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Occ:// Finally!

Rue took a step backward from the sudden appearance of her. Tess had scrambled to stand behind her mother, and was still clutching her hand, looking around with wide, grey-blue eyes. Tariq stepped forward, curiousity and surprise on his fair face. Memories nagged at the bac of RUe's mind, but she shok them off, as the adventurous Mady stepped boldly forward. "Who are you? " she asked, sounding rather impertinent. Gale followed his twin, but stayed silent.

Setsuko gazed at the winged child, then back up at the one whose eyes she had first glimpsed. The face of their owner seemed strikingly familiar, but she couldn't quite place from where she had seen them before. She answered the child, but gazed at the one who seemed to be her mother. "I'm Setsuko...of the Water Tribe," She spoke slowly, hesitating before she added that last part. She was only half Water and she knew it, but that was where she lived, and her husband was full-blood. She felt as if she'd gone through this before, nearly twenty or so years ago...perhaps in a dream. She was so lost in thought that she didn't notice as Kuilak, Jaci and the kids came up behind her. And then, the memory unveiled itself. She gasped in realization. "Rue Ride," She whispered.

Memories rushed into Rue's head, after a brief moment of confusion. "Setsuko?" she gasped, then stepped forward. "It can't be you, how could it be you?" she whispered, not really expecting an answer.


"So you, know her?" Tariq broke in. Rue nodded quickly, brown eyes shining in happiness to be reunited with a long-forgotten friend.

"For all these years, I thought you where just a dream," Setsuko murmured to herself. "Setsuko, you know these people?" Kuilak asked, astonished. Setsuko spun around, surprised that her family had followed her. She relaxed and replied, "Just Rue. I met her over 20 years ago..." Her voice trailed off as she observed her old friend. She was certainly older...but of course, that was to be expected. Her tawny wings had grown larger and stronger. And surrounding her were...children. Setsuko couldn't be sure whether or not they belonged to Rue, but all of them had wings. Jaci stepped forward cautiously and sniffed at Rue. Setsuko noticed how much Jaci had grown, his sturdy face reached just below Rue's neck as he sniffed. His thick, dark mane swayed in a slight breeze.

Rue reached out a hand a placed it on top of the Blue Lion's head. "Hello Jaci," she greeted softly. Maddy and Gale were silent for once, unable to make sense of this reunion, and Rue could still feel Tess behind her, shy as always.

Jaci retreated calmly, as if acknowledging Rue's greeting. Kuilak moved towards Setsuko, handing a whining Li over. Setsuko took her youngest son gently, lulling him back to sleep. Then she glanced back at Rue, confusion and worry in her eyes. "Rue, what on earth is going on? I was taking a walk with my family when suddenly it got warmer, and I found you here," She knew that she was leaving a lot out of the story, but there would be time to fill it in later on.

"I don't know.." Rue said, thinking. "The same thing happened to us. Do you think that it's happening again?" The it in the sentence had a clear meaning, referring to their previous adventure. The sentence was followed by a breif silence as she considered the possibilty, and as her family struggled to make sense of what was going on. "What do you mean, it's happening again?" Tariq asked. "Remember when I was gone for a while, back when we were still kids?" Rue asked. As Tariq nodded, she continued. "I was with Setsuko. I'm not sure where, not in either one of our worlds....we had to complete a task to get back home." Tariq looked slightly stunned, Tess confused and hesitant, Maddy and Gale curious.

"What?" Asked Sumi, utterly confused. "Mom, what is going on? And how come these people have wings?" Setsuko sighed. "It's a long story." "Setsuko, is that where you where?" Kuilak asked softly. "All those years ago, your parents came back from that camping trip without you...you were with this....Rue?" Setsuko nodded ever-so-slightly. "It's a bit hard to explain," She murmured. "We'll have time later...when we get to the cabin," She glanced at Rue knowingly.

Rue nodded. "Do you remember the way?" she asked. "What cabin?" Tess asked, curiously. She thought it would take to long to explain, so merely said, "You'll see, weetie."

Setsuko glanced around. "Vaguely." She thought for a moment. "It's gonna be crowded, though," She pointed out.

"Maybe we should go to the cave? Not far in, and it will have more room," Rue suggested.

Setsuko looked stunned at the suggestion. "Goodness, no!" She gasped. "We couldn't risk that. The children..." Her voice trailed off. "Let's just find the cabin, ok?"

Rue saw sense in her sentence. Now thinking about it, she didn't want to risk it. "Alright," Rue said. She unfurled her wings, almost brushing the thick tree trunks on either side.

"Wait!" Setsuko called before Rue took off. "Not all of us can fly!"

Rue, who had been accustomed to Setsuko being able to fly, missed that detail. "I guess we'll walk then," she said, leaving her wings out, but folding them in partway.