Here's chapter one. If you were confused by the pairing abbreviations, here's the list:

AriaxZaid

MicahxShara

GaiusxEvelyn

OndorusxKuruna

RuskxCarmen

CarlosxSakuya

Chapter One: Tooth of Aquaticus

I stood nervously behind Yue as she knocked on the door to Micah's tree house. The tooth on my chest seemed to burn with anticipation with meeting another one of its kind. The door swung open.

I don't know exactly what I expected, but it certainly wasn't him. Micah had blond hair and a small figure that made him appear to be no more than eighteen. He had no muscles and pale skin and kind blue eyes that seemed like they had never seen the horror of battle.

I, however, was different. I had , as my mother would say, a curvy figure with tan skin. My arms, although thin, were virtually no fat and all muscle. And, above all, my eyes were cold and hard with little to no warmth.

That was the gaze I set on Micah, making him flinch. "Hello, Yue. I've never seen you outside the Inn before. What's the special occasion?"

"I'd like to introduce you to Aria. Aria, this is Micah, the man I told you about. Micah, I think you two have a lot in common." Micah looked confused for a moment before I pulled Fiersome's tooth.

His eyes widened.

"Come in." he said with a forced smile. "I have a feeling you need to tell me something." Yue and I stepped into the strange house.

There wasn't a lot of furniture. A fully equipped kitchen lined the far wall, a table with three place-sets sat in the middle of the floor, a queen sized bed rested in the corner, and a bookcase and chest sat side-by-side next to a ladder leading downstairs. Yue and I sat in two of the chairs at the table and Micah sat in the other.

I cut straight to the chase. "I hear you defeated Aquatacis."

He nodded. "My fiancee, Shara, got kidnapped by him on our wedding day. My buddy, Zaid, and I went after her. I faced the dragon alone, though, because Zaid stayed behind to cover my tail. I beat him and got one of his teeth before he released Shara. Then, he revealed to me that he was the one who took my memories. He offered to give them back to me, but I said I'd rather stay in Sharance." A pained look crossed Micah's face. "Ever since, though, I've been really moody. Shara and I fight all the time. I'm afraid she might break up with me."

"Love is pointless." I said.

Yue snapped her head in my direction. "Aria!"

I shrugged. "It's true. If love was all you needed, my parents wouldn't be getting a divorce."

"Your parents are splitting up?" Micah asked, shocked. I could see why; most couples wouldn't break up these days.

"Yeah. Nights at home usually sound like this: 'Kyle, where were you today?' 'Why do you care, Mana?' 'Because I saw you and Alicia on the boat towards Blessia Island.' 'What, are you stalking me now, Mana?' 'I just want to know what my husband spends his time doing!' 'God, you're annoying. It's my buisness who I spend my time with. If you have a problem with it, keep your mouth shut.' 'I hate you, Kyle!' 'I couldn't agree more, Mana.'"

Micah's face paled. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." I grumbled. "I wish they would get it over with. All they're doing by prolonging the divorce is driving me and Aaron, my twin, crazy. Love is meaningless. I learned that when I defeated Fiersome."

"How long ago was that?"

"Seven years ago yesterday. Aaron and I were nine."

Later that day, after I told Micah the effects of bearing a dragon's tooth, Yue set the two of us up at the local Inn, run by her aunt, Shino, and her cousin, Sakuya. Another girl lived there, and odd one named Pia.

"I think you should stay in town for a while, Aria." Yue said to me in our room. "It'd be good for you."

"How long is a while?"

"A year. By that time, thing will probably have cleared up back home. Being away from your parents will help your attitude a little, Aria. I even got you a job here at the inn. Sakuya will show you the ropes."

I gave her a dubious look, and she sighed. "Aria, trust me. Just stay in Sharance and relax for a while. You'll find yourself a changed person."

I sat on my futon and fell back. "I don't trust anyone, Yue. Not even myself." But it was a whisper, so only I heard it.

Yue left the next day with a wave. "I'll see you in a year, Aria! I'll explain the situation to your parents." I grumbled some sort of reply, and she was gone.

In an instant, Sakuya grabbed my shoulders, sending a shock through my body. I hadn't felt human contact in a long time, and I wasn't sure if I liked it. "Time to get you changed, Aria-chan."

"Changed?"

"Why, into a kimono! You can't work at a Hot Springs Inn without wearing a kimono." The girl steered me inside, and a horrible feeling formed in my stomach.

Half an hour later, I was dressed in a light blue kimono with pink cherry blossoms on my shoulders, chest, around my waist, and lower back. My hair was tied back in a cherry blossom shaped pin, and I wore those wierd sandals that Japanese people wear sometimes.

I hated it.

Oh, well. I thought, stepping into the lobby. Time to face the music.

Sorry it took so long to update, but band camp is killing me.

How's the 'Mana and Kyle are splitting up' twist for ya? I hope I didn't take it too far, but I wanted something to support Aria's belief that love is pointless to give some depth to her. And, please send me some ideas as to how Micah and Shara should reconcile. Review, please~