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Natsumi reduced his glider to a simple staff and peered into the dark cave. "Ok," He said, "SO who wants to go in first? Maddy? You were so enthusiastic about getting here first...why don't you go on in?"

Maddy shot him a deathstare, which her grandmother referred to as "the Bird". "I don't think so," she said icily.

"Come on, Madeline," Gale said, a small smirk spreading across his face as he prodded his twinn sister. "Ladies first, right?"

Maddy turned her glare to Gale.

"Madeline?" Sumi repeated, slightly confused.

"It's my full name," Maddy said heatedly. "But don't you dare you use it!" Her glare would intimidate alot of people, and she turned it back on Sumi.

"Oooh," Sumi said, understanding. "You mean the same way my full name is Natsumi. Gotcha, gotcha."

Maddy looked back at Gale. "Why don't you go? You're supposed to be the big brother." He was only older by a few minutes, but it was a fact he used to tease her many times.

Gale's smug looked faded, replaced by uncertainty. Backing down would mean ammunition for his twin, and going first could bring anything. He chose to go first. "Alright, I'll go," he said nervously, swallowing agianst his dry mouth.

Sumi followed Gale in tentatively. The cave was dark, damp, and cool, quite unlike the humid, sticky mess outside.

Setsuko just sat and absentmindedly watched as her family and friends searched the remains. Kuilak noticed and came to sit by her. "Are you all right?" he asked, voice thick with concern. Setsuko didn't reply at first, as if she had not heard. But before Kuilak got the chance to repeat the question, she spoke. "Y...yeah. Yeah, just fine." There was an empty quality to her voice; hearing it in the woman who was usually so optimistic and even energetic gave Kuilak the shivers.

Rue had been searching close to Setsuko, and had heard her voice as well. She dropped the piece of damp wood she had been shifting, and walked back over to her friend. "I know how you feel, Setsuko. Everything'll be fine." She said it with such confidence, RUe herself wanted to believe it. But she didn't know that for sure...all she could do was hope.

"You don't think this is the cave with the spirit in it, do you?" Gale asked uneasily.

Setsuko felt like she had broken inside. The pressure of being in the dream world again...Ayumu's appearance last she'd seen him...the fact that she was being forced to bring her children to a magical, dangerous cave...it seemed like too much. She regarded Rue's statement with the slightest of nods, but she wasn't sure she entirely believed that. "Are you sure you're ok?" Kuilak pressed, voice dropping to a worried whisper.

Sumi studied the area in the little light there was. "Nah, it couldn't be," He concluded at last. "Didn't Mom and Rue say it was a round cave? Look at the shape here...it's kinda rough and jagged, with stalactites and stalagmites. I'm sure that the spirit's cave would look...cleaner."

Gale looked around. "Maybe...but didn't they say he was plagued? Maybe his cave was affected too." That thought sent chills down his spine.

"Can we leave?" Maddy asked nervously.

Sumi considered the thought, nervousness pulsing through his body. "N...no," He said. "Besides, it's too dark to be a spirit cave!" He added, his impatient temper starting to show through.

"Well, if you're so sure, maybe you should lead!" Gale shot make, nerves making him irritable.

"Fine, I will," Sumi snapped back, strutting up to the front of the group and walking deeper into the cave.

Gale breathed a silent sigh of relief. If he was going to run into any plagued spirits, he did not want to be in the front.

Setsuko stood slowly, only half conscious of what was going on. Kuilak stood next to her...and was completely unprepared for her next move. She grabbed and unfurled her glider, taking off abruptly and flying as far off as she could. "Setsuko!" Kuilak called, alarmed. "Setsuko, come back!" But of course, she did not listen. Kuilak felt a lone tear or two leak down his face. "What is this place doing to us all?" He whispered to himself, even the soft whispered strained.