DONE WITH LATIN AP! YEAHHHH! Ahem… Thank you readers:

Fideal mollicia: Yeah it was a bit confusing. Sorry! But things will clear up.

Lady-Seoh-Phoenix: (giggles) Yay! You got it? That makes me happy.

Pyramidgirl89: Yes finally the plot! lol Why is Hackley such a bitch? Why…

LadyRainStarDragon: Oh yay I liked that Haku x Chi moment too!

Laughing girl: You know I was thinking the same thing. It very well could end up being like 50. But then again things could get moving quickly too. In case you did read the e-mail, I made greeny drunk and other small changes. Well just read…

Dablonde1 aka tara: Oh I'm flattered that this is the only one your reading but there are a couple out there that are muuuuch better and are very worth reading. Courage of the Spirit for example. That one inspired me to write this story! And the Epilogue once your through

Velf: the strike idea came up on a whim but it fit in well. Yes, Haku had fun making Yubaba scream. Hehe. Finally the plot is coming along. But there's still soooo much left!

Teh NEZUMI: Mwhaha! You review made me verryy happy! Although I can't tell you specifics…hehe. You're getting green guy's name this chapter. APs are over! Yay!

SpunkAimeChick: Thanks for my first e-mail! And 2 reviews! I'll check out your work soon.

A/N: The plot moves on. And yet another OC! I have an odd tendency to introduce characters without names…hope I don't confuse you too much. This chapter has annoyed me a lot and I really have no idea why…oh well here it goes!

>>>>>

Targets in Hiding

"So what did you want to show me dear?"

Haku and Zeniba sat in a tidy room crafted in the old Japanese style with touches of western luxury. The ceiling was high with dark wood beams and walls were washed white. A large platform of bamboo mats lined up side by side was nestled into the frames of three rice paper full-length screens leading to a large balcony. In an odd contrast a four poster bed covered in midnight blue sheets and jade covers stood regally not far from the platform on the hardwood floor. Between the two objects was a man-made waterfall, complete with a basin lined with natural rocks. Glassy water rumbled down in a constant flow. A small kitchen with a dark gray marble floor and counters had a kettle on the stove, steaming a little. Near some scattered navy blue and green easy chairs and a oversized cream couch stood a small black iron coffee table with a set of straight-backed chairs. Here is where Zeniba now sat, a guest in Haku's quarters.

"This place is wonderful darling." Zeniba said taking in the cozy sight. "Do you sleep on the bamboo?"

Haku nodded. "Sometimes I sleep better in dragon form. I also land there after flying." he added.

Zeniba chuckled. "Wonderful. Now what did you want to show me?"

"This." He slid the note Bo had stolen from Yubaba's office across the table.

"They have not been found. It is with them." Zeniba mumbled frowning.

"Bo stole it from Yubaba's office. Obviously it's a correspondence with-"

"The Forgotten..." Zeniba said distractedly, still gazing thoughtfully at the paper.

"The what?" Haku asked, confused.

"The Forgotten. The name of Yubaba's cronies…" Zeniba answered, still absorbed. "Why are they targeting her? I wonder…"

"It doesn't say her, Zeniba. It's not just Chihiro."

Zeniba looked up and laughed. "No silly I was talking about Mayu." Haku blinked in surprise. "She is protected by some powerful magic."

Haku nodded. "That's how she got through the portal without anyone knowing. If I hadn't been there when-" he froze.

"What is it dear?"

"I just remembered; she was flown through the portal."

"Flown?" Zeniba raised an eyebrow.

"She was dangling unconscious on a log which almost fell on me! Something was carrying her and the log and it dropped both. All I saw was a blur of gold."

The shriek of the kettle made her jump. Haku mumbled an apology and went to make some tea. He soon came back bearing a tray of jasmine tea and two small cakes. Zeniba smiled and tasted his treat.

"Delicious!" Haku beamed. "Well thank you for the information. But I think you have a certain confused girl waiting downstairs who you have been carefully avoiding ."

Haku made a face. "Was it that obvious?"

Zeniba laughed. "You have to face her dear, things will work out. But make sure you don't slip anything to Yubaba!" he nodded solemnly. "As much as you deny it, she is your weakness." Haku's face remained smooth as stone.

"Thank you Zeniba. You can go, I'll keep an eye on Mayu. And Rin has made sure Yubaba will be occupied for a while with the strike. The girls will be fine."

"Yes dear. I will be right back. I must inform my friend of this new information." With this she turned into a paper bird and fluttered out the rice paper window.

>>>>>

Zeniba soared through silver clouds and wispy air. She landed gently on the roof of her cottage with a sigh.

"Dear old friend! A leg up for an old witch?"

Twice in one day? A voice drawled in mock scorn. Zeniba smiled sweetly. The next second she glowed faintly and landed in a field of white clouds. The bright blue sky spread out overhead in an endless dome.

"This better be good." A solid looking middle aged man glided over to her, wrapped in a blinding white robe. Dark, deep set eyes twinkled good naturedly under neatly cropped hair and a small smile tugged fondly on his lips. Zeniba only grinned back and thrust the note Haku had given her into large warm hands. Eyes skimmed over it quickly, and the man's face took on an expression of skepticism.

"Them?"

Zeniba held up a finger. "One of them is a certain green dragon's weakness." she held up another weathered finger "The other has an aura around her so thick that the aforementioned dragon can't see its source. Or sources."

The man face paled. "Where are they?"

"In the bathhouse."

The man's jaw dropped. "WHAT!"

Zeniba smiled wickedly. "But they are safe. From the look of that note, Yubaba doesn't even know the girls are across the border, much less downstairs. And unless our lovely Forgotten enemies are keeping my twin in the dark, which is very possible, they don't know either."

"Not yet. But they are certainly not stupid. At least their leader the Daitengu is not." The man sighed. "And their name suits them. They are forgotten. By all spirits and certainly all humans, except through myths and fairy tales."

"But we have not forgotten. They must have been planning this for a long time. They can't afford to lose: their obscurity and timing is their only hope."

"They watch us. They watch the whole spirit world, hidden in their dens. We can't move the girls now. Keep them safe and I will watch over them as well."

Zeniba nodded. "Thank you. I must get back. But don't land me too hard…!" Before she could finish the man smirked and touched her with a faintly glowing hand. Zeniba landed with a thump on the boiler room floor.

"Oww! Damn you!" A deep laugh echoed in her mind.

"Granny!" Chihiro cried. She grabbed a rice ball from Haku's plate and handed it to her. "We were just eating!"

"Hey! That my food!" Haku protested.

Chihiro crossed her arms and scowled. "Haku!"

Haku put his hands on hips. "But it is!"

"Fine! If you can't share…" She took one of her own rice ball as and shoved it all the way into Haku's mouth. "Then I will!" she giggled as Haku make strangled sounds.

Mayu laughed and came over. "Here some of mine too!" She stuck more rice into his mouth. Haku gave up protesting and munched, glaring at the room.

"Dragon, if you don't want it, give it to me!" Rin grabbed the remaining rice ball on Haku's plate and wolfed it down as she waltzed into the room.

"How's it going up there?" Chihiro asked.

"I think we're giving Yubaba quite the headache. You are definitely safe down here."

"Rin that was my last one!" Haku fumed, bits of rice flecking his face. Chihiro and Mayu looked at each other and burst out laughing. Haku only glared and picked at the white flecks.

"Aren't they all great buddies?" Kamaji grumbled.

Zeniba heard and chuckled. "They have warmed up to each other haven't they?" She watched amused as Rin tried to rub the rice off Haku's face with her sleeve. Haku was mortified and squirming. "Remember the Forgotten Kamaji?"

"The…" Kamaji trailed off as he looked at Zeniba with wide eyes.

Zeniba kept looking straight ahead. "Both of the girls are being targeted by them."

Kamaji raised an eyebrow. "But why?"

"Never mind, but make sure they're safe. We can't risk moving them yet."

Kamaji nodded still slightly thrown off. Zeniba whisked out of site. Exits are her specialty. he mused to himself. But the Forgotten! He hadn't heard their name in ages.

>>>>>>

"Shut up!"

"We want food! Need less hours!"

Yubaba fumed. "SHUT UP!"

"We want food! Need less hours!"

"Spoiled little runts!" she spat at the roaring room. "Scream all you want, but I'm not going to give in!" She stormed off up the lift into her office.

She fell into her chair with a humph and grabbed her hair. Why me?

>>>>>>

A gangly form was slumped down on a throne like platform in the center of a dirt floor. The hood of a coarse brown robe covered half his face and revealed only a long protruding nose of a violent red and a few wisps of silvery hair. Another figure stood quietly before the throne. His lower lip was puffed out, and he rubbed a sore back.

"Shitto again?" a red gnarled finger pointed to the scabbing lip.

"Yes sir"

"You are honorable to keep your promise. But you know I must keep him with us."

"Yes master."

"But Kizuna gave you some balm?"

"Yes."

Narrowed eyes regarded the stony figure from under the hood. He started to tap his foot impatiently but was met with the annoying wooden clanking of his geta. He stopped and sighed.

"You may go. I will have a talk with Shitto."

The figure bowed and slipped out the door. The hall was dark and dirty and he longed for breeze and fresh air. He turned his steps towards his room.

"What did he say?" a woman's voice interrupted his thoughts. The blue eyed girl stepped gracefully into the hallway shaking her currently auburn hair .

"Kizuna…" He saw the tattered state of her clothes and an ugly bruise on her wrist. She shuffled uncomfortably under his gaze but held firm.

"What did he say?" she repeated.

"Nothing important." Amber eyes met concerned blue.

"Did the balm work?" He nodded.

"Good. I'm glad…"

A voice rang out from the partially open door. "Baby, I'm waiting!" The acid voice slurred. "Or did you want the other alternative? Hmm?" A greenish mass came sauntering out into the hall. "But how can you resist my charm?"

"Shitto…" the smaller figure hissed shaking with anger The greenish face lit up in a yellow leer. His gruesomely long nose was stuck up in a permanent expression of arrogance.

"Well well! Look who it is, my punching bag." he snickered and took a sip from a bottle in a brown sack. The cover was not needed: he already reeked of alcohol. "Back for some more?"

"I have to go." Kizuna said quietly. She turned her back on the smaller figure and started towards the door.

"Don't!" he called out after her. Her head sank down a little bit and soft waves of copper hid her face.

Shitto sneered. "Aww shut it brat! She's coming to me cuz she likes it!" The shadow saw the girl's body tense at the insult but she kept walking, arms now wrapped around herself.

"Kizuna!"

Right when she got to the door and a greenish arm grabbed her thin hip, she turned around. "You just keep our promise. And believe in your name." she said, smiling hollowly.

Amber eyes filled with pain. Soon man and girl were out of sight and the door slammed shut.

>>>>>>

Mayu closed her eyes to the soft snores of Kamaji and Chihiro sleeping next to her. Curling up in a ball, she relaxed into the soft folds of the covers. But she didn't want to close her eyes.

Daytime provided distractions, the sights of a new world. It was night when time escaped her and stretched endlessly. It drew out the images stuffed into the back of her head. She heard her lost daddy's voice. She heard her mothers sweet voice ringing with unfaltering faith. She felt her heart throb as she envisioned her, now alone in their house, in another world. She saw Chihiro slumped on the ground, pale and unconscious. She saw the crimson blood. Mayu bit her lip as a wave of hurt flooded her and tears seeped down her cheeks. She didn't want to close her eyes.

But closing her eyes was not the most painful part. That was when all the images went away. When sunlight erased the details of her parents faces and left her waking up to this new world.

Something burned on her wrist, interrupted her thought. She squinted through the darkness. The bracelet shone dimly for a second, but soon it melted back to invisibility. She smiled unconsciously at the sight, remembering the first time she saw it in all its beauty. She heard a bubbling laugh, the warmth of soft lips on her forehead. She saw a curtain flutter with a gust of wind, him vanishing into the sky. And she realized she hadn't thought of him for a while. Where are you? She closed her eyes, wished back the days of peaceful sleep. Where are you?

Sei…

>>>>>

Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, don't own it.

Things are starting to make more sense maybe? Did you like Haku's room? I want to live there! With Haku…lol. My god its chapter 11 already! Oo Gah! This chapter kept changing on me! Grrr… I'm warning you Shitto, greeny, is going to be a huge a$$. I'm going to vent all my indignation for stupid guys in him. 0:)

Wow! 96 reviews: my goal 100 is in sight! (jumps for joy) Special big thanks to all you people who have stuck by this fic from the beginning! Please make me happy and click the purple button!