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.  

The Last Two Signs Found -> Revealed Loves 
~~~~~~~~~~~~

	"I never knew that there were schools here." 
Mitsu commented as they passed a huge private university
with students coming in and out of the gates.
	"Mitsu, we're just as civilized as you, maybe
more..." Radien told her as he held Taro in his arms. 
	"Tell that to the weirdo that's trying to kill
us all." Mitsu added.
	"It's sort of like a strange mix of technology
and ancient times, huh, Mitsu?" Chi asked.
	"Yup," Mitsu agreed.  "Speaking of ancient,
where's Toshio?  And all the other guys?  How come
Radien was the only one willing to come with us?"
	"They went to look for a bar." Kira reported.
	"A bar?" Chi asked.  "Since when did Toshio
drink?"
	"Maybe he's been hiding a drinking problem 
from you, Chi." Mitsu snickered.
	Chi punched her shoulder.  "Shut up!  He 
wouldn't do that!"
	"Well," Hanako said.  "It's possible isn't it?"
	"I'm not at all surprised that Akemi would go
around drinking, but Toshio...? And Tyler?  He's 
kind of young, don't you think?" Mitsu asked.  
	"Maybe they don't have laws like that here,
Mitsu-chan.  It's probably their culture for little
boys to drink." Chi answered.
	"Those guys are probably gambling as well as
drinking," Clare sighed.  "Maybe we should go check 
on them." 
	"Good idea," Chi agreed.  "Do you have any clue 
as to where they went?"
	"Radien?" Clare and Kira chorused.  Radien
looked corned as he stared into the faces of five
young women.  
	"Umm...well...I..." Radien stammered.  Clare
gave him a demanding look and he sighed.  "They went
to the bar down the street." 
	"I KNEW he'd tell us!" Hanako giggled happily.
She ran off, with Kira behind her, telling her to
slow down and wait for the others. 
	Mitsu walked with Chi as Clare and Radien announced
they were going to shop some more.  The two girls 
nodded that they understood and continued to walk down 
the street.  
	By the time they reached the bar, Kira had
already ordered a drink for herself and Hanako was
drinking water while talking to Tyler.  
	Eric was drinking next to Kira.  As for Toshio
and Akemi, they were at a table, playing a card game
with four other men.  
	Toshio folded his cards on the table and sat 
back. Chi walked up behind him and put her arms around
his shoulders and kissed the top of his head. 
	"What are you guys doing?" Chi asked.  
	"Playing some cards, but I give up." Toshio
sighed. 
	"Where are the others?" Akemi asked, not taking
his eyes off his cards.  He took a drink from a large
cup.  
	"Clare and Radien went shopping, Kira and Hanako
are drinking with Eric and Tyler, and Mitsu...is around
here somewhere..." Chi trailed off as she couldn't see
Mitsu.
	Mitsu was behind her at the bar asking the bar
tender for some water.  A man, probably twice her age,
came up behind her and grabbed her butt.  At this,
Mitsu swirled around and slapped the man in the face.
	"Don't touch me, you pervert!" Mitsu hissed.
	The man just sneered.  "Like you didn't like it."
Mitsu's eyes grew wide and then narrowed.
	"Like HELL I didn't!" she growled.  Her right hand
balled into a fist and sickening crack was heard as
the man's jaw was hit by Mitsu's fist.  
	A younger man came forward and grabbed Mitsu's fist.
He pinned it to the counter and pressed his body against
hers.  "Don't make this so hard on yourself.  That's why
you came here right?" 
	"What the fuck are you talking about?!" Mitsu
yelled.  "I came here to find some guys!"  She winced as
she realized what she said.
	"Well, you found some!" the man said.  
	"I'm sorry," Mitsu mumbled.  "You're not my type!"
She raised her knee and he fell back, holding his private
part and wincing.  
	As he stepped back, she realized she was the ONLY
single female.  Those men must have thought she was a 
hooker or something...
	Suddenly, she caught the attention of several more
men who began to come towards her.  She grabbed the stool
next to her and raised it in front of her.
	"Come near me and I swear you're gonna get it!" 
Mitsu warned.  The men stepped back and she slowly lowered
the stool.
	While this was happening, none of her friends seemed
to notice as they watched in awe as Akemi won more money. 
He smiled and waved the wad of cash in the air.  Suddenly,
many beautiful females surrounded him, practically offering
themselves to him.
	"Ladies, please!" Akemi sighed happily.  The Signs
were nodding in disapproval.  "There is plenty of me to
go around!!"
	Meanwhile, behind them, Mitsu was hitting a man in
the head with the stool.  "I SAID DON'T TOUCH ME!!!"

	"Darling," Clare said as she looked at a shirt
on the rack of the store.  "What do you think of this?"
	"I think it would look better on you than this rack."
Radien told her.	
	"Oh! You're so sweet!" Clare sighed.  She leaned up
to kiss him when they heard a yell from the alley next to 
the store.  They looked at each other and ran out. 
	"GET AWAY!" yelled a girl with short green hair
and side bangs.  Taro reached for the girl and yelled.
	"Help!" Taro ordered.  He reached for the girl again.
	The girl was surrounded by older female students 
with a different school uniforms. The girl wore green
with a white shirt while the other girls wore blue with
a gray shirt.  
	"Hey!" Radien yelled.  "What are you doing!?"
	"Shit!" yelled on girl.  The girls looked up from
the green haired girl they were about to beat.  "Run!" 
The girls scattered, leaving a shaken young girl who
fumbled with her glasses.  
	"Are you okay?" Clare asked as she knelt down to
look at the girl.  
	"I'm...I'm fine..." the girl told her.  Her voice
was shaky.  
	"Who were those girls?" Radien asked as he held
Taro tighter.  Clare helped the girl up.
	"It's a long story..." the girl said as she brushed
off her long skirt. "You see, my name is Tetsu and I'm
one of the students at Five Rings University. Those girls
were from a rival school, Eight Wounds University." 
	"I take it they wanted to get back at your school
by injuring one of their top students?" Clare asked.
	"Yes!" Tetsu said.  "How did you know?" 
	"Call it a hunch." Clare smiled.  Tetsu sighed.
	"Would it trouble you to escort me back to the
University?" Tetsu asked.  "I'll pay you."
	"No, that's all right," Radien told her.  "Clare
and I shall do it for free."
	Tetsu sighed in relief. "You don't know how glad 
I am that you agreed!" Tetsu told them.  They headed for
the eastern campus.  "You seem, the only reason I am
extremely smart is because I'm Guardian Saru, the monkey
of the Twelve Signs...and my power is my mind, therefore
I'm not that skilled in combat."
	"Wait," Clare froze.  "How do you know you're 
Guardian Saru?"
	"Well," Tetsu tugged the collar of her shirt down.
"This sign kind of tells it!" As was expected, there
was a sign at the base of her neck.  "The only thing is,
I can't leave until I find the Twelve Signs.  I've
been studying everything I can find about them.  But 
if I only had that record book..."
	"Record book?" Radien and Clare asked.
	"Yes, this old book that records everything that
has happened to the Twelve Signs and the Ultimate Ruler."
Tetsu told them.  Clare was about to tell Tetsu who
they were when they came to an intersection where the
rest of the group was coming from.
	"I swear...if another man touches my butt..."
Mitsu was mumbling.  She walked along side of everyone.
Kira, Eric, Hanako, and Eric were in front of them 
and Toshio and Chi were behind them, in each other's
arms as always. 
	Akemi raised an eye brow and grabbed Mitsu's butt.
The girl screamed and jumped up.  Akemi was laughing his
head off as Mitsu chased him around the intersection
screaming, "You JERK, you JERK!!!"
	"Toshio!" Clare called.  "Look who we found!"
She introduced them to Tetsu and Tetsu to everyone but
Akemi and Mitsu, who were running around screaming at
each other.  
	"Another sign, huh?" Toshio asked.  
	"Yes..." Tetsu mumbled.  "Who are all of you?"
	"We are the Twelve Signs," Toshio told her.  "We
would like to talk to you later if possible about this."
	"I would love to, but I'm going out with my 
boyfriend tonight." Tetsu told them.  "Perhaps...tomorrow?"
	"What do you guys think?" Chi asked.
	"That's fine...it will have to be as soon as possible
because we're leaving soon." Toshio informed them.
	"Okay, we'll escort Tetsu home," Radien told them.
"Chi, can you hold Taro?" 
	"Yes," Chi held her arms out and took the child, who
looked with huge eyes at Mitsu and Akemi.  "See you guys
later!" She called as the three left.  
	"We better head back," Kira told them solemnly. 
"Shiho is back there and she'll be mad if we don't get 
there soon."
	"Oh, let her wait!" Hanako sighed.  "She's always
grumpy."
	"Let's just GO." Eric sighed. 
	"Mitsu! Akemi!" Tyler yelled.  The two continued
to run around.  Taro didn't seem to like their argument.
	And the child's disapproval was obvious when he
began to cry.  Mitsu and Akemi automatically stopped
and ran to him.  Mitsu grabbed Taro from Chi's arms and
held her tightly against him.  "I'm sorry, Taro...shh...
it's okay...Akemi and I aren't fighting..." 
	Taro quieted down as Akemi's hand caressed his head.
The older man put an arm around them to ease the child's
feeling.  
	"See," Toshio told them, "If you two would just act
like a normal couple, Taro would be so happy."
	"We are NOT a couple." Mitsu hissed.  
	Chi rolled her eyes.  "Sure you're not..."

~~

	Tetsu slung her bag over her shoulder and stepped
out of the campus grounds.  She was heading for 
the town square where her boyfriend told her he would
be waiting.  
	The cold wind blew through her short green
hair was she entered the square.  Even at night,
the square had a fair amount of people.  She smiled,
realizing she couldn't get jumped in the area where 
there were many people.
	She sighed and wrapped her jacket around 
herself as she continued down the square.  
	"Hey!" a voice yelled.  Tetsu turned around
and smiled.  She ran to the voice. "Tet-chan!"
The girl rammed against the body of a well built
young man, who wrapped his arms around her on
impact.  "I take it you missed me?"
	"Of course I did!" Tetsu sighed.  She turned
around as he placed his arm around her shoulder,
pulling her closer as he maneuvered them through
the street.  "You know you're all I have left."
	"What do you mean?" the young man asked.
"You are one of ten kids and you have parents." 
	"That's not what I meant..." Tetsu sighed.
"You know why..."
	"Explain to me again," he told her as they
neared the town's botanical gardens. "Explain to
me WHY you left everything...just for me.  Tet-chan,
is it really worth it?"
	Tetsu pulled away from him and look at
him from behind clear glasses.  Her green eyes
were twisted with pain.  "Yes," she told him
solidly.  "It is.  I love you...you know that."
	"And I love you too...but you left everything
behind for me, Tetsu...I feel responsible for 
anything you lost." he told her.  He took her hand
and looked back at her eyes.  
	"My parents would never have let us be 
together...they hated soldiers and that was 
what you were.  And my father had engaged me to
his best friend's son...I haven't even meet him..."
Tetsu's eyes rimmed with tears.  "You saw 
him...we both met him that day...a pervert...
horrible..."
	"Tetsu..." he mumbled as he pulled her 
crying body against him. "I would NEVER had
let him lay a finger on you."
	"I know..." Tetsu whispered. "I couldn't
stand to see them hate you like that..."
	"I would have dealt with it all if I
could be with you..." he told her.
	"But you were away all the time...you
were a soldier for Lotus...and you still
are...how can you work for that scum Saburo?"
Tetsu murmured. 
	"Because he takes care of my sister
and myself well...if it weren't for the
fact that he would come after you and myself
if I left...I wouldn't have joined the Jikkan
at all." he told her.
	Slowly, Tetsu began to giggle.  Her
parent looked down at her with a confused
look.  "Strange isn't it?"
	"What is?" he asked.
	"This whole scenario..." Tetsu told him.
"Who would ever thought it was possible for
you, Mizunoto, of the Jikkan is secretly
engaged to me, Saru of the Junishi...?"
	He began to laugh.  "Well, I'm with you,
you're not Saru, you're Tetsu...and
I'm not Mizunoto, I'm just Michael." 
	"Michael..." Tetsu suddenly whispered.
Her hand dropped as she looked up at him
with uncertainty. "About the Junishi...they've
found me...and...and..."
	Michael paused and gently smiled. "Join
them...promise me you'll be of help to them
and if I get in your way, I want you to end me
then."
	"I could NEVER do that!" Tetsu cried.
She looked at him with confused as well
as angered eyes. "Michael!"
	"I want to be with you, Tet-chan..."
He told her with a sad smile. "But we both
know that the Junishi would never accept me
among them...I have attacked them and they
do not trust me."
	"But you have to try..." Tetsu 
told him.
	Michael smiled and leaned down, kissing
her lips tenderly.  When they parted he
smiled.  "I have to go back to the base camp
that is trailing the Junishi...use this infor-
mation wisely, Tetsu..." he told her solemnly.
"Saburo's army is waiting to ambush the Junishi
once they leave this town.  I want you to warn
them...understand?" 
	"Michael...?" Tetsu whispered. "Will you
attack myself as well?"
	His face turned away and he took a deep
breath. "I will try my best not to.  I will try
to make sure you are not hurt...but, Tetsu...
if I am forced to...I want you to know that I would
rather die at your hands than in Saburo's."
	"What!?" Tetsu gasped.  Michael kissed her
one more time then quickly left.  Tetsu stood
in the park with her hands reaching out.  "I could
never kill you..."

~~~~~

	"Ahh..." Mitsu mimicked eating the baby
food as Taro turned his head away for the billionth
time that morning.  "Come on, Taro...eat for 
mommy."
	"Nump." Taro turned his head away again.  
Mitsu groaned and pressed her head against her 
hand.  
	"Give it to me," Akemi ordered. He took
the spoon away from Mitsu's weary hand and
placed it right in front of Taro's mouth. "Okay,
Taro...time to eat up.  We have a long day 
ahead of us and you should eat."
	Taro once again turned his head away.  The
two older people looked at each other with 
confusion.  "What do you want us to do, Taro-chan?"
Mitsu whispered.  "The others left to find
Tetsu and when they get back, you should be done."
	"Kiss!" Taro giggled happily and smiled.
	"Oh...that's it?" Akemi asked.  He leaned
forward and kissed the child's forehead.
	Taro turned away and wrinkled his nose.
"Ahaha...even he doesn't like your kisses!" 
Mitsu sneered.  Akemi flashed a deadly look
at her.
	"That's all right," Akemi smiled back,
"Plenty of WOMEN do." 
	"Kiss!" Taro told them again.  
	"Hmm..." Mitsu thought.  She kissed Taro's
cheek and he giggled, but turned away.
	"No Taro! Daddy!" Taro pointed to Akemi,
whose head was turned away from Mitsu.
	"Oh...God, you have to be kidding..."
Mitsu mumbled.  Her face slightly paled.
	"What?" Akemi asked, turning back.  "What
does Taro want?"
	"Daddy?" Taro asked.
	"Yes?" Akemi asked.
	"Kiss Mommy!" Taro ordered.  His childish
voice enforced the innocence that he had, so thus
Akemi and Mitsu could not get angry with him.
	"I'm sorry, Taro..." Mitsu whispered. 
"I just can't do that..."
	"And why not?" Akemi asked back.  "Do you
hate me so much, you'd let Taro starve to
death before you laid your lips on mine?"
	Mitsu groaned.  She rolled her eyes
and nodded. "Fine..." Akemi had a slight smile on
his face.
	Mitsu was very much aware of her glowing
red face as he inched closer.  Her eyes were
shut tight, knowing that if she opened them,
she would see Akemi's soft red hair brushing
against him face as he leaned down to kiss her.
	Taro watched in anticipation.  In his
mind, his 'parents' finally loved each other. 
The girl's face began to blush as she could
feel his warm breath against her skin.  She
felt his hair brush against her cheek.
	"AHHHH!!!" a voice screeched.  Mitsu
and Akemi's eyes both flew opened as they
jumped far away from each other.  Shiho ran in,
her face furious as she grabbed Akemi's shirt
collar. "HOW DARE YOU!?  How dare you kiss
HER before you do ME!?"
	"Get a hold of yourself-" Mitsu began,
but Shiho turned her anger to her and grabbed
Mitsu by her purple locks of hair.  "HEY!"
	"You little slut!" Shiho hissed in
fury as she pulled Mitsu up by her hair. 
	"Let go! That hurts!" Mitsu yelled.
	"Hurts?" Shiho yelled.  She tugged on
Mitsu's hair hard and the girl fell back
with a cry.  "I haven't even begun to hurt
you!"
	"Shiho, stop it!" Akemi ordered. Both
girls turned to look at him.  Shiho let
Mitsu's hair go and pushed her down.  Mitsu
stumbled over the chair and fell on the
floor, right arm first.  
	Shiho looked at Akemi and Mitsu and
shouted, "You really do love her!" Then
ran out of the small shop.  
	Mitsu sat up painfully and rubbed the
back her head, then her arm.  Akemi knelt down,
put his arms around her, and lifted her to her
feet.  "Are you okay?" he asked.  
	"I'm bruised by fine." Mitsu commented.
She looked up at him and he looked down at her,
realizing how close they were standing.  With
a quick movement, they jumped apart. 
	"We...uh...better feed Taro before the
others return..." Akemi told her.
	"Right...right..." 

	"Tetsu!" Clare yelled.  She waved her hand
in the air and Tetsu turned around.  The green 
haired genius had her bags ready and where
by her side.
	"Hello!" Tetsu said as the group finally
reached her.  "I'm ready to go!"
	"Tetsu," Toshio said, "Since you are Saru,
the wise monkey, we are interesting the record
book of the Junishi to your hands." He presented
her with the thick leather book which held
all the information of past guardians and
Ultimate rulers, as well as the story of the
origins of the Junishi.
	Tetsu took the book and bowed.  "Thank you..."
She smiled.  "I think it's time we leave..."
	The ground agreed and Radien and Eric
took her bags as the girls surrounded her
in gossip.  Chi and Hanako bombarded her with
information on Akemi and Mitsu's so called
'relationship'.
	When they arrived, Akemi was saddling the
horses and Mitsu was sitting in the shade rocking
Taro back to sleep after his meal. 
	"Where's Shiho?" Kira asked.
	"She ran off," Akemi told them solemnly.
"I don't know where, she just saw Mitsu and myself
feeding Taro and then ran off."
	"Oh, great," Tyler grumbled. "Now we have
to wait for her."
	"Not necessarily..." Kira told them,
matter-of-factly.  "She's bound to return soon...
if you're forgetting we have all her things."
	"But for now is everything ready?" Eric
asked.
	"Yes, everything's packed and ready to
go.  I also got an extra horse for Tetsu." 
Akemi informed them.
	He took Tetsu's bags and secured them to 
her horse.  Suddenly, Shiho appeared, with her
arms crossed.  She mounted her horse and
looked at the others.  "Well?  Are we leaving
or what?" she asked bitterly.
	The group looked at each other in silence.
They saddled up and left the stable.  
	While the group was making it's way to the
main city of Allure, the country they were currently
in, Tetsu was very quiet.  She anticipated the attack
her beloved told her about.  
	"Junishi-sans," Tetsu addressed them as they
rode down in silence. "You should know...that
there will be an attempted ambush against us
when we leave the town premises." 
	"What do mean, Tetsu?" Radien asked.
	"The Jikkan are going to attack us." Tetsu
stated. 
	"Are you sure?" they asked her. 
	"Yes..." Tetsu told them.
	The group was silent.  Then Hanako asked.
"How did you find out?"
	Tetsu's head snapped up and she tried to
show no emotion. "I...uh..." Kira sensed her
nervousness and changed the subject on 
Tetsu's behalf.
	"Let's forget about that and just concentrate
on being prepared...come closer together...Mitsu,
take Taro and stay in the middle." She told everyone.
	The group formed a tight circle around
Mitsu and Taro. 

	Mizunoto silently prayed, while he waited
in the forest with Mizunoe, his sister, 
Tsuchinoe, Tsuchinoto, and a part of Saburo's 
army.  
	He just wished at Tetsu had warned the group.
He didn't care if he died, he just wanted her to
be all right.
	"They're coming," Mizunoe mumbled impatiently.
She looked at her brother. "I can't wait to
stick my sword into one of their throats." 
	Her brother shot her a deadly look.  "Shut
up." Before he could say more, they heard the hoof
steps of the horses the Twelve Signs were riding on.
	"ATTACK!" Tsuchinoto yelled.  There was
a yell that chorused through the hidden army as
they ran out and ambushed the group.  
	"WHAT!?" someone yelled.  The army slowly
came out of their hiding places to look upon
three horses walking down the road without 
riders.  
	"But...I sensed their presence nearby..." 
Tsuchinoe mumbled.  
	"Well, you were right about us being
nearby," a voice said behind her.  The army
turned around to see the group standing behind
them.  "But we just weren't ON the horses."
	"GET THEM!" Tsuchinoto ordered.  He threw
his arm forward and the army of Saburo advanced.
	"Star Light Shower!" Clare yelled from her
horse.  She lifted her hands into the air and
beams of golden light spewed from her palms and
rained down on the soldiers.	
	"Tori...Flash!" Radien flowed.  A electric
blue bird soared from his hands and shot over
the heads of the soldiers.  The army feel in
the pain of electricity coursing through their
bodies.  
	"Akemi, Toshio," Eric said as he rode right
behind Kira.  "Get Mitsu, Chi, Taro, Shiho, and
Tetsu out of here!"
	"We'll take care of these guys and catch up
with you later!" Kira told them.  
	"Okay, then." Toshio answered.  He moved
his head to the side as a signal for the others
to follow him.
	Tetsu looked back and saw Mizunoto mounted
on a horse, staying close to the border of the
forest as he followed them. 
	"Keep riding...don't look back..." Mizunoto
mumbled as he silently urged Tetsu on. "Don't look
back."

	Akemi, Toshio, Mitsu, Chi, Taro, Shiho, and
Tetsu reached the near end of the forest trail.
They were to wait there for the rest of the group
to come and join them.  As a result, they decided
to rest for a while.  Toshio and Chi went for a
walk while Mitsu feed Taro.  Tetsu looked around
silently, then headed deeper into the woods before
anyone really noticed.
	Shiho, however, was watching the green haired
girl make her exit and wondered what might cause
her to leave without telling anyone.  She followed
Tetsu into the forest.  
	After a few minutes of walking, Tetsu lead
her into a clearing.  Shiho crouched down in the
bushes to try to prevent her detection.  But her
eyes grew huge as she saw Tetsu's reason.
	"Do you know the risk it is coming here?"
Tetsu whispered as she leaned against an armored
chest of a soldier.
	"I don't care...I just wanted to make sure
you are all right..." Mizunoto told her.  He held her
away at arms length.  "I should be heading back
before they notice..."
	"It's strange, I thought that at least one
of the Twelve Signs would realize you were tailing
us..." Tetsu whispered.
	"Even if they did, I'd risk my life as long
as I died in your arms..." he told her.  He smiled
and leaned down.  His eyes fluttered close as
Tetsu's own eyes closed and her head raised. 
	He kissed her as if he would never see her again.
Then held her tightly against him as she held in
her tears.  "I wish...I wish that...Michael..."
	"Tet-chan..." he whispered back, slowly
stroking her soft green hair.  
	"All right," a deep voice boomed.  "Step
away from her and I won't cut you up so bad."
	The couple whirled around.  Akemi stood there,
his sword posed in his arms while Shiho stood
behind him.  "Akemi-san!" Tetsu gasped. "Wait...
Please!"
	"Move aside, Tetsu, he is scum and will
die." Akemi told her.
	"How...how did you find out?" Tetsu cried, 
cringing desperately to Mizunoto.
	"I followed you...and a good thing I did,
other wise we won't have this chance to destroy
this punk." Shiho told her.  
	"WHAT!? NO!" Tetsu yelled.  Akemi stepped
forward and lifted his sword.  The light that
peeked through the tree tops glimmered of the
sharp blade as Akemi brought it down to Mizunoto's
neck.	
	"What!? Mitsu, let go!" Akemi ordered. 
Mitsu was suddenly by his side.  She had both her
arms raised in the air and was holding back Akemi's
sword from slicing the man's head off.  
	"Please...don't." Mitsu merely murmured.
	"Are you crazy?  Do you who that is?!?" Akemi
asked. 
	"Yes..." Mitsu told him.  "That is Mizunoto,
the Jikkan male of water...he is also deeply in love
with Tetsu and Tetsu with him."
	"What exactly are you saying...?" Akemi asked.
	"You wouldn't understand..." Mitsu told him
coldly.  
	"So you would just let him get away?" Shiho
asked.
	"Idiot...I knew he was following us from the
very beginning..." Mitsu told her. "Chi, Toshio, as
well as Akemi knew.  What reason could he have
for following us.  At the battle field, he did
not attack or even say a word.  And where did
Tetsu find out about the supposed attack if it wasn't
a soldier of Saburo?" 
	Akemi slowly lowered his sword, all the while
sending scornful looks at Mizunoto. Shiho rolled
her eyes and stomped back to where Toshio and Chi
were waiting with Taro. 
	"Mitsu-san...thank you so much!" Tetsu gasped.
She bowed humbly. Mitsu gave a solemn smile and
gently lead Akemi away.
	"Just make sure you don't stay too long..."
Mitsu told them.  She and Akemi disappeared into the
forest.
	"Who was that?" Mizunoto asked Tetsu.
	"That was Guardian Tatsu...Mizunoto...are
you going to tell anyone about what just happened?"
Tetsu asked.
	"Of course not...they have be more than kind
to spare my life..." Mizunoto answered.  "Tet-chan,
about Guardian Tatsu, Saburo has been thinking up
ways to bring her to his side...he wants to make
her his queen.  Warn her to stay away from him."
	"I will." she answered.
	Mizunoto smiled and kissed her forehead. "I
should get going...good-bye my love!" Mizunoto
smiled.  He jumped on his horse and headed back.
Tetsu waved good-bye until he was long gone.  She
closed her eyes and silently thanked Mitsu once
more.

	"Tell me," Akemi said as he walked slowly
next to Mitsu.  "Why didn't you let me kill
Mizunoto?"
	"Couldn't you see it?" Mitsu whispered as she
looked down at the ground as she walked. 
	"See what?"
	"Mizunoto risked his life to come and make
sure that Tetsu was okay...when you were about
to kill him, he held Tetsu against him and kissed
her.  He doesn't care if he dies...he just wants
Tetsu to be happy," Mitsu told him. "He loves
her, Akemi...it just isn't right to kill love...
even if it is between evil seeded people."
	"Wise words," Akemi commented.  She looked
down at her feet as she walked.  Akemi studied
her.  Purple hair, eyes, and a...strange personality.
He had never met anyone like her, yet it was
refreshing to be with her.  While he was with her,
he had grown to know some of her good points.
Like how she loved to laugh at even the stupidest
jokes or how she would hold him comfortingly against
her when he felt strain, both physically and emotionally.
"I don't understand why you don't have wise words
for yourself."
	"Hmmmm," Mitsu giggled quietly. "I've always 
was able to help someone, even just a little, but
I could never help myself like that...strange isn't 
it?"
	"Perhaps," Akemi answered. He decided to 
risk physical pain from Mitsu's fists and put his
left around her shoulder, pulling her closer.
"Perhaps..."
	She didn't resist or cry out at all, she
just leaned against him and continued to walk.

	The dark brown eyes of a watcher in the 
forest watched what had just happened between
Mizunoto, his lover, and the Junishi.  
	"Well...well...well..." the voice mumbled
from the bushes.  A blond girl stood up and
crossed her arms.  "Tsuchinoto was right to
send me follow you, Mizunoto...you HAVE
been seeing that girl..."
	She smiled wickedly and mounted her horse.
She tugged on the reigns and followed slowly
behind Mizunoto. 

	Hanako was having her hair braided into
pig tails for the night by Kira.  Clare's
hair was also being braided by Chi.  Tetsu
had asked Mitsu to come on a walk with her.
	"Where are they going?" Tyler asked
as he saw Tetsu and Mitsu talking as they
walked into the forest.
	"To talk most likely..." Eric answered
his friend.  
	"So what you told us about Mizunoto and
Tetsu is true?" Radien asked as he bit into
some bread.  
	"Yes..." Akemi answered.
	"How come you didn't kill Mizunoto when
you had the chance?" Toshio asked. "He is one
of the Jikkan."
	Akemi took a deep breath.  He himself 
had been wondering exactly why didn't he kill
the warrior.  But he could picture Mitsu's
solemn face, asking him not to.  
	"Just a feeling I got." Akemi told them.
He stood up and headed for his space of the
camp where Taro was resting.  
	"I have a feeling that Mitsu had something
to do with this." Eric mumbled.
	"We all do." Radien added as he saw
Mitsu and Tetsu's shadows disappear into the
forest.
	"Mitsu-san..." Tetsu whispered as they
walked around the trees.  "Why did you stop
Akemi-san from killing Michael?"
	"Well...do you love him?" Mitsu countered.
	"Of course I do...more than anything!"
Tetsu told her.
	"And he loves you, obviously..." Mitsu
added.  "Need I say more?"
	"You made Akemi-san spare him because you
knew we loved each other?" Tetsu asked. "Is
love so powerful to you?"
	"Yes...very..." Mitsu answered. "And I'm
thinking that there is more to you little 
relationship with Mizu-Micheal than you're letting
us know." 
	Tetsu looked down bitterly.  "It's nothing."
	"Yeah right..." Mitsu said. Then sighed, "Listen, I 
have had my brushes with love.  But if you don't
feel like telling me, that's fine."
	Tetsu was silent.  She had never really
talked to another person besides Michael about that.
But she felt she owed Mitsu an explanation after
Mitsu stopped Akemi from killing Michael.
	"I come from a very large family...my parents
own a huge ranch where we breed horses and also
own a farm.  My family is very wealthy.  I'm the
youngest child with five older brothers and four
older sisters..." Tetsu explained.
	"I see how that can be a problem..." Mitsu
commented.
	"But that wasn't the problem, the problem
was that my parents had already set up all
their children to children of their friends. My
sisters and brothers had no problem with it, but
I...I had met Michael..." Tetsu told her.
	Mitsu was beginning to get the picture. "I
see...your parents and siblings didn't accept him
did they...and so you left."
	Tetsu let out a small cry of despair.  "I
love him...so much it tears my heart apart to know
he isn't with me.  I decided to introduce Michael
to my parents.  It was a mistake because that
day, I was going to meet the man my parents had
set me up with. Mitsu-san...he was about twice as
old and a pervert.  I was fifteen then.  When
my family met Michael, my brothers nearly beat him
up if it weren't for his water powers. My sisters
were extremely jealous of me and him...that we
had fallen in love...and my parents absolutely
hated him.  The resented him and blamed him for
my lack of discipline.  What was worse was that
Michael was a warrior and my family hated
anyone with military experience..." 
	"Tetsu...that's horrible...is that why you
left home and came to Five Rings?" Mitsu asked.
	"Yes, Michael's post was nearby for about
a year...then Saburo called him and his sister
and I rarely saw him..." Tetsu added.  
	"I see...Saburo is a wicked man, Tetsu..."
Mitsu wrapped her arms around her shoulders and
shivered. "I can still see his eyes...horrible...
the way they looked at me..." Mitsu's face
was twisted in disgust.
	"Saburo...Mitsu!" Tetsu gasped.  She grabbed
Mitsu's arm and looked at her.  "Michael told me
that Saburo is trying to find ways to get you to
join them.  He told me to make sure you stayed
clear of him because Saburo would be after you." 
	Mitsu turned paler under the moonlight and
nodded in understanding. "Thank you for telling 
me.  I shall." 
	"Mitsu-san?" Tetsu suddenly asked as they
turned around and began to head back to the camp
site.  "It's true what Chi knows isn't it?"
	"What is?" Mitsu asked.
	"That you love Akemi." 

	"Is that so?" Saburo asked.  Tsuchinoto
and his sister nodded.  Saburo had a wicked
smile on his face.
	"Should we destroy him, sire?" Tsuchinoe
asked.
	"No." Saburo answered.
	"Huh?" 
	"We will use him to get to the Junishi,
you fools.  He wouldn't want anyone to
hurt his lover...and they spared him, is that
right?" Saburo asked, looking at Tsuchinoe.
	"Yes, sire." she answered.
	"Hmmm...yes.  I know exactly what to do...
Tsuchinoto, go and make sure Mizunoto does
not leave without anyone.  Have people watch
him, understand?" Saburo asked. 
	"Yes, sire!" Tsuchinoto bowed and left
the room in a hurry.  
	"What about me, sire?" Tsuchinoe asked.
Saburo's eyes raked her figure as a crooked
smile.	
	"Same as usual." Saburo smirked. Tsuhinoe
bowed as she headed with a smile as she went
to his room. 
	"Saburo," Raku said as she came in. "I have
news from the prophet!"
	"What is it?" Saburo asked, about to 
go after Tsuchinoe. "I'm busy."
	"Hold your hormones for a second.  It's
about Guardian Tatsu." Raku growled. Saburo
froze and suddenly looked interested. 
	"What about her?" Saburo asked. 
	Raku had a small grin on her face. "They're
heading into the capital of Allure...and you know
what's going on there."
	"Allure?" Saburo asked. Then he remembered
that the Prince of Allure was having a beauty
contest to find his bride.  All the young and
single women around the area could participate
and he would marry whoever won, if he wished.
"I see..." 
	"Get that perverse smile off your face,"
Raku told him as she walked past him.  "You're
going to be a pervert."
	Saburo smiled and followed. "Too late."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Authors Note:

Hello, everyone! This chapter is done and
next chapter will be done VERY quickly.  I hope
you liked this. Why name the country Allure?
Because I'm listening to that group right now.
:) 
Next Time:
The Beauty Contest: Confusion of the Dragon
All the girls (minus Hanako who is underaged)
join a beauty contest.  Unknown to them, the
winner will marry the Prince of Allure.  The
last sign is found.

~Len-chan