I'm updating again! And I'm going to have A LOT of computer time this week, so I'll probably be updating loads of times! R&R and enjoy:

-Over the mountains. Rai's POV.-

As soon as we learned the location of the phoenix we set out in helicopters on our way to the Himalayas. Any other situation and I would've loved the ride. But we weren't there for fun. We were there to look for a dangerous criminal.

The helicopters had some little instrument on it that sensed changes in temperature through the sky. Jim had explained that Ember traveled in her phoenix form, so this little device could find and track her. It kind-of looked like those little radars that you find on submarines. And it kept beeping…and beeping…and beeping.

But despite the beeping I was able to enjoy myself just a little bit. The view below was amazing. The mountains were covered in a thick icy blanket. I know it doesn't sound like much, but it was beautiful.

Suddenly the radar started beeping a lot faster and louder. Looking at the machine we saw that she was somewhere close. We started to pick up speed and the beeping grew louder. That little blinking dot was getting to me.

After, of say a mile, the dot stopped moving. It was still blinking and everything but it wasn't moving, and we were close to it. We flew in closer and there she stood. A bag on shoulders and smug look on her face.

She smiled up at us for a minute. It was strange. But then I realized while we were looking at her smile she was removing her glove. And before we had time to move the fireballs came.

"Incoming!" She shrieked all innocent sounding. The fire hit hard and knocked us off course. The helicopter instantly warmed up. It was getting unbearably hot in there. We spun out of control. As I struggled to break free from my seat belt and saw in the distance that Ember was running away.

The 'copter hit ground and we tumbled away. Finally it rolled on it side. Jim kicked in the glass and we all scurried out of the burning wreckage.

"You children okay?" Jim asked once we were all out. We nodded in return. I kept nodding though, I was distracted. We were thisclose to catching Ember. She was only like a mile away. But we had no transportation or anything.

But that didn't stop me.

I took off with out warning to where I think she went. The group starred dazed for a minute before leaping into action.

"Rai! What are you doing?" Kimiko shouted. I didn't answer I just kept running. I went into my wudai form and started flying. Now I was much faster.

"Hey kid! Hey! UGH!" Jim shouted in frustration. I'm not sure, because I never looked back, but I think they started following me. It was snowing and foggy though, there wasn't a way that they would catch up soon.

What seemed like an eternity was how long it took me to reach her. But I did find Ember. Somehow I got lucky.

She was still a human when I caught up. Over the crunch of the snow beneath her feet, she never heard me coming. I was exhausted but it didn't stop me from shouting, "Mary Smith!"

She froze in her tracks and slowly turned on her heals. She looked at me for a minute then spoke, "No one's called me that in years."

"Well…it is your name." I choked. I couldn't think of any thing to say. Seeing her like this just made me have so much hatred towards her. But I still had feelings for her. And because of those emotions I was hating myself for hating her. Emotions make no sense.

"It was my name." She corrected me and came closer. "I'm Ember now and always will be. I am also the phoenix. Feared wherever I go." She added with a smile.

"You don't scare me." I lied. True, I wasn't exactly shaking in my boots, but I did have respect for her. And also fear. I had seen photos and news clips, I knew what she was capable of.

She let out a small laugh and came closer. We were close enough that I could reach out and touch her if I wanted to. The snow, which had picked up, fell on us. Except there was a difference. I was covered in it. But whenever a little flake landed on Ember it sizzled and evaporated away. I'm serious. It really sizzled!

"So where's the rest of your tour group?" She asked with a smile. Everything was a joke to her.

"Why'd ya do it?" I asked back.

"Do what?"

"Everything! Why did you steal from us? Why did you become a thief? Why would you kill just to get money?" I just exploded.

"I've never killed." Was her simple answer.

"Jim said you burned down a school. He said six were injured, and four critically injured."

"That's not dead." She still defended herself.

"And you know what? Who gave you the right? What makes you think you can just do whatever you want?" I demanded.

"Rai, are you a freak?" She asked. I stood there shocked.

"What?"

"Are you a freak?" She asked again. "And outcast? Left alone? Not cared about? You see Rai, I am a freak. I've been illegally experimented on and as much as I want to just give everything back, I can't. I need what I steal. I try to fit into society but it doesn't work."

"Yeah well…being experimented on isn't a big deal. It's no excuse." I said.

"Oh really? You think? I guess you're right. It was just like a dentist appointment. Except I was strapped down. And instead of getting the crap drilled out of my teeth I was being injected with incredibly dangerous and unstable chemicals. Oh yeah and don't forget to replace the dentist with a crazy science-reject!" She shouted loudly.

"I-I…I didn't…" Was all I could stutter.

"And to make it worse, I am alone Rai! I don't have any family!"

"Yes you do. You lied to us at the temple. Your dad is still alive." I told her.

"Yeah well he's dead to me." She scoffed. And then turned on her heals and started to leave.

"Hey!" I yelled on grabbed her shoulder. YOUCH! It was hot! She turned around and I expected her to…Well I don't know what I expected her to do but she did anything BUT what I expected.

She kissed me.

She really did. She kissed me. Not a small peck either, it was passionate. And with out thinking I just closed my eyes and let her. I deepened the kiss slightly and wrapped my arms around her waists.

And just as quickly as it started, it ended. She kneed my right in the groin. Really hard. I fell to my knees and looked up just long enough to see her before she left. And she was…crying. The tears didn't fall very long before melting away, but there was no doubt in my mind she was crying.

"Goodbye Rai." She practically whispered. She turned around and bolted. As she picked up speed her body was engulfed in flame and pretty soon the all-familiar bird was flying away, bag in talons.

"Ember." I whispered softly. And I just lay there, sobbing her name over and over into the snow until the others finally found me…

That last part there is pretty much the scene that started this story. It's a really long explanation of how Seemingly Innocent came to be what it is today, but it's also some-what interesting (At least I think so.) so if you want the story just PM me and I'll gladly tell. But as I said, it's looooong. Anyway please review! Reviews make my self-esteem go up. (smiles.)