comfortably, but Betsy was quicker. With lightning speed, she pulled out an arrow and shot the beast in the mouth. A small explosion took place and in a few seconds the demon was a pile of ash. She had sprinkled her arrow with gunpowder and lit it.

Chapter 10: Sara, warrior princess

"And the lucky winner is Betsy," said Kyo, less enthusiastic now.
"It wasn't luck!" shouted Kaiya, who was now tending to Betsy's wounds.
"Next up, Arina," said Kyo, "Versus the warrior demon, Sara!"
Arina stepped onto the arena, more confident than Betsy. The crowd booed and hissed. She faced a woman with short brown hair and metal armor like herself.
"What a cute little girl," she said, "Go home and cry a little."
Arina said nothing.
"Choose your weapons," Kyo shouted.
Both Arina and Sara chose nothing.
"Let the match begin!" yelled Kyo.
Arina let out her telekinesis, forcing the demon, Sara to fly to the other end and hit the wall. But surprisingly, Sara stood up.
"Very good, little girl, but not good enough!"
Arina gasped as she flew to her end of the dome and smashed into the smashed into the concrete wall, forming a huge crater. The demon laughed hysterically and snapped her fingers. Arina's body drifted through the air and hovered a few feet from Sara.
"Wake up, you unworthy mortal," she said, and she snapped her fingers again.
It was as if an imaginary hand was slapping Arina's face, for her head bounced back and forth as if it was being slapped. After her first few slaps, Arina moaned and woke up. When she realized where she was, she broke free of the invisible binding and used full force at the same time Sara used hers. This created a huge explosion where their energy met.
"She uses her energy as a weapon, instead of using it to make small magic," Kaiya explained, "It is more efficient and doesn't run out as easily, but it can only be used to destroy and fight. Magic can make things grow or shape things out of thin air."
Arina and Sara had their hands out in front of them, and it was as if they were pushing something very heavy it required perspirating. Their energies were so strong now they were glowing. Arina's was a pale green, while Sara's was an inky black. They walked closer and closer to each other, until they were nearly pushing their hands together, their energies in the middle.
"Pretty good - for a little girl," Sara sneered.
"And you're pretty good too - for a Dark demon." Arina said.
Sara left her energy with her left hand and casually took out the dagger she had chosen with her right. She attempted to stab Arina, but Arina was quick and had seen her sneaky act anyway. She used her telekinesis to flip the dagger around. Weakened by her use of only one hand, Sara was forced to stab herself. She let out an expression of surprise as she fell. Her glowing energy faded.
"Not bad at all, little girl," she said, and her head rolled to the side.
She was dead.
"And the winner is…Arina," Kyo said, unenthusiastic again.

Chapter 11: The last round

"Next up, Karama," Kyo moaned.
Karama tensed for a moment, then transformed into Yoko, his "half" demon form, the second step to his full fox demon form.
"Karama will face Kikyo, priestess of souls and master archer."
Kikyo walked onto the platform. She was very pretty with her black hair in a low ponytail and deep brown eyes. She wore red slacks and a white shirt. Karama stepped onto the platform.
"Don't tell me I have to fight a girl."
"I am just as strong as you are, if not stronger," Kikyo said calmly.
"Choose your weapons!" Kyo shouted.
Kikyo chose a bow and arrow. Karama chose nothing.
"Let the match…begin!"
Karama took out a seed he had braided into his hair. As did when he fought the dragon, it sprouted into a beautiful red rose. Kikyo didn't even flinch, but loaded a silver arrow into her bow. Karama's rose sprouted into a huge, thorny whip and he brandished it at Kikyo. Kikyo started immediately firing arrows at amazing speed. They did not hit Karama, but hit parts of his whip instead. The tips that were cut off grew back, but Kikyo's expression did not change. This routine continued until Karama's whip finally hit Kikyo by her elbow. The crowd in the stands booed and hissed. Kikyo clasped her arm, which was turning an acid green from the poison in Karama's whip.
"Kill me while you have the chance," Kikyo shouted at Karama.
Karama looked up at Kyo in the balcony and said, "I will spare her life for Mysti's."
Kyo laughed and said, "Ha! Nice try, but this is a Death match, Karama, finish her off. See if I care."
Kikyo narrowed her eyes and flung her last arrow at Kyo. It landed directly in his heart. His mouth turned into a large "O" shape, and a light came from the spot where Kikyo's arrow had landed. When it faded, Kyo's body had disappeared.
"It's a Spirit Arrow," said Kikyo, gasping for breath as she laid down on the ground, "It will…trap his soul forever into that arrow…"
She passed out. The group ran over to where Kikyo lay.
"She's not dead," said Kaiya, checking her pulse.
"Good. Pheona and I will get Mysti. Karama, you and Kaiya find a way out of here. And, uh oh…" Kenshin trailed off, as at least a thousand Dark demons had left their seats and charged at the group.
"The rest of you, fight as hard as you can!" Kenshin yelled as he and Pheona raced up the stairs to the balcony.
"Mysti! Are you okay?" Pheona said to Mysti.
"Yes, I'm fine. Give me a bow and arrow. I want to help," Mysti replied.
Pheona did as she instructed, but before she had gotten there, she found an arrow lying on Kyo's throne, the same one Kikyo had used to trap him with.
"Trapped, eh?" Pheona said as she broke the arrow in half, "Now you're truly gone."
As soon as Mysti had quickly recovered, they ran down to meet the rest of the group. It was havoc; there were bodies everywhere (mostly Dark demon) and you had to watch your back every second to avoid getting ripped to pieces. They eventually found Kaiya, who was in the middle of all the mess.
"Pheona! Betsy…she got stabbed and…I don't know if she's okay," Kaiya stammered as she sent another Dark demon flying.
Pheona rushed to where Kaiya pointed, and there she found a bloody, limp Betsy. She was most definitely dead.

Chapter 12: The beginning

"Betsy? Oh, no, Betsy, wake up!" Pheona said as she shook her and sobbed, "Betsy?"
She stopped, as a demon had charged at her. Feeling hatred boil inside her more than ever before, she slashed four demons open with one stroke. She started slashing at other demons at extreme speed, creating a huge path to the other side. Tears streaked down her face.
She was about to cut open another demon, when a voice said, "Wait!"
She opened her eyes and gasped. She was about to slash open Kenshin! He was heavily bruised and there were cuts all over his arms. She dropped her sword and it landed with a loud echoing clatter! She hugged him tight, crying into his shoulder for the billionth time. She cried and cried and cried. She had gotten Betsy killed! She knew something like this would happen, all because of her. It was until Karama came that she stopped crying.
"I found an exit. It's another Portal leading to a village up farther north in Araiya," said Karama.
"Alright," answered Kenshin, "Make sure that Miss Kikyo is okay. We'll meet you there."
Karama nodded and left.
"Listen, Pheona, we don't have enough room for Betsy. No doubt her family will be somber and even more if they do not have their daughter's body. You must speak to them," Kenshin said.
Pheona nodded. Kenshin left, and Pheona went over to Betsy's body and knelt beside it. She smoothed out Betsy's hair, then took a Spirit Arrow that was left over on the ground from Kikyo's useless attempts on Karama, and stabbed Betsy. A light came from the tip, and, when it faded, Betsy had disappeared. Just like Kyo. Pheona smiled a watery smile, pocketed the arrow, and quickly left to find the others.
Outside the arena, everything was dead. There were shriveled up twigs and leafless trees. There was no grass, only dirt, and even the air was not good. She dashed over to a light in the leafless forest, and found the others.
Pheona took out her Key and inserted it into the handle. A white, blinding light glowed, and they stepped back into the Light Side, Snowa in the lead.
The way back was silent and quick. They dropped Arina off in Araiya, said their good-byes and thank yous, and quickly departed.
Pheona felt good in the air, the wind whipping through her hair. She said nothing, but clung to Snowa as Snowa sucked out her emotion. Mysti was sitting on Snowa also, eyes wide in wonder, but saying nothing.
They ate and drank while flying, so they got to Kyrria quite soon. Pheona gulped, and walked slowly up to the castle.
When they got there, however, it was deserted. None of the usual guards and soldiers were busying about.
"Check every room," Kenshin said, "Maybe they're having a meeting."
But when they checked every room, there was not hide or hair of any one of them. They checked their last possibility, the courtyard.
"WELCOME HOME!" yelled the voices of at least ten thousand people.
It seemed everyone from the castle and the villages had come.
Queen Skye herself came up and hugged Pheona as tight as she could.
"When I read your note, I thought the worst," the queen choked out, weeping.
"So you went to the Portal?"
"Did you fight any Dark demons?
Everybody rushed up to greet them, giving them bone-crushing hugs and bombarding them with questions. Kenshin suddenly took Pheona by the hand and lead her to the edge of the lake.
"You know how you wanted to swim in the lake?" He said.
"Wha…?" Pheona trailed off, as Kenshin had pushed her in the lake, headfirst and fully-clothed.
She gasped for air and reached for the surface. She laughed, as on a hot day the lake was truly refreshing. Soon she found herself among all 5 princes, Mysti, and pretty much everyone in the whole kingdom. Even the queen took her shoes and socks off and started wading. Pheona soon remembered the arrow in her pocket. She waded over to the edge of the lake, where their tree was. Kaiya's sunflower was still there. She carefully buried the arrow under the flower. This is just the beginning, thought Pheona, and she jumped into the lake again, for once forgetting about her worries like everyone else.

Mysti: Sooo, how'd ya like my first story eh? PLEASE SAY YOU LOVED IT OR ELSE I SHAL BE VERY VERY VERY SAD! Okay just so everyone is clear the second one is going to be much much MUCH better... My friend, Snowy, the one who wrote it I helped! and I were both like 12 when we wrote it okay. so don't like blow up on us if ya didn't like us... we are both 14 now and much better writers so there: P well anywho! I dedicate this book to all of my friends and all of my worshiping fans! hahahahahaha... But seriously, thanx for reading my story! until next time!