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Rue's brown eyes narrowed in confusion, but she ran after her friend without hesitation. Had Setsuko finally gone crazy, though? Rue couldn't help but wonder about that. After all, Kuilak was right; the cabin had been destroyed. What point was there in going back?

Tariq shrugged, just as confused as Rue. He set Tess down, and he and the children followed Setsuko and Rue. He would go where his wife went, and the children would follow.

Setsuko whipped out her glider and flew across the lake, not caring to notice how it was full again. Jaci swam after her the best he could.

She landed and ran, and ran, and ran. It wasn't long until she reached the cabin, slightly out of breath. As she stood outside the erected cabin, she could hear it. The wailing of an infant.

Setsuko's eyes filled to the brim with tears, a few flying out as she quickly entered.

And little Li lay squirming on the floor.

Rue hurried after her easily, her powerful wings propelling her forward. To her surprise, the cabin...wasn't destroyed. It was fine, better than before, even. And inside was Setsuko, who was crying. The sound of a baby crying filled the air as well, and it took Rue a second to make the connection. She glanced down, and a tear trickled out of her eye as well. Li was there, prefectly fine, if a little upset. But...he was alive.

Setsuko knelt down beside her son in amazement, a river of relief streaming from her now-cleared eyes. She scooped up her son gently, holding him close. Feeling his mother, Li began to calm, breathing softly.

You're alive, Setsuko thought, relishing the warmth she felt on the child's skin, which had once been cold. My child, you've come back...

___


Kuilak stared at the lake. At first, he had been a bit irritated at it because it made him unable to follow his wife. His sopping wet hair and clothes rubbed that fact in his face.

But then he realized: it was the lake. It was back.

That single tear was followed by quite a few more, and a broad grin formed on Rue's face. A small sigh of pleasure slipped out; for once, everything was right in the world. Li was okay, Ayumu was better, and everyone was safe and in one piece.

Setsuko stood slowly and turned towards the doorway. As she walked out with Li, she cast a faint, but sincere smile in Rue's direction, and headed back towards the lake.

Rue was even more relieved at Setsuko's smile. While the expression was small, it was still there, and it was actually real and sincere. Setsuko had been so quiet, so closed in after Li had died. Now that he was back again...there was immediate recovery. She followed her friend outside, wiping her cheeks dry.

Setsuko made it back to the caverns. Kuilak stared at her and, in amazement and almost disbelief, at the squirming, smiling little boy in her arms.

Li.

Kuilak ran to her, his expression saying everything. The other five kids crowded around quickly. Kya felt near to tears of relief, and even Sumi couldn't hide his smile.

Ayumu sighed calmly. "All is as it should be," he murmured. "Are you all ready to go home now?"

Setsuko nodded. "Yes, we are. Thank you, Ayumu."

Rue, however, hesitated, glancing at Setsuko, then at Ayumu. "Will...will we still remember?" she asked the spirit slowly, refering to when they had come the first time. After leaving this world, she had no memory of what had happened. Rue didn't want that to happen again.

Ayumu sighed again, heavily. "That's a complicated process there, Rue," he admitted. "It's probably better, in the long term, for you not to remember these specific experiences. The only things one needs to recall, after meeting another from such a different world, is whatever they learned in the process. After all, that, with the exception of this occasion, is the reason most of them are brought here."

Ayumu stood a bit straighter and blinked. "Given the circumstances, I would say that it's better for you not to remember anything at all. But, if you really, really want..." He paused, as if unsure about making the offer, "...I can grant the memory to you and Setsuko, you and Setsuko only. But, Rue, it will feel like nothing more than a dream, and if you want to remember a dream, you have to try to grasp it, as soon as you wake up. If you are willing to try that, I will give you that gift. The others will recall only feelings, like you did last time, like a person awaking to a feeling, but no memories of events."

Rue glanced at Setsuko, and nodded immediatly. "I will," she said simply, turning back to the spirit. "Thank you," she added, a small smile forming on her face.

Ayumu nodded curtly. "Very well."

He stared into the eyes of everyone in the cavern, one by one, his beady black eyes glowing white hot, burning into all elses'.

And no longer were they there.

"Thank you," he said again, though he knew they could not hear him. "All is well once more."

Rue grumbled as she sat up, the image of incredibly bright, white eyes lingering in her brain. Frowning, she thought back; where had that image come from? Searching her brain, she realized it was simply a dream. Everyone in her family had been in the dream, and so had others. The avian-hybrid struggled to remember what had occured in her mind while she had been sleeping. Setsuko! That was her name. And then there were others as well....most of the details eluded her, and she shook her head to clear it.

It was just a dream, she reminded herself, heading into the bathroom to get ready to face the day. But Setsuko's image lingered in her mind...

Setsuko woke in her bed back in the Southern Water Tribe, next to Kuilak, who was still sleeping, and Li in his little basket not too far off, breathing gently. She knew, also, that the other children were contentedly snoozing in their own rooms. What a dream that had been, she thought.

Yet still, a persistent memory lingered in the back of her mind, a loyal, friendly woman with dark hair and eyes, with strong wings like those of a bird.

And, from somewhere, the name Rue seemed to link itself to the very image.



THE END