"You think Taka is okay, Uotani-chan?" Umeko asked over the sound of Kuni's wings.

"Sure I'm sure! He's a guy. He think he's the macho one or something but don't worry kay? I think he's coming to find us now," assured Uotani.

Umeko missed the rest of what Uotani said after she said she was sure. She didn't know what to do except worry about him at the moment. Taka, she now realized, is the first guy she's ever worried about aside from her little brother.

"Umeko, the sun's coming up! The horizon's bright red... like a pomelo! XD... and that means we're gonna have to wake up soon. We'll have to rest some where," said Uotani over her shoulder.

"Right," said Umeko as she looked at the sunrise.

She checked if her egg was all right and it was safely tucked under a soft blanket in her pack. Umeko at least smiled at that. Kuni began descending and landed in the better part of a forest somewhere a bit further than Shine Lake. this forest was called the Calm Wake forest. No particular reason.

"All right. We should be safe here for the daylight sleep. The density of leave here can cover us from about and... all around us are high bushes... excellent but..." Uotani walked toward a bush. She motioned the two over.

When they got to what Uotani wanted to show them, it was a small opening surrounded in a circle by tall bushes.

"We can sleep here," said Uotani smiling.

"Uotani-chan, how long have you been here? I've only been here a day or so, or rather one night and yet you've seem to know a lot," said Umeko.

"Mm, two nights?" answered Uotani.

"Only two? But it seems like you know everything here in Sonoto!"

"Haha! Thanks! But it's only I love exploring! This is as far as I got, believe it or not," grinned Uotani, embarrassed that they could not find a better place.

"Cool! Think you can show me what you've seem sometime?" asked Umeko, layin her pack on her lap.

"Yeah! But after we defeat the big bad guy okay? We'll discuss more back at home. I've first lunch, you?"

"Same."

"Kay, wanna meet by the caf corner on the right?"

"Okay, Taka's coming too."

"Haha! Of course! We'll need all the help we can get. We'll need to discuss what's going on. Why the land's going bare and such, but we already a bit about that, what's up with our Gems, and mainly, who our enemy is," said Uotani.

"Gyea, okay good night then," said Umeko, sleeping on her pack. She had taken out her egg and had the blanket over it.

Umeko hugged it close and gently to keep it warm, waiting for it to hatch, though she doesn't know when. Uotani stood by Kuni and held his head. Umeko peeped up to see what was going on.

"Wind, I bid thee. Shield us with thy self til we Gem Keepers have awaken to-night with silence," breatherd Uotani, head to head with Kuni.

His wings spread and he took flight. He was just high enough to use his wings and blew a single gust of wind. When he did, mare and more wind gathered up and formed a large Wind Sphere. Kuni descended and Uotani did the rest. Umeko saw that Uotani reached into her breast pocket and pulled out her Gem.

"Ready?" she asked Umeko who was sitting up now, holding her egg on her lap. She slowly nodded.

"Here we go! <3:

Uotani immediately stuck her hand into the growing Wind Sphere and everything seemed to slow down, like the Matrix =]. Time started again and Uotani then spread her arms apart, causing the Sphere to disperse neatly around their hiding spot. Using two fingers, Uotani used the Gem to spread the Silent Shield and complete it.

"Silent Shield," finished Uotani.

"Whooa," said Umeko in awe.

"Now no one can see, or hear us," said Uotani.

"How and when did you learn that?!"

"Mm? About two hourse since my arrival here. Like there was this wolf thing near Shine Lake, drinking and it saw me. I was still holding my Gem when it was coming to attack me. I don't know, the Gem felt warm and words left my lips and I performed the Silent Shield =] in which, blew the wolf like, across the lake, but yea =]. It was awesome! And I'm sure that who ever gave us these sweetness Gems, more moves are for us to find out," said Uotani.

"So when the need arises a new move is unlocked? Wow! Almost like a video game!" said Umeko.

"Yea! I know right? That's what I thought when I got here! Ha, it's almost time for school. let's go to sleep. Night Umeko-san."

"Right. Night nights."

With that, Kuni huddled by the two of them and they slept.

------- <(-.-<)" "(>-.-)>-------

"Where are they?" Taka asked.

"Meh, don't sweat it. Pegasus knows where they are. You told me these girls have a Horse too, right? So, he know where his own kin is," said Seb.

"But what if that kid already found her?"

"Sun's almost up. Maybe he only hunts in the night. For fun," said Seb.

"That's mean and creepy. But... like you said, the sun's almost up which means I'm waking up soon," said Taka.

"Same here. Gotta warm up my car."

"You have a car? Oh, hey, do you know when you got your Gem?" Taka asked, a thought raised in his mind.

"Meh... um probably two nights ago? And when I got it, before, there was a blinding white light and it made me shield my eyes. And when I opened them again, this Gem was in my hand. While my hands were off the uh, steering wheel, I thought I heard someone yell, 'IDIOT!;"

'Uh...'

"I was gonna stop but I was already running late," finished Seb, looking at this Fire Gem.

'That car... that almost ran Umeko over...?' thought Taka.

Pegasus landed them down in a dense forest. The Calm Wake forest. Uotani and Umeko were there, as Pegasus sensed it. The two got off and Pegasus placed his forehead onto his Tamer's.

"There are two of them right?"

"Yeah."

"They're here. And there's a Horse with purple wings, right?"

"Mhm.. i think so," said Taka.

"Kay... Pegasus says they're right here and gave me an inside vision that they've put up a shield," Seb said, pointing to a small opening.

Right where he pointed the grass were pressed down and the guys knew they were sleeping there.

"Well, we know that that guy didn't find them. But I bet he's near here somewhere. Let's set up camp shall we?"

"Camp?"

"Eh, just use your cloak as a blanket and your pack as a pillow."

"Oh, right. I've already got a pillow," he grinned. Seb immediately looked at Taka.

"From.. from home?"

"Yea..." he nodded.

"From... your room?"

"Yeah- well not exactly. I took this fro Umeko's room whe-"

"But that's impossible. How did you do that?" Seb asked, his hood down to reveal his spiked up hair and concerned eyes.

"I don't know. I had it next to my head and it ended up in my pack when I came here not that long ago."

'Not that long ago..?' Seb thought to himseld.

"Why?"

"Well um, I tried to bring my things from my room too.. like a PSP... but that didn't work. I don't know how you brought that pillow here... did you just say you took that from someone's room? A girl's? Man, you got it going!" Seb grinned.

"Naw, I've just met her-"

While they seemed to be talking, they were also disappearing. They were waking up at home.

Pegasus guarded their 'camp' and the girls' base.

------home------

Morning alarm clocks rang.

"Onee-san!! Wake up!! We're gonne be late!" Kisho shouted from his room.

"Mngh... okay I'm up..." groaned Umeko as she sat up and stretched.

She got out of her bed and dragged her feet over to her window. When she looked out, she saw Taka looking out as well as he was brushing his teeth. He notcied her and waved in excitement that she was up. Umeko blushed a nice shade of red as she waved back shortly because Taka did not have his shirt on.

'Omg! Omg! Omg! Omg!!' she thought over and over, rushing away from her window.

Taka knew she saw him and thought it was funny that she was freaking out about it. He finished brushing his teeth and put his school uniform on, minus the jacket.

Ten minutes later Umeko was all set and grabbed her bag and got out of her room. She grabbed the toast Kuni made for her and accidentally took his lunch as well. Already out the doow, Kisho was about to take his lunch bag, but it was gone.

"Hey..." Kisho took his sis' lunch and ran out the door, shoving the last bit of toast in his mouth.

He ran up to his sister and switched their lunches.

"Hey! What- oh, haha, I'm sorry Kisho," said Umeko apologizingly.

"What's the rush?"

"Nothing realy. I thought I was really late so I rushed out," said Umeko.

"Then maybe I gotta get you a watch for Christmas," grinned Kisho.

Across the street, Taka was walkikng the same pace as Umeko was. He waved at her again when she looked over.

'Packed... packed... no, must not think about that.... just... wave,' she thought and listened to herself. She waved and smile. Kisho looked to who she was waving at.

'!... um he kinda looks like that guy...' thought Kisho holding his soccer ball close to his hip.



------------------------------end of chapt 9-1 ^.^--------------------------------