The Twelve Signs written by Len-chan The 12 Signs are based on the Asian Yearly Zodiac (year of the dog, tiger, rooster, etc.) and the 10 Stems are based on the Asian elements (wood, fire, water, etc.). The characters of this story are property of me. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Okay," Mitsu said. She jumped off the horse and stood protectively in front of her friend. "Care to tell me why you saved us?" "No." the silver haired man asked. He helped the blond girl down and pushed her into the house. Mitsu narrowed her eyes and walked closer to him. Chi grabbed Mitsu's arm and nodded no. "Mitsu, please, we don't know who he is! He could be dangerous." "If he were dangerous, he would have stayed behind and kicked all of those guards' butts!" Mitsu told Chi. She shrugged Chi's hand off her arm. She grabbed the man's shoulders and turned him around. "I demand that you tell us why we're here!" "I don't know why the hell you're here!" he yelled at her. "For all I care...you...can..." his voice slowed down when he got a full view of Chi, who held the horse's reins behind Mitsu. He pushed Mitsu aside and walked over to Chi. He took the reins from Chi's hands. "I'll take this." He said cheerfully. "Oh great," Mitsu looked up at the sky. "Why is it that Chi gets all the guys and I'm stuck with NOTHING!? Am I that fat and ugly? Seriously?" Chi's face was red as she came over to Mitsu. "He's cute." Chi whispered in Mitsu's ear. "Oh...someone has a crush!!" Mitsu giggled. Chi punched her shoulder. "Why do you always hit me?" "I don't know...habit...?" Chi asked. She always was hitting Mitsu, although Mitsu would never hit back. Chi wondered why. When she saw Mitsu bruise some guys' arm after he teased her, Chi realized that Mitsu hit HARD and would never punch one of her girl friends. "Well? Did he explain anything to you?" Mitsu asked. Chi shook herself out of her blushing state and nodded. "Yes, but not really. He just said to go and ask his father...Siro?" "Chi and Mitsu," an old voice announced. "I welcome you to Lotus." "Huh?" the girls asked. In front of them was a skinny old man with white hair and beady gray eyes. He was obviously the father of the man who saved them. In his arms was a little bundle of cloth. "Mitsu, would you like to hold him?" "Huh?" Mitsu realized she was staring at the bundle and the man revealed it to be a little baby boy. "Oh!! He's so cute!!!" "Mitsu, you don't even know who that baby is!" Chi gasped as Mitsu ran over to the old man and took the baby into her arms. "Oh, Chi, look! He's so cute! I just love him!!!" Mitsu told her, happily. Chi always knew that Mitsu had a soft side for children and animals. "You mean you LIKE him, you can't love him yet." Chi said as she watched the old man usher Mitsu inside. "Oh?" another voice said. The young man who saved them was next to her. "You don't believe in love at first sight?" He looked at her and smiled. Chi blushed as he put a hand on her shoulder and lead her inside the house. Once inside, the old man was on the rocking chair holding the baby. Mitsu was squatted next to the chair playing with the baby. She caught sight of the young man and stood up, turning serious. "Okay, who are you?" Mitsu asked, pointing at him. "My name is Toshio and that is my father Siro. We are wizards." he told her. "Right...and I'm Dorothy! Oh, no, Chi! I don't think we're in Tokyo any more!" Mitsu told them sarcastically. Chi nodded her head no. "Mitsu, at least let them explain." "I've been waiting for him to do that since we got on those horses!" Mitsu told her friend. "He won't explain it," Siro said from his seat on the rocking chair. "I will. Please take a seat." Mitsu and Chi sat down on the throw pillows around the house. Mitsu carefully watched the people around her. Toshio went to a table and lifted up a leather bound book. Mitsu jumped up. "That was the book Chi and I were reading yesterday! And you're the one that took it and got us into this place!" "I didn't think you two would actually follow me. Now we have a problem. We can't send you back to your dimension with memories from ours." Toshio told them. "I had sent my son to your dimension to first retrieve that book. It belongs here and tells the legend-" Siro began, but Mitsu and Chi cut him off as they looked at each other. "Of the Twelve Signs..." they whispered. The flashbacks of their pictures in the book came back to them. "That's right. You must have read about the Twelve Signs in the book. Well, there were two of the signs that died protecting the baby," he pointed to the child in his arms, meaning that that was the next Ultimate Ruler. "Well, those two signs were that of the Dragon and Goat. Toshio was supposed to come in later and get them after he figured out how they looked like." "Uh...father..." Toshio mumbled. He lifted the book and knelt down by the old man. "Hmm...I was just getting to that. Did you think I didn't know!?" Siro asked Toshio. "Know what?" Chi asked. "These two pictures," Toshio said. He showed the Mitsu and Chi the images in the book that looked like them. "Are the two of the Twelve Signs at died." Chi fell backwards and Mitsu shook her head in disbelief. "Wait a second...you guys believe that that girl who is Dragon is me and that girl who is Goat is Chi?" Mitsu asked. "I'm sorry, but that's just too hard to believe." "Mitsu, I want to go home." Chi told her friend. Mitsu nodded. "Yeah..." Mitsu agreed. "So do I Chi-chan," she looked at the two wizards. "We both would like to go home. We've been gone for...maybe an hour. Our parents will be worried." "I wouldn't count on it," Siro told them. "For every day you spend here, one minute passes in your world." "Huh?" the girl asked. The looked at each other. "So you're saying that it has only been seconds since we came here?" "Yes." Siro told them. "So how do we get back home?" Chi asked. "Well, you have to find all of the Twelve Signs first. Once you find them, you will get what you need to come here when you are needed." Siro answered. "How long will it take for us to find the rest of the group?" Mitsu asked. She looked worried. "Days, months, years...who knows..." Siro said. "He stood up. "Better get you some traveling clothes. Toshio, begin packing." "We're leaving to find the Twelve Signs NOW!?" Mitsu gasped. The old man nodded and handed Mitsu the baby. "You also have to bring Taro. He's the baby and in order to protect him he must be with you." Siro added. "A baby!?" Mitsu gasped. "But...what if someone attacks us!?" "Your job is to protect him. When you find the rest of the Twelve Signs, come back here." Siro told them. "Father will you be all right in the meantime?" Toshio asked. "I am a Wizard, no?" Siro asked. "I can make this house disappear." "I'm going as well." a female voice called. "Princess Shiho!" Toshio told her. "You can't come." "He is my brother and I feel this is my fault. I shouldn't have let Saburo use me like that!" Shiho told them. *And I won't leave you to be alone with two girls!* "She deserves to come, Toshio," Siro his son. "Go ahead and prepare to leave." ~~~~~~ Hours Later ~~~~~~~ *Mental Note: NEVER follow a stranger into a warp hole again...no matter how tempting...* Mitsu thought to herself. She sat on a brown horse with a black mane. Her backpack provided a carrying case of Taro, who she wanted to baby-sit the entire way. "Where are we supposed to go?" Chi asked. She rode along side Mitsu and Toshio. Her horse was pure white with gray speckles. Her horse carried their food and camping supplies. "There is a dock with a ship waiting for us to take us across the ocean." Toshio told them. "How will we find the Twelve Signs?" Mitsu asked. She wore a purple robe that made her look like a munk. Underneath she wore a pair of baggy black pants and a loose fitting white shirt. Chi wore the same thing under her blue robe. Mitsu tied her hair up in a tight fitting bun to keep her cool. "Father said that fate will lead us to them. So we might as well hope for the best." "I hope fate will lead us to them soon..." Mitsu murmured. Shiho rode her golden yellow mare between Chi and Toshio. "So...Chi...you're the goat am I correct?" "Yes." Chi told her. "I can see how the dragon is a good protector, but why a goat?" Shiho asked. She had a smirk on her face. Toshio threw her an annoyed look. Chi sat on her horse, not knowing how to answer. "The goat is a sign of tender loving, and nurturing care. Chi is the supporter of this group. But you KNEW that right?" Mitsu asked, in her friend's rescue. Chi threw her a thankful glance and Mitsu winked back. Shiho looked at her with a glare as Mitsu had an innocent look on her face. She continued to ride. "Of course...I was just testing you..." Shiho answered. "Of course..." Mitsu added. "There's the harbor, come on!" Toshio ordered. He grabbed his reins of his stallion and began to gallop. The girls followed him. ~~~~~Back at the Palace at Lotus~~~~~ The sound of vases breaking echoed through the hallway of the palace as Saburo yelled and screamed in anger. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE HOUSE ISN'T THERE!?" he growled at the group of guards. "We went to the exact place where Siro's house was and it was no longer there. It... It disappeared your majesty!" said the first soldier. He and his two companions knelt before the temperamental man. Saburo ran a hand through his hair and took in a deep breath. "Fine...he's a wizard... he probably moved his house..." he looked at the guards that sat before him. "You may stand up again." Reluctantly, the three guards stood up, with their heads bowed. Saburo took out his sword and pointed it at the leader's neck. "Sire, we're sorry!!" he gasped. Saburo narrowed his eyes and pulled his sword away. He went to a fruit bowl by his throne and stabbed and apple with the tip of his sword. "This..." Saburo told them. "Is the Sword of Darkness..." "We know sire..." the guards trembled. "Then you should be please that you will die by it." Saburo jerked the sword, causing it to throw the apple in the air. The guards looked up at the apple and Saburo whipped his sword at the guards neck. They felt no sting, just a breeze. They looked at Saburo. The warlord began to laugh, and in an attempt to satisfy their lord, they began to laugh as well. Suddenly one guard began to choke. He grabbed his neck and felt a warm sticky liquid attach to his skin. He removed his arm and saw the blood from the tip of the blade from Saburo's sword. With alarming expressions, the other guards touched their own necks. Raku stepped into the throne room just as the last of the three guards crumpled to the floor. "Eww... Look at all this blood!" Raku gasped. "Save it." "Siro's house has disappeared...it means that his son must have begun to look for the Twelve Signs." Saburo told his sister. "I'll prepare the Stems..." Raku told him. She turned on her heel and left. Saburo sat down on his chair. "Well..., looks like they do exist...doesn't matter..." he caught the apple that had flown into the air just before he cut the throats of his guards. "They're all as good as dead anyway." He bit into the apple. ~~~~~ The Ship ~~~~~ "I hate...sailing..." Shiho mumbled. "Uh...hate to burst your bubble, Princess," Mitsu said as she carried Taro around the deck. "But we haven't left the PORT!" "Yes, but all this bobbing up and down is so dreadfully annoying. My stomach is going to jump out of my mouth." Shiho told the girl. "Hmmm...make sure to tell me when so I can get out of your way." Mitsu told her. Shiho threw her another silent glare and Mitsu's look was defiant as she turned back to the baby. "Ahhh!" the baby giggled. He pointed to a bird in the sky. "Yes, Taro...that's a bird..." Mitsu whispered kindly. She pointed to the fish in the water and Taro giggled more. ~~~~~ On the other side of the deck ~~~~~ "Toshio, can I ask you something?" Chi asked as she leaned down and looked at her reflection in to clear bay waters. A young man's reflection joined her. "Sure, anything..." Toshio answered as he leaned next to her. "Mitsu and I, as you know, snuck into the palace. We looked through a window and Shiho was in there. We heard the whole conversation, but I'm still confused as to what lead to it." Chi told him. She looked at him with dark blue eyes. Toshio sighed. "It's a long story." "Like Mitsu-chan says, 'we're going to be here a long to, so you might as tell me'" Chi quoted Toshio smiled and nodded. "Two years ago, Shiho was send on an ambassador's mission to a neighboring kingdom..." "While there, Shiho met a young man named Saburo. He was a warlord in prison. I guess he is handsome or something because Shiho fell in love with him at once. She thought she had changed him into becoming a good citizen again, but it was all a show for her. Shiho told me that a year later he asked her to marry him and she said yes. Her parents nor I or my father never knew. She ran away with him and was married, but under a false holy man. So they were not really married. They did...consort the marriage, and only then did he tell her that they weren't really man and wife. She was enraged and he just laughed at her. He also told her that he hadn't changed a bit and had is sister and their army waiting for him behind the mountain side. He told Shiho to prepare his Lotus for his attack. Shiho rode away and came to me and my father. We've been friends since we were babies. She told us but never told her parents, in fear they would shun her. So, after a few months, she decided that Saburo wouldn't really attack and it was all talk. She was sent on another ambassador's mission. When she returned a week or so ago, Saburo had come and killed her family." Toshio finished by flinging a rock from the deck into the crashing waves of the ocean. The ship had left the port long ago and they were already out at sea. The port could no longer be seen. "Toshio," Shiho said. She put her arms around him and pushed him in front of her. "That THING is bothering me!" She pointed to Mitsu, who was dancing around with the baby in her arms. "Mitsu?" Chi asked. "Yeah?" Mitsu asked with a happy grin on her face. The baby shared the grin. "Isn't Taro just the perfect baby! He's so happy and he never cries!" Shiho walked angrily towards Mitsu and scooped her baby brother into her arms. At once, Taro burst of screaming his lungs off. "Uhh...never cries huh?" Chi asked. She scratched her head as Mitsu bit her mouth closed in order to keep from laughing. "I think you better give him back to Mitsu, Shiho." Toshio told her. "No," Shiho told him. She put her brother over her shoulder. "He is my brother. Not hers." "Yes, but he seems to like Mitsu better." Chi added. Shiho eventually gave her baby brother and gave him to Mitsu. Once in Mitsu's arms, Taro stopped crying and began to laugh happily. "That's a good baby..." Mitsu cooed. She calmly placed the baby with it's legs around her hips and one arm around his back as she reached down into the bag next to Chi's leg. She pulled out a glass bottle with milk inside and gave it to Taro. "That's odd..." "What?" Chi asked. Mitsu lifted up another bottle that has milk in it. "I gave this bottle to Taro when we left the house. When he finished it, I put it inside the bag and now it's full again." Mitsu told Chi. "Are you sure you have the right one?" Chi asked. She opened the bag further and peered inside. "Even if it was the wrong bottle, all the bottles inside there are FULL. There should have been at least one empty." Mitsu insisted. "I can explain that," Toshio told them. "My father put a spell on the bottles. Each time one goes dry, it will refill itself automatically. That way, we won't ever have to worry about the baby's food." "We'll just have to worry about ours...well," Mitsu sighed, "At least we don't have to worry about you going hungry." Mitsu flipped Taro over so his chest was over her shoulder. "Burping him?" Chi asked. Mitsu nodded. The baby let out a burp and the crew stared at them. "It was the BABY!" Chi and Mitsu chorused. "Right..." some of the crew members whispered. The two girls sweat dropped and backed themselves up. "Mister!" the First Mate of the ship came up to the group. It was late in the afternoon and the sun was still up. "Yes?" Toshio asked. The girls stood next to him. "You and your...umm..." the first mate pointed to Chi, Mitsu, and Shiho. "Sisters," Mitsu said. "We're his sisters." "Yes, you and your sisters should watch out. We're in pirate waters." he warned them. "Pirate waters?" Chi and Mitsu whispered. They looked at each other and moved closer together. "Yes, I'd advise you to be prepared for any attack," the first mate advised. "I hear that Cap'n Mikawa has died. He left his entire ship under an even worse pirate." "Who?" Shiho asked. "Cap'n Akemi. No one knows his name. Hear he's as ruthless as anything." another crew member said. "Oh yeah?" a man jumped from the upper deck towards the group. "I hear that he once killed off another pirate ship by himself." "Eek." Mitsu gulped. She held Taro closer to her as the baby looked at the group with large purple eyes. "Yah betta be scared, Miss," One of the crew members who had the eye patch looked at the girls. "Cap'n Akemi is said to have his way with women all the time." "Oh great," Mitsu sighed. "A pervert pirate." "Mitsu, now is not the time..." Chi whispered back. Mitsu rolled her eyes. "I'm sure we can take care of ourselves." Toshio assured the crew members as Chi grabbed his right arm and held on to it tightly. Shiho held his left hand and was also holding him tightly. Mitsu was the only one not holding on to Toshio. She was concentrating on taking care of Taro. "I wouldn't bet that against Cap'n A." "Well, we'll see what happens when we come upon Captain Akemi," Toshio said. He lead the girls down below and to their room. "Can you believe them?" "I won't discredit them yet," Chi said. She sat next to Mitsu, across from Toshio and Shiho. "Let's just concentrate on getting through today." "I agree..." Mitsu whispered. "Taro is asleep." "He's such an angel when he's sleeping..." Chi whispered. Mitsu nodded and wrapped him in a blanket. "I packed some dinner if you guys want some..." Toshio told them. He placed the brown bag he carried over his shoulder on his seat, between him and Shiho. "Yeah, I'll have some," Chi said. She looked at Mitsu. "What about you Mitsu?" "Nah...I can live without dinner..." Mitsu whispered. "You guys go ahead and eat." Chi nodded and took some bread from Toshio. Shiho glared at the way they were looking at each other. She took in a deep breath and put her arm around Toshio's shoulders. "Well, Chi..." Shiho said, "Don't you think Toshio and I make a good couple?" "Couple?" Chi asked. She snapped her head back. Toshio also pulled back and looked at Shiho in surprise. "I didn't know you two were a couple." "Neither did I." Toshio told her. There was a long pause as the three of them looked at each other. Mitsu looked up and narrowed her eyes in confusion. "Why don't we talk about this some other time?" "I think now is a better time to explain it." Toshio stated. His voice was heavy and insisting. "Oh, Toshio, you know what I'm talking about!" Shiho giggled. Chi looked at Toshio and then back a t Shiho. "I doubt he does." she whispered. "Can you guys at least go up on deck? If you guys yell, you might wake up Taro." Mitsu suggested. "Fine," Shiho took Toshio's arm and pulled him out the door. "Come on!" Chi looked at Mitsu. "I can't believe they're together! I thought he was single!" "He is, Chi," Mitsu assured her. "That Shiho girl is only after him because she knows you two like each other." "I don't LIKE him!" Chi gasped. "Yeah, whatever..." Mitsu sighed. "I know you. And I can see that Toshio likes you too, so why are you denying it?" "I don't know..." Chi admitted. "Don't let that pain in the butt Princess do that to you." Mitsu told her. Chi nodded and stood up. "See you later." Chi said. Mitsu nodded and continued to rock Taro in her arms. ~~~~~~~ On the deck, Toshio was talking to Shiho. The blond princess kept nodding her head no over and over. "Why were you acting like that?" Toshio asked "You know we were never a couple." "Well, excuse me, she was all over you, Toshio. And if anyone should get you I should because I've known you longer!" Shiho told him. "This is the first time you've told me that. I really like Chi. She's sweet and kind. You've never showed me any affection before." Toshio told her. "Ummm..." Chi cut into their conversation quietly. She stood by the entrance to the deck below. Her left arm was down as she ran her right hand up and down it's length. "Am I interrupting anything?" "What? Oh, no..." Toshio told her. "It's nothing. Shiho, would you like to explain?" "All right..." Shiho stood in front of Toshio and looked straight at Chi. "Toshio and I are a couple." "No!" Toshio pulled Shiho aside and looked at her. "Don't lie to her Shiho!" He looked at Chi and took one of her hands. "Chi, Shiho and I are not together. We are just friends." "Are you sure?" Chi asked. "I'm positive." Toshio told her. Chi sighed and nodded. She looked a Shiho, but the girl was on the bow of the ship staring at the sun set. "Is Shiho angry?" Chi asked. "Just a little bit. She'll get over it." Toshio told her. He smiled and pulled her into his arms. "Uh..." Chi mumbled. Her eyes darted around. "Come on, let's watch the sunset." Toshio said. He placed his chin on her thick set of blue hair and put his arms around hers. The sun was halfway down in it's horizon. Chi was just starting to enjoy her place in Toshio's arm when a shrill cry echoed through the ship. "PIRATES AHOY!" Chi and Toshio froze. They looked around and watched the crew begin to scatter all over the deck. "Man your positions! Get the laser cannons ready!" the Captain yelled. "There!" Toshio pointed to a ship that was clearly larger than theirs. It was quickly catching up to them. "Get Mitsu!" "Right!" Chi said. She pulled away and ran down the deck to the below of the ship. She threw open the door to their room and Mitsu jumped up. Mitsu saw the frantic look on Chi's face. "What is wrong?" "Pirates!" Chi gasped. Mitsu looked at the sleeping baby. She grabbed his things and put them in her backpack. She took the baby in her arms. "We have to bring him!" Mitsu said. She pushed Chi out the door. As they passed a barrel that was at the corner, Mitsu caught sight of a whip and grabbed it. She and Mitsu ran up to the deck where they saw a huge ship about to pull up to theirs. "Toshio!" Chi yelled. "We have to protect the baby!" Toshio nodded. He looked around the deck for Shiho and grabbed her arm when he found her, hidden behind a barrel, he dragged her back to Chi and Mitsu. "Surround Taro, girls!" Toshio ordered. "Chi get the whip!" "What whip?" Chi asked. Mitsu took her hand and put the leather whip in it. "This one." Chi looked at it. "I don't know how to use this!" Chi gasped. "Well," Mitsu said. "Improvise!" "Mitsu!" Toshio ordered. She turned around and he threw her a long thick stick. It was taller than her with the top sanded down to a dome. "Use it!" "Huh?" Mitsu asked. From all sides of the ship, pirates climbed up from the water or down from rope ladders from their ship. "Take the loot men!" an authoritative voice ordered. Mitsu held Taro in a make shift baby carrier in front of her, with his head against her chest. She held the staff in front of her. "Be careful, girls!" Toshio warned. He created a ball of light in his hands and threw it at a nearby group of pirates. "A Wizard's on board Cap'n!" a pirate yelled as he pointed to Toshio. "He must be protecting something valuable! Find out what it is!" a man with black boots, baggy black pants, and a white shirt said. He had an eye patch over his right eye and he held a glowing white sword in his hand. "Oh, great job, Toshio!" Mitsu remarked as the pirates began to come towards them. Chi closed her eyes and snapped the whip. When she opened them, two pirates were down. "Oh..." Chi said. She began to throw her whip around at the pirates. "Toshio!" Shiho yelled. The group turned and saw the blond princess slung over the shoulder of a pirate, heading back toward their ship. "Great..." Mitsu said. She ran over to the pirate that had Shiho. "I know I'll regret this decision..." She took her staff and swung it under the pirate's feet. With a grunt, he fell back, sending Shiho flying toward the other side of the ship. "You lil' girl!" the pirate began to stand up again. Mitsu looked at her staff and hit him over the head. "I'm sorry!" Mitsu said. She backed away and headed for her friends. "I hope he's not dead..." "Mitsu!" Chi yelled. Mitsu turned around and saw Chi fighting off a lot of pirates. "Chi! I'm coming!" Mitsu yelled. She held her staff horizontally in front of her and ran. She pushed back the crowd and then began to swing her staff around wildly. Meanwhile, Toshio was facing the man with the glowing sword. Toshio had a ball of light ready to throw in his hands. "I guess you're the Captain." Toshio told him. "Captain Akemi, yes. You're a mighty brave to take a pirate on." Akemi told him. His eyes were red, set in a seductive pose in his face. His eye with the patch over it was covered by long red bangs. His hair was red and long, tied at the back base of his neck in a pony tail. He was taller and seemed more muscular than Toshio. "Well, I have something to protect." Toshio told him. They were both speaking calmly as if they were having a normal conversation. "Treasure? Money? What could be so valuable to a wizard that he would protect it with his life?" Akemi asked. "The Next Ultimate Ruler." Toshio stated. His eyes betrayed him as they flashed a look to the bundle Mitsu held. He looked back at Akemi. "Well..." Akemi said. He had a smile on his face. He jumped high in the air. "We'll just have to see if you're telling the truth." "Chi! Mitsu!" Toshio yelled. Chi turned and saw the pirate captain coming down toward them. She jumped out of the way, screaming "MITSU!!!" A sickening thump was heard as Mitsu's body crumpled to the ground. Her staff rolled out of her hands as her arms, for the last time, wrapped around the tiny body of Taro. "NO!" ~~~~~~~~ PIRATE SHIP: DAWN THE NEXT DAY ~~~~~~~~ Chi gently pressed the damp cloth against her best friend's head. Chi had been crying against Toshio's chest as she looked over Mitsu's unmoving body. Toshio checked her for a pulse and sighed in relief. "Chi, don't worry, she's just knocked out. She'll come back to us." he had told her. For the rest of that night, Chi cradled Mitsu's head on her lap as she sat down on the pile of hay in the cellar of the pirate ship. Akemi had hit Mitsu in the back with his fist and the base of his sword. After Mitsu had been knocked out, Toshio and Chi both wrestled Akemi to the ground. They were pulled off by pirates. Akemi stood up and looked at them with a deadly glare. "You dare attack me?" he asked. He looked at the bundle Mitsu held. Akemi bent down and spread Mitsu's arms, taking the bundle. His eyes grew large as he cradled the baby in his arms. "A baby!" He looked at the pirates. "What shall we do with them?" one of the pirates asked. He pulled Shiho next to Toshio and Chi. "They seemed to be in a group." Akemi smiled intently at the child as the baby giggled in his arms. He looked up at his crew. "Bring them on the ship with us. Don't kill them. Put them in the cellar," he looked at Mitsu. He held Taro in his left arm and drew his sword out with his right arm. "Maybe I should-" As he placed the tip of the sword at Mitsu's chest, Chi screamed. "NO! PLEASE!" She tried to lunge out, but the pirate held her tight. Akemi looked at her. "I would never hurt the mother." He flicked a spider that was on Mitsu's shirt off. Then he placed the sword back and headed toward the boat. The next thing they knew. The pirates let the crew of the ship go and took Chi, Toshio, Shiho, and Mitsu into the cellar. They had no idea what happened to Taro after that. "Uh..." Mitsu groaned heavily. Chi gasped excitedly and held her into a sitting position against the wall. "Chi? Toshio?..." "We're right here, Mitsu," Chi told her. "How are you feeling?" "Fine for a person that was knocked out for several hours." Mitsu mumbled. "Do you know where we are?" Toshio asked. Mitsu looked at him with dull eyes. "Toshio, I was out cold for several hours here. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW!?" Mitsu growled. She grasped her head as the throbbing of her temples pulsated through her mind. "We were brought aboard the pirate's ship after Captain Akemi took Taro." Toshio told her. Mitsu's eyes grew large. She jumped up, forgetting all about the pain. "WHAT?! Where did he take him?" "We don't know." Chi admitted. "Where's Shiho, by the way?" Mitsu asked. She looked around the square cellar. "She was fed some drugged wine earlier and put in the cellar across from us," Toshio reported. He cracked a smile. "Apparently, she whined too much and the guards just couldn't take it." "Where's my caviar, where's my pillow, I wanted wine, not milk!" Chi imitated. Mitsu smiled, but looked out the barred window of the cellar door. "Hmmm... Toshio, can you break this lock open with your powers?" Mitsu asked. "Yes," Toshio told her. He walked towards the door. "But why?" "I'm going to see what happened to Taro," Mitsu told him. She fixed the bun in her hair and grabbed the staff that Taro had given her and brought aboard. "And no guard is going to stop me." Toshio nodded and began to use his powers to melt the lock. Chi stood up and put her hands on Mitsu's shoulders. "Mitsu...are you sure? There are guards out there!" Chi warned her. Mitsu smiled and nodded. "They could HURT you!" "I'm done." Toshio told her. Mitsu nodded. "Not if I hurt them first. You two stay here. I'll sneak out. I'll come back for you." Mitsu opened the door and quickly slid out. The two listened by the door quietly as they heard a guard fall. They smiled at each other. "I think she'll be fine." ~~~~~~ Up On Deck ~~~~~~ A pirate slammed the door to the Captain's room. "What's the matta now, Matsuko?" another pirate asked. "Ah! The Cap'n is losing it ova the baby!" the pirate said. "I think he getting ova his head with a babe. He needs a woman to take care of a child that young!" "Nah! Let'm be. If he couldn't handle it, he would have gotten the mum of the babe all ready." the second pirate said. Mitsu narrowed her eyes from the stair well leading to the deck below. She put her hood over her head and began her way up the deck. She hid behind barrels and crept towards the captain's quarters. "I'm coming Taro...Mitsu is coming..." she whispered to herself. When all the pirates were staring at the sun rise, admiring it's beauty, she quickly made her way inside the room. As she leaned against the door, she sighed and leaned against the heavy door, she caught sight of a tall figure by the window gently carrying the child. "Taro..." Mitsu whispered. She hid behind a chest by the doorway. "Well, my baby..." the man said. Taro was tugging on his red hair. "Don't pull to hard." Akemi turned around, his eye patch off, revealing a perfectly good eye. "Ahh-wah...misu!" Taro giggled happily as he jumped up and down in Akemi's arms. "What? Oh...do you want something to eat?" Akemi asked. He lifted the baby in the air and brought him back down quickly. Taro giggled hysterically. "Having fun?" "AHH-weee!" Taro yelled. Akemi sent out a laugh and walked over to the bassinet. He placed Taro in it and rocked the bassinet gently. "I will be right back, little one, let me go change." Akemi told the baby. He kissed the child on the head and turned to go into another room. Once the door closed, Mitsu jumped up and ran to the bassinet. "Oh...Taro...my baby..." Mitsu whispered. she knelt by the bassinet and gently caressed the baby's head. "Misu?" Taro asked. He giggled when he realized she had come. Mitsu held him tightly against her. "I'm here, baby...don't worry..." Mitsu whispered. "Hey!" a voice boomed. Mitsu turned around and quickly put Taro back into his bassinet. "Who are you?" Akemi yelled. He was shirtless and threw his shirt on the bed. "What are you doing here!?" "I...I..." Mitsu looked from the angry glare of Akemi to Taro's giggly face. "Taro..." "Taro?" Akemi asked. "Are you his mother?" He motioned toward the baby. "Not...not exactly..." Mitsu stammered. "Then who are you?" Akemi yelled the baby began to cry when Akemi yelled at Mitsu. He looked angrily at her and dove at her. Mitsu let out a cry of surprise as he tackled her to the floor. She took her free hand and slammed her fist against his jaw. "Let go!" "AH!" Akemi fell off and Mitsu stood up and grabbed Taro. Akemi blocked the doorway and pulled out his sword. Mitsu stood in her tracks as she faced the blade. "Why are you trying to kidnap my baby?" Akemi asked. "First of all he is not YOUR baby. Second, you kidnapped him from ME!" Mitsu yelled. Akemi narrowed his eyes and put the sword down. "If you're not his mother, then who are you?" "You're probably not going to believe me, but my name is Mitsu and I'm his guardian." Mitsu told him. She held Taro while he played with her purple hair. Akemi smiled bowed in front of her. "Well, I'm pleased you met you." "Save it for some vulnerable lady, you jerk," Mitsu growled. "Just let my friends out of the cellar. They're not animals." Akemi looked at her. "I didn't kill you and you act so disrespectful to me." "You kidnapped Taro, you locked my and my friends in a damp cellar, and one of your men knocked me out." Mitsu told him. "I knocked you out." Akemi told her. "I HATE you!" Mitsu burst out saying. Akemi threw the door open. "Guards! Bring the wizard and his friends up here!" "Right away sir!" one of the pirates said. Akemi put his shirt own and his eye patch. He glared at Mitsu. "You are acting like self righteous bitch." "You are a piece of male shit. Perhaps it would help if you changed your personality from zero to class 'A' ass." Mitsu told him. Akemi pushed her out the door and held her shoulders. He squeezed them hard. "Listen you little pain, once we dock, you and your little friends can leave. Just take you annoying self away from me." Mitsu winced at the pain his hands were caused on hers shoulders. He loosened his hold. "The sooner we leave the better!" "Mitsu!" Chi yelled. She ran across the deck and hugged Mitsu. She looked at Akemi in fear. "Did he hurt you?" "Hardly." Mitsu answered. Akemi walked over to Toshio and shook his hand. "I'm sorry for what I did. I had no idea that you all were just protecting Taro. If you'll forgive me, please. When we dock this afternoon, you and your friends are free to leave." "Are you sure?" Toshio asked. He seemed shocked. "This isn't some sort of a trick?" "Just that that...that THING with you." Akemi pointed to Mitsu, who ignored him and played with the baby. "Mitsu?" Toshio asked. He looked at Akemi and narrowed his eyes as he studied the way Akemi looked at Mitsu. "She's just...too annoying..." Akemi told him. He turned and headed back to his room. "If you're hungry, just tell the cook and he'll prepare you something." His door closed. "Hmmm..." Toshio said. Chi came up next to him. "Shiho is throwing up overboard...what's wrong?" Chi asked. Toshio looked at her. "Nothing, Akemi just said we are free to leave once we dock. And I think he likes Mitsu..." Toshio told her. "Are you sure? They don't seem to like each other." Chi said. She recalled the scene she came upon when she reached the deck. Mitsu and Akemi were arguing. "Well...we'll see what happens. But it's just a gut feeling." Toshio told her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The End for this chapter. Next Chapter: They find Tora (Tiger). The forth guardian of the baby, Taro. Land travel begins. ~Len-chan.