-Kiminé Yorune-

                                                                      (Aged 10)

"Peekaboo! Peeeeekaboo!"

I woke up to see Jacket in my face.

"Rise and shine sleepy head!"

I sat up and stared at him. How dare he treat me like a baby?!?! 

I smiled as Jacket flew across the room and crashed into an old wardrobe. 

Papa walked in just as he crashed. Me and Jacket were laughing but Papa didn't look very happy. I sat up on my filthy mattress.

Papa's real name was Buck but everyone calls him Bucket now. Like Jacket was called Jack. But for some reason I get the weird name!

My name is Kiminé Yorune. Its said really weird. Its like: Kee-mee-ney yo-rune. I never liked it. Jacket says its a cute name but I just think its weird. Papa says it means something special in some sort of Kakadeliã language. But I don't know any of those. Most just call me Kimi now.

Papa is really nice. He's the one who taught me to travel into the cracks of the different worlds. I didn't understand why we stayed in this world though. In other worlds we were treated well and had friends!

But here were just bums, hobo's, homeless. 

We live in this big abandoned building in the big town. I never bothered to learn the names of anything. I never went to school. I've been on the streets all my life. Papa was super proud of me because I always learned super fast. 

He raised me but never told me about my Mama. He'd always say "When your older, Kimi." Or "Not right now, Kimi" or "There's just some things in this world we cannot know, Kimi."

I always got annoyed. 

I'm ten years old. When I was about five, me and Papa found Jacket. It was absolutely awful. He was lying amongst the bins in the alley, skinny, pale and barely breathing. Since all we have is the abandoned building, there wasn't much we could do. Papa tried to heal him but the boy was too close to death. 

But when I tried, his eyes opened, he took a deep breath and colour flushed into his cheeks. 

The weirdest part was....I'd never healed anyone before. 

Jacket had always been one year older than me. But I'm better at using my powers so I can beat him in a fight any day!

We're the only kids here. The second youngest are Tom and Ben. 19 year old twins. Then there was Ruby, 24, Barrel, 31, Judy ,32 and then Papa, 36.

Only 8 of us live here. We spend all day getting whatever we can, when it gets dark we light a fire in the bins and we put together what we all have. Its not much, but it keeps us alive.

Papa says no one else can know about our powers. Only me, Papa and Jacket can know. Papa is amazing. I'm ok but better than Jacket so I'm happy with it. Jacket isn't very good. He's getting there but he's getting there really slowly. He can't even conjure yet!

We had been attacked a few times. Nothing much. The worst was when this random guy pulled a knife on Jacket. Papa soon sorted him though. We've also been robbed but its not that much of a big deal. 

I always assumed that me, Papa and Jacket could always just travel somewhere else and get food but Papa says that would be the worst thing to do. 

He says,

"Kimi, Jacket, we cannot bring back or eat food from the other worlds. These people can't know. We couldn't possibly bring back food and hide it. We all work together here. We couldn't share it either because they would want to know where its from. AND they wouldn't be used to foods like that. They've only ever had human food."

I used to find this unfair but Jacket always understood.

Jacket climbed up out from the, now shattered into pieces, wardrobe and sat on the floor by my mattress. Papa left and we just sat there for a while. Eventually I got bored and lifted Jacket up in the air. 

Jacket laughed.

"H-h-hey! Put me doooown! Kimiii!" 

I moved him just above me.

"Wanna know the best part?" I asked him. 

He looked at me. 

I pulled my hands out the sheets and held them out.

"....you're completely helpless!" 

I stuck out my hands and tickled like I'd never tickled before! Jacket tried to say stop, but he was laughing so much he couldn't breathe, let alone speak.

Jacket was like a brother to me. Before he came, everything was all depressing and hungry and death and stuff. But when he came along, I finally had someone to bully!

We're rarely attacked. Recently, some teens found where we were living. There was a bunch of 18-20 years olds and a little boy who looked a bit older than me. The little,younger boy just stood there, shaking. The older ones had knifes, tied everyone's hands and made us all kneel against the walls, facing into the room while they searched around. It really annoyed me since I knew I could have easily beat them up. But I knew Papa didn't want anyone to know of our ability's. And we can never use them around other people.

I tried to hold it in but things got really difficult. Jacket began to cry for Papa.

"Papaa! PAPAAAA!" He wailed. He was a year older than me but he was just a big baby. I usually felt like he was stealing me from Papa. Jacket was always a weak, scared little boy so Papa needed to take care of him 24/7. But when one of the teens put a knife to his neck and told him to shut up, I cracked.

I snapped the binding on my hands and stood up. I pointed a finger at the one threatening Jacket.

"You get away from my brother!" I yelled at him. He laughed and walked towards me.

"What you gonna do, midget?!?!" He snarled.

"MIDGET?!?!" I screamed, readying my hands to shoot him straight out the window. "I'M TEN YEARS OLD, AND YOUR A VERY BAD PERSON!!!" I squeezed my fists and pulled them back (it looked like was going to punch someone!) And....

"Please, please!" Papa grabbed my shoulders and pulled me back. "She's just a kid, forgive her. Kimi, go sit down now. Do as the man asks you." He pulled me behind him.

Papa tried to reason with them.

"Please, just-" 

"B-be quiet!" The teen stumbled towards us. He pushed the younger lad in our direction. 

"Ben! If you don't give that man some punishment, you sure as hell will be getting it for him!" The older one said.

The younger teen shook at lot.

"W...what? I-i-i cant do that! Please! Please don't make me!"

"Be strong, boy!" The older one said. "The first time is hard but it'll get easier!"

The boy whispered sorry, closed his eyes and moved towards papa. When he didn't move, the older one pushed him in Papa's direction.

"Do it!" He said, knocking the boy to stab Papa in the side. The boy was crying, shaking and scared. I didn't care.

I screamed, ran at him and we both flew out the window. Everyone screamed and shouted my name. 

Look, I'm only 10 but I knew what I was doing. I wasn't going to get hurt, but HE was. I clutched onto his clothes and he clutched back. We hurdled down towards the snow smothered ground. I heard the boy land with a satisfying THUMP! As I landed on top of him.

He wasn't dead, but I was sure he was hurt. He got what he deserved for hurting Papa!

I felt a slight pang of guilt as the first thing he said was,

"Ah! Mummy! Please! It hurts!!" He sat up and stared at me. "Oh my god! You fell too! Are you ok!?!? Do you need help!?!"

He could hardly lift himself up and all he thought about was making sure I wasn't hurt.

I was about to mumble that I was fine but Papa appeared behind me, lifting me off the young boy. I wish I hadn't done that. He was about our age and didn't mean any harm.

I don't really know what happened after. Papa locked me and Jacket in the bedroom and after that they didn't bother us again.

I sat on the bed and sulked. 

Jacket asked me what was wrong.

"Its not fair!" I said. "I want to punish them for what they did to us!"

When I looked up, Jacket was smiling at me. 

I was annoyed and confused.

"...what're YOU lookin' at?" When i said that he smiled more and sat next to me.

"....what're you-" before I could finish, Jacket wrapped his arms around me.

"Hey! W-what?!" Jacket buried his face in my clothes.

"I knew you liked me!" He said. I asked what he was on about and he said,

"You stuck up for me! You took care of me!"

I tried to unhook his arms from my belly.

"Uh....no. I just....Papa wouldn't have been happy if-"

"You called me your 'Brother'!" 

I blushed when he said that. It was true. This weedy, weak, scaredy pants little boy...I had called him my brother. You can look back if you don't believe me.

I don't really know what happened after that. All I know is that I smiled and hugged him back, since then we've been inseparable. But I still pick on him every now and then.

Look, this story of those stupid boys is important. You needed to know it.

Lets skip to the interesting bit. Nothing in between is important.

Its just digging through rubbish and me hitting Jacket.

So...

Let's continue to the next part of my story.....

6 years later

                                                                  -Kiminé Yorune-

                                                                        (Aged 16)

I stared into the mirror. It hung there, cracked and rusted against the wall, staring back at me with my own face. I sighed and looked down at my dirty, rugged clothes. Back in the other world I was treated with respect, wore good clothes, had good meals, but Papa said that we can't go to the other worlds as much as we used to. All he said was,

"Things are just a little difficult at the minute. They're sorting it out, don't worry."

Jacket was still asleep. He snored slightly and his mouth hung open. He slept with his arm wrapped around the back of his head. Don't ask, he was never normal. Maybe he was dropped as a baby...

Papa and Jacket are the most important things in the world to me. Of course I like the others too, but Papa and Jacket are WAY more important. 

Just sayin'.

I kicked Jacket but he stayed sound asleep. I smiled and headed towards the door.

"Hopefully Pops has scavenged something for breakfast." I mumbled to myself. I went to turn the handle but paused.

It was quiet. Unusually quiet.

Eerily silent.

I opened the door and peeked outside.

"Papa?" I called out, "Papa? Hello?"

No one answered. I felt my heart beat speed up.

"I....I'm over reacting." I whispered. "Its....maybe everyone is just...asleep."

I knew I was lying to myself. If anything, they'd all be writing on their cardboard, cleaning out their money tins or just getting ready for the long day of work ahead.

I slowly made my way towards the stairs, the old floorboards creaking underneath my feet as I stepped.

"P...papa? Hey!" 

I called out louder but still no response. I panicked as I heard quick shuffling sound close to me. 

I ignored it. 

No worries. 

If anyone WAS in here I could take 'em down before they realised I was there....I think.

I slowly made my way into the room. 

I saw everything.

Ruby, Tom, Ben, Barrel... Judy....all dead.

Was I next?

I heard footsteps and ran behind the curtains. I sat on the window ledge and lifted my legs, my knees touching my chin.

My heart raced as I listened to people walk around the room. After a few seconds I heard someone say,

"Pity, I guess. They WERE only human though. Poor sods. No idea what was out there."

I heard another one snicker,

"Yeah! And they had no family's too! Ha!" That one laughed. 

How could he laugh in this situation?!?

He then let out an "Oof!" As someone hit his stomach (from what I was guessing)

Then a third voice said, 

"Shut up, Ryan. They were family to each other. They worked and lived together. Anyway, its not like YOU have any family that gives a crap about you."

This 'Ryan' shut up after that.

"Jeeze, Ben! Why you always gotta ruin everything?"

Ben?

...where have I heard that before?

Wait...Papa! I came down here looking for Papa! Was he there with everyone else? Dead?

Did I see him? I couldn't remember. I hope I didn't. Please god, tell me I didn't. Not Papa, anyone but Papa.

'Right, calm down!' I thought. 'Its fine. You're hidden, Jacket is upstairs, Papa...Papa is safe. Yes. I know, I can feel it. They'll leave any second now. Just be patient. Just...wait....'

I moved my foot down and let out a gasp as my bear foot caught the edge of some broken glass.

Crap.

They heard me. Of course they would have heard me!!

I held my breath. My heart thudded heart against my chest, as if it would burst out any second.

Someone went "Shh!" And footsteps approached my direction.

I squeezed my eyes shut and waited.

And waited.

And....waited?

Silence? Had they looked in the wrong place?

I opened my eyes, looked up....and my heart stopped.

He was staring straight into my eyes. He had black hair and big, bright, blue eyes. His face was still and emotionless. He blinked once then leaned back out the curtain.

"No one here. It was just the wind. No worries." 

He went to join the others.

"Come on," he said "I don't wanna stay in here. Its starting to smell funny."

I listened as they began to leave. I finally let out my breath. His voice, he was the one they called 'Ben'. 

I was sure.

Where did I know that name? I was sure I knew it from somewhere...

Anyway, nothing to worry about now. They were leaving.

Everything was going to be just-

"What the hell?!?! What's going....OH MY GOD!!!"

.....Damn it, Jacket. Why? Why now?

"O...oh jeeze!!" He could hardly speak " T-Tom..Ben... Judy...Barrel...w-what happened?!!"

Stop. For the love of god Jacket...just get out of there!

At least he didn't say Papa. 

"Hey Ben, I thought you said this place was empty?" Said the voice of the one named Ryan.

"I thought you'd done all of them? Who's this bozo?"

There was silence for a moment. I was panicking so much.

I heard mumbling. Then whispering.

Then punches.

Crap, Jacket! They'll kill him!

I needed to help him. I took a deep breath and leaned out from behind the curtains. I felt a pang in my chest as I saw...it.

One held Jacket Against the wall (I think that one was Ryan) one was beating him in the stomach and occasionally in the face, and Ben was just...watching.

I was about to run over when Jacket's eyes caught mine.

They pleaded. 

But not to help him. 

He shook his head and mouthed 'Stay there. Hide!'

Tears welled up in my eyes. What was I supposed to do?

Ben looked in my direction. Still his face hadn't changed. He shook his head too.

He looked at Jacket.

"Its for your own good. And you know it."

I knew he wasn't talking to Jacket.

Tears streaming down my face, I curled up once again behind the curtain. Listening to Jackets crys of pain, the sound of those boys beating him to death.

Papa....where are you?!?!

I pulled Jacket over my shoulder and slowly made my way upstairs.

Those horrible boys had beaten the crap out of him. He was unconscious for goodness sake!

They kill everyone I know...they steal my Papa...then they beat my brother!

I'll get them. Oh lord, I'll get them.

I carefully lay Jacket on the bed and stroked his hair. Blood dripped from his mouth and I wiped it off with my sleeve. His breathing was deep, heavy and pained. But he was alive. His face and everywhere else was bruised. He slept soundly as I searched the medicine cupboard. The hidden one that Papa had. 

Though it had hardly anything in it.

A few Kakadelian, Muro and Kagashi herbs and medicines were in there. I grabbed some bandages and something I knew helped pain.

I treated him as best as I could. Bandaged his wounds, gave him painkillers...the whole time trying to hold in tears. 

I needed Papa. He wasn't dead. So where was he?

Jacket was amazing.

He may have seemed weak, but I'd never seen anyone take a beating like that and live. Being on the streets of the human world was never a nice thing.

Of course, WE were human too. Its just that the other worlds were a lot safer.

They were nicer too.

Wait...that's it!

The other worlds! That's where we need to go! That's the only place Papa would have gone and I could get Jacket fixed up super easy!

But....I'd never travelled on my own.

Let alone be able to take Jacket with me.

But I had to try.

I stood up, feet apart, hands by my sides and took a deep breath.

Moving my hands forward as I breathed out, I pushed them slowly towards the wall.

Purple, blue and red sparks began to fly away from the space between my palms. 

"Remember..." I said. "Remember what he taught you. Trust yourself. Trust your mind...your heart..."

..............

"That's right Kimi! Your doing it!"

Papa's hands let go of mine as a blast flew from my palms and into the wall. He clapped as I smiled. I'd opened my first portal, with his help. 

This memory was so clear. Papa lifted me in the air and spun me around, laughing and smiling. His green eyes sparkled with pride. I was about 4 I think. We hugged tightly, stepping through the portal into the new world. I made friends. Made memories.

I was so happy.

........

Tears dripped down my face as I opened my eyes, seeing the portal on the wall I had just made. Trust your mind...trust your heart. 

Papa....I trust you.

I wiped my face and picked up Jacket.

This was it. We were going through. 

Without Papa. 

To find Papa.

I stepped through, the familiar sense rising into my face.

The room and life behind me disappeared as I headed to the new worlds.

You had to be careful in a portal. Each movement could take you somewhere else. As long as we stayed still and together, me and Jacket would make it to Kakadelia fine. We must stay touching. Or we'd be swept to different places.

Then the sick feeling hit me....

Like being upside down....

........I grew weak......lost my balance........

And dropped Jacket.

"Kimi!" Jacket shouted, waving at me from across the field of flowers and clover. Him and Papa were standing under the single willow tree. I smiled and waved back. Standing up in my flowing, white dress. I began to run to them. They ran too. 

We all ran, arms outstretched... then...

I woke up.

On a cold, hard, concrete floor. A dream? Of course. I looked around. Was I still dreaming?

No. This was reality. 

I was in a cell. I rubbed my head, only to find that it had been gashed open in the fall.

Fall? Had I fell?

Then I remembered. I had tried to travel. No, I had.

My head hurt like hell.

Jacket! I let go of him!

So that's why. I let go of him, so we ended up in different places. One thing was for sure, I was in the WRONG place. That way I knew Jacket was safe in Kakadelia. We'd been there before, he'd find Nai, they'd find Papa and I.....

I looked around.

...I'll be stuck in a jail cell in some unknown place...

I had to get out.

I stood up and walked forward.

I didn't get very far. My legs were both chained. Both! It was so stupid! You're not supposed to chain BOTH legs!

I held onto the bars and lay my head against them, letting the blood drip down into the rust.

The most depressing part?

I was still in my PJ's.

I stood there for a while. 

Thinking. 

Until a noise made me jump. It sounded like shuffling. I turned around to see a small, dark corner. 

I could tell someone was there but it was too dark to see them properly.

"Great. Not only am I trapped in here, but I'm trapped with someone who's probably been put away for murder!" I muttered to myself, banging my head on the bars.

"Actually, I was falsely accused." Said the voice.

They stood up and walked towards me. I still didn't know what they looked like. They had a blanket around them, like a hood that was casting a shadow over most of their face. I could tell it was boy by the voice.

"R...really?" I said, a little shaken. I didn't mean for him to hear that. I guess I have a pretty loud mouth, even when I'm trying to be quiet.

"Yeah. Got blamed for the murder of that...guard guy."

I didn't like this. But maybe he could help me figure out where I was.

"Uh....what guard? What was his realm?"

Making conversation with a suspected killer. Great.

"I dunno. But I know you don't believe me. You think I killed him don't ya?"

I shrugged. What was I supposed to say? The strange man sat down.

"So...what's your name, lass?"

"Uh....." I couldn't tell him my real name. You never know. What if he WAS a killer? 

"Its....Kamîna." I said.

He smiled.

"No its not. Anyway, I'm Jen."

He could tell I was lying. Was i really that bad? Or was he just good with these things?

"Sooo....what's your real name?"

I didn't say anything.

He smiled.

"That's quite a cut you've got there." He said, looking at my head.

I touched it, flinching as it stung. 

He got up and moved towards me. I stepped backwards and my shoulders touched the bars.

Jen took ahold of his blanket and tore off the edge, gently placing it on my forehead.

"Here, hold that." He said. "It'll help stop the bleeding."

I stayed with Jen for a while. We spoke normally. I decided I liked him. He was kind. He really didn't seem like someone who'd kill a guy, let alone a guard. He was loyal to all the worlds and their rulers. He told me his entire story. 

He was born in a Modeté village and lived happily with his mum and sister. But him and his sister were sent to Kakadelia(the most famous part of the worlds) to train. He became very good at fighting and had many weapons. He had to split up with his sister. His sister stayed in Kakadelia while Jen had to travel all over the world (or worlds). He had recently finished all training and had set out for a good, healthy life when he was accused of murder and placed in here!

Which hardly seemed fair.

"So what about you?" He asked. "What's your story, girl who fell from my ceiling?"

I didn't want to say I was from the human world, let alone a human.

"I...I'm a Mage." Which wasn't really lying. I could do what the mages could and more.

But he seemed very impressed.

"Really?! So you can do magic and stuff?"

I nodded. We spoke a bit more. I told him I was one of the few Mages that could travel. I said I tried to travel with my brother but lost him and ended up here.

He believed me. Well...most of it was the truth, I guess.

We talked even more. I was still wondering if Jen WAS a good guy. I mean...you never know...

I then asked him why he was wearing the blanket like that.

"My hood." He said. "One of the guards took it from me. I've always wore it. My mother gave it to me. Its been a part of me ever since, never gone anywhere without it."

"So you put a blanket on your head?" I asked, giggling.

He got up and looked outside the bars.

"Hey..." he whispered, "...wanna get out of here?"

"Uhh..." how was I supposed to respond?!?! 

How about...

'Yes random guy I just met! I would definitely like to break out of prison with you! 

Oh goody, what fun!'

Sorry for the sarcasm. 

I didn't say anything.

Jen put his fists together and closed his eyes, orange sparks forming in the centre around his knuckles.

"...hey..." I said, "...I know-"

BASH!!

A jet of fire and wind was forced towards the bars at an impossible rate, knocking me over with it. It was Jen.

He looked back and held out his hand for me.

"What?" He said, innocently, "Us Mage's have to stick together, right?"

I swallowed and took ahold of his hand. He helped me up, blasted another shot at our chains and began running.

Guards ran at us from all directions. Out of nowhere, Jen conjured a GIANT, flaming Sword (it looked too heavy to hold. Even though HE held it in one hand) and began swiping them away three at a time like bugs on a carpet, using his powers to attack every now and then, blanket fluttering gracefully behind him.

I stayed as close as I could. The whole time the blanket flicked my face. I wanted to help, but I could only use my powers when standing still, if at all.

Before I knew it, we were on the roof of the prison, guards coming at us from all sides.

Jen began dealing with them while I tried to find a way for us to get down. I put together my fists and tried a conjuring spell. That didn't work.

Instead I made a portal, a big one. I was about to tell Jen to jump when I noticed a something black strapped to one of the guards belts.

I grabbed it, (knowing immediately what it was) then grabbed Jen and pulled us both inside. I clutched onto him for dear life. I wasn't loosing this one. No chance.

We were gonna get out, find Jacket, find Papa and go home. That's it.

And yeah....

I was STILL in my PJ's.

                                                                        -Jacket-

"...mmn....k.....Kimi?...." I tried to sit up, every part of me aching. "Kimi? Where are you?"

I opened my eyes and looked around. I was in the middle of a town or a village...I dunno which is which. Is there a difference?

It was very...white. I was lying on the floor in the middle of four huge pillars, all with paths leading in four directions, each lined with houses, shops, bakers, black smiths.

Kakadelia? Why was I in Kakadelia? I can't travel!

...but Kimi can...

"Kimi?!?!" I shouted, panicking. I had begun to draw attention by people walking by.

I stood up, spinning in every direction searching the streets.

"KIMIIII!!!" I shouted as loud as I could. Now everyone was staring at me. I didn't care. I had to find Kimi. I was about to step forward when a stabbing pain shot through my leg and made me fall to floor again.

I looked down and pulled up my trousers. Bandages. And a few healing herbs stuck in between. Only one person could bandage as bad as that. 

Kimi.

I stood up again, trying to remember what had happened. Papa had said before about the memory loss from travelling. He said it didn't last long though. I racked my brain for answers. I began walking, taking care this time.

I leaned against one of the pillars when I got a horrible image.

Ruby, Tom, Ben, Barrel and Judy. Dead. Killed. Each of them spread out across the floor.

Then it all hit me at once.

Those boys, the punches, the pain...Kimi...behind the curtain.

After that my mind was blank. Those boys had beaten me unconscious...

I looked down at my leg.

So Kimi had patched me up.

I smiled.

"Good old, Kimi." I said to myself. "Always looking out for me."

I looked around again.

"Oh, Kimi...where are you?"

I let myself slide down the pillar and sat on the floor. I felt empty without Kimi. Like half of me was here and half of me was still with her. We'd never been apart.

I closed my eyes and rested my head.

When I heard a voice I recognised.

"Jacket? Is that really you?!?"

I looked up and saw a familiar face. Not the one I wanted to see, but I knew it.

It was Nai (said like 'Nigh'). He laughed.

"I haven't seen you in years! How've ya been? Where's Kiminé?"

"Don't call her that." I snapped back.

"W-what?" Nai was confused. And I was in a very bad mood.

"She doesn't like Kiminé. Call her Kimi. She Hates Kiminé." 

I don't know why I was being a jerk.

"Ok! Jeeze!" 

He said, leaning against the same pillar and closing his eyes. "Nice to see you too. It HAS been a fair few years mate, I ain't gonna remember small details like that!"

He was chewing on something. Wheat? Barley? Is that what people chew? I dunno. If you ask me, Nai acts more human that any of us(and he's the only one who's NOT human!)

he also seems to know more about them...

I lay my head on my arms. Nai bent over, his head beside mine and said, "Jackie? You don't seem so good, me lad. You been dumped or somethin'?"

I frowned to myself.

"Its not Kimin...Kimi is it? Are you guys dating? But your like brother and sister! That's like...eww...... I thought you guys called yourselves siblings, anyway? In fact, you wouldn't be able to tell you weren't!"

He was right. Me and Kimi really COULD pass as brother and sister. We both have brown hair and brown eyes. I'm just a slightly darker shade, hardly noticeable though.

I looked back at Nai. Only then did I realise he had a red bandana round his head. Only visible on his forehead. The rest was hidden, tucked under his hair. Kinda like one of those Kung Fu guys. He did have a lot of hair. Only enough to make a very small, one or two centimetres long ponytail(not that he ever did). His hair was black too.

Nai smiled and held out his hand. I took ahold of it and let him help me up. He could see I had taken a beating so he put my arm over his shoulders like I'd broken my leg or something. He began to trail me slowly back to his place. I didn't care.

I didn't care about anything.

I missed Kimi. 

                                                                           -Kiminé-

I woke up in ANOTHER place I didn't know! I was lying in an uncomfortable bed with ugly brown sheets and a pillow that felt like paper. I sat up and looked around. I was in a inn(that's fun to say! In a Inn! Haha!)

But...how?

I looked to my left to see Jen fast asleep on a chair beside me. Had he brought me here? Why was he in that chair instead of in a bed, resting?

I touched my head, expecting to feel a stinging pain again...but nothing. The wound had been healed. But...by who?

Was it Jen?

I heard Jen groan and wake up.

"K...Kimi?..." he murmured. 

When he saw I was awake his eyes shot open and he leaned over towards me.

"Kiminé! Thank god! You woke up! I was starting to worry so much that I spent the whole time sitting here until you did...guess I fell asleep, huh?"

He smiled at me. A big, toothy grin with his eyes closed.

Just like Jacket would.

"Jacket!" I shouted. "W-where are we?!? We need to find him!"

"Uh...we're in Kakadelia..." Jen said, looking away. I felt bad. He'd spent all this time taking care of me and as soon as I wake up I think about Jacket.

"Um...thanks...for taking care of me." I said.

He looked back at me and smiled again.

"No problem. So, where's this brother of yours?" He asked.

"I dunno. We need to look for him. I think I know where he might be!" I said, getting up and heading for the door.

"Kimi...we really need to change your clothes..." he said, staring at me.

I looked down.

I was wearing a beautiful, blue gown and glass slippers.

Just kidding.

Still in my PJ's.

"You stay here. I'll run down to the market and grab something for ya." He headed off when I remembered the black thing I grabbed from the guard.

"Wait! Jen! I...I got this for you." I held it out. He knew straight away what it was.

Back when he was telling me about himself, I remembered how he described his hood.

Black with white and gold rims. I knew it when I saw it on the guard.

Even though he looked like he'd burst into tears, he just murmured

"Thanks." And ran off.

He came back a while later with some clothes for me. I was FINALLY out of my PJ's!!

It was a nice outfit too. Boots, brown trousers, cotton shirt, some sort of multicoloured, crystal necklace....he even got me my own hood to go with it! He said it was a 'Mage Tradition' to wear a hooded cloak. Mine was brown and had white and silver rims at the bottom and round the top of the hood. It was beautiful! 

Jen put his hood up, the shadow hiding most of his face whereas I wore my cloak with the hood down. I even brushed my hair and cleaned my face to look more presentable (which is rare when you live on the streets. Now can you see why I like it there more?)And we were off on our search for my brother.

I took Jen to the middle of Kakadelia(where Jacket would have landed) but he wasn't there. After that we just asked around for a while.

When it began to get dark, I started to give up.

Something made me jump. It was a loud, almost rumbling sound. I KNEW I'd heard it before.

We had traveled far on our search and had ended up by a large field. The sound had come from there so we went to check it out.

All of a sudden, something huge and red appeared out of nowhere, zoomed past and disappeared again without a trace!

"Whoa! What was that? It looked like a giant beetle!!" Jen said.

I knew what it was.

It was a car.

But how? How did a car get here? From the human world?

"...hey...who's that?..." Jen said, pointing to the other side of the field.

Someone very familiar stood there.

Someone with an emotionless expression....

Someone with black hair......

And big, bright, blue eyes...

                                                                          -Bucket-

I ran as fast as I could. My legs ached, my head throbbed, my arms stung...but I kept running through the darkness. No destination. No end to the road, no stopping. Just darkness.

Of course, they were right behind me. Their white, glowing eyes the only visible thing in the darkness.

I squeezed my own eyes of tears, keeping them closed as I ran.

"Kimi! Jacket! Where are you?!?" I screamed into nothing. He was behind me. Following me just like the rest...but him....he was worse...

"Stay away from me!! Kimi! Jacket!"

I'd been running endlessly for...oh, I don't know...a few hours? A few days? Longer?

It didn't matter. What mattered was getting to my kids. I needed to warn them, to save them, to get there before HE did.

Even though I knew he had trapped me here, in the never ending hall of darkness, I was determined. I WAS going to save them. And NO-ONE could tell me otherwise.

I'll play your game, Kito. 

And I'll win.

                                                                      -Jacket-

I lay on Nai's bed, staring up at the ceiling with my hands behind my head and my legs crossed.

Nai came in with a tray.

"Well...make yourself at home then." He smiled. I looked at him and smiled back. I wasn't being such a jerk now I'd calmed down.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Food." He said, laying the tray down on the table.

I liked Nai's house. Papa had brought me and Kiki here when I was about 12. Of course, Nai hardly looked any different since Kakadelian's take a lot longer to age.

His house was very small and there was no upstairs. I think they call that a bungalow in the human world. The bed was in the living room but behind the couch and the kitchen was through the door. The loo looked more like a broom closet from the outside.

Anyway, we had some food and I told him everything that had happened.

"Bummer." Was all he said. "What you gonna do?" 

"I dunno. I guess I need to find out." I said.

"You know what always helps me? A trip to the fields!" He said, getting up and heading to the door.

"Come on." He said "it'll help clear your head."

So we did.

When we got there someone was leaving. I couldn't see well, but he had black hair and a strange blue outfit. After a few seconds they were gone.

Nai hadn't noticed.

"Ah! Take a deep breath, buddy!"

So I did. I stayed still while Nai began to walk forwards, eyes closed and hands out like an aeroplane.......

"Ow!" He shouted. I ran over and found him on the floor, rubbing his face.

I looked at what he'd ran into.

"Whoa!" He said "I've never seen a staff so BIG!"

It wasn't a staff. It was a lamppost. From the human world. But how? How was it there?

After a few seconds it disappeared, leaving nothing behind.

Nai hadn't noticed, but his nose was bleeding.  

"Hey, Nai?" I said.

"Yeah?"

"Say...the world was ending...and strange forces were destroying everything...where or who would we go to?"

He stared at me for a moment, then said

"Well...Kînru and Kamaî I guess." (Kin-roo and Kam-eye in case you didn't know)

"Well...let's go then." I said.

Nai asked me what was going on. I just told him the world could be ending and we were on our way! 

Just kidding, I explained that the human world was somehow mixing with these worlds and we had to figure out what was going on.

"Oh! Well Kînru and Kamaî are DEFIANTLY who we want then. They're Elfs, ya see. Elfs love this stuff."

Now...let's get this clear...

Yes, Elfs are a thing in the human world. In movies and books...but they have it all wrong. They don't play flutes, sit in trees, talk to fairies or have long ears.

Elfs have odd coloured eyes like red, yellow or pink...either a pale blue or pale green skin...Oh! And horns. They have horns. Though the females tend to have bigger ones. They also all have strange markings all over their bodies...apparently it shows their personality.   

But other than that they look fairly human.

Nai packed his things and gave me some clothes (I was still in my PJ's!) to wear. We decided to leave straight away. If something was wrong with the World Strings...it could mean a lot of trouble for all of us.

We traveled a long way, it took about a day and a half but eventually we got there. 

Kînru welcomed us with open arms, gave us food and everything! He was clearly good friends with Nai.

"So...Nai...who's your friend?" He asked.

"...well...he-" before he could finish, there was a knock on the door.

Kînru opened it, to then reveal the most amazing sight I'd seen so far...

                                                                      -Kiminé-

"You're a monster! A MONSTER!!"

I shouted whilst rapidly punching the expressionless devil. He stayed still, unmoving and stared at me.

Tears fell down my face but I didn't stop.

"....are you done yet?" He asked.

"No! I won't be done until you're dead!" I screamed.

Ben rolled his eyes and grabbed my shoulders, pulling me away and staring into my soul. His grip didn't loosen and he held me there.

"Look...it was for your own good. I was trying to keep you safe." He said, still calm.

"BY LETTING THEM BEAT HIM?!?!" I shouted(again) trying to pull myself from his grasp.

Jen came over and pulled me away from him.

"Hey! What makes you think you can touch her like that?!" He shouted (there was a lot of shouting back then) pulling me against him.

"Oh, be quiet you irrelevant little boy!" Ben said.

"Why are you here? What do you want?" I asked, trying to stop everyone from shouting.

"You've seen it too, right?" He said, still staring me right in the eyes, making me very uncomfortable.

"Seen what?" I asked.

Ben looked at Jen.

"Excuse me, worthless bit of life? Could we please have a moment?"

Jen argued for a moment, but eventually gave us some space.

"The worlds are breaking. The human world is slowly conjoining with the others. If this continues, ALL the worlds will be destroyed." He said.

So THATS why we saw a car. And that's why it appeared and disappeared, it was breaking through to Kakadelia. Almost like a glitch.

"How do we stop it?" I asked.

"I don't know. But I know someone who might be able to point us in the right direction. Her name is Yunta."

He said.

Jen leaned in between me and Ben.

"Hey! I know some guys who can help us! They're old friends of mine." He said.

"...where do they live?" I asked.

"You were listening?" Ben frowned.

"Up north. In Galaius." Jen said, ignoring Ben.

"And hey, I might be a simple lad...but I understand about the different worlds. I'm a mage, remember?"

"Right, Its on the way to Yunta. We'll drop there first and then head straight to her." Ben told us.

I stared at him. He stared back.

"....what?" He asked.

"We?"

He sighed.

"Yes. From here on, we're working together, like it or not."

I didn't like it, but agreed.

Whatever was going on, only WE could stop it....

I just wish Jacket was there too.

*******

We traveled RIDICULOUSLY far, without stopping. I didn't complain until it got dark.

Jen and Ben (their names rhyme!) kept telling me we were almost there. After a while we ended up in some strange woods. Jen said this was where they lived.

We continued to walk until we came across a small, moss-covered cottage in the middle of nowhere.

I knocked and waited. After a few seconds, someone I didn't know opened the door.

"Kînru? Long time no see." Jen said, smiling.

We headed inside....

And saw them...

"Kimi!"

"Jacket!"

We both called out as we ran into each others arms. Mine were tight around his waist and his tight around my shoulders (don't judge, he's taller than me) and we hugged in the silence. Both of us were crying. My tears fell on his shirt and his on my head.

I was so happy, so grateful.

I had found him. SOMEHOW, fate had brought us together again, like we should be.

"Damn it, Kimi..." he said, rubbing his face into my hair.

"I swear to god, now I have you I am NEVER letting you go again!"

"Aww! Look at the happy couple!" Nai cooed, his hands together like he was praying with a retarded face.

"We're not a couple!" I said "he's my brother!"

"Well it certainly doesn't look like that." Ben stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

Jacket let go of me and pulled me behind him.

"....you..." he mumbled.

" Yes, I." Ben said, crossing his arms across his chest.

Jacket walked forwards, a burst of fire lit his fist. Burning like the fire in his eyes he grabbed Ben's shirt, pulling him up and off the floor.

Of course, Ben remained expressionless, staring back at him without blinking.

Jacket pushed Ben against the wall.

"So...got anything to say before I pummel your ass?"

"Yeah..." Ben said "...I thought you couldn't use your powers?"

"I can't! I....." 

Jacket slowly looked down at his flaming fist.

"Wh...what?" He stuttered, dropping Ben to the floor.

"K...Kimi! I'm doing it! I'm actually doing it!"

"Oh my god! Jacket!" I said, hands over my mouth.

Jacket had never been able to use his powers...so why now?

He came over to me smiling with a big goofy grin.

"Kimi! I've actually-" 

A blast of lightning struck the room, knocking all of us back and setting the house on fire.

"Quick! Everyone out!" Kînru shouted.

We all ran out the door.

It wasn't Jacket. He had fire powers, not lightning. But who was it then?

"Ah...Kimi? You ok?" Jacket came back towards me, rubbing his head.

"Y...yeah...what was that?" I asked. 

"Who knows..." Kînru sighed, looking at the flames "but there goes our house...and everything we own..."

Kamaî was facing away from everyone with her arms crossed.

"...its a pity. Its not easy to loose your home. But maybe its a wake up call. Maybe the end is coming faster than we think. We should go." Ben said.

Everyone agreed.

Nai asked for our plans. Ben said his part, so did Kînru and Kamaî. Jacket REALLY didn't like the idea of teaming up with Ben, but eventually agreed. He said as long as he could keep an eye on him.

Once everyone understood, we began to head North.

Where did that lighting come from?

Would we be able to fix things?

We started the long walk. All of us. Me, Jen, Nai, Kînru, Kamaî, Ben....and Jacket.

.....at that point....I didn't realise I'd cause so much pain for them all.

Even myself.

Ben said we should head to Yunta and that she'd know what was going on and how to stop it.

So...well...we walked. We walked a lot. Through forests, past mountains - you name it.

Anyway, to skip the boring journey and the awkward conversations... we finally got there.

Well...all least I think we did.

It looked more like a tree to me. A very big tree.

"Ok. Here we are." Ben said, crossing his arms and staring up.

Nai looked around.

"And...where is here exactly?" He asked.

Ben frowned at him and moved towards the tree. No one else moved. We all just stared at him.

He did something with his back to us so we couldn't see. After a few clicks and other sounds, part of the tree bark moved, revealing a doorway. Ben told us to follow him as he walked through.

It was like being in a treehouse!

First, there was stairs. A lot of them. 

But after that it was brilliant!

There was a little green fire, wooden furniture, wooden walls, a little wooden table and even wooden cutlery!

In the corner, there was an woman with long, grey/silver hair sitting in the (wooden) rocking chair with her eyes closed. She was gently rocking back and forth taking long, deep breaths.

Ben stepped forward.

"Yunta? Hello?" 

Her eyes shot open and she gleamed a smile.

"Ooooh! Benjamin! Oh, I haven't seen you in years!"

She cooed, moving towards him and putting her hands on his shoulders. She squeezed his cheeks saying 

"Ooooooh! Look 'ow you've grown! A proper gentlemen!"

He removed her arms, blushing.

"Y-Yunta! Friends!"

She looked over at us.

"Ooooooh! Look at these adorable little muffins! Giz us a look at 'em!"

She waddled over and cooed over all of us. I smiled. She seemed sweet, kind and caring. I liked her.

She saw me. 

She stopped and stared for a moment.

"Benny, ma boy! Who's your pretty lady friend?" She said, smiling.

"Uh...there's two girls, Yunta."

She looked around.

"....really? Are you sure? I can't see any others!" 

Kamaî looked away. I could tell she was a girl, quite easily actually. Oh well. Yunta was old. Maybe she just had bad eyes.

She looked back at me.

"...you know, lass? I think I know a place you'd really enjoy!"

She headed towards a door at the back.

"Benny, ma dear! I'm just showing this lovely lady the tree room!"

Ben nodded and I followed Yunta through the door, alone.

Really? A tree room? In a tree?!?!

When she closed the door and turned around, I saw a HUGE family tree painting covering all the walls! It was incredible!

I wanted to stay and admire but Yunta didn't even hesitate. Straight away she began moving the carpet to reveal a hidden trap door.

"'Here, lass!" She whispered "Come on! No one knows about this place! It can be our secret!"

I willingly followed her through the trap door and down the steps. The next room wasn't so nice.

It definitely wasn't a tree room. There was no wood to be seen. There was NOTHING to be seen! It was like being inside a hollow cube!

I looked around. I was sure the walls, floor and roof was all made from concrete or cement!

"Um...Yunta? Why are we-"

All of a sudden, I was forced into the wall by small, bony hands. One of them grabbed my hair and pushed my head against the wall. Was this Yunta? No, surely not!

But it was definitely Yunta's voice.

"...dirty, evil little wretch!" She hissed into my ear, pushing me harder into the wall.

"Wh-what?!?! What's going on?!?!" I was panicking. What the hell was happening?!?!

"Don't act dumb!" She snarled "You! You dirty little Yorune!!"

"Y...Yorune?" I mumbled, my face cold against the concrete.

"Oh, I could see it in your eyes! See it in your face, in your walk, in your voice! You're a Yorune, alright! Evil witch! You think you can just walk in here!?! Why are you in Kakadelia!?!?!"

She tightened her grip.

She sighed, then said

"No...I can't....you're not safe. You're not going near those kids. Never again!"

She pulled my head back and smashed it against the wall, knocking me out cold.

Yorune? 

Papa had always told me my name meant something...but was it that bad?

Why did she turn against me?

What had I done?

And....oh god....

"Your not going near those kids. Never again!"

.........

What was she gonna do?

                                                                       -Jacket-

We were all fascinated by the many incredible wooden animals on the shelves. Ben had told us that Yunta had carved them herself! I didn't really LIKE Ben yet...but he didn't seem terrible.

Kimi and Yunta had been gone for about 10 minutes. She must really be enjoying that 'tree room'.

Haha.....tree room in a tree....good lord...

I was about to go look for Kimi when Yunta walked in. 

Alone.

"Hey, where's Kimi?" I asked.

Yunta looked down, her eyes squeezed shut.

"Oh...my boy...I'm so sorry..."

I stared at her.

"...what? Where's Kimi? Where's my sister!!??"

She looked up at me.

"I...I don't know! One moment she was there...then...."

She looked over at Ben.

Ben looked worried.

"Yunta...you don't think it was-"

"She must have been a special girl." She interrupted "Kito won't just take anybody."

"KITO!?!" I screamed "WHO THE F*** IS KITO AND WHAT HAS HE DONE WITH KIMI?!?!"

Ben shushed me.

"Jacket, Kito is a very powerful person. Its said he's going around taking some of the most powerful magic-users there is. No one knows why."

Jen looked confused.

"Magic-users? Mage's, you mean?"

"No. Kimi isn't a mage. She's from the human world." Ben frowned, looking down.

"W..what? You mean.....she.....lied to me?"

Jen was silent for a while after that.

After a long, boring conversation we all agreed that we MUST find Kimi before we continued. Of course, I was gonna kill anyone who laid a finger on her!

Yunta apologised so many times.

Poor old girl.

She felt absolutely terrible for what happened, blamed everything on herself.

It wasn't her fault. It was this 'Kito' guy. And I was gonna get him.

I'd get him good.

We left, waving to Yunta as we walked towards the woods.

In the final seconds we saw her, before she disappeared into her house, she shouted,

"Find that girl and bring her back safe! Ok! Goodbye! Stay safe!!"

                                                                         -Kiminé-

"Find that girl and bring her back safe! Ok! Goodbye! Stay safe!!"

I heard Yunta calling out from the front of the house.

"No! Wait! Guys! I'm in here!!....please...."

Once I woke up, I found myself chained to the walls by my hands. I was held up so my feet only JUST touched the ground. It hurt my wrists.

I'd heard Yunta and her lies. She just wanted to get rid of them. Was she coming back?

What was she gonna do?

Footsteps.

S***.

"Ah! So you're awake?" She grumbled, stepping towards me and looking me up and down.

"...you know, lass....you look like a right mess."

Of course I did! 

I had been bashed in the head, dragged along the floor and chained to a wall!

Once again, my head was bleeding. The blood trickled down into my eye. The most irritating part was that I couldn't rub it away or itch my face.

Yunta slapped her hands together.

"Now!" She cheered "Let's get this over and done with..."

She pulled a small dagger out from one of her hidden pockets. I didn't panic. I'd taken stab wounds before. I had about 4 scars from stabs wounds alone. I could manage one more.

But this...this was unlike any stab I'd ever experienced. 

It pierced my skin, sending a freezing chill all over my body, the area around the wound turned white, my entire body turned ice cold and I couldn't move.

Once she pulled it out again she smiled.

"Wasn't expecting that, was you?" She sneered "Its nothing much. I just thought I'd douse the blade in frostbite venom for extra....experience."

I couldn't stop shivering. My teeth chattered and my lip shook like hell. 

I held in tears. I didn't want to cry. Not in front of her.

She held the blade near my heart...pulling it back ready to force it in with all her might...

when she paused.

"....no....this is too good for you..." 

She put the blade away and rushed back up the steps.

It tried to get myself loose but my body wouldn't co-operate. 

When she came back, there was a very large vile in her hand, filled with a black liquid and an extremely sharp point at the top.

She held me still and jabbed the point into my neck on the right side. I felt burning liquid boil its way through my flesh.

She did this again on my left wrist and right ankle. 

When she was done she stood back and admired her work.

"Hmm...something isn't quite right..."

She stared at my eyes.

"...if you can look me in the eyes and tell me you're innocent...I'll stop."

I did as she said, anymore pain and I'd burst out in tears.

"Why must you do this?" I asked, staring her in the eyes "What did I ever do wrong? What did i-"

Before I could finish she threw a handful of red powder straight in my eyes.

"....you were born...."

It burned.

It really, really burned.

I screamed and writhed about against the wall. Desperately trying to rub my eyes, my hands shaking as I pulled on the chains with all my strength.

I did that for 10 minutes straight.

And that b****...stood there and watched.

My eyes felt like they'd fall out if I opened them.

While I screamed and cursed, Yunta used some magic to travel somewhere else, leaving me alone.

I wanted to run away but the pain had made my body useless (I was trapped in chains anyway)

When she returned there was another pair of footsteps.

"Right there." She said "The little buggar just walked in here, like she was a normal person. Dirty Yorune. Dirty blood."

I couldn't see, but I could hear and I found that quite offensive!

"You sure she's a Yorune?" The new voice asked, clearly male.

"Definitely. I could see it in her eyes." Yunta growled.

Footsteps approached and I felt hot air on my face. Good god, I hated being blind!

"....what's your name then?" The new, male voice asked.

I was shaking and crying with pain, unable to answer.

"Don't bother with her, Kito. Just kill her already!" Yunta shouted.

So THIS was Kito?

A hand held my face up, softly. I didn't fight, scared of being hurt more.

"Yunta?...what's this?" He asked.

"Oh, I used the vile." 

"What?! Why?!" He complained, touching the area I was poisoned.

"Where else is it?" He asked.

She didn't reply, so I guess she pointed.

Kito touched my face, gently again.

"...used the fire powder?" He asked.

I think she nodded.

He sighed.

"Hey...can you hear me?" He asked.

I tried to nod, my body still shaking and frozen.

"Can you try and open your eyes for me, please?"

I did as he asked.

It was terrifying.

My vision was, not alone blurred, but it looked...negative. Everything was the wrong colour. I could just make out the shape of a person crouched in front of me, closer than I felt comfortable with.

"Jeeze...poor girl...her eyes are bright red. What were they originally?" He asked.

"Brown, I think." Moaned Yunta "Don't worry. That'll wear off. Eventually that'll form back into that horrid, Yorune colour!"

My eyes were red?!?!

I let my body flop for a moment. My eyes closed, the voices blurring into the background.

Just as I felt slightly relaxed, the chains broke and I fell to the ground.

"Ah! Crap! Sorry!" Kito panicked, helping me up.

"I didn't think you'd drop!"

I tried to stand but before I could he swooped me off my feet.

"Uh-uh! You can't walk like that. Don't worry, I gotcha."

"Kito! What are you doing??!!" Yunta squeaked "Just kill her already!"

My head began to throb and there was a buzzing in my ears so I didn't hear the rest of the conversation.

All I could tell was, Kito was moving and we were now outside. I was away from that place and that awful woman.

And i was grateful.

*****

I think I fell asleep cuz when I opened my eyes again, my vision was practically normal and it was night time. I was still being carried by Kito and things were still a little burry but I felt much better.

I rubbed my head and stared up at him, stunned by his shocking white hair!

"Uh...hello?"

"Hi." He smiled.

"How are you?" I asked.

"I'm good. You?"

"Been better."

"You talk in your sleep." He giggled.

"Oh...sorry."

"Nah, it kept me entertained."

".....so.....um....you're carrying me? Annnd...where are we going?"

"I'm gonna-" before he finished, he darted his head around and started running.

"S***!" He said "Its Them!!"

"What?!?!" I said, the split second before a flaming arrow shot past our heads.

I looked behind to see LOADS of men riding on horses, heading our way with swords and arrows.

"Its them." He said again

"And they want you dead."

I have no idea what on earth happened!!

I woke up on the grass by a large tree. It was a single willow tree in the middle of a vast field that never seemed to end.

I look around and saw Kito leaning against the tree with his eyes closed, taking long, deep breaths.

"...Mornin'...." he said as I sat up.

"Uh...morning?" I looked around. The sky was clear and the sun was shining.

Where was I?!?

"Um...excuse me? Where are-"

"So who's Jacket?" He butted in.

"Wha?" I was baffled.

"You sleep-talked. Who's Jacket? Whats your name? And where you from? Don't bother lying to me. I can read you like a book."

This guy irritated me. Who did he think he was, being all c***y and stuff?!

Read me like a book? I'd like to see him try!

"Well...my name is Kiminé Yorune, I'm from the human world, I have Kakadelian abilities and Jacket is my brother." I said, folding my arms.

His eyes shot open and he stared at me.

"You're kidding? Your NAME is Yorune?!?!"

"Yeah. Gotta problem with that?"

"No! No!" He held his hands up "I just mean...wow...and...you say you're from the human world...yet have Kakadelian abilities? How so?"

"My Papa taught me how to use them."

"So your dad has them? He's from Kakadelia?"

"Yep...well...I don't know where he's from though. He never said." I looked across the field again. Why was he asking me these questions?

"And your brother? He got 'em too?"

"Yeah. Now can I ask a question?"

"Sure."

"Why am I being interrogated by a guy I just met?"

A question I asked myself: Why was I telling him everything?

I don't know how to explain it...but he had a sort of...safe feeling about him. Like Papa.

"Because that guy you just met saved your life twice yesterday."

"Oh..." I remembered what had happened with Yunta and those men on the horses.

"Who's your Mother?" He asked.

"I don't know. I never met her."

"Does your brother have the same mother as you?"

"Oh! No, you see, me and Papa found Jacket on the streets. He's not my blood brother."

"He's not your brother at all."

"Shut up! I grew up with him! And who said your opinion was wanted?" I shouted.

"Jeeze...calm down..." he closed his eyes and looked up again. "...he's not related to your dad?"

I shook my head. He was silent again for a moment.

"So...what happened when you found him?" He asked.

"Actually...I remember it...so clearly.......basically...."

I thought I should explain it properly, so here you go!

11 years ago......

                                                                         -Kiminé-

                                                                           (Age 5)

I toddled in and out of the bins in the alley, looking for scraps or something new to play with. Papa was in the alley behind me. I was always faster than him! 

I thought I'd hit jackpot with a big, wooden box.

But when I opened it, it just turned out to be a bunch of rats.

I let out a squeal and ran, my arms outstretched as I shouted

"Papa! Papa!"

I bumped into him and wrapped my arms around his waist, deciding to never let go again.

"Kimi? What on earths wrong?"

"Monsters! They're gonna get me!"

Without loosening my grip, I showed Papa to the rat box. He ruffled my hair and told me to stand away as he moved the box out of my sight.

While he did this, I decided to explore the next alley.

I got halfway when I heard a scary sound.

It was like a monster.

A scary monsters breathing sound.

But the monster sounded hurt.

"...right..." I whispered, readying my fists to attack "Mr monster...I'm coming for you..."

I tried to sound brave...yet my voice shook like crazy.

Slowly, I made my way down the alley. My eyes scanned every crook and cranny. 

Then I saw it.

The monster.

It was on the floor, right at the back. Wheezing.

"Maybe it has asthma?" I thought out loud.

"Excuse me?" I called out, "Mr monster? Have you lost your inhaler?"

As I got closer, I saw that it wasn't a monster.

It was a boy.

An very skinny boy.

His eyes were closed, his skin was almost white and you could see his ribs. He didn't look much older than me.

I kneeled beside him.

"Oh dear...you don't look very good..."

I poked his head.

"Hello? Anyone there?"

Still, the skinny boy didn't respond. He looked like he was in a lot of pain.

"Wait there." I whispered "I'll go get my Papa. He can-"

I got up to leave but something had caught me.

When I turned back around, the boy had grabbed my shirt. His small, pale hands gripped the rim with the only strength they had left.

I sat down again and put my hand on his head.

"Ok. I'll stay. Papa will come down here any second now. Don't worry..."

I stoked his hair.

"...I'm here. I'll stay here."

*****

After a few minutes, a shape appeared at the end of the alley.

"Papa?" I called out "Papa! Quick! There's a boy here! He needs help!"

The shape moved closer. As it did, I realised something...

It wasn't Papa.

"S...stay away..." I held my hand out, keeping one on the boys head. 

"Hey! Lookie here!" The strange man said "looks like I've found some-"

Before I could think, a blast of lightning shot from my hand and hit the man, knocking him down and unconscious instantly.

I gasped and pulled my hand back.

"Kimi!!" Papa's voice echoed as I saw him running down. "Kimi! I saw someone come in here after you! Are you alright?! Are you...."

Papa stared at the boy (who I now was holding tightly in my arms) then at the man on the floor. 

He sighed and walked over the man, kneeling in front of me and the boy.

"So...who's this then?" He asked.

"I...I found him. Papa, he really needs help. You can heal him, right? You healed me before. You can do it again, can't you?"

Papa carefully took the boy from my arms, staring at him.

"Kimi...when i healed you...it was only a small cut...but this boy..." he looked at me.

"You DO understand how sick he is, don't you? He won't last through the night, Kimi. I don't think-"

"YOU HAVE TO TRY!!" I screamed "YOU CAN'T JUST LET HIM DIE!" Tears streamed down my face and my fists clenched tightly.

"What if it was me!?! Would you let me die!!?? WOULD YOU JUST GIVE UP!!??!!"

Papa sighed and shook his head.

He smiled at me.

"...I've never seen anyone like you Kimi..."

I frowned, crossed my arms and stomped my foot.

Papa laughed at me and we headed home.

When we got back, the others said the same sort of thing.

"Don't bother."

"He won't last the night."

And

"Don't get Kimi's hopes up. Don't make her suffer."

I ignored them all.

I watched as Papa lay the boy down on my bed and tried to heal him. 

He couldn't.

He tried for over two hours.

"Kimi...please. You shouldn't stay in here. I'm sorry." He looked down as he stood up.

Before he walked out the door he stopped and turned towards me.

"...don't stay in here much longer, ok?"

Then we was gone.

Sobs burst from my mouth, tears flew down my face and my head bent back as I wailed.

I had been holding it in. I didn't want Papa to see me cry.

Still crying, I leaned over and hugged the boy.

"I'm so sorry!" I sobbed "Please! Please don't die!"

The boy continued to wheeze, his eyes still shut.

I sat up and stared at him.

"...please..."

I placed my hands on his heart. 

"I believe in you...come on...please..."

For the first time, slowly, the boys eyes opened. They revealed shining, brown eyes just like mine.

I smiled at him.

When I looked down, it was like there was a white light coming from underneath my hands. I didn't dare move but was still shocked. I stayed still as the light grew brighter and brighter.

My last tear slipped down my cheek as the light began to fade.

I looked up at the boy.

Colour returned to his cheeks, his bones disappeared from view, his breaths became even and he moved his hands to clench mine.

He looked back at me and smiled.

I smiled back.

"Kimi?" Papa shouted up. "Kimi! Come here! You can't stay in there, sweetie!"

"Papa! Come here! Quickly!" I shouted, laughing.

The boy sat up as Papa walked through the door.

Papa stood there in silence with his mouth hanging open like a fish.

"K...Kimi?....did you....how did you..."

Papa (very slowly) moved towards us, looking at the boy all over.

He looked like a normal, healthy boy.

"...oh, Kimi..." Papa looked at me, smiling. "...Kimi...you're amazing!"

He laughed, picking me up and swinging me around. He stopped and looked at the boy.

He laughed again, me in one arm he picked up the boy in the other, spinning us both.

The boy laughed and raised his hands.

"...are you my daddy?" He asked when Papa had put us down.

"You have no memory?.......y-yes..." Papa smiled. "If you want me, you got me, buddy." He looked over at me.

"And you got Kimi too."

The boy looked across, smiling before launching himself at me.

"Um...yes...ok." I said, patting him in the back. "Welcome to the family."

"What's your name?" Papa asked.

"Jack." The boy said.

"My name is Jack."

                                                                          -Jacket-

I sighed as we walked. Kimi was missing again. I could remember all the stupid things we got up to as kids...

(About 5-4 years ago)

"Kiminé!" I shouted, running towards the window "Get down! Its dangerous up there! Papa will kill you!"

"Papa's not here." She said, holding her arms out and balancing as she walked across the edge on the windowsill.

Kimi had just turned 9 and I had turned 10. Papa never knew my birthday so we just did it on the same day as Kiminé.

"Hey! Wanna see something cool?" She asked looking at me.

"Umm..." I mumbled.

"Watch." She said, as she leaned back and fell out the window!

"Kiminé!" I shouted, running to look down. I panicked. We were on the top floor of the building!

When I looked down Kiminé laughed, looking up at me from the balcony below.

"Papa put the old mattress here this morning, remember?"

She had fell only a metre or so onto the mattress on the balcony.

"I'm gonna tell Papa!" I yelled down.

Kiminé sat up.

"If you do, I'll tell him you wet the bed last night!"

"No! Please don't!" I shouted back.

"Why shouldn't I? I was the one who had to sort it out for you so he didn't find out!"

"But...but..."

Papa had been so proud of me when he thought I had stopped the bed-wetting problem. Since then, Kiminé had always cleaned it up so Papa didn't find out.

Kiminé was always doing dangerous and naughty things.

But whenever I tried to stop her she'd just laugh or make fun of me!

She stared up at me.

"Well?"

"Well what?" I asked.

"You coming?"

"WHAT?!?" 

She wanted me to jump!

"Come on! You big baby!"

She stood up and started jumping up and down.

The metal balcony wasn't very strong. It began to squeak and creak the more she jumped. I looked down and noticed the bolts were coming loose!

"Kiminé! Move! Get back quickly!" 

"I told you before!" She shouted "call me Kimi!"

The bolts flew out at the same time as my hands grabbed for Kiminé. I had practically fallen out the window to grab her.

We hung there for a moment before I started pulling her up.

*****

Kiminé was sitting on her bed, singing a strange song. She said she'd heard from people walking past.

"Girl in shadows

No more light

She's hidden from the world.

Girl in darkness

deep inside

The place we'll never see.

Girl in her cloak

Hides away

From all who want to know."

She told me it was called Girl In The Alley and that she was singing the only bit she knew.

After a while, it started snowing and me and Kiminé ran to the window to watch.

Kiminé started singing Carol of the bells. I knew that one so I joined in.

Papa had taught it us last Christmas.

After that, we sang it every time it snowed.

I loved singing with Kiminé. She had an amazing voice.

Papa came up and told us to be quiet. When we didn't he took off his jacket and put it over our heads to try and shut us up. We still sang. I even stole Papa's jacket and ran around while he chased me. After a few minutes he gave up and let me keep it, even though it was a million times to be for me. I still wear it.

After that, Papa and Kiminé nicknamed me Jacket.

*****

Almost a year later, a bunch of teens attacked us. Kiminé even jumped out the window (again) but she took someone with her.

A lot happened. 

Afterwards, Kimi (she hits me if I call her Kiminé now) was a lot nicer to me and even called me her brother.

I never forgot the day she saved me.

And never will.

*****

"I'm bored!" Kimi moaned "Let's practise our powers!"

"But Kimi, I'm rubbish!"

"I'll teach you, come on!" She hopped up and positioned herself in the middle of the room.

We practised for hours until Papa came up.

"Alright kids, time for bed." He said, pulling our covers up.

Before he stepped out, he leaned back and said "Night." Then he was gone.

Papa was being distant for some reason...

"......Jacket?" Kimi whispered after a while.

"Yeah?" I answered quietly.

"Are you awake?"

"I think so. Or am I dreaming?" I looked down and wriggled my toes.

"Shush, silly! Do you wanna do something cool?"

"What?" I asked.

"Look." She said, getting up.

"You know your crap with your powers? And I'm really good?"

"....yeah..." I crossed my arms. It was true, but she didn't have to say it.

"Well..." she pushed her fists together. "I think I know how to travel!"

"Really?" I asked, sitting up.

I don't like this bit.

Kimi tried to make a portal but it went wrong.

Very wrong.

The magic forced back from the wall and hit Kimi.

I ran to her but her eyes were closed and she wasn't breathing.

"Oh...oh my god!! Kimi! Wake up!!"

I couldn't move or even make a sound. 

Kimi had stopped breathing.

She was dead.

Now you see, I've never told Kimi about this. I'd always said that she had just hit her head and woke up by herself...but that's not what happened.

I grabbed Kimi, crying.

"Kimi! Please!"

When I looked up, someone else was standing over her. They had shocking white hair and looked a lot older than me, but nowhere near as old as Papa.

"Wh...who..." I couldn't speak.

I moved back as they kneeled down and put their hand on her head.

"...why did you let her?" They asked in as dark, creepy voice.

Remember, this person was older than me! He knew I was only young.

I think it was a boy, but I can't be sure.

"Damn..." they mumbled "how many times do I need to save you, Yorune?"

Their hand glowed, just like Kimi's did when she saved me.

Kimi started breathing again.

The white haired person faded away, smiling at Kimi.

I was so scared. I always told myself that I had imagined it, but I knew I was just lying to myself.

Kimi was normal again. It was like nothing had ever happened.

Life continued normally for a while...

Then EVERYTHING happened.

Papa went missing,

Everyone died

It all just went to hell.

                                                                      -Kiminé-

"And that's basically everything that's happened in my life." I finished.

Kito nodded, taking it all in.

I had practically told him everything!

The sky was dark and the stars had rolled in, creating a beautiful scene before me.

"So....you're...." he sighed, not finishing his sentence.

"I'm...what?" I asked, staring up at him.

He smiled at me.

"Nothing. Hey, Kimi?" 

"Yeah?"

He pushed a hand through his shocking, white hair.

"Y'know all that stuff you just told me?"

"Yeah?"

"....how would you feel if you forgot it all? If someone took all those memories?"

"What?!?!" 

Why would he ask such a thing??!!

"Just wondering." He said, looking up and closing his eyes again.

"So...I guess you want to go find your friends now?" He asked.

"Oh!" I had completely forgot! "Yes please! I have to tell them about Yunta!"

*****

Kito traveled with me and we appeared in a large forest or woods. Jacket, Ben, Jen, Kînru, Kamaî and Nai were all walking a few metres ahead of us.

It was pouring it down with rain and the floor was covered in big, silver puddles.

"Hey! Guys!" I shouted, running towards them.

No one turned or reacted. I guess they couldn't hear me.

I ran ahead and stopped in front of Jacket.

"Jacket? Hello?" I waved my hand in front of his face but still no reaction.

"Jacket! Stop ignoring me!" 

I tried to punch his back, but my hand just went straight through him! Like he was a ghost!

"Wh...what? What's going on?!" 

I looked back at Kito. He was smiling and shaking his head.

"...you have no idea...do you, Yorune?"

"Wh...what do you mean?" I asked, my voice and hands shaking.

"So...is this your reality?" He asked, holding up his arms and looking around. "Is this reality at all? How do you know that your existence as you've known it, is real?"

"W-why are you saying this?!?" I moved back.

"You need to understand. You've heard of the world-strings but do you actually know what they are?"

I shook my head, taking a quick peek back at Jacket. He was gone.

"They are the links to the different realities. Kakadelia and where you're from...they aren't different worlds. They're different realities."

"I......." 

I couldn't put any words together.

"There's nothing wrong with the Strings. There's no 'glitches' or breakdowns in the worlds....the problems...are in your mind. Kimi, you need to-"

"SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP!!" I screamed, covering my ears and closing my eyes.

"YOU'RE WRONG!!! YOU'RE LYING!!! STOP IT!!!" I continued to scream for a while.

After what felt like an eternity, I opened my eyes.

I was staring down at a black floor.

I felt a hand on my shoulder.

A warm, familiar hand...

"....Kimi?....."

I looked up.

".........Papa!"

"Papa!!" I flung myself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Kimi? Why...how on earth are you here?!?!" He asked, clutching me back.

I didn't care. I had him. I was safe.

"Oh Papa! We need to get Jacket! Let's just leave! Let's just go home!"

I was sick of that horrid world. Every since I'd been there things had just gone wrong.

"Kimi, we're not in Kakadelia."

"What?" I looked around.

It was true.

Everywhere was just black.

It was like nothing but me and Papa did or ever had existed.

"Papa...where are we?" I asked, staring ahead into the nothingness.

"...we're in my mind, Kimi" he whispered, his voice shaking "and you can't stay here, I need you to leave. There's things in here-"

"That you don't want her to see, right?" Kito was there. Stranding in front of us.

"But that's the whole reason I brought her here. I thought, with the last of my existence, I could at least make sure the little Yorune knows the truth." He said, fading.

"The mind works backwards. The memories will be shown from newest, to oldest. This is because the mind knows. It KNOWS which memories are dark. And it saves those for last...." he said, disappearing into the darkness.

"P-papa? What did he mean?" I asked, still clutching onto him.

Papa was silent.

I looked in the same direction as him to see a familiar scene. 

Papa and the others were all downstairs, me and Jacket were asleep and things were normal. 

Until some teens burst through the door with guns, shooting at everyone!

But Papa just pulled his hands back and used a spell i'd never seen before.

Black shot from his hands and the teens disappeared into thin air. Papa ran out the door. A few seconds later, I was sneaking down the stairs and the image was fading.

"Kimi, please get out of here!" Papa tried to pull me away but I refused to move.

"No. I'm staying." I pushed him off me and waited for the next scene.

The next scene appeared.

This one was from about two years ago.

Me and Jacket had come home with almost a five pounds worth of change. Papa praised us and took the money to buy dinner. 

Me and Jacket ran off upstairs to practise our powers and Papa shoved the money in his pocket.

"Why can't I see this Papa? There's nothing wrong with it."

Papa just looked around, nervously. As if someone was watching his every move.

He did the same in the scene.

He then smiled and opened a portal, stepping through straight away.

We were then taken to the scene of Papa in Kakadelia.

He was with Kito!

I couldn't hear the voices, but they're lips moved, Kito smiled and Papa left.

In the next one, Papa and Kito were standing over the 13 year old me.

Kito kneeled down and smiled at me for a moment.

Papa kicked him and left.

Before Kito followed him, he leaned down and kissed me head.

"What the hell is this?!?!" I shouted. Why was Kito there? Why did he...do that?!?

In the next, Me and Jacket were about 7 and running around Kakadelian buildings while Nai chased us.

Papa watched for a moment before traveling somewhere else.

Once again, he was with Kito. Still the same age, as he was now. It seemed like Kito never aged!

I still couldn't hear anything but Papa seemed to be shouting a lot at Kito.

Kito shouted back and Papa pulled out a knife!

Kito knocked it from his hand with his magic and pushed him to the ground. He then walked off, leaving Papa on the floor.

The next one...

They got bad...

It was horrible.

I had to re-watch the scene where I found Jacket. I saw Papa in the other alley. 

He had walked over and seen me with the dying boy.

He went back into his alley and conjured a horrible man.

This time I could hear what he was saying.

'Right, go into that alley and kill the boy. But if I find out you touched the Yorune..."

He then sent the man into our alley...

I looked at him.

"......Papa?...."

He stayed silent.

The final scene I saw...

My god...

The final scene...

It was the most horrible thing...

But it was the truth.

It was what Kito wanted me to know.

"Papa...what is this?" I asked, staring into the dark alley. It was empty, no one was around and it was right beside a small butchers shop.

"Kimi...please...don't look..." Papa whispered.

Suddenly, there was a large man, wearing a black cloak, dragging a woman by her hair into the alley.

"Please!! No!!" She screamed.

The man ignored her, throwing her onto the ground.

She whimpered and curled up into a ball on the floor.

It was only then that I noticed the woman was clearly heavily pregnant.

The man was silent as he stamped on her arm...

He then pulled out a knife and cut her.

Once on the right side of her neck.

Once on her left wrist.

And once on her right ankle.

Seeing this made me look at those same places Yunta had injected me. About 10 centimetres around each wound was now black on my skin. I shivered and looked back.

He left her to bleed and walked off, sitting in front of the shop and falling asleep.

The scene faded to a while later that same night.

The woman had already had her baby.

She had wrapped the small, fragile thing in her shawl.

Now you, reading this...you may recall a very similar moment from earlier in the book...

But that wasn't the true story...

This....is the true beggining....

*****

*****

*****

"Someone! Anyone! Please!" The woman shouted for help.

The man got up when he heard her calling.

"Anyone! .... anyone, please!...." The woman continued to call out, her voice getting weaker.

The man walked in and lit a match, smiling down at the woman.

"N-no....p-plea..." the woman couldn't speak, she tried to move away and shield her baby from the man.

"My god..." the man chuckled "you still had the baby? Like that?! You're a mess, woman! Look at yourself!" He laughed...no...cackled.

"Please...you can kill me...just don't touch my baby!" The woman screamed with all her strength.

"What? This tiny thing?" The man sneered, snatching the baby from out the woman's hands.

He looked at the woman, smiling.

"Y'know what? I think I'll keep this. Who knows? The child of a Yorukéi might come in handy!"

"No!" The woman tried to grab her child, but the man pushed her away.

He stomped his big boot on her head and she fell unconscious..or dead...you couldn't really tell.

The man began to walk away.

Before he left, he looked back and threw the match at the woman, lighting her clothes and body on fire.

He walked out the alley and sat in front of the butchers shop.

He sat there in silence for a moment, then looked at the crying baby...

"Hey there......my names Bucket."

.......

I turned back to Papa.

My mouth covered by my hands as I stared in shock.

"Papa...is that..."

Papa was facing the other way, fiddling with something.

"Oh, Kimi..." he whispered "it didn't have to turn out like this..."

He turned around with a knife in his hand.

"But...at least...this world will be rid of dirty Yorune's...."

He smiled as I tried to back away, tripping over my own feet.

"Come now..." he whispered "come on Kimi....come to Papa..."

                                                                         -Jacket-

"I think this is it." Ben said as we arrived at a large mansion. He held his lantern high to see better.

"Well it bloody better be!" Nai complained. "We've been walking forever!"

"A few hours is hardly forever." Ben said, looking around "it's only just turned dark."

I stood there and crossed my arms.

Whoever lived here had taken Kimi.

Whoever lived here was gonna die.

"What are we waiting for?" I asked "let's get in there, kill some idiots and grab Kimi."

No one said anything. Ben just looked through the gates to the garden. The garden was big, but not too long. The mansion was at the back.

"Alright, I can see the switch on the other side. Jacket, you're gonna need to-"

"Why me?" I complained "your powers are better than mine, you do it!"

Kînru and Kamaî stared at Ben.

"....you have powers? You had them the whole time?" Kînru asked while Kamaî stared.

Ben didn't turn around or say anything.

"Look, I don't care who has powers, who's from the human world or any other crap like that! Can we just get in there and get Kimi. Please!" Jen said, loudly.

I looked at him and smiled.

I could tell he really cared for Kimi.

But if I found out he has a crush on her I'd beat his brains in!

Ben held one hand out and a long, yellow, string-like magic came from his palms and floated towards the switch like a snake.

The yellow stuff wrapped around the switch, and the gate began to slowly open.

"Alright," Ben said, turning towards us "Remember, this is the home of an evil master-mind. He is a merciless man, who-"

"Who just saved Kimi's life. Again." Interrupted a strange voice.

Ben looked over and we all followed his gaze.

There was a man...no...boy...he couldn't have been much older than me...he had something in his arms. 

Since the only light we had was the lantern, it only looked like a dark blob.

"Kito!" Ben shouted, stepping back and pulling out a sword "Where's Kimi?"

"...I didn't know he had a sword..." Nai mumbled.

"Right here." He replied, moving forwards towards the light. When he did, the blob became a shape, then a human, then...Kimi!

"Oh my god! Kimi!" 

I ran over to her with Jen right behind my heels.

She didn't move but her eyes were wide open.

"Come on," Kito said "let's get her somewhere with a bed so i can fix her up for ya."

When Kito's eyes met mine, he smiled. He seemed very familiar. I felt like I'd seen him before...

Kito, me and Jen began to head into the castle.

"Wait! Don't go with him!" Ben shouted.

"Ben! Please! Calm down!" Kito said, looking back "Come on in, have a snack. You know I don't bite."

He smiled and began walking again. We followed and soon after, Ben did too.

He definitely wasn't happy about it though.

He spent the whole time with his arms crossed and avoiding eye contact with anyone.

We went inside.

The place seemed WAY to friendly to be the home of a bad guy.

Ben was moody the whole time, but the rest of us had loads of fun!

There was millions of rooms in that place!

Each room was different. Some were weird, some were wonderful!

Some were plain, some were colourful, some were cold, some were hot, some were small, some were big, some were...well...you get the idea.

We went through every room while Kito sorted out Kimi.

No one knew why, but there was sort of...safe feeling around Kito. Like we'd always known him. Everyone could feel it.

Well, except Ben.

After we'd explored for a while, we went to check on Kimi.

She was sitting, cross-legged on a bed with a blanket wrapped all around her. Her eyes unblinking and her body shaking.

"Kimi? What's wrong?" I asked.

She didn't reply. Or look at me. Or move. 

Kito sat by her, pulling her down onto his lap. She closed her eyes.

I looked over at Kito and he sighed.

"...you're Jacket, right?" He said. 

I nodded.

"Ok. Come with me. I need to talk to you." 

He carried the, now asleep, Kimi into the next room and lay her on the bed.

I followed him into the next room, where Kimi was now sleeping, and waited as he shut the door.

He turned and sat on a chair, ushering for me to sit too.

I sat down and Kito rested his face in his hands for a moment, thinking deeply.

"...you know Abrïlk, correct?" He asked after the moment of silent.

"No. Never heard of them."

"Well...Bucket, to you then."

"You mean Papa? What about him? Did you find him?" I asked, sitting up eagerly.

"No...n-no..." he shook his head "You see...I've known your father for a very long time now. As you've known me."

"What? I don't believe we've met before today." I was sure I didn't know this guy. Though...he did seem familiar...

"Remember this?" He said, smiling and pointing to his white, spiky hair.

"...wait...you're..."

"Yep."

"You saved Kimi!" I shouted.

Kito laughed.

"Yes. I've always looked after that girl. A Yorune needs protecting, let alone the last."

"Yorune? That's Kimi's name. Kiminé Yorune. What does Yorune mean?"

Kito stood up and walked towards the window. He stared through it, hands behind his back.

".....well...."

He looked back at me, his face calm and serious.

"....it means...."

                                                                         -Kiminé-

I groaned and slowly opened my eyes.

"WHAT?!?" 

It was Jackets voice.

"But then...why is that Kimi? She's not...she's from the human world! How can she......its her name...and you call her that...so..."

"Yeah." This voice was Kito. "She's the last. Yunta tried to kill her."

"What?!?!"

"Yep." 

I heard them move towards me.

I pretended to be asleep.

I wanted to find out what they were talking about.

Someone was pulling me up slightly. 

"Look here." Kito said, touching all the places where Yunta had injected the vile. Had it gotten worse?

"...my god..." Jacket whispered.

"And here."

It was hard not to cringe when he pulled up my top, but it was only to show Jacket the stab wound, I think.

"You'll only see the last part when she's awake." He said.

"What's the last part?" Jacket asked.

"Yunta threw something in her eyes. It was a mixture of fire dust and gângën powder."

"Gângën powder?"

"It reveals true colours. True forms."

"What, to her eyes?" Jacket asked.

"You'll see. A Yorune has very specific eyes, but it will only show when-"

I don't know why, but Kito stopped.

I opened my eyes slightly to try and see what was wrong.

All I could see was Jacket sitting down and Kito leaning against the door as if listening to something.

"...what's he saying?" Jacket asked.

Kito laughed.

"That I am not to be trusted...have evil plans... aaaaaand...I'm going to kill you all."

Jacket laughed too.

"Why does Ben hate you so much?"

Kito sat down again and I closed my eyes.

"You see...me and Ben...we never got along."

"You know him?"

"Yeah." Kito sighed. "Ben's...my brother."

"Really?!?" Jacket said.

I accidentally giggled slightly because Jacket's voice squeaked. I had always made fun of him about that, he hadn't done it in ages.

"Kimi...we know you're awake."

I opened my eyes as saw Kito and Jacket staring at me.

Kito was smiling.

Jacket just stared.

"...how many time are you gonna go missing and getting yourself hurt, Kimi?" 

He said, crossing his arms.

I just smiled innocently and he laughed.

I sat up, my neck aching.

I pulled up the bottom of my top to check the wound.

It was worse.

A lot worse.

Almost my entire belly was blue and my skin felt hard, like when you leave cheese in the fridge too long and the edges get darker and harder.

I checked where Yunta injected the vile.

Almost 20 centimetres of my skin around each injection had turned black.

It didn't look very nice.

When i looked up again, Jacket was kneeling in front of me staring at me.

Kito laughed when I jumped.

"Hell...you were right...looks...nice though." He said, getting up again.

"What?" I asked.

"Your eyes. They're back to their original, Yorune colour. Abrïlk must've changed them when he found you..." Kito said.

"My eyes have changed colour?" I asked, touching my face, trying to imagine myself with other than brown eyes.

"Yeah. Look." 

Kito conjured a sliver sheet of magic and put it in front of me.

I looked into my reflection.

"Purple?! They're PURPLE?!?!" 

It looked amazing!

Purple had always been my favourite colour!

"It actually suits you a lot more." Jacket smiled.

"Yeah. I've always been jealous. Yorunes always had amazing eyes..."

I looked at them some more, realising they hadn't just changed colour, but they were unimaginably detailed!

It was the most beautiful pair of eyes I had ever seen. 

And they were mine!

I laughed and rolled back.

"I love them!" 

I said, rolling around on the bed.

"Alright, calm down." Kito said.

"Wait...Yorune...I never found out what that meant." I said, sitting up again.

Kito looked at Jacket and Jacket looked at Kito.

Jacket then looked at me.

"Kimi...it means..."

He looked down, as if he was too embarrassed.

"....it means....its the....."

He sighed.

"Its basically Kakadelian Royalty. Your mother, The Kakadelian Queen, the Yorukéi. Then your father, the Kakadelian King, the Yorian. Then...you..."

He looked back up at me.

"...the Kakadelian Child...the Yorune."

I didn't reply.

I didn't move.

I just stared down, my mouth opening and closing like a fish, unable to think of words.

"...n...no...I'm not...royal. OR Kakadelian! I'm Human! I'm Papa's daughter! I....."

Then I remembered.

Papa.

The scenes.

The truth.

My....my Mother....

Papa....he....

No. He is not my Papa. He never was.

Kito knew what I had remembered. He looked at Jacket.

"Your...Bucket, he.... Jacket...he tried to kill Kimi too. He was never her father. He killed her mother and took the baby. The final Yorune."

Jacket looked just as shocked as I was.

"W-what? No...but he...he looked after us! He taught us how to use powers!"

"Where do you think Kimi's powers came from?"

"Papa....he...he taught us." I said.

"No." Kito stared at me 

"One does not simply 'teach' Kakadelian powers. You're born with them. They're passed down throughout your family. For example, they were passed down to you, Kimi. Abrïlk merely...assisted in you becoming more...experienced."

"Ok...I understand." I nodded, this made sense. "But...there's one thing...that just doesn't fit."

"What?" Kito asked.

"MY powers." Jacket said. "It makes sense for Kimi to have them, but why do I? I know I was born in the human world. My mum...she..."

I stared at him. Jacket had never mentioned his mother before. And I had never thought to ask.

"...she wanted me dead." He said after a long pause. "She never liked me. Beat me, starved me...the only reason I was still alive was my father. Until...mum...she just left me there...in the alley. I was alone for at least 3 days. Already starving, already incredibly skinny...then i was left in the cold and the wet."

"If your Papa still cared for you why did you leave so easily? When...Abrïlk...was there...it was like you had no life before. You didn't even think about it. You were just like 'yes! I will join your family!' I was young I didn't think about it." I said.

I sighed.

"This is all so...I dunno."

"Well...at least you both know the truth now. The full truth." Kito said.

"Wait, you still didn't explain how Jacket has powers. It makes no sense!"

"You remember when you healed Jacket?" Kito asked.

I nodded.

"You didn't...just...heal him. You also gave him a very small amount of your abilities. Its why he was always so bad."

"Hey!" Jacket moaned, but he was smiling.

"This is insane..." I mumbled. "So...what do we do now?"

As I asked, there was a knock on the door.

It opened to reveal Nai and Jen.

"Are you guys done yet?" Jen asked.

"You've been in there forever!" Nai complained.

"Half an hour is hardly forever." Ben said, stepping out from behind Nai and Jen.

"So...what now?" Jacket asked.

"Now..." 

Kito said to us all.

"Now...we fix those world-strings..." 

He looked over at me and smiled more than ever.

"....then we get the Yorune to where she belongs..."

"So...let me get this straight..."

Nai said, leaning against the gates.

"...Kimi is next in line for the Kakadelian throne? And we need to get her to the one place that may be able help...correct?"

Kito smiled and nodded.

"Once we've got Kimi to the Düberán village, there will be no one who can hurt her. Its right by the Yorukéi Mountain."

"Yorukéi Mountain? Isn't Yorukéi the Queen of Kakadelia?" I asked.

"Its famous." Nai said "its been told that the first Yorian made it for his wife."

"Made it?!?" Jacket squeaked. Haha...he squeaked again...

"Yep. So the legend says. He was assumed to have the greatest rock magic in existence." Nai rested his face on the bars.

"Can we go now? We've been here forever."

"A few hours is hardly forever." Ben said, locking the gates behind him.

"...is that a tradition for you guys?" Jen asked.

"What?" Nai stared at him.

"...nothing." Jen looked at Jacket and smiled. Jacket smiled back.

I didn't know what they were on about.

"Wait..we're going to Düberán village?!" Jen asked, his eyes sparkling.

"Yeah." Kito said.

"That's where my sister is! I haven't seen her in years!" Jen practically jumped up and down with excitement.

"Ok, calm down." Kito chuckled "We'll make sure to stop by and see your sister."

"We don't have time." Ben said "if Kimi really is the Yorune, she needs to take her throne immediately."

Everyone stared at Ben.

"...ok! Sooooo....what now?" I asked, clapping my hands together.

"Now...we go to Düberán." Kito smiled.

"Awwww!!" Nai complained "but thats on the other side of this world! I'll take forev-"

"It will only take a few seconds." Kito put his hand on Nai's shoulder, "I'll take us there. Kimi? Some help?" 

Me and Kito managed to conjure a portal big enough for all of us and we travellers through. Jen seemed so excited...

But he really shouldn't have.

                                                                        -Jacket-

"Umm...is this it?" Nai asked, looking around.

"...no...it...it can't be..." Kito walked forwards, stepping in between the burnt wood and rubble.

Jen was silent.

"What happened to this place?" I asked.

"It was attacked. It must of been them. Kimi, remember those men who tried to attack us? The ones on the horses? It was them who did this."

"Yeah...why would they? Are they enemies with the village?" She asked.

"No. They're just...messed up... they're not healthy." Kito mumbled.

"I...I don't understand..." Jen whispered, looking down with his fists clenched.

"Why...how could someone do this? How could someone kill so many F***ING INNOCENT PEOPLE?!?!"

Kimi stared across at Jen with a sympathetic look on her face.

"Jen...I... I don't know what to say...its-"

"There's nothing TO say. They're dead." Jen looked at her.

"Jen, please. I know those guys. They may have destroyed the village, but its very unlikely that they killed innocent villagers. They must have been looking for..." Kito looked over at Kimi, sighing.

"Why is everyone trying to kill her? Shouldn't they want their queen? I mean, once she's on her throne, she'll live in the castle and face all evil. She will be our saviour." Ben said.

"Woah! Wait! Queen?! Live in the castle?! SAVIOUR?!" Kimi stumbled back.

"I-i...you realise I'm planning to go home after this? I'm not staying here forever! I thought we were just fixing the strings! I can't be queen!"

"Why not?" Kito asked "its not like you have any life to go back to."

You could tell by the look on his face that he immediately regretted saying that.

Kimi stared at him, mouth hanging open.

"Wh..." she mumbled, eyes welling with tears.

"Kimi! I-I'm so sorry! I-i-i didn't mean that! It just-"

Kimi ran off through the rubble and burnt houses.

"Kimi!" 

I ran after her. 

Kito had crouched down with his hands on his head, hating himself.

Jen was mumbling with his arms crossed.

Kamaî was whispering to Kînru.

Nai was kicking the rubble around.

And Ben was...

nowhere to be seen...

There was no time to worry about him now. I had to find Kimi.

Eventually I found her. There was an old building at the back on the village. Burnt, but still standing.

She was behind there...

With Ben?!?!?

She was tightly hugging him as he patted her back.

What did he think he was doing?!

That was my place!!

"Ben?" I called out, walking towards them. He looked at me and put a finger to his lips.

He looked down at Kimi again.

She was sobbing uncontrollably into his shirt, her words hardly intelligible.

Though I could make out most of it. I'd translated Kimi's sob talk before.

"W-w-what a-am I supposed to do!!??" She wailed "a-all the o-others are dead!! W-we won't be able to manage on our own!! Papa took care of us!! But P-papa he...why did he take care of us all these years?!? Why didn't he just-just-just..."

That's basically all I could make out.

Ben stood there, expressionless as Kimi poured her heart out.

When she calmed down a little, he sat down with her.

"Kimi...we're gonna be fine. Everything will work out." I said, sitting next to her.

"Jacket! I can't be a queen! I can't take control of Kakadelia! I-i can't even use my powers properly yet!"

Ben patted her back again.

"He's right, Kimi. Everything will work out. You can fix it. I know you can, you always can."

Kimi looked up at him.

Oh...my...god..

Ben...wasn't expressionless...

Not only that....

HE SMILED!!!!

"It'll be fine. You'll be fine." Ben smiled, hugging Kimi back.

"Yeah! Ok!" I said, pulling Kimi away and into my arms "I think you've had long enough to hug. My Kimi now."

Ben laughed.

"Your Kimi? There's plenty of 'Kimi' to go around, buddy."

Buddy? Who did he think he was?!!?

"Y-yeah, whatever." I mumbled, getting up bringing Kimi with me.

"J-jacket?" She mumbled, trying to pull herself away.

"Come on, Kito's gotta apologise." I said, letting her go.

She followed me with her head down, silently. 

When we were about halfway back she started mumbling again.

"...sorry..."

"For what?" I asked.

"...what do you think of me?"

"Umm...you're...a strong, confident, talented person." I smiled.

She looked up at me.

"But...that's it...that's...the opposite of what I am. I'm not strong. I cried when Kito said I didn't have anywhere to go."

"So? Why does that make you weak?"

"Because the same thing happened to Kînru and Kamaî! They didn't even cry!"

"...Kimi..."

Before I could say any more, I heard a familiar sound.

Wait...they...that shouldn't be here...

Me and Kimi ran (knowing exactly what the sound was) to find the others before...

"Guns!!?? Why is there guns in Kakadelia?!?!" Kimi screamed, running slightly faster than me.

When we got there...it was...well...Umm...

All the bad things so far as one.

Literally.

The two other teens who were with Ben were there, hundreds of men on horses, Yunta....and....

"Abrïlk!" Kito shouted, helping Jen up.

Papa...no...Abrïlk smiled. Staring at us.

"Hello, children! Did you miss daddy?!"

Ben had caught up.

"Ryan! Josh! W-what?!"

"That's right." One said "we knew you were on their side all along!"

"W-whats going on!!" Kimi shouted, moving back. "W-why?? Why are you all here? Why are you all together!?! What's going on!!!?? Whats-"

SHING!!

The sound of metal, a sword being pulled out was heard...before...

I turned around....

Kimi's back was arched and a long, thick blade had pierced through her back and out her stomach. Her eyes wide open, staring up at the sky as if watching the clouds.

Everyone stared.

And behind her....

Holding the sword...

Was....

                                                                      -Kiminé-

"...w...where am I?..." 

I slowly lifted my head and opened my eyes.

All of a sudden, Kamaî ran to my side and hugged me tightly.

"Oh my god!! Kimi!! You're ok!!" She sobbed.

"O-of course I'm ok!" I tried to stand but my vision blurred.

"Where is everyone?" I asked.

We were in a...room.

I know. Incredible, right?

It seemed like some sort of...cheap hotel room. The walls and floor were made from wood and the only light we had were the candles.

(Very clever. Fill a wooden room with lit candles.)

I shivered at the memory of Yunta and her 'tree room'.

There was a small table and three beds.

"She awake now?"

A voice I didn't know asked.

"Yeah." Kamaî smiled "Kimi, this is Amairy. She's been helping me take care of you."

"....Amairy?..." I looked across.

There was a young girl, about my age, sitting on the windowsill, smiling at me.

She had long, beautiful blonde hair and shining, green eyes.

She almost seemed familiar...

"Kimi? Don't you remember? Yunta, Abrïlk and those men?" Kamaî asked.

Then i remembered.

I had been...impaled...

"W-what happened? How am I alive?!"

"It was Kito. He saved you." Kamaî said, looking down.

"...but...how-"

Before i could finish, someone knocked loudly on our door.

"Hey! Up and at em, ladies! You got a long day ahead of ya!"

Amairy and Kamaî rushed to the door and I followed slowly after, confused.

When we got out I looked around.

It was some sort of...camp. 

There was hundreds of tiny cabins.

So many people!

We were taken to some large fields and put into groups to practise our powers.

Everyone there was very skilled.

We were told to aim for the targets and attack.

Having no idea what on earth was happening, I went along with it.

After about an hour of hitting the worlds most easiest target (a barrel with a big red cross a few metres away from us) I leaned over to Kamaî and asked why we were doing this.

"Well...you've been healing for a few days, so you're behind on the training but I'm sure you'll catch up."

I didn't care about catching up, I cared about finding the others, getting out of here and fixing the World-Strings before the end of Kakadelia!

We were stuck on the girls side. Apparently the boys and girls weren't allowed to mix.

After a few moments, Amairy leaned over and whispered,

"You wanna see your friends, right?"

"...yeah..."

"So its...Jacket...Kito...Jen, Nai, Kînru aaaaaand....Ben, right?"

She asked, staring down at her wrist.

"Y-yeah. How did you-"

"Take my hand."

"What?!"

"Take my hand!"

Hesitantly, I grabbed her hand.

Everything around me blurred together and the world began to spin.

"Wh-whats going on?" I asked. 

The only clear thing I could see was Amairy. She smiled at me.

"Just hold on. It won't last long."

"Where are we going?"

"To see your friends."

"Kito!" I shouted, running to his side.

He was still and lying on the bed. His eyes were closed.

His stomach was bandaged and he...wasn't...wearing a shirt...

"Didn't you know?" Amairy asked. "Kamaî told me that after you were hurt, that guy used some sort of...swapping magic?"

"What?"

"He basically took your wounds for you so you weren't hurt."

"You mean..." I looked down "...oh... he'll be ok, right?"

"He seems fine. Anyway, I'm sure he's a strong boy. Shouldn't we find your other friends too? So we can get out of here I mean?"

"Y-yeah... why are we leaving so suddenly?"

"All your friends and I have been waiting for you to wake up so we can leave. This is a training camp for Mages, Elfs, basically any magic user. But its fighting for the wrong side. They plan to use all these people to...well..."

I looked up at her.

"....what?"

"It doesn't matter right now. I can tell you later."

Amairy led me out the door. It was darker here, almost like there was no sun.

Boys were working outside. I put my hood up and tucked my hair in so they didn't noticed I was a girl. Amairy just stayed hidden in the shadows. She led me to the next cabin.

She opened the door, revealing 3 more familiar faces.

"Hey guys! Look who I brought!" Amairy called out.

Ben, Kînru and Nai looked back at me.

"Hey, Kimi!" Nai shouted, running to hug me.

"You feeling better?" Ben asked "Kito really need took the blow for you out there."

"Where Kamaî?" Kînru asked.

"Safe. Where's Jacket and Jen?" She asked.

"They're on patrol duty." Nai said.

"Come on, Kimi." Amairy moved towards the door.

"Oh...um...ok, bye guys...I guess..." They all waved. I had expected a slightly longer reunion. After all, we HAD just all reunited. But...now i think about it...how many times have i been missing?

They didn't seem too worried about being there either. In fact, they seemed to like it.

When Amairy mentioned that they were training us for the wrong reasons...do they know about that?

The sky was dark and the walls were high. Amairy sneaked me through the gates and I saw two more familiar figures.

"She doesn't like guys with brown hair!" Jacket was moaning.

"YOU have brown hair!" Jen shouted back.

"Yeah, well.. I don't like her in that way!"

"Like hell you don't!" Jen snapped back.

"Well...I'm not the one asking about her boys preferences!"

"Hey, guys!" Amairy said.

"Oh! Hi! Kimi!" Jen said, flipping around and blushing.

"Kimi!" Jacket launched at me "You're better!"

"Yep. How long have I been gone?"

"A week or so." He said.

"Really? Ok. So, when are we leaving?"

"...you want to leave?" Jen asked "its great here!"

"Kimi needs to get to that mountain." Jacket said, putting his arms around my shoulders.

Jen sighed.

"...fine..."

"Wait here, I'll get everyone else." Amairy said, walking off.

Me, Jacket and Jen spoke for a while. I asked what it was like without me, how they were, normal stuff.

Was it just me, or did all that happen very quickly?

I felt very rushed while Amairy was there.

She came back with Kamaî, Ben, Jacket, Nai and Kito.

Nai was carrying Kito over his shoulders.

Everyone seemed so familiar with Amairy. It was like she'd been here all along.

It felt strange, adding someone I hardly knew to the group.

Wait...that's basically what I did with everyone but Jacket!

I know the others a little better now though. On our long journeys there was never anything to do but talk, so we all got to know each other.

But everyone seemed to trust Amairy.

"Ok, you guys ready?" She asked.

Everyone nodded and she put her fists together, conjuring a portal.

I'd never seen anyone make one so fast! She must have trained all her life!

But...so did I...and I can only JUST make one!

Not even Papa could.....

Papa...why did he take care of us? Why did he keep us alive and teach us for all these years? It...it makes no sense...

*****

Once we'd traveled, we arrived at the bottom of the mountain. The sky was still pitch black and full of stars.

There was even a little purple planet in the distance...I wonder if I'll ever go there one day...

Amairy stared up at the mountain. Her eyes sparkled at its very sight.

"...Amairy?" I asked, getting worried.

"Sorry." She said, looking away "Its just...this place brings back a lot of memories."

"You've been here before?" Ben asked.

She nodded. 

"I lived in that village." She said, pointing to Düberán, which was only just visible in the distance.

"Wait, Jen, we never found your sister." I said.

"She wasn't there. We looked all over. Amairy said a young girl escaped almost a month ago who looked like her, she's fine. But...why would she want to leave?"

They didn't know why they were there. Didn't Amairy tell them?

"Well...what are we waiting for? Let's get in the mountain!" She said, running off into a small cave-like hole in the side.

"Amairy! Wait!" Kamaî called, chasing after her.

"Stay here, I'll go get them." Kînru said, running in after them.

"I'll come too. You shouldn't be in there alone. Wait here, guys." Ben said, following.

"Well...they all left pretty quickly..." Nai complained "what? Do I smell or something?"

He sniffed under his arms.

"....oh...."

He then looked down, sadly for the rest of the wait.

Me, Jacket, Jen, Nai and an unconscious Kito waited outside.

And waited...

and waited...

and...waited...

For almost an hour.

"...I don't like this..." Jacket mumbled.

"Jen, Nai, keep an eye on Kimi and Kito. I need to find them."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Nai asked.

"He's right. There's something weird about this mountain. Its almost like...its separating us. One by one." Jen said, putting Kito down, gently.

"I won't be long." He said.

He looked at me and smiled.

"Anyway, I HAVE to come back. There's no way I'd leave my Kimi...my sister alone with you guys for too long."

Then he was gone.

"Why do we have to wait here?" I moaned, slumping down on a large rock.

"Well we can't go in now. Its much too dangerous to be split up in Yorukéi mountain. I just hope everyone has found each other..." Nai said.

He was right.

If no one had met up, they'd all be split up into pairs.

Jacket... was the only one who went in alone.

"Why don't we just all go in together?" I asked.

"Not until everyone else is here. Anyway, someone would need to stay outside in case anyone came back." Nai said.

As you can guess, Jen and Nai ended up going and I was the one left outside.

It went like this.

"Kimi, Jen you stay here with Kito. DO NOT go in there ALONE!" Nai said.

"Well...you shouldn't either. I'll go with you." Jen said.

"Alright. Kimi, I promise, we WILL be back for you. " Nai said, pulling out his sword.

"I'm gonna make a trail in the ground as we walk, so we don't get lost like everyone else, most likely, have." 

He tied his sword to a piece of string, then the piece of string around his waist. 

Jen smiled and waved as they descended into the darkness, leaving me with an injured

Kito.

"Oh! Fan-f***ing-tastic!" I shouted to myself once they'd gone. "everyone else is in there, WHERE THEY SHOULD BE, whist I'm stuck out here with a cripple!"

"Uh...not a cripple just yet..." Kito said.

I turned around. He was trying to get up.

"Oh, sorry! I didn't mean anything! I-I'm just-"

"Pissed off, yes. Don't worry about it." He said, while I helped him up.

"Um...do want...my cape or something?" I asked, trying to avoid looking at him. Yes, he was still topless. 

And it was making me very uncomfortable.

"What?" He asked.

He looked down and laughed.

"Aw...is little Kimi-wimi getting all embarrassed?"

At this point, my face was burning red. I turned away.

"Hold on." He said, conjuring himself a shirt.

"I didn't know you could conjure clothes!" I said, turning around.

"Yep. You can remove them as well." He said, clicking his fingers.

The shirt disappeared and I put my face in my hands, flushing red again.

Kito laughed even more, conjuring the shirt back.

"Never do that again!" I said punching him but laughing too.

He looked around, then up at the mountain.

"Well...we going or what?"

"Nai said we should-"

"But everyone else went in. And, let's face it, nobody's coming back out. We may as well find them."

"...ok..." I mumbled.

Kito smiled, holding out his hand.

"Come on...partner!"

"You're so weird..." I smiled, slapping his hand away "let's just go."

Kito pretended to cry like a baby.

"Waaaaah!!! Kimi doesn't like me!! Waaah! Waaah!"

"What's gotten into you?" I laughed, smacking him round the head.

"I just thought I should cheer you up. You seemed down. And...look...I'm really sorry. For making you cry."

"Don't worry about it. I'm a wuss." I said, heading into the mountain.

Everything was gonna be fine.

We'd all end up at the end of the mountain, I'd...take my throne...and we'll all fix the World-Strings.

What could go wrong?

                                                                        -Jacket-

"F***fffffffffffff!" I mumbled to myself.

"Which way? Which way?!"

I was getting really annoyed.

I couldn't find anyone, or the way out, It was pitch black so I couldn't see a damn thing and I needed to get back to Kimi!

The mountain was made up of hundreds of tunnels.

I was starving.

It was only then that I realised, I had only eaten once since we came here!

It wasn't that bad, when in Kakadelia, things are different. You only really need to eat every two days or so. 

How long have I been here now?

Oh, who cares? I'll just stuff my face in the next village.

Poor Kimi is stuck out there with Jen and Nai. Cold, hungry.

I swear to god if I found out they left her i-

"Jacket!"

....for f***s sake...

Nai and Jen ran towards me, smiling.

"Hey, we found you!" Nai said.

He ran. I held my fist up. Just a little more...

BASH!!

Nai fell back, his nose bleeding.

"Hey! What the f*** was that for?!"

"What?" I asked, innocently.

"You just punched me!"

"No, you ran into my fist."

Nai scowled at me and rubbed his face. If I'm honest, I didn't mean to hit him quite that hard...

"Well, you're an idiot. Now all of us are lost and Kimi is alone with Kito."

Nai smiled again, completely forgetting I had just punched him,

(That's a thing about Nai, he's stupid.)

"Nope! You see, I tied my sword to my waist, so it would drag along, leaving a trail. 

I made sure to tie the knot nice and tightly so that..."

Nai looked down.

I had no idea what he was talking about.

All I could see was a snapped piece of string tied around his waist.

"No! My sword!! I've had that since I could remember!" He wailed, kneeling on the floor.

"Hang on." Jen said, conjuring a sword out of thin air.

"This one is laced with electricity. I was saving it for a special occasion, but you can have it."

The sword flickered with constant sparks, white yellow and blue.

"....thanks..." Nai smiled, taking the sword.

"When you two lovebirds have had your moment, can we please get out of here?" I said.

*****

We wandered forever, Jen kept out his flaming sword so we had light.

I was about to give up, when we heard Kamaî screaming.

Jen and Nai ran.

I fell over and they didn't notice.

Jen ran off with my only source of light!

"...crap..." I turned over, my ankle was in bad shape.

All of a sudden, the walls began to shake.

I didn't even notice the stalagmite's on the ceiling coming loose.

Oh god...the pain of this was just....

As you can guess...one fell.

Straight...into...my...leg...

                                                                      -Kiminé-

"What was that?!" Kito panicked.

"A scream? It sounded like Kamaî!" I said, and began running.

We followed the echoing screech down the tunnels through the darkness. There hadn't been a sound for...a long time.

All I heard was Kito being a moron and saying

"Fum! Fabalaba! Fum! Fabalaba!" Nonstop.

I couldn't really tell in the dark, but it felt like we were running down a slope.

We saw light at the end of the tunnel.

"That must be the exit!" Kito shouted.

The ran outside. Kito was right, but it wasn't a village.

"Are you kidding! We went all around and back out the side of the mountain!" He complained.

"You mean we need to go back in?"

Kito sighed, nodding.

"Damn...where are we then?" I asked, looking around.

It was a swamp, all horrible and damp. There seemed to be a dark, dirty line in the middle.

"Kamaî! Amairy!" Kito shouted, running towards the water.

Kamaî and Amairy were both in the pond, sinking quickly.

"K-kimi!" Kamaî shouted "quick, save Amairy!"

"I'm gonna save both of you!" I shouted, pulling hard on their arms.

Even when Kito pulled too, it was no use.

"Hang on," Kamaî just managed to pull out her dagger before her waist disappeared under the murky waters.

"Its the vines underneath. They latch themselves to any form of life. I can go down and cut them."

"What?! Don't be ridiculous!! You won't-"

"That's a good idea. And the best shot we have." Kito interrupted.

"But...Kamaî i swear to god you better make it out of this alive!!"

"Kimi...we both know that's not gonna happen..." she looked down.

"No! You will not die! You will live! I promise!" I shouted, tears welling in my eyes.

"Kimi...I'll only have time to cut Amairy's. By then another 20 vines, at least, will have me trapped. I'm sorry."

"What?! No!!"

I tried to get into the water but Kito held me back.

"Let go! I'll do it! Please! I'll do it!! I won't let you die!!"

The water was already up to their shoulders.

"Kimi...you're the queen. People need you. Me...I'm just some elf...unimportant and unneeded. Its better me than you."

"Kamaî! I need you! I need all of you!!"

Kamaî smiled.

"...I'm sorry....your highness..."

She dived under, the water up to Amairy's chin now.

"NO!! KAMAÎ!!" Kito struggled to hold me back. I tried my hardest to fight his grip, to jump into the water and pull her out safely...but it was no use...

Amairy suddenly moved up. She had cut the vines.

Kito let go of me to grab Amairy. The second he did, I jumped inside. He screamed my name just before I was surrounded by dark, dirty water.

I saw her. Thrashing around, being pulled deeper and deeper by long, thick, green vines.

For a split second, her eyes caught mine...and she smiled.

                                                                         -Kito-

"Kimi!!" I pulled her out before the vines could take her.

Amairy listened to her chest.

"...its ok. She's breathing."

"She's gone!! SHE'S GONE!!!" Kimi began to wail.

Kimi...I won't lose you to the swamp.

Not like I lost her....

(1000 years ago)

(10 human years)

-Kito-

(Aged 8 in human years)

(Part one)

"I'm bored!!"

Lîau moaned (lee-ow)

"Then go hang yourself." I mumbled.

"...um...no thanks..."

"Kito! Stop being mean to your sister!" Ma shouted.

I sighed, getting up from the dinner table and heading outside.

Kakadelia.

A place full of morons.

I headed down to Jaaî (Ja-ee) Lake, hoping to escape reality for a while.

I sat by the water, staring into my reflection.

My silver eyes and brown hair stood out. Especially my eyes. No one else in Kakadelia had EVER been born with silver eyes.

So I was special. I was meant to live.

Unlike that stupid family of mine. That woman isn't even my full parent. She's a step-mother. An extra after my father lost my real Mum.

Lîau, my sister, was always getting in the way of my plans.

Like that time I tried to knock Ma over the fence when I was 4, or the time I tried to put spiders in her music box when I was 6.

She'd always tell on me and get me in trouble.

My life was a mess.

"Kito! Honey!! Come back, please. Its almost bed time."

That b**** acted like she controlled me, took care of me...

She's acting. She's pretending.

This String is wrong. This is the String Of Lies.

And I know.

Father was home from work, he shouted for her.

"Yunta! Darling!"

.....oh......

The Game Has Just Begun

                                                                        -Kiminé-

"Back with P...Abrïlk...in that place, you showed me what happened to my mother." I said, sitting beside Kito on the fallen tree.

He nodded.

"But...you never showed me what happened to my father. My REAL Papa."

Kito stayed silent, staring down at his feet, as if in deep thought.

"And...you said...with the last of your existence...what did you mean?"

I looked over at Amairy.

She caught my glance and smiled.

I didn't want to talk to her. I didn't want to be near her.

If she wasn't there, Kamaî would have never....

She ushered for me to go and sit with her.

I didn't want to, but for some reason I felt like I had to.

"Hey." She said, when I sat down.

"Hi." 

"Look...I'm so, so sorry. I-"

"Just don't talk about it." I snapped "its Kînru who will hate you most."

She looked down. Sadness or guilt, I didn't care. She deserved it.

".....I didn't mean for any of this to happen..." she whispered.

"Well it did." I said.

She looked up at me, tears in her eyes.

"I...I just...wanted to see you...see you and...and help you..."

"W-what?" 

What on earth did she mean by that?!

She looked over at Kito, who was still silently staring at the floor.

"...can we talk for a minute? In private?" She asked.

I nodded and Amairy led me behind the lake, under a dying willow tree.

She was silent for a moment, fiddling with her thumbs and looking down.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, she looked up, took a deep breath and said,

"...I'm not the first Amairy."

"W-what?" I had no idea what she meant.

"I...I'm actually the second."

I looked at her, scowling.

"So...where's the first Amairy?"

"Dead." She said "I was remade to continue my work."

"Oh...ooookaaaaay...." 

I was finding all of this a bit...sudden...and hard to believe.

But this was Kakadelia. Why was I questioning anything?

"Yes. When a Kakadelian dies, there is a way you can have another chance. Its called Ikåmîañ. But someone else must cast the magic. Its not only ME though."

"Who else?"

"There is someone else who you know that is in their third cycle. But they do not know it themselves. There was an accident. They were remade twice, one from birth and one from...about...15."

I stared at her still.

"Well tell me who it is then!"

"I don't know."

Before anymore confusion, Kito stepped in.

"Hello? Are you guys done? We really need to get going, otherwise we'll never find the others."

"Y-yeah." I moved and stood by Kito, avoiding eye contact with Amairy and trying to put everything together.

We headed back into the tunnels to (once again) attempt to make our way through the mountain.

Its weird to think that merely splitting up lead to the death of a friend.

After a very long time, we came out the top of Yorukéi.

"Uh...I thought we were trying to get out the other side?" Amairy said.

"...we were..." Kito sighed.

"Well...should we try again?" I asked.

"I don't want to go back in there. Can't we just climb down from here?" Amairy asked.

I was looking across Kakadelia. 

It was an incredible view!

I could even see a...

"A castle!" I shouted, pointing across at an incredible, giant castle not too far away.

"That's yours, Kimi." Kito smiled "that's where we're going. Come on, guys! Let's get down this mountain!"

"What? From here?" I asked.

"We're gonna slide down aren't we?" Amairy smiled.

Kito nodded and began to conjure some sort of...ice sledge?

We sat on it, ready to slide.

When we did, it was the most awkward moment of my life. Ever.

The wind blew into my face, causing it to flap around like falling jelly.

It was worst for me because I was sitting in the front.

When we got to the bottom, I saw a small village not too far away. I turned to Kito.

"Hey, Kito? If you could travel us to Düberán... why didn't you just travel us here?"

"Sorry, Kimi. I've used them up for today."

"You mean they're limited?"

"Yes, didn't you know?"

I had only ever (successfully) travelled once.  

"Where are the others?" Amairy asked "shouldn't they have met us down here?"

"Maybe they're still in there..." I said, looking up at the mountain that towered above us.

"Want me to go check?" Kito asked.

"No! There is NO WAY we are splitting up AGAIN!!" I shouted.

Kito and Amairy nodded.

"We'll just have to figure out another way to find them."

"But I'm worried about the others. What do we do?" I mumbled.

"A more important question..." Kito said "...where do we start?"

I looked across at the village.

Someone was there.

Someone familiar...

"Ben!"

I shouted. He was staring at a large bundle on the floor.

Kito and Amairy turned and saw him too.

Ben looked back at me, his eyes pained.

He turned back to the bundle, sighing.

"Kimi....its Jacket."

                                                                -Bucket/Abrïlk-

"If that white-haired little f***er hurts Kimi..."

"Abrïlk, calm down. Kito would never-"

"Why is he taking her there!!" I butted in. I was stressed.

All my life, all I ever did was protect her.

And now...because of him...she thinks...

"Abrïlk. Don't worry. We WILL save her. It is our duty to protect our queen." Yunta patted my shoulder.

"Once she enters this world-string, she will understand. Trapped in that other world, seeing nothing of us but evil, merciless people... I want her in this reality. I want her to know the truth."

"We all do, Yunta. But unless Kimi leaves Kakadelia, to her we will be nothing but her enemy's. Its why I hate this world. It ruins the mind. The human perception."

"There's one thing I still don't understand though..." Yunta mumbled "I know Kito wouldn't try and hurt her...so why isn't he telling her about any of this?"

"....Kito is a messed up little boy. No matter what you say Yunta, we all know he is f***ed in the head. He isn't safe."

With that, I left the room.

You're cheating Kito.

No one likes cheaters.

I'll play your game.

And I WILL win.

                                                                  -Kiminé-

"I-i won't let you!" I screamed, clutching onto Jacket.

I was beside him on the bed, hugging him tightly.

"You can't just cut it off! T-there has to be another way!!"

Jackets leg was badly injured. He'd lost an unimaginable amount of blood and his leg had been shattered and practically torn apart, but still it was attached.

"Kimi, he will never survive this!" Kito shouted, pulling out his sword.

"Its what he would want, Kimi..." Jen looked down. He was sticking up for me a moment ago!

"No! He-he can have my leg! I don't care!! Please!!"

Nai pulled me off of Jacket and carefully removed me from the room, the whole time I was thrashing around and screaming, making it very difficult for him.

"Kimi! Please! I'm trying to help you!!" 

I screeched and kicked until Nai dropped me.

When he did, I ran for the door.

It was locked.

Kito had locked the door.

Nai panted and rubbed the places I had hurt him.

I slammed my fists on the door until my hands were bruised.

Eventually, i gave up, letting myself slide down, sobbing.

"....Kimi....I....."

"....... Girl in shadows.....

No more light.....

She's hidden from the world....

Girl in darkness....

deep inside...

A world we'll never see...

......

Girl in her cloak....

Hides away.....

From all who want to know......"

Nai stared at me as I sang.

" Take her away from all this dark

please save her soul 

its corrupted

Take her away

Away

Far far away

Take her away

Take her away

Take her away from this darkness that burns..."

"Kimi...I...I know that song..." Nai mumbled.

" Girl of secrets

Stay away

You must not know the truth

Girl of my heart

Keep away

I don't wish to hurt you

......

Girl....in the alley...."

Nai looked away for a while.

After a few minutes, I heard Jacket waking up.

"Wh...what's going on? Guys?"

"Hold him down." Kito said "dammit Jacket. Why did you wake up now?!"

"Wh-what?! P-put your sword away!! Kito? What're you-"

His words were cut off by his screams of pain. Kito's sword had slammed through Jackets flesh, hitting the bone in his leg.

The door blew up into a million tiny pieces and I ran through.

"Quick someone stop Kimi!" Kito shouted, slamming the sword down onto Jackets leg again, causing the bone to...

SNAP!!

Jacket screamed more than ever. Everyone but Kito was holding me down.

Fire, ice, wind, water, lightning and anything else you could imagine was flying around the room. My powers were going haywire.

Fearsome flames raged towards Kito.

He struck the final blow and Jackets leg slipped off the bed, thumping to the ground.

Jacket was unconscious.

My head and vision swooned...

And soon....

I was too.

                                                                     -Jacket-

"Kimi! Honestly! I'm fine!" I said.

"Jacket, your leg is a tree branch. You are definitely NOT fine! Let's just get to the world strings and finish this."

Kimi wasn't very happy. True, the others had tied a tree branch onto my leg so I could kinda walk...but it wasn't easy. And it hurt a lot.

But I had to keep going.

To keep smiling.

For Kimi.

Everyone in the village now knew who Kimi was and were desperate to help us. They told us that the World-Strings were hidden in a cave, deep under the village and that the entrance was somewhere in the forest.

Me and Kimi had gone to look for the secret entrance while the others got supplies.

No one had really eaten and we were all starving to death. Also, we had no idea how long we would be down there.

Kimi stomped along, arms crossed and facing away from me. 

She was clearly in a very bad mood.

I tried to keep up with her but, as you can guess, having one leg gave me a slight disadvantage.

"Why aren't you angry at them?" She moaned.

"Of course I'm angry at them! They chopped off my leg!...but...I know they were doing the right thing. They were only thinking about me."

Kimi ignored me for the rest of the walk.

Eventually, we came across a large stone with a strange engraving. 

"Ok. I'll leave the light here." Kimi said, placing it in front of the stone.

The villagers had given us a weird device to help us find the entrance again.

When Kimi put it down, a bright light flashed into the air. It was like a lamppost of light, higher than the trees so we could see it from the village.

We began to head back.

About halfway there, Kimi spoke to me.

"...why does stuff keep happening?" She asked.

"What?"

"I mean, every time things start to seem good...something bad will happen. There's never been a simple moment. Not since we came here."

"I...I dunno. I guess its just how things are. Everything is just more complicated now. We need to-"

"Why me?"

"What?"

"I never asked to be the queen. I loved normal life, with you and Papa. If we'd never come here, things would have been fine! I never would have assumed Papa was like that, he'd never try to hurt us, we'd never know I was queen, we'd never have killed Kamaî and YOU wouldn't have lost your LEG!!"

I stared at her blankly.

"What?!" She shouted.

"T...there's something on your face."

She looked down.

Something black was on her face, her chin to be exact.

Kimi pulled her hood away and gasped.

Her neck. Where Yunta had stabbed her. Her entire neck and chest was black and spreading to her face!

Kimi took her hood off completely and inspected the other places.

They too, had gotten worse. A lot worse.

The one on her ankle had covered her entire leg and part of her belly.

The one on her wrist had smothered her arm and connected to the black on her chest.

"Wh....no...what's....happened? M-make it stop!"

Kimi rubbed and scratched her skin.

"Kimi! Calm down! Its fine. We-we'll figure this out. Let's just get back to the village and see what the others say."

The others were just as shocked.

"That's Yunta's vile, correct?" Kito said after inspecting the spread.

Kimi nodded.

Kito sighed.

"Kimi...she's marked you for death."

"What?!?" I screamed.

"Calm down, Jacket." Amairy said "Its not a problem. I've heard rumours that the World-Strings can heal anything."

"Even Jackets leg?!" Kimi jumped in.

Amairy smiled and nodded.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Ben said, who was back to his expressionless self again.

Nai sighed.

"But that'll take forev-"

"DON'T!" Ben shouted, cracking a smile.

We all headed towards the beam of light.

I had a strange feeling.

The end.

The end was near.

I could tell.

And it was coming faster than anyone could have imagined.

                                                                      -Yunta-

"...he's there." I whispered, staring down at the floor.

"What?" Abrïlk sat up "Kito? He's at the world strings?"

"With the other children. Yes."

"S***. Kimi can't be in there!" Abrïlk stood up and started pacing.

"Abrïlk, calm down. We'll figure this out."

"If she fixed those cracks we'll...."

We all knew what would happen if Kiminé fixed the cracks.

Our reality and everything we knew...would cease to exist.

There's no such thing as good or bad. Its interpretation. A way of the mind and the Strings.

In Kimi's mind, we are the bad guys.

Kito knows this. Why hasn't he told her?

"I'm going." I said, picking up my dagger and strapping it to my belt.

"I'll go with you."

"No. I'm going alone. Please, Abrïlk...do not follow."

Abrïlk slowly sat down and nodded.

"You make sure those kids are safe. Talk care of my kids, Yunta."

I nodded, smiling.

With that, I left.

                                                                      -Kito-

(1000 years ago)

(10 human years)

-Kito-

(Aged 8 in human years)

(Final)

Lîau sat on the bed beside me.

"I....I can't believe it..." She whispered.

"Calm down. It was going to happen anyway."

"Kito! Don't you understand what's happened?! Your father is dead!" Yunta screeched.

"He probably killed himself after having to live with YOU."

Yunta continued to cry so I just got up and left.

Once again, I stared into the waters of the lake. Maybe one day this water could drown that woman.

I was there for a very long time. The sky was dark and the stars shone brightly.

Lîau had come to find me.

"Kito!" She shouted, running towards me.

Suddenly, a blanket landed on my head.

"You're going to get cold!" She said, snuggling up close to me.

I was never nice to Lîau. I guess it was because I was never happy and didn't want anyone else to be happy either. But Lîau was always so kind. 

I stared at her. Her long, blue hair swished with the midnight breeze. Her big, yellow eyes shone and stood out more than anything around us.

She was amazing.

She was MY sister.

She was MINE.

So it was MY job to take care of her.

"L...Lîau?" I mumbled.

"Yeah?"

"I...I'm......sorry."

"For what?"

"......everything."

Lîau just smiled and wrapped her arms around me.

"Its ok. Your my big brother, I could never be angry at you! Besides, its not your fault that you're mardy all the time!"

I put my arms around her too. Lîau was the only thing I cared for after then. I even began teaching her how to use magic.

As long as I had my sister, that horrible woman couldn't take her away from me.

I would protect her.

No matter what.

*****

"Kito! Come on, now! We need to go!" Yunta shouted. I didn't move.

"Kito! Where are you?" Lîau shouted. I moved straight away.

When I walked back Abrïlk was waiting with them.

"Hello, little Kito! Long time no see?" 

He held his hand out expecting me to shake it.

I stared at him for a moment before walking off, ignoring his worthless gesture.

"Where are we going?" Lîau asked.

"There's some people who said they wanted me meet us. They're at the swamp behind Yorukéi."

"Will we get to see the Queen!!??" She squealed, jumping up and down.

"I don't think so. Not at this time at least." I said, standing beside her.

She looked down and sighed.

"But don't worry. I promise, one day, I will take you to see the Queen AND the King!"

Lîau hugged me. A prize better than money.

"Well, come on then!" Abrïlk smiled, conjuring a portal.

I took ahold of Lîau's hand and we walked into it.

The world around us faded and, in no time at all, we were there.

"When I can travel, Lîau, I will definitely teach you." I smiled.

She smiled back.

It was dark.

We could hardly see.

There was a man standing beside the water.

"Abrïlk. Did you bring them?" He asked.

Abrïlk nodded, pushing me and Lîau towards the man.

"What about yours?" He asked.

"They're not ready. Give them more time." Abrïlk said.

The man by the water nodded, crouching down to our level.

Yunta moved forwards but Abrïlk stopped her.

"W-what? Abrïlk! Move! Let me get to my kids!"

"....I'm sorry Yunta."

He pushed her through the portal, closing it the second she was gone.

"W-where did mummy go?!" Lîau began to panick.

"She wasn't our real mum, Lîau." I said.

Lîau stared at me, confused.

"You mean...she never-"

"Children! Here!" The man said, pointing at a big willow tree.

We followed his gaze. He made us stand side by side.

He told me to use magic on the tree.

I did as he asked and the tree grew black, old and started to die.

The man smiled at me.

He then looked over at Lîau.

"I...I can't!" She wailed "I can't do it properly yet!"

"Just try. You'll do great." I said, trying to make her feel confident.

She tried. She failed.

Nothing came from her hands. Not even a spark.

"Defective." The man said looking down.

I looked around. Abrïlk was no where to be seen.

"Come here." The man said, pointing beside him.

Slowly, Lîau walked over to the man.

He crouched down, putting his hands on her shoulders.

Nothing to worry about. He must have just wanted to give her a pep-talk.

"...I'm sorry..." he said, staring into her eyes...before...

"LÎAU!!" I screamed, running towards her.

I slipped and slid on the mud, grabbing her hand just in time.

He'd pushed her in! He...just...

"H-hold on!" I said pulling with all my might.

"K-kito! Some things grabbed my legs!" 

Tears brimmed in both of our eyes.

"Lîau! I won't let you go!"

She looked up at me, her beautiful eyes fading.

"K...Kito...I'm...sorry."

"WHY ARE YOU APOLOGISING?!? COME ON!!" I pulled harder but it was no use.

"I'm sorry...I couldn't have been a better sister...a better person..."

"STOP IT!! YOU WERE THE BEST SISTER IN THE WHOLE WORLD!! DON'T LEAVE ME, LÎAU!!"

"I just wanted to be the best I could...I wanted you to be proud of me."

"I AM PROUD OF YOU!! I COULD NEVER BE MORE PROUD OF A SISTER LIKE YOU!!"

"Really?"

"YES! I LOVE YOU, LÎAU!!"

"....thank you...."

With that, she slipped under the water.

Lîau...my Lîau... she was gone.

All I had. All I cared about.....

Gone.

The man looked at me.

"Look...I'm sorry. But she-"

FWOOSH!!

Lightning hit the man and his dead body smashed against the tree.

"I WILL continue the game. Even if my reason to play...is gone."

I walked off into the moonlight...accepting my new life...

New fate...

...new game...

                                                                       -Kiminé-

"What was that?" I said.

"Footsteps." Kito said "someone else is here."

"Maybe its just one of the villagers?" Nai said.

"I don't think so. Let's go." Ben mumbled.

We moved faster. I was nervous. Really nervous.

Once we fixed the World-Strings...I'd be Queen.

I wasn't ready for it. For any of it.

"We're here." Kito said, stopping beside a silver door at the end of the tunnel.

"What? Already?!" I was panicking even more.

Kito put his hand on the handle...then stopped.

"...why are you here?" He mumbled. Kito turned around. The rest of us did too.

"Yunta!" Ben cried.

"Please! I-I'm not here to hurt you!" She said, holding her hands out.

She stared me in the eyes then looked at Kito.

"...oh, Kito.....how long has it been?" She said, her voice shaking as she lowered her arms.

He just stared back.

"Your hair...your eyes...you have no idea how much I've missed them-"

"WHY ARE YOU ALIVE?!?" He screamed, slamming her to the ground, his hands tight around her neck.

As if his grip was nothing, she removed his hands from her throat, smiling through her tears.

"Kito...I want you to know the truth..." she whispered, cupping his face in her hands.

Kito stopped moving.

"...I know." He said.

"What?"

"Lîau told me. In a dream. She came to me...she wanted me to go back to you...and be happy."

"Lîau?....oh....no....little...Lîau..."

They both cried silently.

"You're...my real mum?" Kito stammered.

"Yes." Yunta stoked his hair "all this time...I wanted you to know. I wanted a chance to be your mother..."

"...why did you never tell me?"

"Your father...I'd know him before...he said he didn't want the baby...I hid you...he said he'd only keep you alive...if you never knew."

"But why?"

"I...do not know."

"It...makes no sense...why-"

Suddenly, the silver door opened and we were all flung inside.

We all landed on the floor. I sat up and looked around.

Oh...how do I describe it?

Hundreds...millions of glowing, blue and white strings flew around the centre.

There was only a small bit of floor, like a cliff. The rest of the room was a hole in which the strings floated above, lighting the darkness.

"Oh...no..." Yunta said "Kito...it cant be!"

"Its time." He said, standing up.

"Kito...you should say goodbye." Yunta looked down.

"W-what do you mean goodbye? Kito?" I said, I felt like the world was falling around me.

Everything...everything was happening at once...

"Kimi...I decided a very long time ago...that when the queen came back...I would be the sacrifice to the strings."

"WHAT?!?!"

"its how you fix them. They take a life."

"No!"

Kito ignored me, he walked over to Amairy.

"Amairy...I didn't know you long...but I know you're a good person..."

He looked over at me.

"...and tell her the truth...soon."

He walked over to Ben.

"Ben...you need to smile more, boy! Oh! And I kinda told them you were my brother."

"What?!"

"You can explain it to them for me."

He walked over to Kînru.

"Dude...I lost my sister too. Its ok. Keep fighting."

He walked over to Nai.

"You...are an idiot."

"Hey!"

"But we all know you mean well. Never change, bud."

He walked over to Jen.

"You look after this lot for me. You're powerful, Jen. More than you think."

He walked over to Jacket.

"...you're a strong lad. Take care of Kimi."

He patted him on the shoulder.

He stopped in front of me, staring into my eyes.

"...oh, Kimi..."

He lightly kissed my head before hugging me tightly.

"...I'll never forget you...my Queen."

He tried to walk away but I grabbed his shirt.

"Y-you can't do this! Please..."

"...this is the end, Kimi. Finally...my game is finished."

He walked over and stood by the strings.

"...and it has the perfect ending..."

In seconds, thousands of strings attached themselves to his head, sucking the life out of him.

"KITO!!" Me and Yunta both screamed.

Yunta ran towards him, grabbing him tightly.

"No! I just got you back! I will NOT LOSE YOU AGAIN!!"

The strings grabbed Yunta.

They were both held up into the air, Kito's screams of pain echoing off the walls.

His hair faded brown and his eyes shone silver. His body grew smaller in Yunta's arms until he only appeared a small, scared little boy.

"I'M HERE KITO!! I WILL ALWAYS BE HERE!!"

Yunta faded first leaving a twitching Kito in the air.

The small boy soon faded too...

But...

With the last of his existence...

He screamed...

"LÎAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!"

                                                                   -Bucket/Abrïlk-

"...where is she?!?"

I was pacing the room, muttering and getting more and more annoyed.

"She should be back by now!"

"Calm down, Abrïlk! Maybe her travel cells ran out?"

"Oh, shut up, Kamān! Its your fault her little girl died!"

"I didn't ask him to do it. He did that himself."

"He was YOUR guard!"

I stormed out of the room.

Suddenly, the world faded around me.

Kimi. 

She had fixed the strings.

Yunta never came back. It was his fault.

Kito.

The game isn't over yet.

                                                                      -Kiminé-

"W-what do we do now?" I asked.

"I...I don't know..." Ben mumbled.

"We need to...um...fix it, right?" Jacket said, struggling to get up.

"Jacket! Your branch is broken!" Amairy called out.

"I-i'll be fine." He said "I'll just...stay here."

"Right...so...we fix it. Yes?" I asked 

"But didn't Kito already do it? He said taking a life was all it took." Amairy said.

How dare she mention Kito! He JUST....

Jacket looked at Ben.

"Wait...Ben...those strings...they look just like that magic you used. To open the gate, remember? Except yours were yel-"

"Kimi! I-I need to tell you!" Amairy called out, suddenly. She walked over to me and put her hands on my shoulders.

"...if Yunta can do it...I can too..."

"W-what?" I stammered.

"Kimi...remember when Kito showed you the real Abrïlk? What happened to your mother?"

"Yes."

"Remember I said I was the second Amairy?"

"...wait....OH MY GOD!!"

I stumbled back, tripping over Jacket.

"Y-you mean....WHY IS EVERYTHING HAPPENING AT ONCE!!"

I screamed, putting my hands on my ears.

"Kimi....guys can we slow down a bit? This is all too much for Kimi. For anyone."

Jacket said, pulling me into his arms.

We all had a break for a moment. I lay down beside Jacket as he held me tightly.

This gave me time to think.

I was going to be Queen. 

Of Kakadelia.

But what about the other worlds? Would being Queen mean I couldn't visit them?

What would my duties be? Will my people like me?

Being a girl who grew up on the human streets, this was a bit of a big leap.

Nai stared at us.

"Ok, you guys really look like a couple. Just get together already!"

"I'm not dating my brother, Nai."

I mumbled into Jackets clothes.

"...Kimi...I know what you need to do." Ben said, looking away.

"What?" I sat up.

Once I was on my feet, he turned and faced me.

"....just....touch them."

"What?"

"Trust me. Look."

He conjured a long, yellow string that looked just like the World-Strings!

"...you can...how?"

"I've been around for a long time. I am their guardian. As I am yours."

he said, bowing.

"....the f***?!?"

Nothing made sense anymore. I hated it.

"Hey, Ben? Why did Kito say you were his brother?" Jacket asked.

"Because we've had some...issues in the past. I guess he just didn't want to tell you guys."

He looked at me.

"Those people...the people you lived with in the human world...they were from the Sü Army."

"The Sü Army? Who-"

"Remember that camp-place where we met Amairy? That's where they're training people. They're training them to...fight against you..."

"Why do they need an Army!! If one old woman can practically kill me, they don't need an ARMY!!"

"....honestly....they do...and that's why I had to kill them." he mumbled.

"So...I just touch them?"

He nodded. I took a deep breath...and walked forward.

The Strings seemed to glow brighter the closer I got.

I looked back.

All my friends.

Jacket, Ben, Nai, Kînru, Jen, Amairy...they're all here for me.

I stepped forwards....and touched the closest String....

And had no idea what I had done...

                                                                         -Jacket-

The Strings burst into dust the second her hand touched them. Like a String dominos, they all puffed into dust. The dust began to spin and become some sort of, magic-string-dust-tornado!

Kimi's body was lifted up like a rag doll, her head bent back, her eyes closed and her arms loose by her sides.

She was raised into the middle of the dust. It spun faster and faster until Kimi was only JUST visible. 

The black disappeared from her skin.

Light burst from her eyes mouth and fingertips.

She was screaming.

This seemed to last forever.

Eventually, the Magic-String-Dust-Tornado faded away and Kimi fell down the hole in the floor.

"Kimi!!" 

I ran to look down.

The hole looked endless.

"Don't panic. I know where she is."

Amairy said, leaving.

"Follow me."

Amairy led us out and back to the village.

She told us to leave all our weapons in our rooms at the inn.

She then traveled us to the castle. 

We were just outside of it.

Surrounding the castle was hundreds of people, shouting.

I could only make out a few things.

"Is it true? Is she there?!"

"WHERE IS SHE?!?"

"The Queen! She's finally returned!"

They were all talking about Kimi. Amairy looked away.

SHE was the Queen. Kimi was her daughter. The next heir.

A guard, dressed in black, came out the front door.

"Please, calm down! The rumours are true! The Yorune has returned to take her missing mothers place! She will be arriving on the balcony soon. Please, be patient!"

After that, everyone stared at the balcony.

Not soon after, someone walked out and stood there, looking across at all the people.

She had flowing, purple hair and was wearing an amazing dress, layered with various jems and had many colours.

Its was a long, blue, regal dress.

Was that...Kimi?

"...People of Kakadelia...I know you have not met me before and that this is my first time living as royalty...but I promise...to be the best Queen I can."

The crowd cheered loudly, claps and screams echoing throughout Kakadelia.

Amairy began to run barge through the crowds, heading towards the castle.

"Amairy! Wait!" Ben called.

We all followed her to the castles doors.

She pulled them open and ran inside.

She zoomed up the staircase into the highest room.

Miraculously, we kept up with her. Though Nai was panting and looked like he may pass out.

She forced the doors open and shouted

"Kimi!"

Kimi turned around, smiled and ran towards us.

She hugged Amairy tightly, both of them smiling through their tears.

"I'm so proud of you!"

"It was so scary, mum! There was so many people!"

"Kimi...your hair..." I said, walking forward.

"Oh...this?" She said, holding a few strands up. "Purple is the intended speech colour. One second."

Her hair slowly faded back to its original brown colour.

"What took you guys so long?" She asked.

"What? We came here straight away!" Nai said, finally catching his breath.

"No. I've been here for a few days now. I've just revealed myself to the Kakadelians. My guards and servants have been telling people of my arrival since I got here. They've been showing me my duties and Yorukéi powers needed."

"When she fell through the hole, she fell through time. She arrived here." Ben said.

"Kimi...I know who else is an Ikåmîañ." Amairy said.

"Who?"

"Look." She pointed at the door.

When we all looked, Papa was standing there.

"Abrïlk!" I shouted.

Abrïlk smiled at me.

"You can't be angry at yourself, kid."

"Wh...."

"I died not soon after I found Kimi. I used Ikåmîañ. I remade me, but you were made too. Your parents weren't your parents. They found you, but got rid of you later."

"I...I'm...you?"

"Abrïlk! How are you here! Your world was..." Ben said.

"I just wanted Jacket to know...and to say goodbye to my kids. But now-"

Amairy shot a blast of magic and Abrïlk disappeared.

Amairy pointed at me.

"What?!" I shouted.

"You are...Abrïlk....Ikåmîañ.... never fails...

With that, Amairy began to fade.

"Kimi...please...I don't have long." Amairy said, clutching onto her.

"What? What do you mean?" Kimi asked.

"My...my businesses is done. I got my heir to the throne. An Ikåmîañ will only stay if its purpose is incomplete. But you're Queen now...so..."

"No! Too many people have left me already! Papa, Kamaî, Kito...I can't lose you too!"

"...I'm sorry Kimi..."

Amairy stroked Kimi's cheek and faded away.

"...that happened quickly..." Nai mumbled.

Kimi stared down at floor for a while.

When she looked up, she said,

"Where's Jen?"

We all looked around. He was no where to be seen.

I was sure he was with us outside. Where did he go?

"Well...that's nothing to worry about now. We'll find him." Ben said, turning to Kimi.

"Now...your highness...shall we begin?" He bowed and held his hand out to Kimi.

Kimi smiled, taking his hand.

"...I guess...this is my life now. I won't lose anyone else...and I'll take care of my world."

Ben and Kimi left.

"Wait...is this it?!?" Nai panicked, moving back.

"...yeah...I guess. Kimi's Queen now." I said.

"No! This can't be it! We've come so far! It can't end this quickly!! What do we do now?!"

"Now..." I said, looking out the window.

"....we live."

                                                                  -Kiminé-

Well...this is it.

I'm Queen.

Did you like it? My story? My life?

I know it may feel sudden, but that's how it was for me.

Everything just went by so fast...I could never keep up.

Compared to how it really feels...I guess I made losing someone you love...look easy.

Kito...

But I have duties now. I am a Queen.

Jeeze....its crazy, right?

I've gone from a girl on the streets...to a Queen.

I've got all my friends too.

My brother, Jacket.

The nurses in the castle say that, with some time, they might be able to heal his leg!

I'm so glad that everything turned out alright for us.

Or...

Did it?

Is this really the end?

I'm only sixteen....I have much more life to live.

Is it a happy ending?

Is there ever a happy ending?

I guess...

We'll have to wait and see.

The End