D/N: I've been a writing machine! Oooh yeaaah! Hahaha! CHAPTER SEVEN! WOOHOO! happy dances across the room Meh-hehe. Imagine what I would do for a later

chapter.

New chapter, new fun. Muawahahahaha.

In the town were many strange people, their dress matching the buildings that they seemed to be from. Ladies carrying groceries whispered and pointed at us as we passed them, watching us, scared. Men, who were also on the street, sometimes carrying worn and well-used weapons or tools, stared at us gruffly. I drew closer to Hatori, hand touching the key blade, warily watching everyone. There was no way I would be caught off guard with only humans.

Children followed us, curiously, but did not venture too close. Miss Tanaka touched my arm, eyes warning me silently, and I let go of my bracelet. She whispered, looking around for something, "I don't want them to think we're hostile toward them. It's the shadows we worry about, and this town is too bright, too highly protected, for them to enter. There are other districts to this town, mind you, that aren't as protected as this main part, but we're only staying here."

"I hope you're sure."

"If I wasn't, I would not say anything. Ah, here we are. The Tangled Mane."

Both Hatori and I looked up at the tavern that Miss Tanaka had stopped at. It was a large tavern, and the rowdy singing of large men that were drunk floated out through the open door. She grinned at both of us, "This is the best tavern in town. You won't be disappointed when it comes to lodging, food and entertainment. I'd add drink also, but you both are much too young." She looked back up at the sign, and then entered the tavern briskly, hand touching the chain belt that was the transformed version of her whip, in case she might need it.

I followed briskly, only glancing back at Hatori, who still looked amazed by the town around us. Inside, the tables were full of rowdy men, drinking large quantities of what I could only think of as alcohol. On the other side of the vast room was a large, merrily roaring fire that made the room cozy, and cast plenty of light upon the occupants. It was a pleasant crowd that we could see; no one looked like they would attack us unless we attacked them first.

Miss Tanaka waved merrily to the few people who shouted greetings to her, and I realized, for the first time since we had seen her today, that she had relaxed completely in the presence of people who looked as if they could rip us from limb to limb had they wanted to.

The owner of the tavern himself greeted her warmly, and asked, "Would yeh like a room f'r the night, mi'lady?"

"That would be wonderful. A room with three beds, if possible."

"More than possible, follow me."

We followed him up the stairs, ignoring the greetings that the people shot at us. Miss Tanaka asked, as we walked up two flights of stairs, "Is there some way to have dinner brought to the room in an hour's time? I don't think we'll feel up to walking downstairs. We've had a tiring journey. The children especially are tired."

The man nodded absently, his short tangled hair bobbing from our point of view, "Of course. I'll 'ave a maid bring it up later, then." He unlocked a door, and stood back, handing Miss Tanaka the key he used, "Ah 'ave a key of me own. If yeh loose it, then jus' come down and see me, Mi'Lady. Good night."

Miss Tanaka bowed demurely to him, and took the key offered, thanking him for his kindness. After the door closed him off, she sighed, and leaned against the door. "Go and rest, Hatori. Raine, come here. I want to take a look at that shoulder. It stopped bleeding, right?"

I touched the wound, lightly, and then nodded, "About a half-hour ago. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be."

She touched the wound with gentle fingers, and removed the armor on my back, so that she could get at the cloth. Miss Tanaka stopped, and looked over at Hatori. He was watching the entire process with interest.

Miss Tanaka glared at him, "In the bathroom with you, and no peeking!"

He looked stung, "Do you not trust me here? Why would I memorize anything that would happen?"

I snorted, "Because you're a freakin' pervert."

Miss Tanaka grinned, "Exactly what Raine said. So in the bathroom with you. I'll tie you up with my chain if you try to peek."

"You're no fun." He complained, and went into the bathroom. Miss Tanaka waited until she heard the click of the lock turning before she turned back to me, and ripped the sleeve of my shirt off.

She gasped, and I glanced over my shoulder at her, confused. The flesh that she looked at was bubbled and mangled; it didn't look anything like the skin only a few centimeters away from it. Miss Tanaka pulled a dagger from the hidden folds of her clothes, and opened the wound once more. I winced, but did not make a sound as the sharp weapon touched my skin; I would have to live through it, for the look on Miss Tanaka's face showed me that she would not be kind to me, no matter how much I cried out in my pain.

Miss Tanaka examined the wound, pulling up the flesh, and hissed, "You were bitten by one of them, weren't you?"

"I don't know. When I heard Hatori cry out in pain, I turned. It hurt me, I know that, but it let go as soon as the key blade made it."

She frowned, "The key blade made it let go?"

I nodded, "It pulsed with white magic, and it just let go."

"Well, that's odd." She leaned back against the wall. "All I can say is to drink this potion, and you should be fine. I'll be right back; stay facing away from the bathroom."

Quickly, I turned, and looked at the cream colored wall, amused by the landscape painting hung on it. Then I heard Miss Tanaka order Hatori, "Give me your shirt."

Hatori yelped, and I could hear him shuffle away from the door, "What?"

"You heard me. Fork it over."

"Why should I give you my shirt!"

"Because Raine needs it. Guys can go shirtless, but girls cannot. So come on, give it up. I'll buy you another later on."

He muttered under his breath, but I couldn't catch what was said. Miss Tanaka obviously did, for there was the sound of flesh hitting flesh, and another yelp from Haa-chan; one of Miss Tanaka's infamous head slaps that got the attention of even her rowdiest students. A moment later, a shirt was tossed over my head, "Here's something for you to wear so that the pervert doesn't get any ideas."

I slid into it hurriedly, not wanting to find out what would happen to me if I didn't listen to her. She called Hatori in as soon as I was dressed, and he dove under his covers to cover his bare chest.

Miss Tanaka rolled her eyes, and sat next to me as I drained a potion down easily, my arm healing almost as soon as I had drunk it down. Miss Tanaka sighed, and leaned her head back against the foot rest, eyes closed. I hesitated before finally asking her, "How did you know how to find us?"

She opened one eye to look at me, "It was easy. I didn't know it was you, of course, but once I saw the maze, I knew something important was locked in there."

Hatori added his own question after she finished answering, "Then how do you know about the key blade?"

Miss Tanaka sighed again, and this time sat up straight, and then turned around so that she could face the both of us, "Easy enough. I'll tell you once you tell me something. Who were the three kids that left the island for their own adventure?"

I promptly answered her, the first names of the children committed to memory, "Riku, Kairi, and Sora."

"Right. Did you know that one of the children returned home?"

I exchanged a glance with Hatori, surprised; he looked equally surprised as I felt. We hadn't even heard a whisper about that part of the legend. "No, we didn't. Who was the one that returned? What happened to them?" I prompted her, turning away from Haa-chan.

She smiled, and scooted back so that she could lean against the wall, looking more comfortable that way, "Well, Kairi was the one who returned back to the island. She went straight home to her adopted parents, since she had come from a land far away, and had no true parents.

"When she got home, she was met with three sets of parents, her own adoptive ones

, and the ones belonging to Sora and Riku. She didn't know what to say to them about their children, except that they couldn't come home any longer." She blinked a few times, rapidly, and then continued, her voice filled with sorrow, "They waited for years for them to return, not believing Kairi about what she had told them. After about five years, they gave them both up for dead, and held a funeral for them. You both might remember it; you were five at the time."

I nodded; I did remember it, but not well, and I couldn't remember the names of the boys it was for. All I really know about it was that it was for two bad boys who had run away and never came home. It was a large affair for everyone in our town, and nearly everyone showed up. Hatori frowned, "Wait, if Kairi returned home, how come none of us at Y-" He cut himself off, gulped, coughed to cover his hesitation and then continued, "none of us have heard of her?"

Miss Tanaka smiled ruefully, "Because, as soon as she turned eighteen, she changed her name so that people could stop riding her back about it. She changed her appearance, her personality, and ignored anyone who ever asked her questions about it. Kairi soon faded into society, the truth to the legend forgotten. I do believe that she is still considered lost to everyone, correct?"

Again, I nodded, and then asked, "Who is she now?"

"Her name? Sakura Tanaka." Miss Tanaka told us, her lip curled in a wry smile.

D/N: Revelations! plays dramatic music in the backround Anyway. Next chapter will have a few more explanations and stuff, but it shouldn't be too much more to be revealed now, so we can move on to the main adventure soon enough. giggles evilly Hatori isn't wearing a shirt. . .. giggles again . .. .

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