The sun had barely touched the morning sky when I felt myself being shaken slightly by a long fingered hand. Slowly opening my eyes I looked at the offending hand, its long milky fingers still touching my shoulder. Looking at its owner I smiled into Haku's brilliant eyes.

I felt like I almost wanted to giggle at his close proximity to me, but felt that would be way too childish and girly of me.

He went to wake Chihiro next and we all got dressed quietly.

Curiosity had been growing in me like a cat from the night before. My dreams were filled with possible explanations of what could be happening in the Spirit World.

Finally I decided I needed to know.

"Haku, if I am to be coming with you guys can I find out what exactly is going on? I mean Chihiro seems like she still needs to know right?" I said blushing slightly as he turned to stare at me intently.

He nodded slightly, his perfectly even hair moving forward and back in such perfect motion.

"That is true. Well Chihiro, you only saw the outskirts of the spirit world and some of it's middle when you rode the train. The spirit world houses every being that makes the human world prosper or perish. In the beginning of time a relic was created by the first spirits to give it's children and every spirit in the future power and knowledge to justly rule it's element or place.

This relic was to be protected by one of the creators, a human like spirit, and his children from then on. It was put in the tower in the middle of the spirit world to distribute its power evenly across the planes.

As time went on many creatures lusted after the relic knowing that if they wielded it they would gain great power to do and destruct whatever they will.

The protector at the time created a housing for the relic, where it could remain safe and only the protector would know how to open it.

Still things became worse as the years flew by. The last protector was a kind man just like his ancestors and suddenly found that feuds were breaking out over who would come to try and kill him and gain the relic.

He knew that he could safely hide the relic in the human world for 12 human years before it needed to return to keep things stable in the spirit world.

He left hoping that by then things would calm down and the shadows that followed him day and night from greedy spirits would finally go away.

He went to this world and married a woman, hoping to seem normal and not attract attention.

6 years ago though the shadows found him and chased him, from there we aren't sure what happened. He simply disappeared. A couple days ago though Zeniba, who was a dear friend of the last protector, received an anonymous message that indicated where the relic was hidden here.

Things in the spirit world aren't horrible yet, but things are slowly falling apart. I need to find the relic and I need your guy's help to open it. The protector's minds worked like humans and unfortunately I cannot think like that. Hopefully though you two may be able to come up with a way to open it. So that is what is going on."

Haku finally finished and Chihiro and I looked at each other in bewilderment.

There was something about his story that seemed familiar; little parts of it just like Chihiro's memories seemed to pull at something I could never quite grasp.

Shrugging it off I moved to the bathroom after commenting and listening to them talk about the situation.

I frowned when I saw my reflection, my face had a large bruise on my cheek and truthfully I looked way to pale.

I knew I was never a looker, the boys usually went for much prettier girls than me, but this was worse than usual.

Chihiro came in and helped me unwrap the bindings, clean the wound and wind new ones around again.

We talked happily about the coming day and reminisced about our meeting and the years coming up till now.

As she worked though I felt myself become depressed, my appearance alone wasn't helping. I hated that this was my life, that the only way to make it better was to go to another realm.

Chihiro sensed my growing sadness and tried to perk me up.

"Hey will you sing me that song, I missed it last night. Where did you hear it from, I always forget to ask, it almost sounds…otherworldly."

She said looking at me in he mirror.

I smiled faintly; the song did always seem to cheer me up.

"Okay, I remember my father used to sing it to me actually, I don't know where he got it from. Every time I cried he would sing it."

She smiled at me as I began, low and humming first until I grasped the words and began to sing more confidently.

The song is light and sweet, yet the words seem to be so deep in their meaning.

"Hmm mm

The road my child

Is sweeter than it seems

When I am gone

I am never too far between

The spirits of the land and sea

Whisper with the an ease

Learn to listen

Learn to see

And the treasure box

Will always be open for thee

The road my child

Is sweeter than it seems

When I am gone

I am never too far between

Remember me

Leaving is a curse for me

Come search for me

The treasure holds the key…."

My voice fades slowly from the higher octaves, the emotions are overwhelming and the tears start to flow freely.

Chihiro pulls me into a hug as I sob softly.

Looking up I feel calmer now. I notice Haku standing at the bathroom door watching me intently.

He looks confused and something else seems to flit before his eyes.

"You said your father sang you that song?" He asked curiously.

I sniffled and nodded.

"Hmmm it sounds strange, from what I have heard of human songs it doesn't resemble that much does it?" He asked looking at the door thoughtfully.

"I guess not, he was an odd sort of man though. He was very free spirited and kind, many people couldn't relate to him." I said wiping my eyes.

"I'm sorry Lena, I thought singing would make you feel better. I know the song is somewhat sad but usually the memory of it is happy like you told me once, I thought it would make you happy." She said her small face looking at me.

I smiled at that. It's true, the song is quite sad when you think about it but he always had a way of making it happy somehow, as if it was something to remember him by not to mourn him by.

"That's true, it usually does, its just a lot of things have happened since last night, I guess I'm just a little emotional." I said moving about to gather my dirty clothes and toss them away.

Chihiro brought us some food from downstairs and we sat and chatted for a bit before we moved to leave.

We walked down to my house at a fast pace now. The thought of going back there was making me nervous, and yet again I could feel eyes that I could never find on me.

The very trees seemed to move with odd shadows, I found myself watching them cautiously.

I looked back over to find Haku walking next to me staring at me.

Next to him Chihiro was walking oblivious, a happy smile on her face and her feet moving slightly awkwardly across the ground.

His eyes stayed on mine, their green depths brimming with questions it seemed he didn't have the courage to speak.

Finally he let his eyes fall from me and move in front of us again.

After a couple minutes of walking we entered m part of town, the houses her were very close together.

I was surprised we didn't attract attention with Haku walking in between us; his garb wasn't exactly the most normal around.

Dogs barked here and there in wire and wooded fences, each one close to collapsing.

Not many people were out, it was still only 9am, and most people were still asleep in this part of town.

"Is the relic far from here?" Chihiro asked curiously, looking at the run down shacks that we walked by.

"Actually yes, it's odd we are very close." He said his voice unreadable.

Finally my small rundown house came into view. My mother's car was there, which didn't help my nerves.

I sprinted up to it and looked into my bedroom window. She wasn't in her room, which I could see through my open bedroom door. Thankfully I always kept my window open, and looking back quickly I gave a thumbs up before opening it quietly and lifting myself into the room.

"Wait Lena…this is our house?" I looked around quickly as Haku sprinted to the window, his eyes shocked.

"Yes, its my house, I know its not like Chihiro's." I said brushing off his question.

"No I mean, this is the house, this is the place where the relic is supposed to be." He said his eyes looking at me seriously. I gasped, my mouth searching now for something to say.

Chihiro walked forward looking from me to the house.

"This is where it is? Really?" she asked just as surprised as I.

I shook my head, it couldn't be. Why would the relic be here?

Moving about my room, I tried to ignore my thoughts that were moving quickly about my head. Something deep inside my mind seemed to be shifting into gear, I felt like the things Haku had been talking about seemed more and more familiar by the second…but why?

Haku stood behind me now helping Chihiro into the room.

Searching about, I was surprised to see that my box was missing from its usual spot.

"Shoot where is it." I said under my breath.

"Just a second guys I'm going to search in the living room feel free to look around for the relic, just be careful." I said quietly.

They both nodded and I tiptoed out of the room.