Chapter Twenty-Seven: When All is Still

Chihiro aimlessly flipped the page of the book that she was reading. Two weeks had past since her testing and she was bored. She heard a knock on her door and looked up to see Hikari leaning in the doorway.

"Thought you might want some company," Hikari told her wryly, "anything yet from my brother?"

"Nope," Chihiro replied softly, "wish he would contact me soon though, it's been weeks since I last heard from him either in dream or by the bracelet."

"True, you don't suppose that anything has happened to him do you?"

"The only thing horrible that could have befallen him is death." Chihiro shuddered at the thought; Hikari didn't say or do anything besides frowning.

"I don't think that would have happened to him, have you thought of trying to contact him."

"No, besides I've been kind of busy these last few days."

"From what I've seen, you would have plenty of time to contact him." Hikari told her sternly.

"They told me not to contact him after my testing though," Chihiro told her friend icily. "I'm sure they have a good reason for it so I won't do it."

"Hmm is that so, sorry but I can't stay longer as there's something I need to discuss with a certain friend of ours."

"Going to see Kai again?"

"What do you think?"

"Tell him that I said hi and am really bored…and that you like him…"

"Sure Chihiro, like I'm going to tell him that."

"If you don't I will."

"You're worse than Sora…well I really have to be going bye." Hikari walked out of her room and towards the one two doors away.

"Am I?" Chihiro smirked once her friend had left. "Well don't blame me for being so suspicious when you two keep on visiting each other and have rooms that just happen to be right next to each other."

She gently placed a piece of parchment she used as a bookmark between the pages of the book and took out the small black stone she had hidden underneath the table. She marveled at how its smooth ebony surface reflected the light before wrapping it in the silky gold cloth she used to hide it and placed it underneath the low table.

Maybe I should contact him, just to see how he's faring. Chihiro thought to herself as she took off the shimmering emerald bracelet that she wore. Just as she was about to contact him the emerald began to glow with the sapphire light that signaled Haku trying to contact her. She blinked.

Haku are you there? She asked cautiously.

That I am, did you think that I was captured and that someone had stolen the bracelet from me? He asked teasingly.

No, I was worried that you were hurt.

Well I'm not, what did something happen?

Not really though I did mean to tell you that we're now in some phoenix colony.

You're in a phoenix colony? Do you know why?

Yeah, and they said it's for testing and more "extensive" training.

Is Hikari with you?

She came with me yes, if that's what you mean.

No, I was wondering if Hikari was with you like in the same room.

She just left to go and talk to Kai; he's the messenger for the phoenixes if you didn't know.

I know who he is I met with him once or twice in the past before. Could you summon her then? I want her to hear what I have to say as well.

Sure let me just go and get her.

Kai and Hikari walked into her room at that time. "Hey Chihiro I brought a certain friend of ours with me so he could explain to us just why you shouldn't contact Haku." She told her friend.

What timing! She just walked in here along with Kai.

Kai's there with her?

Yeah, is there something you wanted to tell him?

No, I just was just thinking about something…

"Um Chihiro aren't you going to say anything like 'gee Hikari thanks'." Hikari asked her friend, amused.

"Actually Hikari," Chihiro replied dryly, "if you haven't noticed already, Haku is contacting me right now and he says that he has something to tell the both of us."

"Does he want me to hear what he wants to say?" Kai asked calmly.

"Uh I don't know I'll ask him." Hey Haku do you mind if Kai listens in onto what you have to tell us?

No, I was just about to tell you that.

"He says that it's okay." Kai nodded. He and Hikari gently placed their hands on Chihiro's right arm where the bracelet was dangling. Their hands unintentionally met thought no one commented about it until afterwards.

Okay Haku you can tell us we're all here.

Yeah Haku what's so important that you wanted all of us present to hear? Hikari asked her brother.

Hmm…I don't suppose that Zeniba and the others are present are they?

They didn't come, besides only Chihiro and Hikari were asked for. Kai told him.

I see… okay then what I wanted to tell you was that the others and I managed to escape from the dungeon where we were kept.

There was a slight pause before Chihiro replied, you escaped?

Yeah, Keiko managed to think up of a way from us to break out of the cells where we were kept.

Are all of you okay, Kai asked quite concerned, as far I as know there hasn't been any record of escape from a prison like the Evil One's, he keeps records of these things and my race has managed to gain access to them. This Keiko of yours must have been very clever and smart in order to plan an escape.

I'll be sure to tell her that and so far there haven't been any injuries or anyone chasing us.

Wait Keiko planned the escape? Chihiro asked bewildered. I would think that you or Natsuko did. How did she do it?

I'm not sure as she was pretty secretive about some of the details. Haku admitted. Though she somehow managed to figure out what elements were used to charm the lock into staying locked, and then she stole some keys from a guard that was walking by so that we could escape. Her plan was pretty articulate too, she had managed to escape her cell before so that she could map the dungeon and do other necessary things so that by time we escaped there weren't any hindrances.

Thank Keiko for me and tell her that she's pretty smart to think of all these things in order for escape.

I'll be sure to mention it to her.

Where are you anyways? Hikari asked, curious.

We're stuck in this really large plain, but as to which one we're not sure. Well the others are clamoring for my attention so I'd best leave. The bracelet pulsed twice before it stopped glowing.

Kai and Hikari lifted their hands off of the bracelet. "Well that was interesting," Hikari said.

"Yeah I'd better leave and tell the council members that Haku contacted you as well as being able to listen in on the conversation. They would want to know that he escaped and would probably want me to tell his father as well." Kai said.

"Who also happens to be my father. You do realize that we're related right?"

"Hikari, if you didn't notice your hand was touching Kai's when you were touching the bracelet." Chihiro commented wryly. "Do you still admit that you don't like him?"

"Yeah I noticed, and we're just friends like I told you before." Neither noticed that Kai was blushing slightly and had just left the room.

"Hey where did Kai go?" Hikari asked once she noticed that Kai had left.

"I guess than he had more important things to tend to than pursue a relationship with you."

"Well I have more important things to do than to chat with you so bye." Chihiro shook her head as Hikari walked loftily away.

Her bracelet began to glow within minutes followed by Haku's voice. Are they gone yet?

Yes and I thought that you said that the others were clamoring for your attention. Chihiro teased him in reply.

Actually they're resting; I decided to tell you what happened when they were asleep so that there wouldn't be any distractions or anything while I talked to you about what occurred.

How wise of you.

Yeah I know, and there's a reason why I contacted you once Hikari and Kai had left.

You wanted to talk to be about their relationship.

How did you know? Haku asked wondrously.

Chihiro chuckled; you're not the only one who has been noticing that Hikari likes to chat with Kai a lot. Remember I'm with them and so have been noticing their strange behavior. How did you figure out that there might be a relationship between the two?

Let's see besides the fact that Hikari just 'happened' to bring Kai when she went to go and talk to him for something reason? I think it's kind of obvious even if the two aren't in a serious relationship with each other yet.

It shouldn't be too long though.

I shouldn't think so either…so how have the two been acting around each other recently?

Quite normal surprisingly, though Kai did choose to leave once I asked if Hikari liked him.

Interesting…was he blushing or anything?

I don't know, I noticed once Hikari noticed and Kai was already gone by then.

You know I'd love to stay and chat but the others are waking.

Are you doing this to end our short conversation or are they really waking?

They're really waking and Keiko just noticed that I'm holding a glowing bracelet. Bye. Their conversation was ended as the bracelet pulsed twice. Chihiro grinned at what Haku told her; perhaps the two really did love each other. Only time will tell how their relationship will end up though, and time's something that I can afford to spare.