Me: I'm Sorry! I was going to put this on last weekend, but I forgot...

Icefire: Memory problems.

Me: pretending not to hear her And before I forget when Kaze is no longer in dragon form he is not using telepathy. Only when he is in dragon form does he do that.

Key

"Talking"

'Thinking'

Memories

//Dragon's telepathy//

End Key

Chapter 15: Nothing is as it Appears

Krystal pulled Jen deeper into the volcano's cave. It was growing warmer with ever step they took. Jen looked back over her shoulder, nervously. She couldn't see the others. She couldn't even hear Kaze's footsteps.

Se looked forward again. Jen focused her full attention on Krystal. The felinadon's dark chocolate and blonde streaked hair bounced with every step. Krystal was chattering excitedly.

"I can't wait for you to meet Aunt Atsui! She's so beautiful! She has scarlet and gold feathers. She's very nice and has these magic tears."

Jen dug in her heels and stopped. Krystal looked at Jen, confused. "Did you say 'Aunt Atsui'?"

Krystal nodded and grinned brightly. "She's like an Aunt to me. Can we go now?"

Jen laughed and took off. Krystal stood still for a moment, stunned. She broke out into a run after Jen, laughing all the way. Jen's determination rose. She was close to the last item. Her eagerness grew.

They were almost through with this journey. They were at their final destination. They need to get the tear. And fast.

They came to a large dome shaped room and stopped. Krystal looked at Jen. "This is where Auntie lives." She looked about. "I wonder where she went…" She looked back at Jen. "I'm going to go look for her okay?"

Jen nodded and Krystal ran off down a tunnel. Jen sat on the floor, legs still a bit sore from their long walk to this point. She yawned and stretched. She was tired and was tempted to fall asleep.

Her head dropped forward and her eyelids drooped. The idea of sleep was so nice… She found herself dozing.

Kaze came into the room, followed by the two monkeys. Kaze chuckled at the site of the sleeping child. His shape changed into a human. He was as tall as an adult. He had shoulder length white hair and sapphire eyes. His flesh was pale and not much of it was seen.

He wore a sky blue kimono that was decorated with clouds. It was tied at his waist with a sapphire blue ribbon. On his forehead was the Japanese symbol for wind. His name.

The monkeys stared in surprise. This was so not expected. Kaze ignored them and went to Jen he picked her up in his arms. He was intending on carrying her. He looked around the room. "Now where'd Krystal go…?"

Jen stirred at the sound of Kaze's voice. "She ran off into a tunnel to find Atsui…" She mumbled, not bothering to open her eyes.

Kaze sighed. "Well, that's Krystal for you."

Jen just realized she was in someone's arms. She was cradled against their chest. In her dazed state from waking up, she hadn't noticed. Now she did. And boy did she ever.

Jen opened her eyes to find herself looking into the face of a white hair, sapphire-eyed male. "K-Kaze?!" She stammered, shocked.

He chuckled. "The one and only."

"But how'd you…?"

"I have the ability to take on human form. I rarely do it though, considering there are none of them on this planet."

Jen nodded, showing she understood. A song like cry came from the tunnel Krystal had vanished into not to long before. Kaze set Jen on her feet and took on his dragon form. He roared in response to the cry.

They listened patiently. The cry came again, accompanied by the sound of beating wings. A large bird the size of Kaze flew into the room. The bird was covered in scarlet and gold feathers. The phoenix's eyes were emerald green.

The bird landed before them and Krystal hopped down from the phoenix's back. The felinadon was grinning from ear to ear. "I found her!" She announced proudly.

Jen gathered up her courage and approached the large bird of legend. She locked eyes with the winged beast, staring into them without fear. A memory came to the both. The phoenix hadn't thought of it in 1,011 years. Jen hadn't known the memory existed.

There was a 3-year-old child with chin length black hair. Her eyes were ice blue and innocent. She wore a sapphire kimono.

The girl was running about the cave and laughing. Her father the alchemist was leaning against Kaze, Atsui was on the other side of him. A smile rested upon the man's lips as he watched his offspring.

The child suddenly crouched. She tilted her head in curiosity and picked up what she had found. The girl's face lit up when she realized what it was.

The child stood and ran toward her father. "Wook Daddy! Wook what I got!" Her arm was raised, showing off her prize, as she went.

She stopped a few feet in front of the alchemist. She panted and flaunted her prize. Her father knelt to get a better look at it. It was a scarlet feather tipped with gold.

"It's beautiful, Jennifer. Do you know where it came from?" The man asked.

"Atsui!" Jennifer exclaimed joyfully.

"Very good." He praised and ruffled the child's hair. She laughed at his playful actions. She liked it when her father played too.