-note: I finally got it done. I kind of wanted to skip it but it contains so much information that I couldn't. Ok, I guess I did have fun writing it. I'll try my hardest to get the next chapter out soon. I got time on my hands this week and I myself am getting submerged in what's to come. hehehe.-

Kana slowly opens her eyes and squints in the bright sunlight. Once her eyes adjust to the bright light, she looks around trying to identify her location. She's sitting in the middle of a fountain that she soon recognizes as the public fountain just a few blocks away from her grandmother's apartment.

Kana stands up and her soaked clothes cling to her skin. She shivers and trudges through the ankle deep water to climb out. She adverts her eyes from a curious passerby. Kana walks briskly down the familiar road and up to the apartment complex where the middle aged landlord gawks at her appearance.

"It's been a while since you last visited. My goodness Kana, what the hell happened to you?"

Kana smiles awkwardly, "I tripped and fell into a fountain on my way here."

"Well, Annalise is home so hurry and go get out of those wet clothes before you catch a cold."

Kana thanks him and goes into the building and up to the second floor apartment where her grandmother lives. She knocks on the door and waits as she listens to her grandmother shuffle around inside on her way to the door.

"Hi Grandma", Kana greets her grandmother as she opens the door. The woman at the door hardly looks like a grandmother. The only age defying traits are the streaks of silver in her hair that frame her face and the smile wrinkles in the corners of her eyes.

"Kana, what happened to you?" She holds the door open and ushers Kana inside.

"The short version is that I fell in a fountain. I'll tell you the long story once I'm dry."

"Of course, of course! Go get in the shower and I'll get some clean clothes for you." She shoos Kana into the bathroom and goes to get some dry clothes. Once Kana is out of the shower and changed, the two women sit down in the living room with cups of hot tea.

Kana begins telling her tale of her trip to Shin Makoku not bothering to leave out any detail. Her grandmother listens intently to Kana's story nodding every so often. Once Kana finishes recounting the events, Annalise's expression doesn't change as she slowly sets down her tea cup on the coffee table.

"I had wanted to tell you about Shin Makoku before anything like this happened. If you still want me to, I will tell you my story."

"Yes, of course, that's why I came back to see you. I want to know everything."

Annalise smiles at her. "I was born in Shin Makoku in a small village just by the border. My childhood was normal to say the least. I got bored in the village and when I was old enough, I moved to the largest city around. It was the home of one of the noble families. It was there that I met a young man the same age as me. I was new and he showed me around the city and helped me find a place of my own. His charm grew on me and I asked to see him again. To say the least, he was ecstatic. We began to see each other in secret and I knew there was a reason why but I never pushed him to tell me. About our tenth date, he told me he was a member of the noble family. I didn't care either way and we continued our secret relationship. After going out for six months, he proposed to me. I didn't hesitate to say yes. I was then introduced to the family and found out that my fiancé was really the heir to the von Radford name. His family was fully against our marriage and ordered me to leave.

"It was then that my father died and my mother had come to live with me. My mother informed me and the Radford family that my great-grandmother was a member of the von Gyllenhaal family. His family no longer had a reason to oppose the wedding so I got married and became Annalise von Radford. My husband soon became the head of the Radford family. My mother continued to live with us and when I became pregnant, she told me the story of Sanne that had been passed down from mother to daughter in her family. She told me that the first born was always a girl and she was proved right when your mother was born. Over the next few years I gave birth to a son and another daughter. When your mother was about ten years old, I noticed a change in her. Sanne was becoming more powerful and I didn't want her to ruin the land and home I loved so much or destroy my daughter's future.

"So I did the only thing I could think of, I took your mother and ran away. While I was on the road I heard a man talking about other worlds that a Mazoku can travel through by using maryoku. This intrigued me and decided to see for myself. I took your mother to a lake to try this theory for myself. I'm not sure how it happened but your mother and I ended up here on Earth. We quickly adapted to this new world and Sanne subsided within your mother. Years later she met your father and had you. You know how the rest of it goes." Annalise looks at her granddaughter and smiles tucking the loose hair behind Kana's ear. "I'm so proud of you, sweetie. You were the one who was able to help Sanne move on and get her life back. It sounds like Shin Makoku is growing on you quickly. Take care of it, and the Maou."
"You really want to go back, don't you, Grandma?"

"More than anything else I want to see your grandfather again along with your aunt and uncle. The hardest decision I ever made was to leave them. In all these years, my love for them has never diminished. I don't care if your grandfather has moved on or not, I just want to see him again and maybe go to my old village."

"I can take you back Grandma. Not this time but I promise, the next time I come back to Earth I'll get Sanne to come with me to help bring you and even mom back, if she wants to go back anyway. Would you be able to talk to her about that? I still don't feel like talking with her just yet, especially after our last fight."

"I believe your mother's reasoning for not liking the Shibuya's is because she knew Yuri's father was a Mazoku. After learning about Sanne, she somehow shared the same resentment towards all Mazoku even though she herself is one. I think once everything is explained now she'll come around."

Kana does not respond and lets the silence stretch. "Thank you for telling me everything today Grandma. I have to go call my school before I go back so I better get going." They stand up and hug. "I promise I will take you back with me next time."

"Take care of yourself."

Kana leaves the apartment wearing the clothes Annalise had given her and carrying her wet ones. She walks to her own apartment. After her father had died she had moved out of her home with her mother when she was eighteen after their first big fight and had not stayed in her childhood home since. Within thirty minutes she was at her front door. She takes out her keys and unlocks the door.

Even though she had been gone for months in Shin Makoku, only a couple days had passed here. Kana wanted to return as quickly as possible so she set to her errands. First she called the college and asked to have her diploma sent to her mother's address since she wouldn't need it here or in Shin Makoku. Next she finds all the plastic sealable storage bags and paper towels she can find along with a medium suitcase. She begins searching her apartment for personal items and clothes to pack first in paper towels, then in the storage bags, and lastly in the suit case. She closes the suitcase and leaves locking the door behind her.

She halts a taxi and tells the driver the address before sitting back into the seat to rest. The taxi stops in front of a small house. Kana pays for the taxi and gets out and walks up to the front door. She rings the doorbell and waits patiently. After a minute a tall, dark haired man answers.

"Hello, Sho-chan."

Shori stands in the open doorway in surprise. "Kana, what are you doing here?"

"I lost a bet and I need Aunt Jenny's help. Don't worry, it's nothing bad."

He lets her in and calls his mother.

"Kana! It's been so long since your last visit."

"Hello, Aunt Jenny. I know this is out of the blue but I need your help." Kana explains the situation to her and Miko is more than willing to help Kana out. Within an hour Kana is ready to leave.

"Is that Yuri and Shori's old kiddy pool?" Kana asks Miko as she walks out the back yard door.

"Yes, I thought I would get it out for old time sake. So, where are you going now?" Miko eyes Kana's suitcase.

Kana looks into the water in the kiddy pool. She then turns and faces Miko. "Please excuse me showing up all of the sudden and then leaving just as quickly but I have to get back to Shin Makoku." Miko becomes a little flustered that Kana knows about Shin Makoku. "I'll tell Yuri to come back home soon. Thanks for everything Aunt Jenny!" Before Miko can respond, Kana turns and steps into the pool with suitcase in tow and disappears.