Here now for your amusement and enthrallment is the next chapter of THE KINDRED! Sorry, I just felt I had to use the 'caps lock' for a second. And thank you very much Tsukikage1213 for your review. I really appreciate the fact that no matter what you're always there read'n and reviewing. I hope you enjoy it.

Chapter Ten

Face to Face

Mae finished her chores and began taking the ever tiring walk back to her and Elm's room, carrying a basket full of laundry needed to be folded. She pushed open the door and came face to face with Ring. Mae gasped and dropped the basket.

"W-Who are you?! How did you get in here?!"

"You must come with me, now." Mae slowly reached behind her back to covertly form a long blade.

"I don't think so-" She brought her hand around but Ring's powerful beam knocked it from her hand. Ring slowly lowered her hand; a soulless expression ever clear on her face.

"It would be wise of you to comply." Mae shook her head and dashed from the room. Racing down the stairs she turned a corner and let out a frightened yelp at the sight of her children bound, gagged, and unconscious at Mockingbird's feet. She giggled devilishly, letting her foot rest on Jasper.

"They grow up so fast."

"Tanya….."

"You remember me!" Exclaimed Mockingbird happily. "That's so grand; we must be the last remaining Argonauts still alive and kicking! Well…..except for Elm that is." Mae continuously backed while Mockingbird came closer and closer, never noticing that Ring would block her path. "Tell me, how is my old boyfriend?" Mae's temper began to rise but she was cut short by a quick blast from Ring. Mockingbird contorted her face and flew up to Ring. "Must you always be such a killjoy?"

"We have no time for this foolishness. The Goddess requires a host post haste." Ring encased all three prisoners within a field of energy, making weightless and easier to carry. Mockingbird took both children and snickered while muttering under her breath;

"And we do live to please our goddess." As she was being taken away, Mae's lips breathed her husband's name.

Having taken his leave for a moment, Lee entered the kitchen to find Shandrey hunched over the many scrolls tomes and manuscripts….sound asleep. He sat down beside her and gave her a gentle prodding. She sprang up in her seat and wheezed.

"I'm reading!" She gasped.

"Clearly," said Lee with a smile. "Maybe you should take a break, there's only so much even your brain can absorb."

"No, time's not on our side. I mean, it hardly ever is but this time it's even worse." She pushed away the tomes and manuscripts before her and sighed. "I'm still stuck, where this temple is supposed to be……..I'm not sure if I can find it Lee." He ran his hand up and down her back.

"You need rest, you cannot think if you are exhausted."

"Don't I know it." Despite Lee's urges Shandrey still did not move from the table. He could see that he was not soon to convince her. She looked at him in the eyes and he felt paralyzed. "I have an idea, but I'll need your help.'

"Of course, anything."

"Katara spoke with Yue, I think if I can achieve communion with her she might be able to help narrow down the search." Lee nodded.

"Indeed, though it is something that Yue may be able to do at will I doubt it will be so easy for us."

Shandrey allowed a confident smile to pain across her face. "Leave that to me."

REJOINING NAYIA……………..

Nayia nervously paced back and forth before a door, one that led outside into the massive garden that the congregation boasted. After cracking the door taking a quick peek she saw that a large number of Hotaru's followers were gathered and waiting patiently for Nayia to enter. They stood about in several groups, talking and chatting amongst themselves. Nayia took many long deep breaths in an almost vain effort to calm herself. Despite having experienced terrible scenes of battle and other strenuous scenarios, Nayia couldn't remember when she was more scared. It didn't make matters any easier when she had also noticed that her new friend Julian was among her students.

'Okay, Lee wouldn't want to see you as a nervous wreck'. She told herself. 'Take one more deep breath and get on with it'. With a bounding step Nayia threw open the door and entered the courtyard. Julian, who had been sitting by himself below a tree, rose to his feet. Twenty-five pairs of eyes turned to her and stayed with her as she made her way before them. Just as Julian had warned, she could see that they harbored envy and spite toward her. Nayia finally found a good spot.

"Alright, I understand perfectly if I'm not your favorite person. It doesn't matter, I don't want to be here and you don't want me here……we'll both be rid of each other in due time." Julian moved his eyes over some of the onlookers as Nayia spoke. "But until then I have a job to do and I'm going to do it, and do it well. I want all of you to form five lines of five before me." Understandably her pupils didn't budge an inch. Nayia narrowed her eyes and felt a strange heat build inside her.

"NOW!" she barked. Like foul-tempered children finally obeying, they organized themselves just as she had told them. "So, how many of you are here by choice?" No hands rose up. "Am I correct then in assuming that you have not been given one?" She heard a general murmur among them that told her 'yes'. "Very well, ninjistu is as much a mental discipline as it is physical. A ninja relies heavily on wits and a strong mind in order to achieve victory. My point being that if you are to learn this well, your heart and soul must be poured into it."

"The chevaliers always tell us what we need to know," said someone in the crowd. Nayia picked him out immediately and walked up to him. He let his eyes drift to the ground as she stopped right before him.

"Well, as I am now a chevalier you will indeed be taught but it will be done the right way. Nobody is just going to beam the knowledge into your brain." Like lightening, Nayia drew a kunai from within her garments, tossed it behind her and stuck a flower. It pinned the blossom to a tree behind it with perfect accuracy. "How many of you think you can do that?" Only a few, Julian included, replied in the affirmative. Nayia looked around at them with a grin. "You should all be raising your hands." Perplexed, the students glanced at one another. "Within every single person here is the potential to exceed even me, all that depends is your effort." Some tensions eased, but it would be a slow road indeed. "Now, let's begin."

The first thing that Nayia had them do was to find someplace comfortable and to begin learning how to properly enter a deep state of meditation. "Many myths say that ninjas are able to slow down time," she told them. Of course this was one of many embellishments accredited to stealthy warriors. "When in fact they limit their concentration to a singular point and focus only on it." They spread out in the courtyard, finding as spot which was to their liking.

One girl, her eyes closed, fidgeted impatiently. "How long are we to remain like this?"

"Until you can slow down time," replied Nayia. This produced a few hushed giggles at the girl's expense, which she returned by hitting the one closest to her.

Shandrey and Lee had adjourned from the kitchen to her private study which, despite the state of the kitchen, was kept fairly neat and organized. By her instruction she and Lee moved things aside and up against the walls, making an open space in the middle of the room. There, Shandrey bent down and opened a circular section of the floor, revealing a large basin. Lee took the two wooden halves from her while she gazed down into the empty bowl with excitement.

"Wow, haven't used this thing in a long time."

Lee nodded with a smile. "The last time you did, it led you to your greatest victory." Shandrey would have liked very much to reminisce over how those events played out, but there was work to be done.

"Let's not waste time," she said. With a fluidic motion from hands, Shandrey summoned just the right amount of water from two casks against the wall. She let the water fall into the basin and rest a moment so that it became still again. "Okay," she said, grabbing Lee's attention. "I'll need your telepathy to amplify the connection, using the basin I should be able to bridge our plain with Yue's."

"Could this be dangerous for you?"

She shook her head. "I doubt it, but then again we are kind of breaking a few cosmic rules while you're telepathy is altering my consciousness." Lee arched a brow. "You know it's probably better if you don't ask too many questions."

"Right," agreed Lee. Shandrey hiked up the hemming around her feet and removed her shoes. Lee took a seat beside the small pool, its waters now reflecting off the ceiling of the study. The samurai's wife took a let out a breath and stepped into the pool.

"Ah!" she gasped. He jumped to his feet.

"What is it? Are you alright?" She looked up at him from her feet and smiled weakly.

"Its' cold…." He cocked his head at her. "Sorry." Lee returned to his sitting position. "As soon as you sense that my brainwaves have entered delta stage, step in and keep them steady." He nodded and Shandrey began. The waterbender closed her eyes and began whispering in a tongue deaf to Lee. He saw the water beneath her darken and then many points of light began to appear. Upon recognizing the constellation Leo, Lee realized the points of light were stars. It was if the whole of the infinite cosmos was now at Shandrey's disposal.

Like an alarm clock snapping him awake, Lee did indeed pick up on Shandrey's easing brainwaves. They entered the deepest level of unconsciousness and concentrating hard Lee began to amplify their energy while also keeping them within the realm of safety. He began to hear Shandrey's thoughts; thoughts that called out to a part of her which she had thus far remain detached from. From Shandrey's perspective, she stood in a vast open space filled with wispy clouds and fog.

Yue, can you hear me?...I need your help. Shandrey didn't expect a reply so quickly or perhaps one at all. However she could see no reason to give up now. Yue, it is Shandrey……..please help me. Again, silence was her answer. Shandrey began to grow disheartened. Then, she began to feel a cool breeze blowing past her. It seemed to come from all directions, making her feel almost dizzy. Shandrey began to make out the image of someone walking toward her from out of the grey mists. She narrowed her eyes for a better view of her companion. Low and behold, Yue came into focus. The stood staring at one another for a long moment before Yue spoke.

"Shandrey, this is highly unorthodox." Perhaps Shandrey didn't actually think this would work, or maybe that Yue would say something else; either way it took yet another minute for her to respond.

"I…needed to talk to you."

"Concerning what?" asked Yue calmly. Shandrey found her resolve right where she had left it and cleared her throat.

"I know we need to find the Shrine of Tsukiyomi, but the way I'm going about it will make finding the shrine next to impossible before Hotaru does." Yue considered this carefully.

"Then you seek the Force of Balance as well."

"Then it really does exist?" said Shandrey excitedly.

Yue nodded. "Certainly, it is in fact what Hotaru ultimately seeks. As a Watertribe mystic and Moon Crystal guardian, I was erudite in all forms of elemental myth. Although, as you can now plainly see, much myth is based on truth." Shandrey nodded comprehensively.

She looked up at Yue. "You've spoken to Katara, right?"

"I have."

"You told her that it will take the two of us to stop Hotaru, what exactly did you mean by that?" Yue painted a humble smile on her lips.

"I merely said that you would both need each other in order to combat a growing evil, whether or not that reveals itself to be Hotaru is still a mystery." Shandrey should have known that Yue would give her some sort of cryptic answer in return.

"Can't you just tell me?" Shandrey knew the question was a bit presumptuous as well as ultimately futile. "I mean, can you not make it just a little more obvious? We would be better prepared for whatever we're about to face." Ever hopeful that her logic would win over Yue, Shandrey grew silent. But it would be for not.

"I can only see so far and what I cannot see I can only deduce. Even so, you must trust that what I do not reveal is for the best. Shandrey, you and Katara should believe that when the time comes you find the strength and will to overcome; even if that battle is within you."

"I've already been down that road," whispered the waterbender. Shandrey could not escape it; she was trustful of Yue, even though this was technically the first time she had ever spoken directly with her. "Fine."

"I will, however, help you find the shrine." Shandrey's spirits perked up immediately and she actually took a step toward Yue.

"R-Really?!"

"Of course, but, if we are going to discuss such matters I think it would be nice if we adjourned to someplace more hospitable."

In the blink of an eye, no, faster, Shandrey found her and Yue now squatting across from one another at a table in what appeared to be a restaurant. Gentle and pleasing music played gracefully in the background. Shandrey looked about wondrously while Yue, looking as alive and in flesh as anyone in the present, happily sipped some tea.

She took the cup away and her eyes remained closed in rapture. "Ahhhh, now that hits the spot. You know, this was one of my favorite tea houses; where what you know presently as Hunan."

"It's nice," said Shandrey as she took in the décor. Yue pushed a cup toward her.

"Have some; anything on an ethereal plain tastes absolutely delicious." Shandrey had to laugh at this. She took a sip and indeed it was the best tea she had ever sampled. Maybe this was something she would keep to herself, fearing Lee would grow disheartened that his tea blends had just been eclipsed. Shandrey also noticed that no matter how much Yue drank, her cup never emptied. "So, Shandrey, to business."

Shandrey straightened herself. "Right, the shrine."

"Do you happen to know where my village was situated?" asked Yue.

"Yes, just a few miles east of the Northern Watertribe capital."

Yue nodded as Shandrey's answer was correct. "The shrine is at the top of a tower there, where the Moon Crystal was normally kept." Shandrey nearly spit up her tea.

"A-Are you saying that all this time the shrine was in your hometown?"

Yue nodded, wondering why Shandrey was so shocked by the answer. "Indeed, it had been there for many generations. It is in fact the reason why my village was constructed in such a remote location." Shandrey couldn't believe her luck. The Shrine of Tsukiyomi was right where it all began and best of all…..Hotaru probably didn't know it. Then a sudden and saddening thought hit her.

"But Yue, isn't your village buried under nearly half a mile of ice by now?" Yue thought for a moment and nodded offhandedly.

"I suppose it is."

"That's not very helpful, Yue," said Shandrey irritably. "How are we supposed to get to something that blocked by half a mile of ice?" Yue smiled while adding some herbs to her tea.

"You are a waterbender are you not?"

Shandrey opened her mouth to answer hotly but stopped. She folded her arms and shifted her eyes. "You-just-hush."

"I must admire your resourcefulness, Shandrey. This was a most brilliant means of research."

"Well, you know." Said Shandrey trying to look humbled. Yue put her cup down and stood up. Shandrey stood as well.

"I would like to talk with you further, but I am afraid your husband is beginning to tire."

Shandrey's eyes grew wide. "Lee!" she gasped. She completely forgot that he was also involved in this little endeavor. "Yue, thank you. You've been so helpful I don't think I can repay you properly." Yue only smiled and the environment around them transformed into the misty otherworld again.

"You have already repaid me, numerous times." Shandrey returned her smile. She then glanced upwards.

"Lee, pull me back." After a second or two Shandrey saw the world around her begin to dissolve and Yue along with it. Before she knew it, Shandrey had opened her eyes and she was back in her study with Lee. She looked down at him and saw that he was panting and sweating. Stepping out of the basin she bent down and held him steady.

"Lee…."

"Shandrey….I.." Her eyes roamed over him with worry.

"Lee I'm-I'm so sorry, I lost track of time." He shook his head.

"Fear not…..did you re-recover anything of value?" She helped him to his feet and after guiding him to a nearby chair fetched him a glass of water. Shandrey then sat down close to him and took his hand.

"Yes."

So, do they know something Hotaru doesn't? Or is Hotaru just waiting for them to walk into a trap? Well I suppose you could find out, you just need to wait till the next chapter. XD.