Disclaimers Notice: The only thing I own is the way in which I chose to use the characters, sometimes the setting, and a few of my own creations.

Very Important Authors Beginning Note: This chapters delay is not-despite what I know your thinking-due to laziness, business, computer malfunction, ect…

AS a matter of fact ever since the last chapter I have been diligently working my poor butt (numb from sitting onthis hard chair for so long) to finish this story. I went above and beyond (stopping to do only the most crucial of errands like eat and relieving myself, sleep was over rated) to the point of having it all finished.

That's right. I have finished this fic, well the first rough draft. I just have to do some slight revising of the end and major editing (especially to my poor pathetic epilogue).

HOWEVER- suggestions are still opened until I'm done w/ my editing.

Unfortunately (Now for the bad news) I will be gone next week, the 23-31 of July. I know, slay me now, after all the fic is done and what use am I? (well, I can poor your tea and serve you crumpets while you read my fic? Please don't hurt me)

And because I hate to leave off with bad news, I have some good news. Updates should be more frequent regardless (unless my computer access for some reason is drastically limited) I'm hoping 2x a week. And unless my editing means a large amount of addition to this story there shall be 4-6 more chapters.

Chapter Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to inu22 for figuring out my true age based on the clues I gave in my profile! This is one of 5 that shall be to your dedication.

Shout it outs!

Aharah Musici: That is true, which is why, when I'm done w/ this one I think I'll keep the story in a 1 person POV, b/c its not just you who gets confused.

Shitza: Cold water generally works...:)

Keetra: Well, when you think about it, he's associated w/ the ones who are also hurting chihiro, that and he's not in the least bit of good shape, and may be slightly delirious (dehydration can do that) Haku is better tempered l8ter on.

I do explain the light thing a little bit more in this chapter, to lighten up the confusion, but if you are still confused afterwards, tell me and I will gladly explain in the next review.

No need to appologize for any confusion. It helps me to learn and improve my writing skills when you ask questions, so I know what type of things I need to clarify. So thank you very much!

Chelsea: Chihiro doesn't realize Kohaku is alive b/c he wasn't brought back from the dead, he was...reborn so to speak. he felt like a different entity. And she's going through life hreatening dnagers, so thats a bit of a distraction.

Yah, I dunno why my rating is different, unless some of ffnets upgrades automatically did that or what not. So I am sorry abot that consusion.

Thank you all for the loverly reviews!

Chapter 46

Back Again

Chihiro's POV
Oh no…now what can I do…

I closed my eyes and struggled as I felt the ground near. An acidic taste coated the back of my throat and fear clenched my stomach. I felt like my whole body was being shaken violently in a baby's rattle.

As gravity pulled me down farther, I landed on something. And hard. My wrist began throbbing and my head ached. I clumsily stood up, my wings getting in the way and without opening my eyes, puked.

"It seems you've really fallen for me Dove."

"Oh, shut up." Was my bitter reply as my stomach churned again.

'chi…I think…we in danger…something very wrong…an illusion?' I wiped my mouth and looked up, stopping in stricken shock.

"This. It can't be. It can't. It can't really be. Can it?" I gazed long and hard. People were in a panick. Radios buzzed. Cars were abandoned, andbuildings were in ramshackles.

I stepped hesitantly to an abandoned car. A tree had smashed it, the trunk of the car beyond repair and the drivers door completely tore off. I turned up the volume dial of the still working radio.

"…massive earthquakes charting off the ricter scale have been occurring all across the globe. Scientists have no real explanation as to what the cause of this occurance is. What's even more disturbing are the sightings of unexpalinable strange creatures, buildings…" I switched the channel.

"…thousands have disappeared in the recent events and even more have been hospitalized. Some hospitals are having to close doors as they are already…"

"…mysterious sightings of strange landscapes. One woman says she saw…"

"…many say it is the apocalypse, though no…"

"Chihiro?" I jumped as Rin put a hand on my shoulder. I turned off the radio and looked outside. Water was spouting from a broken firehydrant.

"Do you know where we are?" Enuresis asked. I finally let go of my breath that I hadn't realized I had been holding. I felt numb and lack.

"We're--in the Human world." I said incredulous as I looked at the place I once called home.

Aikia's POV
I felt the ground rumble and a few specks of dirt were shaken and caked themselves to my sweaty brow. I ignored such insignificant discomforts.

"Soon." I whispered.

'Don't let me down.' A woman's back was turned as she hunched over a table, examining parchment of sorts. She was dressed in black pants and a long sleeved loose shirt. Both tied with a maroon sash. Her hair was worn up in an intricate design,a common styleamong nobles.

'Has a weapon of mine failed you or your men yet?' Her fist hit the table and an audible crack was heard.

'Damn you. Why can't you ever give me a straight answer?. This is war we are talking about!' She stood straight.'

Sweat dripped and my stomach churned. I looked down at the nearly completed shape in my hand.

Katsu's POV
"What use are you! I mean really. All you have done is sleep. I swear you're worse than a cat!" I screeched, pacing. Every once in a while I sent him a seathing glare.

"Seriously, you try to save that human thing of yours and you don't so much as give me a thank you? Let alone a freaking answer to anything! And another thing. Those lights were weird. They bounced off of each other! What is up with that, and…"

"It's because they're not real lights." I jumped. My furry tail was puffy and the hairs on my scalp rose uncomfortably. I glared at him.

"Who gave you the right to just talk like that outta no where!"

"You mean you weren't talking to me?"

what…how dare he…that arrogant…

"Power is more solid than light. It's similar, but magic is-'thicker'. It needs a cause to get a reaction. Or a push. That is what thoughts and incantations are. They are a force that pushes the magic. So when you used your blade to try and reflect my magic, it wasn't the blade itself but your thoughts that caused it to move, and since it is more solid, and the same of itself it bounced around."

"So you're sayin I did magic?" I said lamely, eyebrow raised. He nodded.

"It's official. You hit your noggin or burst somethin concentrate'in. But back to the point, what happened to that human?"

"I lost her." He whispered.

"You-You lost her! I mean, I go to all the effort of telling ya and you lost her? You know I think Ahrima knows I heard her. That must be it and she cursed me. My blood preassure must be dangerously close to hittin the top. And you lost her! What do you mean lost her!" At this point I was ready to pounce and use him as a scratchin post.

"I can't follow her into the human realm. I don't have enough power to do that, especially in my current state. Even if I did, I don't think I could. She's…changed somehow. Its harder to track her down."

"Human realm? You have got to be kiddin me." I smacked my forehead and fell on my rump.

Chihiro's POV
I looked up at the blue sky. The earth shook and still I stood. Loud screeching noises of metal buildings falling on themselves were heard. Then I saw it.

A dark canopy of trees. I felt rain drops on my skin and heard a violent storm rage. The ground quite moving and the image of the Spirit World left.

"It's almost like the two worlds are merging into one another." I whispered. Vai shook his head as he clamped his ears which were probably ringing terribly.

"Well Dove. You obviously know this place better than any of us. What should we do?"

"I don't know. I haven't been here in so long and a lot has changed. We could probably try to find our way to the entrance I had used the last time, but I don't even know this town well enough to even so much as choose a direction to begin in. And we would start all over at the bath house."

"I don't see why this is so hard ot figure out. Just go back the way we came." Enuresis said. She was sitting on the grass, her arms resting on her knees, looking like a rebellious teen.

"But how did we get here?" Fox asked as he looked up at the sky in disbelief and studious admiration. I can't blame him. The sky here is different than in the Spirit World. The sky of the Spirit World is so much cleaner, and crisper. It has definite tones. Here it is muggy and blurred.

"In the earthquake I saw the Spirit Realm. That's probably why we fell here to begin with. There was an earthquake and the fabric between the two worlds tore briefly. Just find another tear and jump right through." Rin said all in a deep tired sigh.

Rin looked like I felt. The feeling you get when you stop by your old house just to see what the new owners have done with it, hoping for that warm feeling you always got when you came home. Instead, you walk in and instantly feel out of place. Sure you know the place like the back of your hand, from the creaky spot on one of the steps for upstairs, to the tiny indent in the pantry wall where you fell and hit your head, but its no longer yours or all that familiar.

"I guess we would have to wait for another earthquake." I sat staring out at the town before me. We were in a park, a lot of trees had toppled over and the fountains werecracked. Leaves were scattered and you could see the city beyond it.

Aikia's POV
I looked up at two people on a throne. They were simply adorned with red robes. The woman wore a gold circlet and had bronze skin. Her long brown hair was held back in an intricate deisgn, curls of it escaping. The man on her left hard dark eyes and thick eyebrows. His hair was a dirty blond. His muscles were prominent and he looked of great strength.

"We have captured you and…"

"Let me guess. You want me to make weapons for you to help you and your race win the war."

"Well then. Since you know what we want, we expect you will give it to us." The woman said. I lightly rapped the glass of the cage I was in. I felt the sound pulse so slightly and knew that this material was solid, not a single chink or crack in it. No escape there.

"Nah. I'm not the working type. Now if its all the same, I expect you'll be escorting me most handsomely back to my humble abode." The woman's cheeks flushed and her knuckles turned white at her side.

"I can assure you, there is no going back. You either forge the weapons, or I will personally watch your execution." I barked out a laugh.

"What is death to me? What is life to me? They're one in the same." I felt a rush of pleasure jump into me as I saw her get angry. Then that stuck up toff of a King stepped in.

"Our first daughter. That is what we will give you in return for your services." The hall was silent. No breath to be heard.

"Oh this is too good. Even royalty places itself at my feet. So you'd sell your daughter to a nobody who can make a pointy stick. Not even I am that low."

"You would refuse even..." The queen was surprised.

"Keep your daughter. I'll go ahead and forge your weapons. On a few…exceptions." I grinned. Both looked worried, but the thought o their first daughter being safe from my grasp was enough of assurance to agree. After all, what choice did they have? Those low life pigs.

My hands shook intolerably. The heat of the room nearly consumed me, but my insides felt cold and slimy. My head throbbed and everything was getting hard to see. With each fleeting vision, I seemed to become weaker, but the completion of my ultimate weapon closer.

"What are these images? Why…do I keep seeing them? At this rate…either I'll die making it…or go insane before my plan is finished." I felt my throat close and my body convulse, but still I drove on. Nothing was going to stop me. Not even myself.

Chihiro's POV
I fell back, Rin catching me as the ground shook violently. I bit my tongue and the familiar tang of blood slid down my throat. Mysight was boggled and unclear. I saw the Spirit World. Trees and foliage. In front of me, it seemed even clearer. The earthquake became more violent and the Human World seemed to completely disappear and Spirit World came into a stronger focus.

I reached out and touched a single leaf. My body felt disconnect before forcefully coming back into itself. The quake stopped and I looked at Rin who had me by the shoulders.

"We're back." I whispered. Then pain shot through me.

I half gasped andtilted forward from imbalance. I felt my back begin to burn. I bit my tongue from screaming as I shut my eyes. It soon disappeared and I felt much lighter.

Rin ran a lithe finger down my shoulder blades.

"There will be a light scar, but other wise, you're set to go."

I felt a scream in my head. I winced and went to Vai as he felt the pain of his wings parting from his shoulder blades too. His nails dug into my arm and his hair covered his face. He slipped to his knees.

'much pain…'

'I know…but it will go away…almost as if it never were…' He let out a little gasp and I stared in grotesque wonder as I saw the muscles attatching the wings part and they slid uselessly to the ground. Vai shook and tremebled. I helped him stand up. His face was a pale sickly blue and sweat slid down his brow, but he looked no worse for wear.

"Why did our wings come off before yours?" I asked to no one in particular.

"Well, the spirit I got this from said that those who aren't really…flight compatible won't be able to keep their wings as long. Something about mind body interference." I looked helplessly at his almost void answer. He shrugged his shoulders, but with a blush looked away.

Figures…he was probably so vamped up about the terms of the agreement…he didn't bother paying thorough attention to other possible consequences…

"I'm going up to see if I can find any helpful landmarks." Enuresis shot up without giving any time for objection. Rin shook her head.

"That reckless…"

"Temper temper." I teased. She smiled. I felt a light cloth being wound around my arm. Surprised I looked at Vai using Fox's sash to wrapp the places where his nails had dug into my arm. Little blood drops gently seeped through, but soon stopped.

"Thank you." I said to both of them. Each blushed and I couldn't help but smile.

Katsu's POV
"Now what?" I said lamely, looking up at the ceiling even though it killed my eyes.

Wait a minute…are my eyes playin tricks…maybe I shouldn't be looking at the bright lights…or maybe this guy has something to do with it…

"Hey! Hey! Hey! What's going on!" I jumped at his body's transparency. The lights in the room slowly dimmed then brightened. Dimmed then brightened. I heard him growl and his breath come in gasps.

This can't be good…what to do…what to do…I bet this has something to do with Ahrima's spell…

"Okay. I am going to leave you, but you better not disappear or die on me! I swear to Ereshkigal, may she not frown upon me, that I will hunt you down and will personally pull every one of your hairs of that pretty head of yours!" I saw a twitch in his lip.

He's smiling at a time like this…that poor human must not have known what she was getting into…not when she hooked up with this…adle minded river dragon…

Aikai's POV
I pounded the transformed water into my new creation. It's finishing moments at hand.

I swung the blade through the air. I sang as its edge cut through a marble column without hesitation. The marble fell and the weapon went away unscathed. I looked at the cut pieces and saw the smoothness of it.

'Perfect' I whispered, holding it up in the light.