A/N - Okay, before I say ANYTHING, I want you to know that something happens in this chapter that is likely to piss a good majority of you off. I ask that you read through the entire chapter before making any snap judgments, okay? Please and thank you!

Anyways, as you can see, I decided to update this story next. I hope it turned out well and I hope you all enjoy it. I really need to let my thumb rest, because I've been working on this nonstop for a good 6 or so hours now it feels like. Sooo, enjoy!

Chapter 18 – Tension Rising

The trek to the Undersea Cavern was a short one. The area of Illisa Bay that Dart and his girlfriend were in consisted of the small town of Lidiera and the entrance to the Cavern. Those were truly the only two landmarks on this particular island.

As they stood outside the cavern, Dart held out his arm, signaling the group of four, plus one dog, to stop. "Okay, once we enter, I want you to stick close to the two of us. Okay Pete?"

Pete nodded and said, "Yeah, yeah! Just please hurry! My mom really needs help."

Tayuya smiled at the kid and patted him on the head. "Hey, no worries short stack. We'll get your mother to Fueno, no problem. Just leave it all to us."

Dart nodded with a smile on his face as he led the group into the cavern. Very shortly after entering, it became obvious that the initial area of the cavern was very small and likely wouldn't take long to traverse. Good. That means we'll be able to make it to Fueno fairly easily then.

Walking along the path, Pete soon stopped the group and walked to the water's edge. "Since the Monster appeared, the water here has never ebbed. But it's okay 'cause Fueno is not this way."

Tayuya frowned as she joined Pete at his side and stared into the water. "Dart? Do you get the feeling that this ties in with that sea dragon we heard about before?"

Dart nodded in agreement with her. "Yes. For now, let's not worry ourselves over it. We need to get to Fueno so our friend here can get the help she needs. Hopefully we'll find some clue as to where our friends are as well." Tayuya and the others nodded before they regrouped and resumed their journey through the Undersea Cavern.

It didn't take much longer for them to exit the cavern and emerge into the light of day once more. They were now on a slightly larger island and could see Fueno in the distance. Pete cheered and exclaimed, "We're almost there!"

Dart nodded and led the group to the entrance of Fueno, where he paused for a moment and said, "I really hope the others made it here okay."

Tayuya smiled at him and grabbed his hand lightly in hers. "I'm sure they're just fine. Besides, Shithead's with them, so I wouldn't worry too much." She said, winking at him.

"You make a good point." He said with a chuckle before he and the others stepped into the city of Fueno.

Upon entering, Pete cheered again and dashed around for a moment, exclaiming, "We finally made it to Fueno! Thank you Dart and Tayuya!" Rushing up to the two of them, Pete bowed to them before standing straight and smiling up at the duo. Pete's mother stepped up beside her son and smiled in thanks as well.

Dart looked the woman in her eyes seriously and said, "You have to get better soon, for your son if not for yourself."

Before she could reply, Pete said, "I hope you can find your friends soon!" After a moment, he walked up to Tayuya and said, "Please take care of each other. You two seem really close, and it's obvious you're in love. So be safe, okay?"

The redhead smiled at him and said, "Oh, I'll make damn sure to keep him out of trouble. You just take care of your mom, okay kid?"

"Okay!" Pete exclaimed before he rushed over to his mother and grabbed her hand. "We'll be going now! Good luck you two!" And with that, Pete, his mother, and their dog rushed off towards the clinic where his mother would hopefully make a full and fast recovery.

The first thing Dart and Tayuya did was go to the nearby equipment store and purchase Plate Mail and a Falchion for Dart, and a Sparkle Dress for Tayuya. They decided to wait until they caught up with the others to purchase anything else, despite the fact some of the equipment in the shop looked mighty useful.

Heading down the nearby stairs until they reached the bottom, just outside the clinic, Tayuya approached a little girl standing there. "What are you looking at, cutie?" she questioned, smiling at the girl.

The girl smiled up at Tayuya before pointing down into the flowerbed. "I'm watching the anties. Look! A lot of anties are carrying a grasshopper."

Blinking a couple of times at the strange answer, she looked down in the flowerbed and smirked a bit. "Well whaddya know? Ants are kind of awesome like that, huh?"

The girl nodded and said, "It seems all creatures must live by making sacrifices sometimes, huh?"

"Y'know, that's pretty deep for a kid your age." Tayuya said as she returned her gaze to the little girl. "You take care of yourself, okay?"

"Okay! I hope you enjoy Fueno, pretty lady!"

Tayuya found herself blushing a bit before she rejoined her boyfriend. Damn kids. She thought before giggling to herself for a moment.

Approaching the nearby woman who didn't seem to be doing much of anything, Dart greeted her and listened as she welcomed them to the city. "Fueno is the intersection of two countries: Tiberoa and Mille Seseau. Or at least, it used to be. Ever since our worlds merged, Tiberoa no longer borders Mille Seseau. Some say it has merged with a country called the Land of Lightning, while others claim it's merged with the Land of Demons. Truthfully, I don't think anyone here really knows where it's located now."

Tayuya frowned at this and said, "Either way, we're in for one heck of a journey. Both locations are pretty far away from here. The Land of Demons is located across the sea to the east of here, or at least that's where it should be. As for the Land of Lightning, that's back on the mainland. If we have to pursue Lloyd that far…"

Dart sighed and rubbed the back of his head for a moment. "All we can do is keep moving on. No matter what happens, we will find our way together. I just hope we don't have to deal with too much craziness in our search."

"Same here, Dart-kun." Tayuya said before she bid the woman goodbye and walked away with her boyfriend at her side.

Together, they entered the clinic to both continue exploring the city as well as to see how Pete's mother was doing. Once inside, Dart spotted something shining nearby. Approaching the painting on the wall, he mumbled, "Well, I've never heard of the painter of this particular painting, but I have seen this before." Reaching out, he took hold of the piece of Stardust and pocketed it for later.

Entering the nearby room, Dart and Tayuya could easily see Pete and his mother nearby. However, Tayuya's attention was drawn to a very sick girl nearby. Walking over to her, she listened as the girl said, "The doctors said I have an illness that can't be cured with the clinical rays. The hot springs are my last chance."

Frowning at this, the redhead patted the girl atop her head and said, "If this fails too, get somebody to take you to Konoha-Lohan in the Land of Fire. There's a woman there by the name of Tsunade. She can cure ANYTHING. I'm 100% sure she can heal you if even this fails. Okay sweetie?"

The girl looked into Tayuya's eyes for a moment before smiling and saying, "Thank you. I hope this works first though, because that sounds like a loooong trip."

Tayuya giggled a bit and said, "Yeah, it really is. It took us weeks to get here to Tiberoa from Konoha-Lohan. Still, despite being a long trip, I think you'd enjoy seeing Konoha-Lohan."

"It sounds really nice. Thanks again pretty lady!"

The redhead giggled again before she rejoined her boyfriend. Together, they approached Pete and his mother to hear what they had to say. "Hey Dart! Did you find your friends?" When Dart shook his head negatively, the boy said, "Oh well. You'll find them soon, I'm sure of it!"

Before Dart and Tayuya could leave, Pete's mother sat up and said, "Thanks to you two, I made it to the hospital. I truly appreciate what you've done for me."

Pete jumped in place for a moment before exclaiming, "When I grow up, I'm gonna be a swordsman just like you, Dart!"

The brunette chuckled softly and said, "Then you'd best get practicing soon. It takes years of dedication and hard work to master the way of the sword. Even then, I'm still learning something new every day. It's a hard path, but I know you can do it if you put your mind to it, Pete."

"Thanks Dart! Good luck finding your friends!" Pete exclaimed. And with this, Dart and Tayuya left the clinic and ventured to the inn to see if, perhaps, their friends had checked in.

Immediately upon entering, Tayuya noticed something sparkling in a nearby crate. Walking over to it, she retrieved a piece of Stardust. "Well, this could definitely come in handy." She said before returning to Dart's side.

When Dart and Tayuya went to go upstairs, the owner of the hotel caught their attention with a shout. "Sorry, but all the rooms are full. If you really want to stay here, try coming back another day."

Dart frowned in thought for a moment before asking, "Who rented these rooms? Do you know their names?"

The hotel owner shook his head and said, "I can't just give information like that out pal. If you really need to know, try asking down at the dock."

Tayuya and Dart's eyes met and they both grinned. "It's them. It's gotta be." Tayuya said before she took her boyfriend by the hand and rushed off with him out the door and down towards the docks.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, it became quickly evident that the Queen Fury had just recently docked. Before making their way to the ship, they overheard a nearby merchant muttering to himself dejectedly. "The boat hasn't come and I can't get in any stock. There's nobody to sell to, and I can't do any gosh darn business! If only that blasted Sea Dragon…"

Dart and Tayuya frowned before she said quietly, "We need to do something about that dragon. If it's a Sea Dragon, do you think that means there's a Dragoon nearby controlling it?"

"You mean like with Greham and Feyrbrand? You might be right. We should convene with the others and figure out what to do about it." Dart said before they overheard more of the merchant's grumbling.

"I don't wanna abandon the stand like my neighbor did, but I have nothing to do and I'm bored!" Dart and his girlfriend could only sweatdrop as they made their way away from the depressed merchant.

As Dart and Tayuya descended the staircase leading down to the Queen Fury, they overheard Kayla talking with one of the Queen Fury's crew members. "Well, in that storm, even for the powerful Dart and Tayuya…"

Before the crewman could interrupt her, Tayuya held up a finger and walked up behind Kayla. "Even for us…what? Did you really think we wouldn't make it you mischievous little brat?"

Jumping in shock, Kayla turned around and looked into their eyes. "Oh thank God! You're both all right! What the heck happened to you two?!"

Dart smiled kindly at her and said, "We're sorry for worrying you. Don't worry, we just washed ashore nearby. It took us a little while to get here, but everything's fine now."

Tayuya smirked at the girl and asked, "Did you really have so little faith in us and our ability to survive?"

The little blonde girl quickly shook her head and said, "O-Of course not! I knew you'd be okay! But you should really go and tell the others you're all right now. Shana's been a mess ever since you were separated."

Dart frowned at this and took a few steps towards the Queen Fury. "Is she on the boat?"

Kayla shook her head and said, "Everybody's already gone into the city by now. I think Shana's waiting in the inn. I'm pretty sure Naruto's with her too, but I don't know where the others could be."

Dart nodded his head in thanks before taking Tayuya's hand and hurrying with her back up the staircase. However, Tayuya paused after a moment, halting their advance. Looking back into her eyes, Dart asked, "Tayuya? What's wrong?"

Tayuya squeezed his hand tight for a moment before staring hard at her boyfriend. "Dart-kun? What…what if…?" She was shaking as she tried to force herself to spit out those dreaded words. "What if Shana still has feelings for you? I know how much you care about her. I…I know how you feel about her…"

Dart frowned and wrapped his girlfriend into a tight, yet gentle hug. "Tayuya, I'll NEVER leave you. And you know Shana has Naruto now. They're truly happy together. She's happier than I've seen her in a very, VERY long time. I think she's worried because we're childhood friends. We've known each other forever and I can safely say that if anything were to happen to her like it did to me, I'd be worried sick about her as well. I think I speak for the both of us when I say we have no plans to screw up a good thing."

Tayuya couldn't help it as she began to giggle a bit. "You're sweet, Dart-kun. I know you're right. I guess…I guess I just needed to hear it straight from you. I don't want to lose you. Ever. You're the most important thing in my life right now and I think that if I were to lose you…I'd die. I couldn't bear it."

The brunette simply hummed as he held her close. For a while, he was quiet before he finally said, "I refuse to let you suffer like that. We're together now, and that's what matters. I'll never give up on you, and I hope you won't give up on me. Now come on, let's go let everyone know that we're okay."

Tayuya smiled and kissed his cheek. "Thanks, Dart-kun." She said before they resumed their trek up the stairs.

After ascending the steps, the couple began walking, only to soon be bumped into by a very familiar face. "Ouch! Don't you have eyes?!" Meru exclaimed before she finally noticed who it was she had bumped into. "Oh?" Taking a closer look, she grinned excitedly and began to bounce around. "Dart! Tayuya! I knew you guys were still alive!" Spinning around once, she soon stopped and walked up to Dart. "Have you seen Shana yet?"

Dart shook his head and said, "We just got into town. We weren't even sure if you all had arrived yet or not."

Meru pouted at him and said, "Bad boy. Come with me, quickly!" Grabbing Dart's hand, she started pulling him towards the stairs that led up to the hotel.

After a moment, she released his hand and hurried on ahead to the hotel. When Tayuya and Dart finally caught up and entered the hotel, Meru was nowhere to be seen. Quickly realizing what was going on, Tayuya sighed and stepped away from her boyfriend, right as Meru snuck up behind him and covered his eyes. When Meru released him, Dart saw the majority of his companions standing there waiting for him. "You guys are slowpokes!" Meru exclaimed as she glared into Dart's eyes.

Albert stepped up to Dart and shook his hand firmly. "Welcome back, you two."

Haschel smirked at Dart and said, "We were getting tired of waiting for you."

Kongol folded his arms across his chest and shook his head. "You die? Impossible."

Mei simply smirked at him without speaking a word. Hinata and Hikari, on the other hand, whacked him upside the head and said, "That's for worrying everybody you dolt! Now go see Shana!" Hikari exclaimed.

Rose smirked at him as well and said, "You should do as they say, you know. Shana's waiting for you."

"She's in the furthest room once you get upstairs. We'll wait for you here." Albert said.

When Dart nodded and ran off, Haschel and Albert easily noticed Tayuya's discomfort. Stepping beside his younger friend, Haschel said, "Tayuya seems different. She has changed, somehow."

Albert nodded in agreement. "I agree. I get the impression that she has calmed down somewhat. She seems more at peace with herself. I think having a little alone time with Dart is exactly what she needed."

Once Dart entered the room Shana was in, he wasn't surprised to see Naruto at her side, his hand rubbing circles on her back. The minute he entered the room, it was obvious that Naruto had sensed him coming from a mile away. "Shana-chan, look who's here to see you."

Shana blinked a few times and wiped away her tears. Once she could see properly again, she turned towards the door. "D-Dart? Is that really you, Dart?!"

Dart smiled at her and said, "It's me. I'm so sorry to have worried you, Shana." Walking over to the bed, Dart lifted Shana up and hugged her tight. "I'm glad you're okay."

Shana clung to her childhood friend and sobbed. "I thought you were gone! When…when I saw you and Tayuya fall into the water like that…I…I…"

As Dart whispered soothing words to her, Naruto felt a pang of jealousy spark inside of him. However, he knew that both he and Shana had moved on from one another. Dart was in a relationship with Tayuya now, and Shana was in a relationship with him. Deciding it would be best to leave the two of them alone, the blonde stood up and left the room, though this went unnoticed by the childhood friends.

Heading downstairs, he spotted Tayuya standing apart from the others. Frowning slightly, he walked up to her and placed a hand gently upon her shoulder. "Hey Tayu-chan. Are you okay?"

Tayuya frowned as she turned and looked into her cousin's eyes. "Not really. I know Shana and Dart-kun have moved on from one another, but there's still a part of me that worries. W-What if…what if…?"

Hugging Tayuya, Naruto said, "I know how you feel all too well Tayuya-chan. They were in love with one another, though Dart was a bit too stupid to see it. I trust Shana-chan and Dart…but at the same time, there's that niggling doubt in the back of my mind that doesn't want to leave them alone together. I…I know how you feel Tayuya-chan."

Tayuya frowned at him sadly and asked, "Then why did you leave them alone together, Shithead?"

Naruto frowned sadly and shook his head. "It was the right thing to do. Shana-chan's been inconsolable ever since you and Dart disappeared. I…I trust them. At least I want to…"

The redhead nodded in understanding and clung to her cousin. "Please don't let anything happen to tear apart our happiness…please…"

Naruto nodded in agreement with that sentiment. "I'm afraid to even go up there. I'm afraid of what I might see happening…"

Rose walked up and thwacked her lover in the back of the head. "Don't think like that. Either of you. If you're so concerned, I'll go with you to check on them. They love you two very much, so have faith in that."

Albert frowned as he overheard this. Approaching the duo, he placed a hand gently on Naruto's shoulder and said, "We'll come with you. If you're so worried, it would be best to nip your worries in the bud and reaffirm the devotion you share with your loved ones. In this case, Naruto's love for Shana and Tayuya's love for Dart. I'm sure nothing has happened."

Naruto nodded and smiled slightly in thanks. Following Albert and the others upstairs, they watched as Rose nudged open the door a bit, only to freeze in shock at what she was seeing. In the room, Dart and Shana had locked lips.

Seeing this caused Naruto and Tayuya to freeze in horror, their eyes wide and their extremities shaking. "N-No…" Naruto said as he took a few shaky steps back.

Tayuya could feel tears trickling down her cheeks before she ran off, unable to utter a single word. Dart-kun…why? Why?!

Rose scowled angrily at what she was seeing. Looking back at Naruto, she saw him fall to his knees, all the strength in his legs having given out the moment he saw Dart and Shana together. Those rotten…ergh! Walking over to Naruto, she helped him on his feet and slowly walked downstairs with him. Sitting together, she placed a soft kiss on his forehead and said, "Sweetheart. I'm sorry. I…I thought…I didn't expect…"

Naruto shook his head before smiling sadly at her, unshed tears brimming in his eyes. "I…I thought she was over him…" Wiping at his eyes to try and fight off the tears, he mumbled out, "I…I thought our bond…I thought she… What the hell do I do, Rose-chan?"

What none of them noticed was that Hinata and Hikari had stayed behind, watching the scene within the hotel room unfold with fists clenched and anger rolling off of them. How dare they?!

Moments earlier – Dart & Shana

Dart chuckled softly as he held Shana close. "Are you crying again? You should know better, Shana. Tayuya and I were just fine. We washed ashore outside a small fishing town known as Lidiera. We weren't all that far away."

Shana giggled a bit and said, "I'm just so happy you're all right! Both of you! I…I realized something while we were separated, Dart."

"Oh? What would that be?" Dart questioned.

The beautiful brunette glanced away, unable to look him in the eyes. "I feel terrible for saying this, but I realized that, deep down, I still have feelings for you. I've been trying to stomp them out, but…"

Dart nodded in understanding. "I…understand what you mean, Shana. Despite entering a relationship with Tayuya, I find myself wanting you more and more. I love you Shana, and I think I always have. I was just too stupid to realize it until I saw you with Naruto."

Shana found herself blushing and she was unable to formulate any kind of response. After a moment though, she looked into his eyes and shook her head. "We can't act on these feelings, Dart. I'm with Naruto now and I'm really happy with him. I've never been happier before! And you have Tayuya now. She loves you dearly, Dart. We can't screw up what we have going on right now."

Dart frowned and shook his head. "I can't move on from you just yet, Shana. I'm trying, and I sincerely want to be happy with Tayuya, but…I need to confirm something for not just myself, but the both of us." Here, he tilted her head up and leaned in, pressing his lips to hers in a chaste kiss.

For a moment, Shana was shocked at what was happening. She was caught so off guard that she didn't pull back at first. After what was happening registered with her, she pulled away and shook her head. "W-We can't, Dart! I'm with Naruto now! I…I love Naruto!"

Dart frowned and said, "So…you didn't feel anything just then?"

Before Shana could reply, the door opened and in walked Hinata and Hikari. Eyes widening in horror, she asked, "How much did you see?!"

Hinata narrowed her eyes at Shana and said, "Answer his question Shana. Did you feel anything?"

Shana found the floor very interesting in that moment, unable to look anyone in the eyes. "Yes…I felt something. I realized that I still have some feelings for Dart, but I don't want to act on them. I want to be happy with Naruto. I…I don't want to hurt him now or ever."

"But you admit you felt something just now?" Hikari asked angrily. Before Shana could reply, she turned her gaze onto Dart. "And you! You have Tayuya! How could you do this to her?!"

Dart frowned and shook his head. "I have no excuse. I just wanted to confirm something for myself. And…I realized that, while I love Shana, it's more akin to a sibling relationship than a romantic interest. I wanted to be sure of that before I really moved on with Tayuya. She…"

Hinata nodded. "She and Naruto-kun both saw you two kissing. They're crushed right now. I'd recommend you go and explain things to them right away. But if they don't want you around at the moment, do NOT force the issue. Do you understand me?!"

Dart and Shana both nodded before they quickly set off in search of Naruto and Tayuya. Naruto was easy enough to find, as he hadn't left the hotel. So Shana bade Dart good luck in his search for Tayuya before she made her way over to the table Naruto was sitting at. "Naruto? C-Can we talk? Please?"

Before Naruto could say anything, Rose glared at her and said, "I thought we warned you what would happen if you hurt him like this! What more could you want with him?"

Shana couldn't meet Rose's gaze. Instead, she watched Naruto and said, "That kiss? It's…it's not what you think. Dart kissed me. And before you say anything, I want to be perfectly honest. I still have feelings for him. I know that's not what you want to hear right now, but it's true. But Naruto? I'm so happy with you. I've never smiled so much as I have when I've been with you. You hold such a special place in my heart and I never, NEVER want to screw that up. The kiss that Dart gave me just reaffirmed that for me. I love you Naruto. I always will too. You're the only man in the world I want to be with. I just…I hope I haven't screwed that up somehow. Please…don't shut me out sweetheart."

Naruto frowned, unable to look her in the eyes. "I…I don't want to, Shana-chan, but…" Chancing a quick glance at her, he said sadly, "How can I trust you again? What if…what if those feelings jump to the surface again and you decide that you want him instead of me? It hurts. I hate feeling so jealous of him, but…what if you choose him?"

The brunette frowned and shook her head. "I can't make any such promises. What I can say is this: I love you, Naruto. Dart may have been my initial love interest, and he was for a very long time. But he never reciprocated those feelings until just a bit ago. I'd like to say I've completely moved on from him, but, no matter how much I'd like to say I have, it's not that easy a process. When you're infatuated with someone for that long, it's hard to break out of that kind of mentality. But that kiss reaffirmed something for me: I love you, and only you, Naruto. You're the man of my dreams and I want to be with you so bad that it hurts sometimes. I'll do whatever it takes to prove my love to you as well. If that means giving myself to you heart, body, and soul, I'll do it. I'll give you my body, I'll marry you, I'll do whatever you want. Just please…don't leave me, Naruto. I wouldn't be able to bear it."

Rose frowned deeply at her, but she didn't say anything. Instead, she looked at Naruto to see him staring blankly at the table. "Sweetheart?"

Naruto sighed and said, "I love you Shana-chan. I really do. I'll…I'll give you another chance. But please, please don't let anything like this happen again. I couldn't take it. I…I…" Here, he broke down into tears and buried his face in his arms. "Dammit. Just seeing him kissing you…dammit. It hurts so bad."

Shana hugged him tight and kissed his cheek lovingly. "I know, sweetheart. I know. It will never happen again. I promise."

"You'd better keep that promise, Shana. Because the next time you hurt Naruto, I'll make you wish you hadn't." Rose said angrily.

Shana nodded once and said, "It'll never happen again. Naruto is the only one for me, and that's final."

"Good." Rose said. Afterwards, she and Shana decided to simply try and be there for Naruto to help him calm down. This had better not happen ever again.

Dart

"Where could she have gone?" Dart asked aloud as he searched all over Fueno for his girlfriend, or at least who he hoped still wanted to be his girlfriend. After some time, he looked to his sides as Albert and Haschel caught up to him. "Have either of you seen Tayuya?"

Albert shook his head and said, "No. We've searched everywhere in town except for the hot springs. You have to keep in mind that she's a kunoichi, like Hinata and Mei. Chances are great that she's somewhere we can't reach her."

Dart frowned deeply at this and said, "Then I'll just have to find a way to reach her."

Haschel shook his head and said, "It might be best to just leave her alone for the time being, instead of chasing after her. We saw you, you know. Tell me, who kissed whom back there?" Unknown to Dart and Albert, Haschel easily sensed Tayuya listening into their conversation from nearby. If Dart wanted to get his feelings across to her, he felt this might be the best way to clear the air between them.

The brunette frowned and shook his head. "It was me that initiated the kiss. I needed to try and make sense of my feelings, and so I chose to kiss her. You two were right, I was in love with Shana. However, we have known each other for a very long time, and first loves aren't always meant to be. When we kissed, something about it just didn't feel right romantically speaking. It helped me to realize that the one I belong with is Tayuya. However, if I can't find her and sort all of this out, then…I'll have lost her. I'll have lost the chance to be happy with her. And I don't want that. I need to find her and let her know how I feel about her. But…if she refuses to accept me after what I did…it will hurt, but I'll find a way to move on. I need to be strong for everyone…even if I'm hurting inside at the time."

Haschel smirked and looked towards where he sensed Tayuya hiding. "Did you hear all that Tayuya? What do you think of that, hm?"

Tayuya went "Meep!" before she timidly stepped out of hiding. Looking into Dart's eyes, she asked, "Why? Why would you go that far, just to test your feelings? Weren't you happy with me? What about…what about the idea of starting a family together? Does that mean NOTHING to you?"

"Of course it means something to me Tayuya! I was a confused, jumbled mess that couldn't sort out my feelings. I've spent so long in search of the Black Monster that my personal feelings for people were put aside. On this journey, I've started opening up again and I'm starting to really feel things again besides anger and the desire for revenge against the monster that took EVERYTHING from me. I desperately needed to sort out my feelings before I exploded from them and something terrible happened. Now that I have finally figured out how I feel, I want to be with you Tayuya. If you'll still have me." Dart explained passionately.

Tayuya frowned sadly at him and asked, "And what about after you've found the Black Monster? What will you do then? What if it turns out the Black Monster is far closer than you could have ever imagined? What if you die trying to get your revenge?! I don't want you turning into a monster yourself in your quest for revenge! Just…forget about the Black Monster! Be happy together with me. Please…"

Dart frowned in confusion for a time before stupidly asking, "What do you mean? Are you saying the Black Monster is somebody I know?"

The redhead scowled and clenched her fists tightly at her side. "So that's your answer? Fine. If you care more about getting your stupid revenge, then…then we can't be together! Is that what you want Dart-kun?!"

Dart shook his head negatively, but before he could say anything, Tayuya spoke up again. "You remember that little shit Sasuke? He was OBSESSED with getting revenge on his brother. He was so obsessed that he turned into a monster himself. He stopped caring about other people…or he never did to begin with. I'm not entirely sure. Point remains though that he became a monster in his quest for revenge and eventually had to be killed because of it! Revenge is pointless, Dart-kun! There's a saying that holds true here Dart-kun: "An eye for an eye leaves everyone blind." Have you heard that before? Well it's a true statement. Revenge is meaningless. But…if you really can't let it go, then I'll tell you where you can find your Black Monster. Choose, Dart-kun. Me? Or the Black Monster?"

Dart frowned disappointedly at her. "That's not fair and you know it."

Tayuya lowered her gaze and said, "I know that. Believe me, I know. But I don't want to lose you because you let your desire for revenge overtake you. Besides, it's obvious who the Black Monster is, at least to we shinobi. All we had to do was piece together the clues and we each learned real quickly who it is. Yeah, this person hides it well, but the clues are there regardless."

Dart was quiet for some time before finally saying, "I can't push aside the desire for revenge so easily. It's what's motivated me for the longest time. But, if it will make you happy, I'll try to push aside that desire. I'll try to learn the truth about the Black Monster and what its appearance means. Why does it do the things it does? I don't want to hurt you, Tayuya. I love you. I really do. But I can't just give up on the Black Monster completely. Please try to understand that."

The redhead frowned sadly at this and said, "I love you Dart-kun. I just really don't want to see anything bad happen to you. I wish you'd give up on the Black Monster business, but…I understand. The Black Monster killed your family and everyone you truly cared for. It's hard to let something like that go. I…I want to pay Orochimaru back for what he's done to me. But at the same time, I'm not letting that desire consume me. But fine. Maybe someday I'll tell you who the Black Monster is, but not now. Let's just rejoin the others. I want to eat, and I want to relax. Today's been stressful as hell already and I can't see it getting better anytime soon. Can we stay here for the night rather than set out to take care of that Sea Dragon or whatever?"

Dart smiled at her and said, "Of course we can Tayuya. There's no need to rush things if we're all too exhausted to do anything."

"Thanks. I'm going back to the hotel. You three just do whatever you want. I don't care right now." Tayuya said before walking off, letting out a loud yawn as she did.

Once she was gone, Haschel frowned as he looked into Dart's eyes. "You lied to her. You still plan to seek vengeance upon the Black Monster, don't you?"

Dart shook his head and said, "It wasn't a total lie, Haschel. I'll try to push my desire for revenge aside. But something has to be done to put a stop to that creature, and if need be, I'll be the one to do it. It's as simple as that."

Albert frowned at him and shook his head. Without speaking a word, he walked with them back to the hotel so they could all eat, rest, and relax. You're a fool sometimes, Dart.

Hotel – Later that day

"…and that's what happened. It took us a little while, but we managed to make our way here to Fueno where we ran into you guys." Dart finished explaining. He and Tayuya had been asked what had happened to them after they were swallowed by the sea.

It was obvious that things were a bit rocky at the moment between Naruto and Shana, as well as with Dart and Tayuya. Shana had tried to repair the damage done to the relationship between herself and Naruto, but things were a bit rocky between them. And Tayuya seemed to be upset with Dart still, though they weren't quite sure what exactly had happened besides the earlier kissing event that could have set her off.

However, whereas Tayuya wasn't talking to Dart at the moment, or even looking at him, Naruto was at least talking with Shana and trying to give her another chance. It would be rough for a while, but they were sure that their relationship could be mended and even strengthened from this experience.

Albert smiled and said, "We're just glad that the two of you are safe and sound. It's something of a miracle that all of us have been reunited like this. We should offer our thanks to the Tiberoan God."

Dart nodded in agreement with that before saying, "We ought to return the favor to the God by taking the Moon Dagger back."

"We have to catch Lenus then." Haschel said.

Before anymore could be said, Meru threw a hand up in the air and shouted, "Can I ask you a question please?!"

Dart blinked a couple of times before asking, "What's wrong? Why are you being so formal all of the sudden?"

Meru glanced conspiratorially between Dart and Tayuya before asking, "You guys were alone in that cave, weren't you? Did you, perhaps…put yourselves into a 'romantic situation'?"

Tayuya blushed fiercely at this before walking up to Meru and whacking her in the back of the head. "That's private and none of your business! Besides…" Glancing at Dart at this point, she soon sighed and lowered her gaze to the floor. "It's…nothing. Nothing happened." She said before returning to her seat.

Meru frowned sadly at her and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you Tayuya."

The redhead shook her head and said, "You didn't. Just…drop it, okay?"

"Sure thing." Meru said before she sat down at one of the tables and began to poke idly at the food on the table.

Before anymore could be said, Rose decided to get things back on track. "Anyway, about Lenus…" Looking around at everyone, she said, "We should go out and ask about her in the city. We may find something out."

"I agree." Dart said. And with that, they conversed for a while longer before they left the hotel to go in search of clues.

The first thing they did was return to the equipment shop and purchased the necessary equipment for everybody, such as Plate Mail for Naruto and Albert and a Sparkle Dress for Shana, Meru, Hinata, Hikari, and Mei. Afterwards, they started wandering about town to try and learn what they could about Lenus and her potential whereabouts.

Ignoring the people grouped together chatting nearby, Dart led the others to the clinic where they approached Pete once again. Upon spotting them, Pete exclaimed, "Hey! It's you!"

Pete's mother smiled kindly at them and said, "My doctor says I can go home in a little while."

The little boy grinned and exclaimed, "When I grow up, I'm gonna be a good doctor!"

Dart chuckled at this and said, "I thought you wanted to be a swordsman? What made you change your mind?"

Pete shrugged and said, "I'm still young. I've got plenty of time to really figure out what I want to do when I grow up. But either way, I would be helping people, right?"

"Very true short stack." Tayuya said with a smile on her face. "Take care of yourselves, okay?"

"Okay pretty lady! Come back and see us again sometime!" Pete exclaimed as he waved goodbye to everyone.

Leaving them alone, they went outside and ventured down to the Queen Fury where they saw Puler overseeing things. Upon spotting them, he exclaimed, "Dart! Tayuya! I was sure that you were alive!"

Dart smiled confidently and said, "I won't die that easily. At least, not until we get Lenus."

Tayuya shook her head and said, "We won't let you die even then, Dart-kun. Whether you like it or not, we're going to make sure you stay alive for a looooong time to come."

Puler's reaction was a bit shocking as he suddenly shouted, "Lenus!"

"What's wrong?" Dart asked him, clearly worried based on Puler's reaction to the name alone.

Puler grinned and said, "I have information about her! It seems that monsters we've never seen before started to infest the area around a half year ago. Moreover, those monsters are spreading out. The place is called the Prison Island. It's a small island surrounded by rocks located in the center of the San Christ islands. I heard you can go through an Undersea Cavern to get there."

Dart frowned as he folded his arms across his chest. "A half year ago…"

Shana immediately picked up on what Puler was saying. "It's the same time that Lenus switched with Princess Emille, isn't it?"

Dart nodded and said, "That's right. We're gonna go check out the Prison Island!" Dart said as he turned back to Puler.

Puler smiled at him and said, "I wish you the best of luck then. Unfortunately, we still need before we can depart again. The engine room is still not completely repaired."

"Damn." Naruto said. "Oh well, we'll just have to hope we can make things work here."

Leaving Puler to his business, the party ventured back towards the entrance of Fueno. Once there, they saw a small crowd of people. Approaching the obvious drunkard, they listened to what he was saying. The man, named Drippy, turned to Dart and company and asked, "You…you don' believe me either, d-do ya?!" Hiccupping, he started talking again. "I really saws it! I saw a Dragon on the Prison Island!"

The party's eyes widened and Dart asked, "A dragon?! On the Prison Island?"

Drippy nodded and hiccupped again before saying, "You don' know thish, but my ship was smashed by the Sea Dragon rumored to live over the Undersea Cavern! I's gotta…I's gotta have a drink or somefing!" Hiccupping again, he continued saying, "But! You can't go there anymore. There are loots of monsters there! My house was taken by those monsters! I gots ta…I gots ta have a drink! It…it was a half year ago that the monster showed up. It's all dat monster's fault that I'm like this now. G-Give my ship and my house back." Shortly after this, the man laid down in the middle of the street and dozed off, still clutching his bottle of booze close to his chest.

Rose frowned at this and said, "A half year ago… It's the same time that Lenus joined the gang."

Dart nodded before saying, "All right then. Let's go to the Prison Island."

Before they could move or say anything, Drippy suddenly shot upright again and said, "And…and guess what! In the Prison Island? There was a draaaagon…"

When the man collapsed in a heap on the ground and began to snore again, Naruto facepalmed and said, "Poor guy's so drunk he can't make sense of anything. We have got to do something about that blasted dragon AND Lenus."

"Agreed. I'd say let's go, but I kind of promised that we'd stay in Fueno for the rest of the day so we can all just rest and recuperate. We'll set out again in the morning, okay everyone?" Dart suggested.

Rose sighed and said, "While I'd like to set out immediately, I suppose I see the sense in that. If we're going to be staying here for the time being, I'd like to enjoy the hot springs. Anyone else feel like joining me?"

Meru grinned and shot her hand up in the air. "Oooh! Me me me! I haven't had a dip in a hot spring like that in foreeeeever. Now if only Naru could join us."

Naruto blushed badly and simply walked off to try and be alone for a while. However, as he did, Hinata and Hikari took off after him, refusing to leave him on his own when he was still trying to sort everything out in his head.

Tayuya watched her cousin walk off for a while before she turned to look at Dart. She wanted so dearly to talk to him, but after everything they had talked about earlier, she just wasn't sure she could say anything to him without blowing up at him. So, she turned and walked off, hoping she could be alone. Mei had other plans though and quickly caught up to her. "Let's take a dip in the hot springs, Tayuya. Who knows? It might help to alleviate some of your stress."

Tayuya shrugged and said, "Better than nothing, I suppose. I just hope nobody tries to peek on us while we're in there."

"That-a-girl." Mei said before she and Tayuya disappeared into one of the openings down below that led into one of two hot springs.

As Dart watched her leave, he couldn't help but frown to himself. Tayuya…I'm so sorry for hurting you. I really hope you can find it in yourself to forgive me soon…

A/N - And that's the chapter! Like I said, you probably got pissed off at a few points in the chapter. It wasn't exactly planned, but I decided to roll with it and see what happened, y'know?

Anyways, not much else to say. I need to rest my thumb, sooo...hopefully you're looking forward to whatever comes next. Ciao!