Alatáriël: *cracks knuckles* Ok! Let's get this on the road!!!... This chapter is going to be fun. *grins*

Kate: Alatáriël only owns me, but she wouldn't argue if anyone gave Chichiri to her!... But, we both believe the closest she will ever have Chichiri is this homemade, slightly deformed, plushie. T_T

Alatáriël: *cries* It's true!!!

Chichiri: Umm... On with the show, n-no da! *slowly backs away from Kate and Alatáriël, who are crying*

Chapter 12: Is This Love?

Chichiri stared at Kate, who had fallen asleep soon after their conversation. The journey was slowly eating her away. That much was obvious, but he had problems too. He was developing feeling for this girl. He just seemed happier with her around and missed her when she was gone.

They hadn't known each other for very long, but friendship was inevitable. Now the friendship was turning into something more and he wasn't sure he could take it. The last, and first, time he loved someone... Well, it had made him never want to love someone ever again.

No matter how much he tried to tell himself it was not to be he'd see her smiling at him in a way that seemed to tell him she knew and was ok with it. Why did it hurt so much? 'She's afraid of getting hurt too, most likely', he thought. She blushed a lot around him, but never tried anything. She respected him too much for that.

He sighed and looked up at the stars. 'I don't know what to do, no da', he thought. "Suzaku, help us all", he whispered and looked over to the sleeping girl again. She was curled up in a ball with her head under the covers. He smiled slightly and shook his head. 'It can't happen. It won't happen... How could anyone love me after knowing my past?', he thought in a bitter sweet manner and added another log to the fire.

A few hours later Chichiri had fallen asleep and Kate woke up to a sound. She reached for her glasses and put them on. She looked around and didn't see anyone. She looked to each of her companions. Chichiri was asleep. All she could see of him were his bangs stick out of the covers though. Tamahome and Miaka were asleep too, but she couldn't make out any details in the dark.

She got up carefully, making sure to be quite, and went to investigate. She walked around the camp, but dared not to enter the forest or let the camp out of her sight. She surveyed it like a hawk, but couldn't find anything. 'I'm just being paranoid', she thought, but she sat up to keep watch anyway.

She was adding another log to the fire when she suddenly found herself under attack! An arm flew around her and covered her mouth. She let out a yelp and tried to jump up, but was pulled back down. "Don't move!", the voice hissed and Kate did as she was told. 'Damn it! I got to stop getting the lower hand!', she thought angrily.

"Don't scream ok? I won't hurt you", the voice whispered. Kate nodded and was let go. She turned around and saw Suboshi! "What do YOU want?", she hissed and he looked confused. "You're the one on my land!", he says defensively. "What are you talking about?! I'm camping here with my friends, dork!", Suboshi blinked in surprise at being called a dork.

"I'm not a dork... Hey! Didn't you know it's dangerous around here?!", he asked. Suddenly it all clicked. 'It's Amiboshi!!!', she thought in surprise. "Hey! Didn't you know it's not nice to stock people?!", she asked, not feeling threatened anymore.

He looked mad. "I'm not stocking you!", he said in annoyance. Suddenly someone clearing their throat caught their attention. They looked up in unison, looking like two little kids who got caught in the cookie jar.

Chichiri looked pissed. Kate wasn't sure if he was going to kill her or BOTH of them. "Eh?", was all she could manage to say. He was scary looking! Amiboshi gulped. "You will not touch our priestess or anything or one in our care, Suboshi!", Chichiri yelled.

Kate was surprised when Amiboshi grabbed her for a shield and put a sword to her throat. She had forgotten about that sword... "Whoa! Hey! Can't we talk this out... or something?!", Kate exclaimed as the sword pressed against her neck.

Chichiri glared at Suboshi. By now Tamahome and Miaka were up and staring at them in horror. Kate tried to think of something to get her out of this mess, but the only thought in her mind was that there was a sharp, pointy, and possibly lethal, sword pressed along her neck. She dare not move.

Amiboshi wrapped one of his arms around Kate's waist and pulled her to walk backward. "Don't move or i'll kill her!", he hissed and everyone froze. 'Fudge! I'm sure as hell this didn't happen in the manga!', she thought angrily.

Soon they had the others out of their sight. "DON'T YOU DARE FOLLOW!", he yelled and continued to pull her into the woods. "Amiboshi, I have to warn you about something!", she yelled. He stiffened. "My name is Kaika", He hissed. "Kaika! You have to return to your city! It's going to be attacked!", Kate pleaded and he covered her mouth with a hand.

She mentally sighed. This was perfect! Just perfect! 'I wish I had the mirror thing with me', she thought in dismay, but fate was not that kind. She was going farther and farther into the forest. Kate could tell Amiboshi knew this forest well. He seemed to be looking for something.

Kate couldn't see much into the darkness and she was scared. 'I hate the dark!', she thought. They stumbled around until Kate finally say something form in the distance. It was dark and Kate didn't like it. She put up a small fuss before Amiboshi shoved her into the dark abyss.

She couldn't see and was having a problem finding her footing. 'Chichiri, I wish you were here', she thought sadly. Suddenly a bright light filled the cave. Amiboshi had a lantern with him! She took a sigh of relief at not being in the dark anymore, but thought she might like the dark more after seeing the look on Amiboshi's face.

"Who are you?", Amiboshi asked. Kate sighed. "My name is Kate Crichton", She answered. "Stay here, Kate-san... I don't want the wolves to get you. I'll be back", he ordered before leaving the cave. Kate sweatdroped. Did he really think he could just leave her here?!... Well, he had taken the lantern with him and she was lost.

She sighed and placed her arms behind her head before laying back. 'If you can't beat them. Join them', she thought. Her thought eventually led to Chichiri and the others. She hoped they weren't too worried.

Kate hadn't realized she feel asleep until she heard footsteps. Her mind raced. Was it a bear? A wolf? Amiboshi? She crawled back into the cave until she hit the wall. The cave wasn't very deep.

"Kate?", she heard faintly. Someone was whispering her name... Wait she knew that voice! "Chichiri!", she called into the dark cave. "Kate? Where are you, no da?", she heard him. "Keep talking!", she told him.

"Huh? Why, no da? Oh! Are you following my voice, no da?", he asked. "Yup", she answered and began crawling forward. "Hmmm... Let's see... Well, I came to look for you while Tamahome looks for Miaka. She ran off in a panic after she saw you get kidnapped by Suboshi, no da. Are you ok, no da?", He asked.

"I'm ok... I hate the dark! Arg! I want out!", she complained. "Yeah, it is really dark in here, no da!", he said. "I wonder how the others are doing... I wonder if they have reached Sairo yet, no da?", he said. Just then he felt something grab onto his pant leg.

He looked down to see Kate standing up, but even with her right in front of him he couldn't see her very well. "Actually, No they haven't", Kate said and Chichiri led her out of the cave.

"Where are they, no da?!", he asked once they were out. "An mirage that Tomo made... I'll explain later! Right now we need to get back to camp", Kate said and they ran back to camp.

Once they reached the camp Kate ran to her backpack and got out the mirror. "Show me Miaka!", Kate said and the glass moved as if ripples on water as Miaka's image appeared. She was asleep and being carried by Tamahome. Just then they immerged from a side of the camp. "Tamahome, no da!", Chichiri called.

Kate cursed under her breath and whispered, "Show me Amiboshi". Amiboshi appeared in a tree. Strangely enough she saw herself in the image too. She stared at it for a moment before noticing it was to her right. She looked over and up until she locked eyes with his.

His eyes widened when he saw her and she held her breath. 'Don't run away!', she silently pleaded. He seemed to understand and was looking from her to the mirror and back again. She looked up at him then sighed. She wished she could show him the future, but she didn't want to risk his life. "You're home is being attacked! Hurry!", she yelled as loud as she could. He looked shocked and disappeared. Chichiri and Tamahome looked at her blankly, but didn't say anything.

'I hope I did the right thing', she thought and put her mirror away. She hated the way their future turned out. She sighed and took a deep breath before turning to the others. "We have a lot we need to do soon! We have a big battle! Sleep while you can!", Kate instructed. Chichiri nodded while Tamahome looked confused, but nodded anyway.

Kate yawned then and walked back to her sleeping bag and paused before opening it. 'I hope I survive tomorrow', Kate thought and crawled under the covers. She was asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow, but her dreams were troubled.

Chichiri and Tamahome looked at each other strangely. "I guess we have a big day ahead of us, no da! See you in the morning, no da!", Chichiri said happily and set up a ward before turning in. Tamahome sighed and wrapped up in a blanket with Miaka in his arms. The poor girl had run right into a HUGE rock... She was going to be out for a while. Soon everyone was asleep. Amiboshi cried in the shadows. He didn't know what to do. 'Damn it all!', he thought and took off toward his village.

In the morning... well, more like afternoon... Chichiri woke up. He looked around the camp for a moment. Kate was still asleep and had a pool of drool hanging out of the side of her mouth. He grinned. 'Oh, what a thing to see in the morning!', he thought with an inner laugh. Tamahome saw he was awake (he had been up for a while cooking breakfast). Miaka was by his side with a big grin on her face.

"Morning, Chichiri!", Tamahome called and Chichiri smiled slightly and sat up with a small yawn. "What's for breakfast, no da?", He asked as he removed the sleep from his eyes. "Hmm... Some kind of... bird... I think", Tamahome answered. Chichiri rose an eyebrow. "You... don't know what it is, no da?", he asked. "Nope...", Tamahome replied as his eyebrow twitched.

Suddenly Tama-neko appeared from behind Miaka with a long meow. "THAT!", Tamahome said with disgust, "ate our food". Chichiri sweatdroped as Tamahome seemed to want to burn Tama-neko alive. "Demo... I think Mitsukake will not be pleased if you burn his cat, no da", Chichiri advised.

Tamahome mumbled to himself before poking at the fire with a stick. "I'm going hunting", Tamahome said and left camp. Suddenly Kate popped up behind Chichiri. "Morning!", she called and caught Chichiri by surprise when she wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug.

He felt his face warm up of its own accord. "Morning, Kate-chan!", Miaka greeted. "Sorry about last night", Kate apologized and sat down next to her. Miaka just laughed and nodded happily.

Chichiri, thankful for his mask, sat down next to Kate. "Say, what is the plan for today, no da?", Chichiri asked. Kate yawned and rubbed her eyes with a fist. "Hmm, well...", she started then paused. "To tell the truth... I think it would be best for Tamahome to go to Sairo... Miaka...", she paused and put a hand to her forehead. She was getting a headache.

"Damn it... I can't think!... Miaka, in my word you ran off after your encounter with Nakago and ran into Suboshi... That didn't happen here, but... Well, Suboshi is Amiboshi", Kate said and Miaka freaked out.

"WHAT?!", they all exclaimed and Kate sighed.

Alatáriël: Sorry this took so long, but i'm trying to develop Kate and Chichiri's relationship... I redid this 3 times. -_-;; I have a lot going on right now, so I hope you forgive me.

Kate: *looks at Alatáriël with a worried expression* I'm sure they will! *hands out candy* Right? ^_~

Chichiri: This is getting confusing, no da!

Alatáriël: I know! To top it all off I messed up eps 1-18 on my VHS! *Dares not touch it again* -_-

Chichiri: Gosh, you're having a bad day, ne?

Alatáriël: Hai!... But I think doing the reviews will cheer me up! ^_^

Neko-ane: *laughs* Sorry i'm so late! I'm having issues. *grins* Hope you like this chapter!... I was happy you defended me! I'm sick of being yelled at. ;_; *bows* Arigato.

Queen of the Fairys: *blushes* Thank you so much! That means a lot to me. ^_^ I hope you like this chapter!

Jedi of Oro: *grins* Sorry, M-chan! I hope you like this chapter!... I'm kinda slow this week.

Selene Serenity: 10 points! LOL! ^__^ I hope to have a kissy scene in here some time soon. heh heh.

Prissylilchica: Romance! Got it! I'm on it!

Holly: *smiles* Thanks! Na, Ashitare is dead as a door knob. LOL

chibichibi386: Sorry this is late! I hope you like this chapter.

chiri26: *laughs* Thank you! I love insulting Nakago. ^_^ This chapter was hard to write...

Opaaru Tsuki: *is depressed again* Sorry about Nuriko, but Kate couldn't have done anything!!! *sighs* Oh, well! Hope you liked THIS chapter! ^_^

Alatáriël: I feel somewhat better. ^_^ While writting these I got an idea for the next chapter! Weeeeee!

Kate: *looks worried* Oh no...

Chichiri: *runs off stage to hide*