Summary; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

Only three...four...reviews for the last chapter. (sniffle) Well, I'm gonna update anyway! I hope you guys enjoy it - things are beginning to build up, if ya haven't noticed. I tell ya, it's hard creating the plot and still feeling like I'm being original...yeesh.

Please review if you read. Comments, ideas, suggestions, and helpful criticism welcome.

"Wow, ya look like shit," Tasuki informed her calmly, as Subaru helped the still-weak young woman into the main room, where Tokaki appeared to be discussing something with Chichiri and Tasuki. Tokaki looked up in surprise, while Chichiri shook his head and elbowed Tasuki.

"Tasuki! No da!"

"What?"

"My name is Tokaki, Warrior of Byakko," the young man introduced himself, rising to his feet and bowing before a confused Kae. "And I understand your name is Kae?"

"Uh…yeah," she nodded, and Subaru smacked him.

"Stop that!" she ordered, guiding Kae to a chair. "Here, sit here while I get something for you to eat," the Warrior told her, and Kae nodded obediently and settled nervously in the chair, wearing light robes in shades of turquoise, white, cream, and gray. Tasuki eyed her from the corner of his gaze, and shrugged apologetically at a look from Chichiri.

"I didn't mean ya looked bad – but yer way too pale," he objected, and Chichiri peered at her in agreement.

"And too thin, no da."

"Stop staring at the poor girl like she's on display for the three of you," Subaru ordered, glaring at her husband who made a noise in his throat and folded his hands in his lap – an odd gesture unsuitable for his young appearance. "Here you are," the Warrior continued, handing Kae a bowel of stew. "Eat it while it's hot."

"Thank you," Kae nodded, and busied herself with eating.

"Do you feel any better?" Tokaki asked, resting his chin on his hand and returning his gaze to her after a few minutes. Kae met his eyes hesitantly, but realized there was no longer the perverted gaze, but an older, caring one.

"Yes, actually," she told him, and Chichiri nodded.

"That's good, no da," he sighed, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "I was afraid you wouldn't pull through for a while, no da. Tasuki was driving me nuts – he wouldn't shut up!" The group glanced at the fire-wielding Warrior, expecting him to lash out and argue, but he only grunted and crossed his arms stubbornly.

"Thanks to my tenketsujustsu, we were able to snap you out of the nightmares – for the most part – but you wouldn't wake up," Tokaki elaborated, and grinned when Kae gave him a blank look. "It's similar to acupuncture, that's all. Boy, were we surprised when you showed up in our house!"

"Sorry about that," Chichiri apologized. "Oh, where's Xi-Fang?"

"Who?" Kae asked.

"Our adopted daughter," Subaru put in. "She got married just a few months ago and moved to the other side of the city. Did you need to speak to her?"

"No, I just noticed her absence," the monk shook his head, and Tasuki shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Kae stifled a yawn, but the motion didn't escape Chichiri or Tokaki's sharp gazes, and the former instantly stood up. "You should probably get some more rest – your chi isn't fully restored yet," he told her, but Kae shook his hand off her arm.

"No, I'm really tired of sleeping all the time," she protested. "I want to stay up – I'm not a child, after all, Chichiri."

"All right, no da," he nodded, and returned to his seat without arguing. Kae sighed and relaxed in her chair, unconsciously fading in and out as the others carried on their previous conversation. She managed to catch random words here and there, but nothing made sense to her tired mind and she ignored it. Unknown to her, they were in fact discussing Kae herself and the circumstances surrounding her since she had entered the world.

"She doesn't look as though she's retained any of the evil energy from Keung Xi-Wang," Subaru commented well-into the discussion. Kae was sleeping soundly in the chair, with Subaru beside her to keep her from falling over if necessary.

"Her chi is broken, no da," Chichiri told the two older Warriors. "And it won't seem to regenerate, no matter how much she rests, no da. I don't sense anything abnormal in her energy, but there's nothing to explain what's going on."

"Is it possible when Keung Xi-Wang trapped her inside her mind he created some kind of ward?" Tokaki suggested thoughtfully. "We don't know what he's fully capable of, do we? And now that's he basically at full strength, I'm surprised he's only tried one attack since then."

"Me too," the monk admitted. "I suspected a trap, but something doesn't seem right."

"Even after we heard her scream, Chichiri couldn't sense any evil chi nearby, and I didn't sense any evil energy either," Tasuki told them, his gaze intermittently flickering from the group and their conversation to Kae.

"Daa."

"Hm…doesn't seem to be much Subaru or I can do for you," Tokaki sighed, taking a minute to consider their options. "We can keep you all here safe for a while, but it sounds like she has to figure out what's wrong with her chi herself."

"Is she able to travel within in her own mind?" Subaru asked suddenly, and the two Suzaku Warriors blinked in surprise before Chichiri nodded.

"I think so, no da. To an extent."

"What if you instructed her on what to look for and what to do, and Kae go within her mind to resolve the problem?" Subaru suggested. "I believe she has the power in herself to manage it."

"I didn't think of that, no da," Chichiri agreed thoughtfully, frowning in concentration as he considered the plan.

"And what if somethin' goes wrong?" Tasuki demanded, glaring at the woman who had served Byakko. "What then? She'll be stuck in herself with no way out!"

"I would be able to go retrieve her, I believe," the monk informed her. "Like last time, no da."

"So – it's a good plan, it's the only plan. When're we gonna do it?" Tokaki demanded, standing up and looking expectantly at the two Warriors. "There's no sense putting it off much longer, especially if it's gonna get worse over time, right?"

"I suppose so," Chichiri sighed, not very eager to go through it again but realizing it was their only option at the present time.

"Kae? Kae, you need to wake up," Subaru said, shaking her gently to wake her. Kae groaned as she opened her eyes, and blinked in surprise when she realized she had fallen asleep.

"Oh, damn…"

"Here, drink this while I explain," Chichiri told her, handing her a mug while he sat closer to her.

"Explain what?" she asked suspiciously, taking the mug and peering at the monk.

"You want me to do that again?" Kae asked, her face twisting in horror as she remembered the last time she had been trapped within her mind with Keung Xi-Wang.

"No, no, not that!" Chichiri hastened to assure her, shaking his head. "My guess is that Keung Xi-Wang isn't anywhere inside your mind. But Subaru thinks it's possible he created something in your mind to disrupt your chi like it has been. I can't go in directly, since we don't know if he set up a barrier to keep me out. If he did and I activated it, it could harm you quite a bit, no da."

"So…where exactly would I be?" she asked nervously, not very reassured by his words.

"I can take you to the plane where your chi is located," he continued to explain, trying to sound as confident as possible. "I can't remain with you, though. What you would need to do is search the area for anything unusual."

"How'm I supposed to know what that is?" she interrupted.

"You would…just know. Trust me, no da," he grinned. "And then use your untainted chi to destroy it. Once it's gone, I'll be able to bring you out without any harm done."

"Kinda sounds like surgery for a tumor…" she muttered, and they looked at her curiously.

"Huh?" Tasuki demanded, and she laughed nervously.

"Nothing, really," she shook her head, and turned back to Chichiri. "So…can we just get it over with, or do I have to do something first?"

"No…we can do it now, if you want," he nodded, a bit surprised at her firmness. "Tokaki can put you in a trance with his tenketsujustsu, so you won't have to worry about being startled out of the plane. Is here fine?"

"Yeah," she nodded, and caught Tokaki's eye as he raised his hand to activate the needed pressure points. "It's not gonna hurt, is it?"

"Nope. You won't feel a thing," he assured her cheerfully, and she squirmed nervously for a moment before remaining still. She squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation, and Tasuki managed to grab her hand. Kae gripped it tightly, and suddenly relaxed as Tokaki knocked her out. "There – all done," he told them, moving back to his seat. "It'll last, don't worry."

"Thanks, Tokaki," Chichiri nodded, and closed his eyes in concentration.

"Where the hell…Chichiri!" Kae realized with a start, the monk suddenly appearing beside her.

"Oh good, you're here, no da," he noticed, and looked around intently. "We're at the gate of the plane, Kae. I can't go in with you – but I'll wait here until you get back, no da."

"Okay," she nodded, but he saw her hesitating.

"You'll be okay, no da," he assured her. "Just have faith in yourself, no da."

"Okay," she repeated, and took a nervous step forward. Taking a deep breath, she continued to stride toward the swirling vortex that appeared before her, and before she could think about it, plunged into its depths. Chichiri frowned when he lost her to the blackness, but shook his head as if to clear his head and calmed himself to prepare for the wait that was necessary.

"What's happenin'?" Tasuki demanded, when Kae suddenly winced before going limp again. Chichiri remained perfectly still, his hands resting on Kae's firmly and his face a mask of solemnity and concentration.

"I think she just entered the plane Chichiri was talking about," Subaru guessed. "Don't worry, Tasuki – you'll break something."

"This isn't so bad," Kae said out-loud, trying to comfort herself as she wandered around the plane in confusion. She found herself in a thick forest, the ground shaded almost completely from the sun, while images from her memories faded in and out around her. "I wonder where I'm supposed to be going," she continued, looking around curiously. "Am I supposed to sense something, or…ow!" She winced when a sharp pain shot through her body before disappearing as quickly as it had come.

"What the hell was that?" she wondered, on her guard more than before. Walking cautiously through the trees, she pushed low-hanging branches away from her face and gasped when she saw a small child sitting underneath a large willow tree.

"Who're…you?" she asked, not recognizing it. She was sure it was a spirit, but it was dressed in a brown robe. White hair flowed around it's shoulders, and it's black eyes were filled with a wisdom that belied it's age.

"Silly. You don't recognize me?" the child laughed, and Kae found herself wondering whether it was male or female.

"No…you're not me, are you?"

"Nope!" the child shook it's head and got to it's feet. It began to playfully run around the tree, laughing while Kae tried to figure out who it was. After what seemed like several minutes, the child paused in it's games and looked at Kae, suddenly solemn. "You really don't know?"

"No!" she shook her head impatiently. "Who are you? What are you?"

"I'm the power you hold inside you," it told her, sounding as if it was chastising her.

"The…power?"

"That the spirit seeks," it informed her, and she blinked in shock.

"You mean, you're that power?" she demanded, and it nodded briefly.

"Yes – and you're here to get rid of the bad thing inside, aren't you?" the child stated, continuing before Kae could say anything. "It's draining our life, you know. If you don't hurry, I'll disappear. And so will you."

"Do you mean…if I use this power, I'll die?" Kae asked, and it shrugged.

"I don't know. But if he gets me, we both will die for sure."

"Where's the power?" she pressed, but the child only shrugged again.

"I don't know," it repeated. "But I know it's here – and it's drawing closer as we speak."

"How do I stop it?" she asked desperately, but the child only shook its head.

"The time for talk has passed," it told her, suddenly smiling. "Hurry, Kae!"

"Hey!" she called, but the child had already ran into the trees, lost to her sight. "Damn…now what?" she wondered, even more confused than she had been before. Looking around, she didn't sense anything odd, and shrugged. "Might as well see what I can find," she decided, and began to press further into the forest.

After a while, she noticed that the color seemed to fade around her, and yelped when a thorn pierced her foot. Looking down, she realized that a bramble surrounded her, blocking every path except before her.

"That hurt…it must be here," she decided, gritting her teeth and trying to ignore the pain. As she continued walking, more pains shot through her body, becoming more intense with each moment. Kae broke out in a sweat from the effort her body was exerting itself for, and felt as if she would collapse at any moment.

"No friggin' way am I gonna lose," she growled, stubbornly continuing her trek threw the obstacles. A high bramble suddenly rose before her, blocking her off from her path. "Oh no, this is not gonna get the best of me," Kae muttered, and looked for a way to bypass it. Taking a deep breath after minutes of searching, she became aware of something growing in her chest, and opened her eyes to see a thick mist swirling around her violently. "I see," she realized in amazement. "This is my mind – I have complete control of everything here!"

Frowning at the thorny bush, she extended her hand toward it, shooting wisps of the mist into the thorns. The thin swirls wrapped themselves around the vines, crisscrossing until an intricate pattern had been woven around the area in front of Kae.

"Now – go!" she ordered, closing her hand into a fist. The wisps extended suddenly, bursting the vines apart and creating an opening for her to pass through. After assuring herself nothing else was going to happen with the thorns, she stepped through confidently and jumped when it closed behind her abruptly.

"Is she all right?" Tokaki wondered, as sweat trickled from Kae's forehead into her eyes. Nothing had changed about Chichiri, but the young woman opposite the monk had seemed to grow uncomfortable when blood suddenly stained her right shoe. Having removed the shoe, Subaru discovered a thorn going straight through her foot, and hastily bandaged the injured foot.

"I don't know – but Chichiri doesn't seem to be doing anything. I think that's a good sign," Subaru replied, glancing over at Tasuki. The Warrior's gaze was locked onto Kae's face, his hand pressed over Kae and Chichiri's interlocked fingers as if he had a death grip on them.

"Whoa," Kae managed, and froze in her tracks at the sight before her. The forest had given way to a barren wasteland, the ground black and cracked through. Vegetation was nonexistent, and a silence enveloped her that made her shiver, as if the humidity had suddenly risen a great deal.

"This must be the place," she decided, looking around anxiously. Nothing rose from the dead plain, but something in the back of her mind urged her to turn around. Obeying the nagging, her eyes widened when she saw the child gazing at her, at the border where the black grass seemed to melt into the dry earth. "What are you…" Kae began, and then stopped herself, taking a second look at the figure. The glow seemed to be gone from the child, it's robe was ragged and holy, and it's face and hair was smudged with dirt and what appeared to be blood. Her gaze moving lower, Kae realized the child's hands was covered in blood – holding a gaping wound that was on its side.

"Oh my god," she whispered, and began to rush to the child.

"N-no," it told her, it's voice firm but weak. It slumped to the ground on it's knees, but Kae remained where she was despite herself. "Don't…you have to go on…"

"But…what happened?" she demanded, her hands balling into fists at her sides.

"The spirit…he's drawing closer to us," the child replied softly, closing it's eyes. "You must hurry…if I die…"

"I promise I'll save you," Kae nodded firmly, the thought that saving the child meant saving herself never even occurring to her furious mind. Whirling around, Kae broke out into a sprint across the cracked earth, determined to find whatever was inside her mind and destroy it. She fell to the ground, however, when a tremor threw her off balance.

"Uh-oh," she groaned, knowing what was going to happen even before the earth opened to swallow her into its depths.

"They're taking too long," Tokaki griped, worried despite his best efforts. "Something's going on in there."

"They can do it," Tasuki muttered, surprising the two Byakko Warriors. His gaze was fixed on Kae's face, but he spoke as if to himself. "They can do it – they're strong. That bastard ain't takin' 'em away from me again."

Well? Anxious? Then review - I won't update until you do! (grin) No da! Please review!