Disclaimers Notice: Yes...n-n-no...maybe?

Authors Beginning Note: And the plot thickens...

Shout it outs!

Meyojojo- Have no fear; your sanity is saved, now that my next chapter is here!

Shitza- I see you've done your homework. Yes, the name Vainamoinen comes from the Kalevala from Finland. Usually I use Japanese names for these kinds of fics, but my resources didn't have what I needed so I was looking around, and found this name. It seemed to fit the character a bit.

Chapter 18

Attacked

"Chihiro, wake up." I opened my eyes and snapped to attention. Rin stood back as I practically flung myself forward out of bed.

"Geez, someone's anxious to leave." Enuresis commented. I blushed.

"Better wake him up too." Rin pointed a thumb at our new travel companion. I nodded, my body riled with goose bumps and my stomach lurched with unease. I bent down eye level to the boy who was sleeping. His hair fell into his eyes. Hmm, we're going to have to do something about that.

"Vai. Wake up." His eyes slid open, he yawned and stretched his arms before looking at me in the eyes.

'Leave now?' I nodded and stood up.

"Here." I caught my packed bag as it was flung at me.

"Oh, and we got a few other trinkets too." Enuresis handed me a sheathed blade the size of my forearm with a matching dagger. These were less to look at compared to my other one, but still looked nice. I was handed another set that looked milky white. With both came a leather loop to hang the longer blade at the waist.

"For him." I nodded and handed him the white set. I quickly hid my dagger in my sash and looped the leather thong around my waist.

"Uh...shouldn't I change first?" I said looking at my attire. I'm still wearing the blue dress, which amazingly didn't have a single wrinkle in it. Then glanced at Rin and Enuresis's attire. They wore the traveling clothes they had come in with, which had been washed and mended. Their pouches replenished too with better materials, and replacements for what may have been lost. My clothes are in the same shape as well, or should be. I'd have to look at them.

"Later. Right now let's just leave." I nodded and we headed out, acting casual, not that there was any need, because of the nightly desertedness. We walked down the streets. The boots worn by Rin and Enuresis clumped against the echoing marble floors, sounding too loud for comfort. I think it's kind of silly really. If that really was Aikia, he would know where we are right now, so being cautious and leaving at night is truly ridiculous.

'We are being followed'

"How do..." He looked sharply at me, almost reprimanding. Rin's hand twitched at her side, and Enuresis nearly jumped, but neither gave it much attention. Maybe they know we're being followed too.

'Shh. They can hear you. You should talk like this too.' I looked stunned.

"I..." I stopped.

'Yes, you can. You able talk to me since you looked at me in the eyes in the beginning, when I was mezmering you.' I cocked my head. Well, that would have been nice to know a while back.

"How?" I said risking it. He almost stopped, looking quite puzzled, before realization came upon him.

'You know not how?' I crossed my arms and frowned. How am I supposed to know something when I am never told about it, or given the resources to learn about it?!

'Hmm...you feel connection between us, no?' I thought about it, and shook my head. What connection?

'In the back of mind, a buzzing.' That was what the connection was? I thought it was a headache coming. Well ain't that just peachy!

'Touch it.' Okay, now he's really lost me. How am I supposed to touch something that is in my head? He shook his head in wonder.

'Just...it like ball of light...sort of, think about it...touch it...and talk...' This is just nuts, crazy, absolute lunacy! I can't believe this. I am being taught how to send messages using my mind. You know what, this is so crazy; I might not even try it.

'Please, just try. Not hard.' Oh great, now I have to try it, he's pulling one of those, if-you-don't-I'll-be-disappointed looks. I give up! Fine! I'll try, what ever. I looked over at Enuresis and Rin. They were walking steadily and pretended to be having a casual conversation about...makeup? Gah. I took in a steady breath, and kind of...thought about the buzzing noise. How irritating it is. How loud it is, and...hey...I do feel something I suppose. It's warm, and...soft?

'You find it?' I could feel his voice reverberate through me even more strongly. I 'touched' the ball of light and nearly jumped back. Vai laughed, as I gave him a dirty look. It's not all that funny. It felt warm and cold all at once, like it had a life of it's own. I'm not sure I like it.

'Try again.' I looked ahead. I see no real point in this...okay...I do...but still!

Just as I was about to try it again, I felt a rush of air whiz past me. I stopped short and looked ahead. One more step, and I would have been struck by a triblade. Very deadly, spinning like a Frisbee at ridiculously high speeds, with three double-edged blades stuck together. I growled. A few thin strands of my hair fell to the floor.

That would have been so cool...if someone hadn't obviously tried to kill me

Rin pulled out her sword, Enuresis a heavy bladed Chinese fan, Vai his dagger, and I my sheathed blade. We looked around us, tense and nervous, our backs up against each other's in a circle.

"On three, we run." Rin whispered. Each of us took in a deep breath.

"One..." I glanced to every side, searching for the threat.

"Two..." I took in a breath and Enuresis's foot moved ever so slightly.

"Three!" Rin yelled and we all headed in the direction or the portal. Triblades whizzed by us in a storm, cutting our skin and clothes. Fans similar to Enuresis flew by, our only block from it was our blades. As for the onslaught of magic attacks that charred the floor and sometimes froze our clothes or made us trip and nearly fall to the ground on our faces.

Forty feet left...

Sweat dripped down my face like trickling warm water

Thirty feet....

Rin yelled out a bellowing growl as she thrust her sword through someone who had tried to block our way and attack

Twenty feet...

Enuresis looked up over her shoulder, wound her arm, and flung her fan; a gruesome lifeless form fell to the ground with a sound similar to chips crunching and water sloshing. Her fan returned to her fingers in seconds.

Ten feet...

Almost there, Triblades furled endlessly. Vai's hair on the one side was whipped off, and a thin line of red dripped down his pale blue cheek. Rin and Enuresis ran through

Five Feet...

Water slicked the floor like slippery ice. Vai nearly fell backwards, so I shoved him forward. Two strides and he was through.

Four feet....

The hem of my dress caught my foot...

Three feet...

I fell.

Authors Ending Note: Is this trully the end of Chihiro? Will she be taken prisoner? Hostage? What evil and sinister plots are being made?