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 Beauty Contest -> Confusion of the Dragon
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~

	"We're here!" Toshio announced. 
	"Finally!" the group groaned.  The group
jumped down from their horses and stretched.
	"I say we grab a hotel room, rest, and
then go eat!" Hanako suggested.
	"I second that." Mitsu added.
	"Same here!" Chi began.  Then all the
other girls chorused their desire to rest.  
	Toshio opened up the bag where the
group kept their money and nodded 'yes'. "Okay,
then, were do you guys want to stay?"
	"Besides a four star resort?" Mitsu
asked as she raised Taro in the air and brought
him, giggling, back down.  
	"You know, it wouldn't hurt for you to
spring for a more expensive hotel this time,"
Shiho told him.  "C'mon, I'm a Princess! I don't
deserve to sleep in hotels with cockroaches
and an annoying purple haired girl who just won't
shut up!"
	"Says you." Mitsu smirked.
	"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!" Shiho gasped, turning
to Mitsu with her hands open to choke her. 
	"Hey," Kira put her arms between them and
wedged Shiho away.  "Stop it you two. Let's
just get a room and relax for a little while."
	"Hey..." Chi said, reading a huge sign on
one of the buildings.  "We can get some cash
this way..." 	
	"What is it?" Clare asked.  The girls crowded
around the sign and read it.  
	"No way!" Mitsu said.  She stepped out of
the circle and crossed her arms.  "I'm not going
to do that!"
	"Why not?" Kira asked. "If you win third or
second place, you get a lot of money...and you
and your friends get to spend a weekend in the
Allurian Palace, too."
	"And you're just within the age limit! 
Sixteen years to Eighteen." Tetsu said. 
	"And since I won't be able to join, we'll
need the rest of you guys to join." Hanako
added.
	"I don't know...I don't LIKE beauty
contests..." Mitsu mumbled.
	"Beauty Contest?  No wonder you won't join!"
Akemi burst out.  "You'd be lucky to win LAST place!"
	"WHAT!?" the group gasped.  
	"Oh, look, there's a hotel...who wants to help
me check in?" Toshio asked nervously.  
	"I will!" the group chorused.  They all followed
behind him, leaving an angry girl alone with Akemi.
	"WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY THAT!?"  Mitsu screamed.
The Twelve Signs heard the sound of thunder from where
Mitsu and Akemi were.  "For your information, I think
I WILL join that!" 
	A moment later, Mitsu stomped past the ground.
They looked back and saw Akemi, charred a bit, but
otherwise fine, walking towards them. Taro gasped
from Chi's arm.  
	"Did you have to push her?" Radien asked.
	"I got her to join didn't I?" Akemi asked as
his friends helped his sit down. 
	"Yes, but was it worth it?" Eric asked as
he and Kira wiped the soot off his face. 
	"Let's just hope there's a bathing suit
competition..."

	"Prince Masao," an old man asked.  "Are you
not going to announce that you will marry the 
winner of this contest?"
	"Why should I?" asked the blond young man
on the throne.  "And have EVERY single woman in
my kingdom come here?  That would take up too
much time and I need a wife soon, otherwise, the
throne will be out of my grasp."
	"I see..." the old man told him. "The first
round of competition starts tomorrow.  We'll
narrow the field there."
	"So be it." Masao answered.  

	"What about this?" Mitsu asked.  She held a
green dress against Tetsu.  "The color matches
your eyes."
	"Yes, but the design..." Tetsu mumbled.
	"I see your point." The girls were at a
small shop, buying some clothes for the contest the
next day.  Their male counter parts were waiting
outside.
	"What do you want to do?" Radien asked the
other four.
	"I don't know," Tyler asked.  "What do you
want to do?"
	"I don't know," Toshio told them, "What do
you want to do?"
	"Kill those girls," Akemi said.  He sat
there with his arms crossed, looking very
annoyed. "How LONG does it take to pick out a
dress?!  It takes men five minutes, it takes
women five HOURS!!!" He let out an exasperated
groan and jumped up.
	"Where are you going?" Eric asked.
	"To a bar, I can't take it any more...all
this waiting...for what? Nothing," Akemi stated.
"I'll see you guys at the hotel."
	"Okay, fine..." Toshio told him.  Just
as he left, Chi came out in a beautiful blue
dress. "Whoa..."
	"What do you think?" she asked excitedly.
The girls came out in long and short, bright
and dull colored, dresses.  Hanako clapped
happily.
	"I picked those out!" Hanako announced.
	"Whoa...very sexy...nice...I can see your
panty line...is that legal?" was the response
from the guys.  The group blushed.
	"Hey, what happened to Mitsu?" Tyler asked.
Hanako looked around, then ran back into the 
shop.  They heard struggling.
	"NO! You can't make me!!!" they heard Mitsu's
voice yell.  Chi smiled kindly and went back inside.
She came back out, dragging Mitsu's arm behind
her.  "No!!!"
	"I caught her trying to escape through the 
changing room..." Hanako told them with a disappointed
tone.  Mitsu looked down and blushed.  
	"Wow...that's...um..." her male friends
stammered.
	"Out with it." Clare threatened. 
	"I like it." Eric stated.
	"That's a beautiful dress...it matches
your hair perfectly..." Radien told her. 
	"Waaa!! Mommy bu-ful!" Taro clapped as Toshio
held the child.
	"Is that the dress you're going to wear, Mitsu?
Toshio asked.
	Mitsu nodded. "They made me." She pointed
to the six girls beside her.
	"Then you're a shoe in to win first place,"
Tyler told her. "Too bad Akemi isn't here.  I
bet he'd love to see you." 
	Mitsu blushed more and dropped her head. 
Chi took her friend's shoulder and lead her back
into the shop. "C'mon, we'd better change and
buy these clothes."
	The rest of the girls followed, except
for Hanako.   
	"Where is Akemi, anyway?" she asked.
	"He went to a bar." Tyler reported. Hanako
turned red in anger.
	"DARN IT!!!" she yelled.  She crossed
her arms and tapped her foot impatiently.  
	"What wrong, Hanako?" Eric asked.
	"I was hoping Akemi would be her so he
could see Mitsu's dress..." Hanako whispered.
	"Knowing that fool, he's probably in
a bar surrounded by many beautiful women and
spending all the money he earned gambling 
on them." Radien mumbled. 
	"Then he'll probably come back tanked
off his hiney and go into the wrong room."
Toshio mumbled.
	"I swear I'll hurt him if he breaks
into my room again." Eric added.
	"It makes me wonder exactly WHY I think
he and Mitsu are made for each other..."
Hanako murmured.
	"Okay, let's get going!" Shiho
announced, holding five bags of clothes
while all the other girls had one each.  
	"WHAT!?" Toshio gasped. "Where'd
you get the money to buy all those clothes!"
	"Don't worry," Shiho assured him. "As
soon was we win that contest, we'll have
enough money for the rest of the trip." 
	"I hope you're right..." Radien
told them as he offered to hold Clare's
bag.  
	"With the money combined," Tetsu
told them, "We can afford to go to Oceana and
back." 
	"What's Oceana?" Chi asked.
	"It's one of the three countries of this
world.  Oceana is the largest, then Lotus,
then Allure." Radien told her.
	"Weren't you born in southern Oceana?" Kira
asked her cousin.
	"Yeah...Oceana is famous for it's red,
orange, and pink haired people." Radien told them.
	"So...why do you have blue hair?" Tetsu
asked. Kira giggled.
	"His father was from Lotus..." Kira whispered.
"Both my parents are from Oceana...thus the red
hair." 
	"Maybe Hanako came from Oceana, too," Mitsu
said, patting the pink haired girl's head. "Her
hair is pink."
	"Maybe, well, it's almost time for dinner,"
Eric said.  "We better get back to the hotel."
	"Yup." the group nodded.  

	Mitsu climbed the stairs from the hot tub. She
absolutely loved soaking herself for hours when no
one was around.  However, she had informed her
Chi, before leaving.  But it had been three hours 
of relaxation, and they had long since fallen asleep.
	Now she was on her way back to her room,
her hair damp from the steam, and her body coiled
nice and warm inside a thick white robe from
the hotel.  *I'm sure glad Toshio sprung for the
expensive place this time.* she thought. 
	She opened the glass door to the entrance
of her floor. She froze as she saw the light
elevator doors open.  The floor was a light that
held passengers.  It would have not been anything
to her, if it weren't for the contents of that
elevator.
	Akemi had his arms around some woman with
silver hair.  They were giggling and there
was a smell of alcohol in the air.  *OhmiGod...
he's drunk...* Mitsu thought.  
	She took a deep breath and gathered her
courage.  She then took a step forward.  Mitsu
headed for her room, which was right across
from the couple.  With her key in hand, she 
didn't turn to look at Akemi and the other
woman as she unlocked the door.
	"Oh, shit!" she heard Akemi's voice
gasp.  "Mitsu!" 
	She opened the door and closed it quietly
behind her.  She quickly locked it as Akemi ran
to the door.  *Thank God, Chi is in another
room...* She leaned against her door turned
her head.  
	"Mitsu!" Akemi pounded on the door. "Wait!
It's not what you think! MITSU!!"
	"Who was that?" she heard a female voice
asked. 
	"Huh?" Akemi asked, as if remembering
the girl was still there. "Oh...no one...you
better get back..."
	RIP. Mitsu's heart was torn apart as she
took a deep breath, and ran, sobbing, to her
bed.  She curled against the sheets and sobbed
her pain.  "No one..." she whispered. "I'm
just no one now..." Her pillow became wet,
but it wasn't from her damp hair.

~~~~~~~~

	Mitsu, Chi, Shiho, and Kira had just
been accepted into the finals. Out of
six hundred girls, only a hundred remained.
Many of them were local girls, all very beautiful
in their own right.  
	Clare and Tetsu weren't at all upset,
they both felt very uncomfortable to be up on
stage with many others, and they were happy
to be relieved of that stress.  They were very
happy when their four friends were accepted.
	That whole day, Mitsu avoided Akemi as
best a possible, she even skipped her lunch
and dinner just to avoid seeing him and have
those fresh, painful, and sad feelings come
back to her from last night. 
	"Mitsu-chan?" Hanako asked. "Aren't you
going to go eat dinner?"
	"Huh?  Oh, no thanks," Mitsu answered. "I'm
a bit tired." 
	Hanako told the group.  Clare and Radien
excused themselves and then Akemi yawned and said
he would go to the spa for a while.  Which was
the exact place he knew Mitsu would be. 
	
	The teenager sipped on her fruit punch, then
placed it by the side of the hot tub.  She
closed her eyes and sank neck deep into the water.
Mitsu then let out a heavy sigh.  *This takes
all my misery away...for the time being...but
when I think about it, I get sad...But I can't
help but think about it...this is all Akemi's fault.*
	"You better place your drink somewhere else,
otherwise, someone could knock it into the hot tub."
a deep voice said.  Mitsu sat up and turned around.
Her eyes went huge as she scrambled to get up.
	"I didn't hear you...sorry." Mitsu said. 
Akemi was standing next to her, a white towel
around his waist and his long orange hair was let
loose.  
	He put his hand on her shoulder and forced
her to sit down. "Where are you going?" he asked,
trying to sound casual. "It's still early."
	"But I'm tired...YAWN...I really should
get to bed." she tried to tell him.  Akemi 
rolled his eyes and held her down with one
arm. 
	"Yeah, right..." he told her.  "Like you're
really going to your room to sleep.  Once I get
out of here, you'll come back."
	"Where did you think I was going?" Mitsu
asked bitterly.  "A bar to pick up some hookers?
Opps! Looks like you already did that last night."
	"Hey!" Akemi growled. "That's hitting
below the belt, Mitsu.  I demand you take that back."
	"No." Mitsu stated. She tried to get up once
again, but Akemi refused to let her leave the hot
tub.
	"That was an uncalled for remark, Mitsu,"
his hissed. "That seriously hurts."
	"Like you even know how if feels to hurt,"
she told him. "Now let me through."
	"Not until you talk to me." Akemi told her.
	"Akemi, I'm warning you-" 
	"No fucking way!" *SLAP* Akemi's face turned 
and he fell back against the seats of the hot tub.
Mitsu stood above him, holding on to the railing.
	She just turned and climbed up the steps.  
She picked up her drink. "Consider any chance of
our being together non existent." Mitsu wrapped
her robe around her and walked out.
	"Mitsu..." Akemi murmured.  He covered his
face with his hand. "I really screwed up this time."

~~~

	The second day of the competition.  This is
where the three finalist would be chosen out
of a hundred girls. Back stage of the palace
grounds, where the hundred girls were allowed to
stay, Mitsu, Chi, Kira, and Shiho were preparing.
	"I can't believe there really is a swim suit
contest..." Mitsu mumbled. She looked at the door
and the pile of swim suits in a chest. "That's it,
I'm gone." She turned and headed for the door.
	"Wait a second!" Chi yelled.  She grabbed
Mitsu's shirt.  "You are not going anywhere.  C'mon,
we just need at least one of us to win third place."
	"You can go," Shiho said, walking past them
with a white two piece. "I'll win for sure with THIS."
	Chi looked at Mitsu. "Do you really want her
to win?" Mitsu paused then nodded yes. "Then what
about Akemi, don't you want him to see you?"
	"I couldn't care less about that bastard!"
Mitsu shouted.  Practically the whole group of
girls heard her.  She didn't care.  "I hate him..."
	"You don't mean that..." Chi whispered.
Mitsu nodded her head no.
	"If you knew what I saw the other night,
you would." she turned back and grabbed a one piece
swim suit.  Mitsu headed for a changing room. 	
	"The other night?" Chi whispered to herself.
She thought for a moment, but went to her own
room.
	
	"Contestant number 97, please step forward!"
the announcer yelled. Shiho stepped out on the
stage as the audience clapped.  She blew kisses
the crowd, and especially on at the Prince, who
sat in the balcony of the outdoor plaza.  "Hello,
miss how are you?"
	"I'm all right, thank you," Shiho answered,
sweetly.  She fluttered her eyes. In the
second row, Radien whispered to Eric.
	"I think she practiced this..." Radien 
told him.
	"I saw her practicing how to walk last
night down the hall." Eric confirmed.
	"And you are Princess Shiho of Lotus, is 
that correct?" the announcer asked.
	"Yes, that is correct.  However, I do not
want to get into the politics of it right now.
I think we should all just enjoy this wonderful
day!" Shiho answered once again.  Toshio and
Tyler giggled at how fake she sounded.
	"Okay, thank you, Princess...if you'll
step into your spot over there," he pointed
to the circle on the floor.  Shiho bowed to
the audience and walked to the circle, all
while waving her hand. "Next is contestant
number 98!" 
	In the balcony, Prince Masao leaned over
to his counselor. "She's very pretty, make
sure she gets into the finals." 
	"Yes sire." the old man nodded and ran
down to the judges area.
	"Contestant number 98, you were a waitress
is that correct?" the announcer asked young woman.
	"Yes, I worked as a waitress, so I know how
hard working people are." Kira answered.	
	"That was a good answer." Toshio commented.
	"I think she's trying to get the judges to
see her from a political stand point." Radien
answered.
	"That's wonderful, I love your red hair,
are you a native of Oceana?" the announcer asked.
	"Both my parents were natives of Oceana, but
I was born in Eastern Allure-Lotus." Kira answered.
	"Oh..." the crowd below echoed.
	"How wonderful, miss Kira...now if you'll
stand right next to Princess Shiho..." the man
answered. 
	Behind the stage, Chi finished tying Mitsu's
hair in a pony-tail.  "There, you look great.
There's no way you'll fall out of running like that."
Chi announced, proud of her work.
	"Contestant number 99!" the announcer echoed.
	"That's you!" Mitsu said.  She pushed Chi
into the stage.  Chi smiled and walked casually
up to the announcer.
	"Hello, and you are?" the announcer asked.	
	"My name is Chi and I'm from...uh...Lotus." 
Chi smiled kindly.  
	"Really?  How does it feel to be in the same
contest as your sovereign princess?" the announcer
asked her.
	"Quite honored to be in the presence of such
a beautiful princess," Chi answered.  "But
everyone here is very pretty.  I'm honored just to
be up here."
	"How what's she aiming for?" Eric asked.
	Toshio leaned over and answered, "Sweetness."
	"Ah..." 
	"Wonderful, how kind of you.  Now please
stand next to Miss Kira..." the announcer directed.
Chi gave a slight nod and headed to the circle next
to her red-haired friend. 
	Akemi sat silently next to Toshio.  He compared
the swim suits of his friends and the other women 
on the stage as he wondered what Mitsu would be
wearing.  
	Chi wore a dark blue two piece with light blue
borders.  The bottom was actually very short shorts.
Kira also wore a two piece with white borders 
and red cloth.  The top was halter and the bottom
was almost like a small strip of cloth wrapped around
her hips. Shiho wore a white two piece bikini, showing
off her long legs and shoulders.
	"And finally our last contestant, contestant
number 100," the announcer said.  Mitsu took a deep
breath and stepped out.  She knew she would hate 
this. "And you miss are?"
	"Mitsu from Lotus." Mitsu answered calmly.
	Akemi lifted up an eyebrow as he saw the
swim suit she wore. Toshio, Eric, Tyler, and
Radien all turned their heads to look at him.
	"That's nice." was all Akemi murmured.
	"Your hair is amazing," the announcer gasped.
"Beautifully done, Miss Mitsu.  Do you have
any hobbies."
	"I like to read and write.  I'm sure
everyone like stories." Mitsu smiled as her face
flushed with embarrassment. 
	In the balcony, the Prince leaned forward
and called his counselor again. "Get her into
the finals as well..." 
	"Yes, sire..." the counselor once again
nodded and scurried down the steps.
	"Thank you, Miss Mitsu, now please stand over
there with the rest of the girls." the announcer told
her.  Mitsu smiled and headed to stand next to
Chi.
	"Well, I think you did well," Chi whispered
in her ear. "Akemi's staring at you."
	Mitsu frowned.  "Please don't mention him."
	The announcer took an envelope from one of
the guards and opened it.  "And our three finalist
are...Princess Shiho of Lotus!"
	The crowd cheered as Shiho stepped forward,
throwing kisses at the crowd.  "Thank you! I
can't believe it!"
	"That is so fake." Chi mumbled.
	"Jujiko Samamuro of Allure!" A beautiful
blond girl stepped forward.  She had long
legs and beautiful blue eyes.  She waved at the
crowd.
	"I think Shiho his jealous." Kira whispered
to the other girls.  
	"C'mon..." Chi mumbled. "Mitsu's gotta
win!"
	"And Miss Mitsu of Lotus!" The crowd
cheered once more as Mitsu, confused, stepped 
forward.
	"Huh?" she mumbled. She stood there in a 
daze and waved.	
	"She looks confused, sire," the counselor 
told the Prince.
	"That makes her even more adorable." Masao
answered. He smiled and clapped.  
	"Congratulations, girls, you three are
the finalist.  You all can bring six people each
to stay at the palace over this weekend.  And
two days from now, we will pick the winner!"
The crowds cheered.

	Chi left Mitsu's room and told her to try
to get some sleep.  Mitsu merely nodded and 
curled up in her bed.  The night gown the maids
had given her was incredibly uncomfortable.
Not to be an ingrate, but she would rather
sleep in sweats any day.  
	She looked up at the ceiling.  It was
marvelously put to together with marble stone.
But still, she couldn't help but stay awake. 
Without thinking, she stood up and walked to
the balcony.  She loved balconies.  It was
a shame her house back home didn't have one. 
	Back home...Mitsu wondered if she could
ever go back.  It had probably been almost
two hours back in her world, although it had
been months in this one.  
	She closed her eyes and wondered about
what her family was doing right now.  A cool
wind blew in and the nearly translucent
pink gown the maids had given her circled
around her legs.  Mitsu looked up and saw
the lighted room across the courtyard from her.
	She was glad that her room was dark
as she slipped back inside and watched who
was inside. "Male..." she mumbled her self.
She saw the man reach back and untie his hair.
He stretched his back and walked out into
the balcony.  From there, she had a clear view
of him. "Akemi." 
	As if he heard her, he looked up and she
pulled her head behind the curtain.  When she
peaked out again, his room was dark.  Confused,
she walked back out on the balcony once more.  
	"Gotcha!" a voice hissed in her ear as
a hand clamped down on her mouth.  
	"MMMMM!!!" Mitsu tried to scream.  When
she couldn't open her mouth, she began to 
struggle.  
	"Hold it!" a voice ordered her.  She
was whirled around and kissed on the lips.  At
first, it was shocking, but comfortable.  When
she opened her eyes, however, all the panic 
returned.
	"Ah-ka-meeh!" Mitsu hissed.  She pushed
him away as she wiped her mouth.  Akemi was
in front of her, wearing only his pants and
a stupid grin on his face. "What the hell are
you doing here?"
	"Me?" Akemi asked, looking around him.
He saw the unamused face of Mitsu. "I heard
you say my name so I came over."
	"Well, you weren't wanted, so get the
hell out." she told him coldly.  Akemi frowned
as he came forward. 
	"What do you mean?...Mitsu, I risked
my ass coming over here," Akemi told her. "Did
you know if a man sneaks into one of the
contestant's room, he's going to be in big
trouble?" 
	"No, but thanks for that information-
GUAR-" Before Mitsu could scream for help,
Akemi clamped his hand over her mouth.
	"Will you shut up! Bitch, bitch, bitch,
that's all you never do!" he told her.  "I
thought you wanted to talk to me."	
	Mitsu pushed him away. "I don't EVER
want to speak to you again.  You get your
ass out of here or I'll call the guards on you
and then we'll see exactly HOW much trouble
you'll be in." 
	She whirled around and slammed the
door in this face.  Akemi pounded through the 
glass doors, but only saw Mitsu's disappearing
body. 
	His poundings faded away as Mitsu once
again curled up in her bed and closed her eyes.

	The contestants had been given authority
to walk freely through the gardens.  Which was
were Mitsu planned to spend her day. Shiho and
the other contestant were wandering in the palace,
in search of the Prince.  
	The others were only allowed in a certain
part of the garden, and Mitsu took this chance
to stay away from Akemi. 
	"Excuse me," a deep voice asked.  Mitsu
turned around and stood up. "Is this seat
taken?"
	"No, sir, it isn't." Mitsu said.  She
bowed and took the book she was reading and was
about to leave.
	"Hey, wait, where are you going?" the young
man asked. "Do you know who I am?"
	"No, sir, I'm afraid not." Mitsu admitted
with a confused smile.	
	"Good," the young man answered. "But you're
Mitsu, right?  The contestant?"
	"Yes, that's me." Mitsu said, sitting
back down next to her.	
	"I saw your friends back there, I was
wondering why you weren't with them." he asked.
Mitsu shrugged.  She looked at him.  Long blonde
hair with blue eyes, very handsome in a dashing
prince sort of way.  
	"You know who you would make a perfect
couple with?" Mitsu burst out saying. "Shiho."
	"The Princess of Lotus?" he asked.
	"Yeah, the annoying, airheaded, man grubbing,
Princess of Lotus." Mitsu answered with a laugh.	
	"I take it you don't like her?" he asked.
	"No...but she's just annoying...besides,
she doesn't like me either!" Mitsu laughed. The
young man smiled as he watched her laugh. Her
expression was soon saddened.
	"What's the matter?" he asked. "Wait, let
me guess..." he looked at her.  "You just had a
bad break up."
	"Sort of..." Mitsu murmured. "It's sort
of like that...but I don't want to bore you with
details-"
	"No, no, go right ahead.  I find it's
helpful to talk when you're upset.  You won't
bore me." he told her.  He flashed a kind smile
and Mitsu gave in.
	"It's just that I thought I really loved
this guy...but then I catch him in an elevator
with another woman...and..." Mitsu looked
up at him.
	"I see..." he told her. "Do you still love
him?"
	"I don't think so...it hurt so much, you
know...to see him everyday and KNOW what had
happened..." Mitsu added.  She dazed off into her
own world.  Then suddenly snapped back remembering
the young man.  "I'm sorry, I don't even know
your name yet."
	"Me? Oh, it doesn't matter...hey, I'll
meet you here later tonight, okay?  I have to get
to some palace business.  We'll try to sort out
your love problems, okay?" he told her.  He
stood up and smiled.  He lifted up her hand and
kissed it gently.  
	"Uh...okay..." Mitsu whispered.  She
watched him walk off.  *He's so nice...* 

	As expected, she was there first that night.
She sat on the bench again and crossed her legs.
Mitsu wore a robe over her night gown and chilled
herself for not changing into pants.  
	Why had she been in such a hurry to see him?
She didn't even know his name yet and she was
down there waiting for him in the middle of the
night. 
	"I probably wouldn't even do this for Akemi..."
she whispered to herself.  His face appeared in her
mind.	
	"Mitsu!" a voice whispered.  She turned
around and saw the young man standing behind her. He
held some red roses in his hands.  "I'm glad you
could sneak out!"
	"It wasn't hard," Mitsu assured him.  He
handed her the flowers. "Tha...thank you..."
	"It's my pleasure, so," he said as he sat
down next to her.  Mitsu hardly noticed his regal
clothes. "About this guy...how stupid is he?"
	"Huh?" Mitsu asked, confused.
	"How stupid is he?  How can he let a beautiful
thing like you go?  I'd like to slap him." he said.
	"Yeah, so would I," Mitsu admitted. "Anyway,
he's pretty strong...he probably won't even care."
	"Hmm..." the young man mumbled. He stood up.
	"What are you doing?" Mitsu asked.
	"This is a heavy stone bench right?  And you're
on top of it," he told her. Mitsu nodded.  He smiled
and put one hand under it.  With such ease, he lifted
up the bench AND Mitsu with one hand. "What do you
think?"
	"AMAZING!" Mitsu gasped.  She clapped her hands.
"You're really strong.  How did you get so strong?"
	"I always was," he answered.  "I was born
with it.  When I was little, they used to say that
I would tear down the halls with my strength."
	Mitsu laughed. "I can picture that." 
	"Tell me, are you one of the Twelve Signs?"
he asked.
	"Yes, I'm Tatsu." she answered.
	"Wonderful!" he gasped.  He kissed her hand
once more and tugged down the collar of his elegant
shirt. "I am Inu...the dog."
	"Seriously?" Mitsu asked.  She tugged his
collar down more and gasped. "Whoa...that really
IS amazing...wait until Toshio finds tomorrow!"
	"But hey, don't you have that contestant
thing?" he asked.
	"I don't care if I win anymore, we joined
because we needed the money to support our journey,"
Mitsu told him.  "Will you be orange haired
child the next Ultimate Ruler?" he asked.
	"Yes, that's Taro.  We've been taking care of
him for some time now.  I've been with him long
enough so he calls me his mother! But I'm too
young to really be his mom." Mitsu told him 
happily.
	The young man frowned. "But he was calling
that young man 'daddy'." 
	Mitsu frowned and looked down at her feet.
"Oh..." she whispered.  The young man now understood.
	"He is the man you're in love with!" he
gasped. He smiled sadly. "And here I thought I 
had a chance with you."
	"Humph," Mitsu moaned. "It'll never work
out...me and him..."
	"Why do you say that?" he asked.
	"We're so different...we always argue...besides,
he can get any woman he wants, I know that...what am
I to them?" she asked. 
	"Obviously something special," the young
man told her as he looked up. "Because he's been
hiding in the shadows of his balcony this whole
time watching us."
	"What?" Mitsu asked.  She was about to turn
her head to see for herself but, he stopped her.
"That bastard..."
	"I don't think he deserves you," he told her.
"How can he call himself a man after hurting such
a person...?"
	"I don't know..." Mitsu whispered.  She curled
her knees up to her chest and closed her eyes. "I
kept wondering that myself." 
	He sat down next to her and put his arm around
her shoulders and pulled her closer. Mitsu
leaned against him. 
	
	In the shadows of his balcony, Akemi gasped
in horror as he saw Mitsu being comforted by 
the strong young man.  
	"I really did screw up this time...Mitsu..."
Akemi whispered. "Forgive me...I don't deserve you."
	
~~~~~~

	The group sat at their table in the royal
banquet hall.  It was night time and the winner
of the contest was going to be announced.  
	The group wore their best attire.  The
girls wore the dresses they had bought, and the
men wore white suits.  Even Akemi had stopped
wearing the eye patch and looked very dashing.
	"Announcing the King and Queen of Allure!"
a voice boomed. The doors opened and a beautiful
old couple walked through the doors to soft waltz
music. 
	"His royal highness, the Prince of Allure,
Masao." A handsome young man wearing a white
suit with gold borders and buttons came out of
the doors.  His hair was yellow and soft and
his eyes blue.
	Akemi recognized him on sight. "That man..."
he whispered.  But no one else could hear him.
	"The contestants...Princess Shiho of
Lotus..." the announcer cried out.  Shiho came
forward and her hand was taken by her escort.
She wore a 	a long white mermaid's gown with
a low neckline.  The escort placed her in front
of the Prince's throne. "Miss Jujiko of Allure!"
the announcer yelled. 
	A beautiful young woman came out in a
gold dress and stood next to Shiho.  "Miss
Mitsu of Lotus!" came the final announcement.
The door opened once more and Mitsu walked down
the stairs.  
	Gasps echoed around the room as the young
woman stepped down with her blushing escort.
She stood next to Shiho with such grace, even
she was unaware of.  She smiled at her friend
on the throne and he smiled back. 
	Akemi's heart was ripped apart as he
flashed back to all the times he had teased
Mitsu or hurt her feelings.  How he regretted
it all.  
	Her dress was long and purple with a high
Asian style neck line and clung perfectly to
her body.  One leg shone through a high side
slit of her dress as there were gold borders
and embroidered leaves.  She wore purple gloves
and slippers.  
	And her long purple hair was held inside
a gold crown with her bangs framing her eye
and face nicely.  Her lips were pink to perfection
and she was smiling.  
	Chi looked at Akemi and she could see
the pain etched in his face.  She kicked Toshio's
leg lightly.  He followed her eyes and saw
Akemi's strangely hurt expression. 
	"The second runner up is...Jujiko Samamoru!"
the announcer yelled.  The court clapped as Jujiko
stepped aside.  "The first runner up...is
Princess Shiho! Meaning the winner and new bride
of Prince Masao is Miss Mitsu of Lotus!" 
	The court room clapped loudly and cheered
as Shiho looked annoyed that Mitsu out shone her.
	"New bride?" Mitsu whispered. 
	"New bride?" the signs gasped.  Akemi's
hurt expression turned to torment as he turned
and quickly exited from the court room. 
	"Miss Mitsu, do you accept being the bride
of his highness, Prince Masao?" the King asked
her.  
	Masao stood next to her and took her hand
gently.  Then the word that flowed out of her 
mouth shocked her friends.  "Yes." 

	"Akemi!" Toshio called after his friend.
"Akemi, where the hell do you think you're going?"
	"I'm going back." Akemi told him. 
	"What?  What are you talking about?" Toshio
asked.
	Akemi turned around with his face twisted
in pain and anger.  "She's marrying him, Toshio.
We all know that I loved that little bitch more
than life itself.  She doesn't want to marry me,
she doesn't even love me."
	"What are you talking about? Of course she
does!" Toshio tried to tell him.
	"Toshio, what part of her being Prince
Masao's bride don't you understand? She was with
him last night, Toshio.  I saw them.  It's obvious
that I lost her for good." Akemi told him.
	"So where do you plan to go?" his friend
asked.	
	"Tomorrow, before morning, I'm going to
leave for Oceana and then get my ship back...I
was such a fool to ever leave it!" Akemi laughed
bitterly.  They were outside in the garden now.
	"Stop!" Toshio yelled.  Akemi was frozen
by Toshio's spell. "Your duty was to protect
Taro, isn't that why you came!?"
	"Taro..." Akemi gasped as he remembered
the child. He closed his eyes and turned away.
"I love him...like he was my own...and he knows
that I love him.  He'll understand why 'daddy' 
left."
	"But he was the reason!" Toshio stammered.
	Akemi stared at his friend and nodded
his head no. "It wasn't Taro who made me come...
that night before the day we were supposed
to leave as a group for the first time, Mitsu
came back to the ship and talked to me.  Because
of her I came.  And now that she doesn't give
a damn about me, I'm leaving."
	"Akemi you can't do that, without you,
who know what might happen!" Toshio argued.
	"So what?  You got a new sign.  Masao
is Inu, Mitsu told us today that her 'friend'
was one of us..." Akemi told him bitterly.
"I saw him use his strength and it is incredible."
	"That's not the point.  Do you think 
that I'll-WE'LL stand aside and let you leave?"
Toshio asked.	
	"You have no choice," Akemi told him.
"You wouldn't understand...Chi loves you.  Mitsu
doesn't love me.  Maybe she once did, but I 
fucked it up that one night." 
	"What night?" Toshio asked, his face
confused.
	"When we were at the hotel, when I came back
drunk off my ass, I was in the elevator with some
girl and we just started talking.  But then I
went to far and kissed her...right there...I didn't
know that Mitsu was there and saw the whole thing,"
Akemi told him.  His pain was there, showing
off sadly. "I killed any chance I might have had
with her that night."
	Toshio recoiled his spell.  "Go," he told
him. "If that is how you feel...then...good-bye."
	Akemi bowed. "Thank you.  You have been
a friend." He turned around and ran to his room
to begin packing.
	"And I always will be." Toshio turned
around and ran back to the court.

	"He WHAT!?" The group gasped. Chi pounded
her fist against her hand. "Mitsu has to know."
	"I don't think that's possible, she's
being adored right now by the King and Queen."
Kira told them.  
	"This is horrible!" Hanako cried. Her
eyes welded up with tears. She tried to say
something, but the tears welded in her eyes and
she ran to her room sobbing. 
	"Hanako!" Clare yelled.  She ran after
him. 
	"Well, we have to stop, Akemi." Eric
told them group.
	"No...he has his reasons...besides, if
we try, we can't stop him." Toshio told them.
	"What about Mitsu?" Tetsu asked.  	
	"We have to get her away from those
people..." Kira mumbled.  
	"When did he say he was leaving?" Radien
asked. 
	"Before morning...probably soon." 
Toshio mumbled. 
	"Dammit, Mitsu has to find out..." Tyler
mumbled.  
	"Taro..." Toshio mumbled.  He took the
child from Chi's hands. "I'm sorry, but this
is so Akemi won't do something he's going
to regret." He told the child.  *SLAP*
	"WAAAAHHHHHH!!!" Taro screamed his lungs
out as Toshio slapped the child's butt.  Mitsu
pushed her way out of the group of aristocrats
and made her way to the group.
	"OhmiGod...Taro...what's wrong?" Mitsu
gasped as she took the child from Toshio's
hands.
	"I don't know...I think he needs his
bottle..." Toshio offered.
	"What's wrong?" Masao asked. He stood
next to Mitsu and looked at the child. 
	"Mitsu, Akemi's leaving!" Tyler
announced. Mitsu nearly fell as she heard
that.
	"What? Why!?" Mitsu gasped.  But she
realized why.  She looked at Masao.  "He...
he must think..."
	"When is he leaving?" Masao asked.
	"Soon...he's probably packing up right
now." Toshio told them. 
	"Give me Taro, you go after him," Masao
told her. "Hurry!"
	"Thank you, my friend!" Mitsu gasped.
She gave Taro to Masao and ran towards the 
gardens.  
	The group turned to Masao with angry
looks. "Explain." Kira and Eric chorused.
	"You may want to sit down..." Masao
told them.  
	The group did as they were told. Toshio
looked at him. "Why are you letting your
bride go get Akemi?  Why were you and Mitsu
alone in the garden the other night?"
	Masao smiled as the others gasped in
shock.  They all looked at him with glares.
"It is tradition for the Prince to marry the
winner of the beauty contest," Masao explained.
"But I knew I was a Junishi and I arranged
for Shiho and Mitsu to be one of the three
finalists that way if either of them won, I 
could travel with the rest of you."
	"I'm getting you...but I still don't
get it." Chi told him.
	"I knew Mitsu was going to win...I mean,
LOOK at her, and I admit I was attracted to 
her, but when I met with her the first time,
she told me about her problems with Akemi,"
Masao continued. "So I told her everything and
she agreed to win and be my bride, only to
call it off later so I could marry Shiho,
which, I also think is beautiful, and travel
with you.  But we didn't expect any of you
to react like this."
	"Why didn't you tell us?" Radien
asked.
	"It was a risk just telling Mitsu. I'm
glad she's such a good sport about this." 
Masao told them.
	"So...that problem is not really a problem."
Tyler stated.
	"Exactly." 
	"If only Akemi knew...I hope Mitsu
got to him on time." Chi mumbled.
	
	Mitsu kicked Akemi's door open.  She
looked around.  All his things were gone. 
"Oh God...Akemi..." she whispered.  "I should've
told you the plan..." She saw a paper on the
table, fluttering the wind from the balcony, but
held down by a vase.
	She quickly went over and picked it up.
Her mouth gasped.

	"My darling Mitsu, 

	By the time you read this, I'm already on
	my way to Oceana.  From there I will get
	my ship and be captain again.  I saw you 
	last night with him in the garden. 

	It's my fault.  I screwed up that night.

	Yes, I was drunk, but she was a not a 
	concubine.  She was just on the elevator
	when I got in and we got to talking. 

	Yes, I did kiss her, but I swear,
	I did not mean to.  I deserve to leave
	All I ask is that you forgive me.  Now
	that you love someone else, I wish you the
	best.  I will always wish that I were him.

	Love,
	Akemi

	PS - Tell Taro his Daddy loves him."

	"Akemi..." Mitsu gasped.  She took the letter
and ran out the door.  
	She just couldn't run fast enough to the 
stables.  The guard saw her and bowed but she just
took her horse and saddled her up quickly. The
horse neighed.
	"Miss Mitsu! Where are you going?" one of
the guards asked.
	"Did a man leave earlier!?" Mitsu asked.
	"Yes, mam, he was on horse back.  Do you
want us to pursue!?" the guard asked back.
	"No, just let me through NOW!" Mitsu ordered.
The guards had heard about this girl's power and
nodded. The opened the gates and she galloped out.
"C'mon Harmony, Akemi's out there, and I don't
want to loose him." She told her horse.  
		
	The party had long been over and the older
signs were pacing the court.  Masao was on his
throne, thinking.
	"Maybe I should call the guards and go in
pursuit..." Masao suggested.
	"No!" the group gasped. "Mitsu has to do
this alone...otherwise Akemi will never come
back." 
	Masao understood.  He looked Shiho and 
squeezed her hand as she sat on the throne next
to him. "You want her to catch up with him too,
don't you?"
	"It's romantic...even with those two," 
Shiho admitted. She smiled back at him was glad
that Mitsu had not wanted to marry him.  "Thanks."
she whispered. 

	Mitsu heard galloping in front of her as
her hours of riding alone finally paid off. 
Her horse, Harmony, was extremely fast and did
not carry any cargo but the saddle and Mitsu. 
	Akemi's horse on the other hand, was loaded
with supplies for his journey.  It wasn't long
until she was rewarded with not just the sound
of the horse, but the view of it.  Akemi was
slowing down to give his horse a rest and must
have been in deep thought.
	"AKEMI!" Mitsu screamed.  "AKEMI!!!!"
	His head jerked up and he turned around.
Mitsu was galloping toward him at top speed.
"Mitsu?" he asked.  Unsure if he was imagining
the girl.  His hand reached out as she came to a
stop next to him.
	"Akemi!" she gasped.  She looked like she 
was going to fall out of her saddle.  He quickly
jumped off his own and caught her as she fell.  
	"Mitsu...what the hell are you doing here?"
Akemi growled angrily as he pulled her to the side
of the trail and sat on the rock.  
	"Akemi..." she gasped as she clung on to 
his shirt. He still wore the same clothes he had
left in. "I thought I'd loose you...You moron."
He adjusted the way he held her so she was laying
across his legs and he cradled her head in his
arms.
	"Moron!" Akemi growled. "Why am I even
bothering to help you anyway! You're a Princess
now, where are your guards?"
	"I'm not a princess...I called off the
wedding..." Mitsu was very tired. Her eyes were 
dropping as her grip got lighter. "I...love...
you..." She collapsed in his arms.
	"Mitsu?" Akemi cried in horror. "MITSU?"
	
	"Thank you for explaining, Prince Masao...
I'm glad you understood." Akemi shook hands with
the handsome Prince.
	"Thank you for coming back and saving
Mitsu.  She's a very special girl and I want you
to take very good care of her," Masao answered.
"I'll leave you two alone."
	Akemi bowed as the Prince left and closed
the door.  He sat back down at the edge of Mitsu's
bed.  She had been asleep since he carried her back
on his horse.  It was seven in the morning.  
	"Once again..." her mouth opened, "My getting
hurt and ending up in bed is your fault." 
	"Good, you're awake." Akemi said.  He leaned
down and kissed her forehead. 
	"One day, I'm going to end up in bed...and
I fear that you'll be next to me...eww." Mitsu 
murmured, her eyes still closed.  
	Akemi laughed and laid down next to her,
putting his arms around her. "Too late." 
	"Haha," she mumbled.  She opened her eyes
and looked at him. "Your letter..." she whispered.
	"What about it?" he asked as he helped her
sit up against the head board.  He sat next to 
her and let her lean against him as he held her
hand.
	"Why did you sign in 'love Akemi'?" she
asked.
	"Why shouldn't I sign it that." he told her.
He looked at her. "How many times do I have
to prove my love for you?  I'm not going to 
screw this up again."
	"You mean you will TRY not to screw this up again.
I know you'll end up doing something wrong." Akemi
murmured.
	"Hey, you're the one that tricked the kingdom
into thinking you were going to marry their Prince."
he told her.
	"True, but you're the drunk bastard who 
kissed a woman in front of me." Mitsu countered.
	"But you're the one who refused to hear me
out." Akemi added.
	"But you're the one who started it." Mitsu
told him.
	"What do you mean?  YOU started it, if I
remember correctly.  Who was the one who screamed
at me the moment we met?" Akemi asked.
	"WHO was the one who knocked me out with
the base of HIS sword?" Mitsu asked. 
	There was a long pause and then Mitsu
began to giggle. "What?"
	"I know who knocked me out..." Mitsu giggled
and wrapped her arms around him.  "A strange,
yet wonderful Pirate, who saved my life and whose
life I saved so many times.  A great man who I
will one day scare the hell out of me and cause
me to have a heart attack and die."
	"Ah...I know this man you speak so dearly
of," Akemi played along. "And I know the beautiful
young woman who will one day bare his children."
	"HOLD UP," Mitsu yelled as she sat up
and looked at him. "That is going too far." 
	"You know you want to." he laughed.
	"Do not!" Mitsu yelled in an immature
voice. 
	"Yet." 
	"Hey! Stop twisting my words!!" Mitsu grabbed 
her pillow and slammed it against his face. 
	"I wasn't twisting your words!" Akemi argued.
He took her other pillow and knocked her down with
it. 	
	"Was to!" she yelled as she jumped back up
and hit him again.
	"Was not!" he yelled.
	"WAS TO!"
	"WAS NOT!!"
	"WAS TO!"
	"WAS NOT!"

	Outside the door Chi paused and turned around
before she was about to knock.
	"I thought you were going to see if she
was okay?" Toshio asked as Chi joined him in the
hall.
	"Nope...she's fine..." Chi assured him.
	"WAS FUCKIN' NOT!!!" they heard a voice
scream.
	"WAS FUCKIN' TOOOOOOO!!!" they heard another
voice scream.
	"I see..." Toshio stated.  *And so it
begins again...*

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

Author's Note:
Okay, we have probably one or two more chapters
left.  Then that's the end of the Twelve Signs.
I will then begin my new story.
I hope you liked this chapter. Yes, yes, I know,
no bloody or gory stuff.  That's for next
chapter.  I just needed to get some love up in
there.

Next Time:
Akemi & Hanako's pasts revealed when they travel
to the capital of Oceana, Tritan.  Saburo
uses this chance to try to destroy the Twelve
Signs using Mizunoto.

Come back soon!
~Len-chan