Guest reviewers, Guest: Thanks! I'm happy to know that you've been awaiting this chapter. lizzy the imoto: Thank you! I tried to fix all the spelling mistakes I had. (This reply sound all contrived. Oh well. I meant it, people! xD) Now, onto the chapter!

I am now afraid of heights.

I used to scramble up trees to sneak in Nadeshiko's window while she was supposed to be dancing. I scrambled up alley walls during my time of exile on Earth to find a safe place to sleep. Once, when my apprentice Rikka lost a balloon that got caught on the roof of a five-story locked building, I found my way up without magic just because she dared me.

Now, though, tottering along a precarious cliffside path, I was scared to death. I knew I could save myself if I fell, but the rational, remotely human part of me was hyperventilating. Sirens went off in my head every time I looked down. My heart stopped every time I teetered so much as a centimeter over the edge.

Rima led the nine of us, every step sure and rhythmic. Her blonde hair swung in cascades behind her in a pendulum-like motion. Behind her was Nagihiko, who seemed to be trying to tell her something. Both of their faces were mixed between frustration and panic. I couldn't hear their voices over the screaming of the wind.

"What if we fall?" Yaya's voice, high-pitched with fear, was the only one I could hear, as she was directly behind me.

"As long as you focus, there is no reason that you should," Kairi - I could hear him too - replied calmly. "It's natural to be scared."

The brainiac was right, as usual. Everyone else's faces were petrified in fear. Utau's legs shook unnoticeably. Kukai was tense and silent (for once). Tadase was attempting to act brave but failing utterly. Nothing against him, of course. I was feeling the same way.

The Durakn, huh. According to the giants, 'ruthless beasts slightly resembling the dragons of Earthen myths, extremely wary and protective.' In order to get the giants to carry us to the central district, we had to drive their whole herd - fifteen at minimum - out of the mountains.

Rima stopped suddenly, causing a domino-like series of crashes to follow. (Yaya nearly plummeted right off the edge.)

"We're going to have to climb," Rima called back to us. "It's a dead end." Nagihiko opened his mouth to say something, but Rima ignored him and began steadily scaling the cliff. I followed, a little unnerved by Rima's cold demeanor.

It wasn't a tall cliff, but clambering up the unstable slabs of rock was still making me dizzy. As I reached the top, I saw that Rima had not been entirely truthful about the 'dead-end' thing. Idiot miniature devil.

"What were you thinking, Rima?! There's a passage right there!" I cried.

She turned, lips forming a pouty frown. "This way was faster. The Durakn den is right above us, if the giants and Kairi guessed right."

"But it's so much more dangerous!" I persisted.

Rima eyed the remaining seven as they scaled the cliff. "Have you ever heard of magic?"

"Yes, I have!" I snapped. "I was the one who TAUGHT it to you!"

"Exactly. They know magic. They can catch themselves if they fall," Rima said confidently.

"Have you ever fallen off a cliff?!" I raged, remembering the avalanche. "It took my skill level - and before you say anything, Rima, I'm considered powerful - to save my life and Ikuto's when the avalanche struck, and that was half the height!"

"Then save them."

"What is WRONG with you, Rima?" I twisted her shoulders around so that she was facing me. "Why are you so intent on finding the Durakn?"

"Because I want to get out of your stupid homeland! Unlike you, I'd rather die escaping then die in a prison cell."

"You - " I lunged at Rima, but two firm pairs of hands caught me.

"Enough," Nagihiko said, his face like steel.

"Kairi, the plan?" Kukai asked easily, but Kairi was still climbing. Only Kukai, Nagihiko, and Ikuto had made it up so far.

"I'll be up in a second!" Kairi called. He made the last step and missed. His feet hit thin air - and he fell.

For a split second my mind was blank. The wind roared in my ears and I jumped, calling Amulet Heart to my aid even as I fell downward. I extended my arm, yelling at Kairi to look up. He did, and I was shocked and slightly in awe at the lack of fear on his face. He strained against gravity and I snatched Kairi's wrist.

But what now? We were floating in midair, and Amulet Heart's flight powers wouldn't hold up more than three, two, one seconds -

Something blue shot at me just as the magic left me, wrapping tightly around my waist.

"What is that?" I yelled to Kairi, who was still gripping my hand like a lifeline. I couldn't turn and see what had saved us without letting go.

"A giant cat claw. It's Ikuto," he answered. "And here comes some support from Utau."

Something that looked remotely like a cloud of purple butterflies swarmed the claw, slowly moving it towards the clifftop. I swayed back and forth in the claw's grip. If Ikuto and Utau missed one move, we were dead.

But there was nothing to fear, as the two siblings worked together flawlessly. The clifftop slowly rose to my eye level, where Nagihiko hoisted me up. I pulled up Kairi up afterwards and we all collapsed in a heap, relieved. It had somehow felt so organized, so calm. My mind only went through brief moments of panic. We had worked together, and we were all alive.

My thoughts suddenly went to Rima, and her insane idea of climbing the cliff, and I pushed my way out of the crowd of people. Nagihiko, however, spotted me and stopped me before I could so much as call her name.

"Kairi, the plan?" he asked, his voice tense.

Kairi brushed himself off like he had never fallen off a cliff and strode towards us. "We're splitting up into teams of two. Our four main fighters - Ikuto, Rima, Amu, and Utau - are going to lead four separate teams. The leading team will have an extra member, as there are nine of us."

I straightened, knowing that I would probably be in charge of the leading team.

"Rima, you are with Yaya, coming in from the left." Rima didn't even look at the little brunette.

"Ikuto, Kukai, from the right." They nodded at one another, knowing that they made a good team.

"Utau, you're with Tadase," Utau nodded, "and me, attacking from the front."

"Wait, what?" Utau said. "I'm the leading team?"

"Yes, anything wrong with that?" Kairi gave her a menacing stare. "You have the best leadership qualities."

It was true, I realized, as Utau blinked and tried to act like she wasn't pleased. She was older than me, more responsible, and better and making people work together. So why was a little part of me displeased?

". . . And Amu, you're with Nagihiko. You two are coming in from behind," Kairi finished. We shuffled into our assigned teams, leaving only Kairi at the front.

"Our target is the cave immediately above us. Come in from your respective side, but wait for Utau to attack before attacking." Kairi joined his team. shoving his glasses up his nose in a determined sort of way.

"Mission start!"

Nagihiko and I walked in silence for a while. I kept wondering how much of a risk we were taking. There were probably many Durakn, and they could have been more powerful than we anticipated. And what if this wasn't even the den? How many more times would we have to risk our lives for this insane mission?

"Amu." Nagihiko turned around to face me. "Please, don't be mad at Rima."

I suddenly remembered the rush of air as I leapt off the cliff, Rima's remorseless expression as we were hauled up. "How can I not be? She nearly sent Kairi to his death, and didn't even bother to apologize."

Nagihiko shrugged. "Rima is stubborn that way. She wanted the fastest way to get to the Durakn."

"She can't be that close to the giants!" I exclaimed.

"That's only part of it," Nagihiko said softly. "She, like any of us, desperately wants to go home. She's just a bit more. . . ruthless. . . when it comes to how."

"Well, I - "

"Amu, do you know how much Rima despised you when you first arrived?" Nagihiko cut in.

"Yeah, she was jealous 'cause she thought I was stealing Utau and Yaya," I said.

"Did you also know that it was Rima who saved you from drowning in the pond on the night of the Christmas party?"

Crying, tumbling forward at the pond's edge, woken by Ikuto minutes later. He was not the one who saved me. . .

"It was Rima?"

Nagihiko nodded. "And after that, she apologized for not saving you from the demons, which is rare, coming from Rima. I talked to her later - she was really upset about everything that had happened. The reason that Rima is so desperate to go home. . ." He paused. ". . . was for you."

I suddenly wanted to jump off the cliff. Even when I blamed other people, it just had to be my fault. "She was that guilty?"

"Yes."

"I, I just - why can't I ever get mad at someone because they actually did something wrong?!" I spluttered.

Nagihiko chuckled at me like I was a little kid. "Well, I'm not denying that lying to everyone and making a reckless decision was wrong. I'm just saying, you don't have to hate her."

I smiled sadly. "You know, Nagihiko, you remind me of someone I knew."

"Who?"

"Well, she did look a little like you, but her hair was a shade lighter and her eyes were bigger, darker. But she was really calm, and kind. . .for a while." Nadeshiko. Nagihiko.

Something connected in my mind, a little spark that lit everything up. I nearly understood.

"Did you have a sister?"

Nagihiko looked at me oddly. "You've asked me this before. No, I don't. Do I just look that much like a girl?"

"No, but she. . .well, yes, you do," I finished, still slightly mortified about the Naedshiko misconception. Suddenly remembering something Ikuto had told me, I asked, "But did you have to be one? Ikuto said something once, 'you had to be a girl for seven years' or something."

"Oh, that." Nagihiko scratched his head and laughed nervously. "Well, from when I was five to when I was twelve, I studied traditional Japanese dancing. And, well, it was girl's dancing."

"Now, though, you do have long hair and all, but no one could mistake you for a girl. Is that why you stopped?" I guessed.

"Yeah. I still dance, but not as a girl."

I giggled. "Was it embarrassing? Did you have to use the girl's bathroom? Oh, and weren't you wearing a skirt?"

Nagihiko flushed tomato red. "Oh, look! There's the Durakn den! Let's get started!"

The cave was utterly silent. For a second, I wondered whether we'd gotten it wrong, whether the Durakn were somewhere else..Then I heard the snore.

It was enough to make me shudder, honestly. It sounded like a car was repeatedly falling on top of a metal building while the engine kept gunning but never started. If the snore was any representation of how the Durakn themselves were, I was in no hurry to fight them.

There were about twenty Durakn in the central chamber, with a few smaller ones - children, most likely - in some of the smaller alcoves. I could see Ikuto and Rima's groups in position. I could barely breathe for fear of waking the Durakn up. We waited in utter silence until Utau led her group in, violet eyes darting from side to side warily. After counting that everyone was there, she opened her mouth to command attack.

And just at that moment, a dry twig snapped under someone's feet.

The Durakn stirred sleepily, scaled lids opening to reveal stone-like eyes glimmering with anger. As they stretched and rose, searching for the intruders, the plan fell into chaos. We charged at once, our formation that Kairi had spent so much time forming gone.

"Deadly Clown!" Rima activated her special ability, and I proceeded to do the same.

"Power of the Amulet! Heart, Spade, Clover, Diamond!" The swirls of color danced up and down my arms and legs.

"Ikuto! Utau!" I yelled. "Try and use your special abilities. And everyone else, too!"

"We're on it!" Utau called back.

I sped forward with Amulet Heart, deftly switching to Spade right in front of three Durakn clustered together and jabbing a giant paintbrush over them.

"Colorful Canvas!" As childish as it sounded, this move was one of my most effective, employing magical paint to immobilize my opponent. I surveyed the damage with satisfaction and prepared to launch another attack at the three.

"BEHIND YOU!" Kukai's frantic yell alerted me to the presence of five Durakn behind me, but it was too late. A huge plume of fire rushed at my face and I dropped to the ground, trying to avoid the suffocating heat.

"A - Armad -" I choked, trying to summon a shield. My vision went red as the flames reached me and I cried out, throwing my hands in front of me in a feeble attempt to save myself from death.

Heat surged over me, though the flames were not yet on top of me. I could feel the tears on my face drying up even as they fell. Time slowed down. Explosions of magic battled the fire. Every inch closer seemed like another eternity of pain. A tightrope launched towards me, from Rima most likely, and for a second I thought I was saved. But the rope frayed and burst into flames right before my eyes. The flames had completely obscured my vision.

A scream of rage, an explosion brighter than the fire surging at me, water spraying from all sides. Slices of flame (how was that even possible?) flying in every direction, a rumble like thunder, a blast, and silence.

It hurt.

Oh, it hurt. Like a thousand poisoned needles had been injected into me and then pulled out, like someone had sprinted while holding me by my hair, like someone had tried to bash my head in with a hammer, like I had been the ball in a soccer game, like my eyes had been taken out and put back in the wrong way.

But did that mean that I was alive?

With much difficulty, I blinked my eyes open. The sight around me made me want to scream. And I would have, if I hadn't lost my voice.

I was over a hundred feet in the air. The landscape rushed past me in blurs of faded color. A beating sound, like a giant heartbeat, thumped to my sides. I glanced down to the source of the sound, and nearly had a heart attack when I realized they were wings. Durakn wings.

Several thoughts ran through my head, primarily along the lines of I'm being kidnapped! and they're taking me to the capital! I searched wildly for some means of escape, but all I found were several other Durakn, each holding one of my friends on their backs. Before I could get even more panicked about us all getting kidnapped, my very smart and rational brain realized that all of the others seemed to be relaxed and possibly even pleased.

"Amu!" I could just barely hear Tadase's voice screaming over the wind. "You're awake, thank goodness!" Ikuto drawled something incomprehensible (from his distance, at least) which I guessed was some sort of insult about what a slow healer I was.

"Can you talk?" Kairi, who was directly ahead of me, asked.

I cleared my throat, ignoring the mild burns that covered me. "Barely," I croaked.

"That fire really took something outta you," Utau said from my right. "Look at you, you're covered in burns."

I did as she said and looked down at myself. My clothes were frayed to the extent that I was barely on the line of 'modest enough to be hanging around a bunch of teenage guys.' More importantly, however, nearly every square inch of my bare skin was covered in a variety of nasty burns.

I swore under my breath and began casting healing spells on every throbbing burn, but there were too many burns and too little magic left. I shuddered and huddled on the freezing surface of the Durakn, knowing that I would have to wait before healing myself.

The sun was rising now, a fiery orange disc ascending in the multicolored sky. In a single coordinated motion, all nine Durakn carrying us swept down to the ground. My ears popped with the air pressure, shutting my eyes tightly until I tumbled gently off the Durakn's back into the grass.

"There you go." Utau yanked me, none too gently, into a sitting position. "I suppose you're wondering why we're traveling the Durakn and not the giants?"

I nodded numbly.

"The flames nearly took you out, but Rima jumped in at the last minute, dropping the attack and pleading for them to carry us. We've been traveling for nearly a week, counting stops for food and rest, and we're now at the outskirts of the central district. "

"Rima? Wasn't she the one bent on helping the giants?"

Rima, who had evidently listening, stepped in. "The final goal is more important. Besides, I've come to the conclusion that the giants were in the wrong."

"They were so nice. . .and they protected us," I mused.

"Just because you're kind doesn't mean you're good."

I smiled lightly at Rima. "It can work the other way around too. Just because you're ruthless or cold. . . doesn't mean you are evil."

"Miki, you and your sisters are going to do the prison rounds today," The higher-up (Miki had long since forgotten the various ranks) ordered her.

"You mean, like giving them food?"

"Yes, and do not speak in that disrespectful tone. Now go." The man practically shoved Miki out of the door.

"Right away." Miki hurried off to fetch her sisters. She wound through stone passages with such familiarity that she could have done it with her eyes shut. This castle was her prison, and what prisoner does not know her cage?

Miki found Ran talking in hushed whispers with Yoru, a poor orphan they had come to befriend. Recently, they had been planning something that might change their lives forever. Miki knew, of course. But it was far too dangerous to talk about in public.

"Hey, Yoru," Miki said casually. "Talking about that?"

"Yup." Yoru smirked, showing crooked, pointed teeth. "Whaddya need, Art Girl?"

"Ran, Suu, Dia. We're in charge of prison rounds."

"Oh, all three of them?" Yoru whined. "Why're you taking all the pretty girls away?"

Miki scowled. "Come on, girls. Yoru, why don't you hang out with Kiseki and Rhythm and Daichi, or something?"

"Fine," Yoru grumbled. "Go ahead. Come back safe, you hear? That's the prison you're talking about. Not exactly Happyland or anything."

"We'll be fine, Yoru. Stop being such a scaredy-cat." Ran hopped off the windowsill she'd been sitting on and joined Miki. Suu and Dia followed, and they proceeded into the dungeon where the prison was.

It was like a scene from a fairy tale - the castle standing high against the sky, the dungeons emanating a dark presence from below. Except Tiraldae was far from a fairy tale.

Time passed slowly as they wound down the flights of stairs, shivering as the air became colder and colder.

"Here's the food to distribute." Suu handed them each several small trays of food. She wrinkled her nose. "Poor things have to eat this every day."

"Yeah, they're prisoners for a reason," Ran called as she head down the east wing.

Miki stepped cautiously into the northern wing, slipping a tray of food in without making eye contact with any of the prisoners.

"Excuse me." A high voice stopped Miki as she tossed another tray at another shadowed prisoner. It must have once been beautiful, because Miki's musical senses caught a melodious, lilting tone under the cracked and broken voice.

"Yes?" Miki could not stop herself from shaking as she brought herself to look at the prisoner. Dull amber eyes, filthy violet hair. Another beautiful girl left to rot in this torturous place.

"Do you, by any chance, have the news on Amu?"

Miki stiffened and cast another glance at the prisoner. Her identity flashed into her mind.

Nadeshiko Fujisaki.

Miki had been taught to hate her, despise her for her crimes. Any sane person would have walked off without a word. Miki did not like to think she was insane, but maybe she was a slight bit off from sane as well. "She's still not captured."

"Good." Nadeshiko sighed in relief, but scrambled backwards as soon as she realized what she had said. "I'm sorry! Please don't call them in to punish me!"

Miki shook her head and began walking away. "I'm not like them." She wanted to say more, but sheer nervousness took her feet away from Nadeshiko's forlorn figure.

They were the same. They both held hidden respect for the criminal evading capture.

Miki was the same as a criminal. Did that mean she was evil? Or just. . .open to reality?

So what do you think? Third person in italics or not? Oh yeah, and while I was typing that part about "Tiraldae was not a fairy tale" I wrote "fairy tail" first. Goes to show how obsessed with something you can get. Who else loves Fairy Tail?

ReachForTheSky is out.