(A/N: Hey all. Just a preliminary warning - This is one of the more serious chapers in this fic. There are funny bits scattered here and there, but it's on a more somber note than most of the other chapters - With that out of the way, read on.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A black Rolls Royce pulled to a stop in front of a lengthy flight of stone steps that seemed to stretch on forever.

From within the confines of the car, the First Daughter felt a horrible sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach; no, she had never liked this place…not one little bit.

-klk-chk-

Mimiru raised her eyes to take in her cousin as he opened the door of the car open for her.

Kazuma was a man at least seven years her senior, and was related to her more in the way the branch of a tree is related to a trunk; sort of a cousin…but not really.

He had closely cropped, dark brown hair, nearly black, indicative of his pure Japanese blood, deep brown eyes and a scar slicing across the bridge of his nose.

"Welcome back…oujosama(1)." Kazuma said with a small smile that didn't come anywhere near reaching his eyes, "You're looking well."

"…cut the crap, Kazuma." Mimiru said flatly, not bothering to wipe the hair out of her eyes, "We both know you and the rest of the family hates me."

"Too true." Kazuma nodded in agreement, smile growing, "In fact, if I recall correctly, you swore you would never return here until great-grandfather formally apologized to Hatake. Why the change of heart…oujosama?"

"I don't need to share that particular information with the likes of you." Mimiru replied coolly, "My reasons are my own and shall remain as such."

"Ooo, so cold!" Kazuma remarked, leaning in to inspect his relation's face, "…your sudden return wouldn't have anything to do with your dear sweet sister's safety…would it?"

"That is none of your concern, Kazuma." Mimiru replied curtly, "And since when did you ever take a personal interest in my sisters well being when it didn't have anything in it for you?"

"That's true." Kazuma snickered, "With the five of you out of the picture, it just puts my father in a better position to take Hatake's place when he finally kicks it."

Mimiru glared at him poisonously, pausing in the middle of the stairs.

"You will hold your tongue…" She hissed, green eyes flashing, "…and never speak of my father in such a way again. That is a direct order, Kazuma."

Kazuma returned her glare, holding it for several moments…before diverting his gaze in disgust at being out ranked by his younger relative and spitting, "Hai…oujosama."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Damn it, where could she have gone?" Duo groaned, pacing back and forth, "Dya think she could've been kidnapped?"

"N-not at all." Michiru said tentatively, "I h-had Andromeda d-d-do a check of th-the phone records and Mimiru p-p-placed a call to th-the Main house."

"Two things Michiru-jo." Quatre asked politely, "Number one: who is Andromeda-san? and Number two: what exactly is the Main House?"

"I'll field the second one!" Mitsuki volunteered, "It's exactly what it sounds like it is, Q. It's the Sugino Main House located deep in the heart of Hokkaido. It's where the most influential members of the Sugino family live…or are supposed to."

"Yeah, dad left after the horrible things they said about mom." Mikura frowned, "About her 'contaminating the purity of the Sugino bloodline with her filthy French blood.' Beh, assholes."

"And as for who Andromeda is, she's Michiru's computer." Misaki said, now fully conscious and suffering a headache from the chloroform, "And man, does she have tude'n'al problems."

"How can a computer have an attitude?" Wufei snorted, his lips curving into a superior smirk, "All it is is a bunch of ones and zeroes; no probability of emotions there."

"Actually, if Michiru's Andromeda is an A.I., it's a completely different scenario." Heero interjected as he saw his charge's normally uneasy expression slowly exchange itself for what was unmistakably anger.

In fact, she looked about ready to smack Wufei around for making such remarks about her creation.

Which she probably would have if Trowa hadn't speedily changed the subject (smooth move!)

"At any rate-" he said quickly as Noin forced Michiru to sit down as Sally dragged Wufei several feet away, "-we should still look into it. It's the only lead we have."

"Yeah, sounds like a plan." Duo nodded, bringing his pacing to a halt, "So…whereabouts in Hokkaido is this place?"

"W-we aren't allowed t-t-to speak the l-location out l-l-loud." Michiru said sulkily from her location, a little upset she couldn't reach Wufei and rough him up just little for bad-mouthing her computer, "Th-th-the house might b-be bugged."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oujosama, we're almost done…just a few more minutes." The attendant said nervously as she twisted Mimiru's hair into a proper bun and fastening it in place.

"Yeah, yeah…you said that over three hours ago, Shouka." She muttered dryly under her breath as decorative pins and combs were affixed, "Just do what you have to, okay? No need to lie."

Mimiru was currently in a furisode(2), embroidered with the family crest, being prepared for an audience with the one man she despised more then the purple hell that was Barney, Sugino Kiyoshiro – her great grandfather.

She had known to expect it with returning to this place, but that didn't mean she had to like it in any way shape or form.

"There…finished." Shouka said, bowing deeply and moving away to free the path to the shoji screens, "You are expected in the Assembly Hall, oujosama."

"Of course." Mimiru replied blandly, rising to her feet stiffly, and proceeding to the hall with the seven attendants in her wake, something she never had gotten used to and found rather unsettling.

The screens to the Assembly Hall we're opened by the youngest of her attendants, Itsuki -6- and Reiko -7-, and within Sugino Kiyoshiro and his wife Hisui awaited her.

Both bore the presence of gods, the kind bloodstained legends were written about; their features were hard, statuesque, detached and devoid of warmth; you could tell at a glance these were hateful people.

"Mimiru-san(3)…I am surprised to see you here." Kiyoshiro said, his voice crisp, calculating, and powerful, "As I not about to apologize you or that belligerent grandson of mine."

"I am fully aware of that, teiousama(4)." Mimiru replied, bowing her head respectfully, "However, circumstance beyond my control have forced an early homecoming…forcing me to break my vow."

"I see." Hisui remarked coolly, her dark eyes severe and unfeeling, "Correct me if I am mistaken, but I do believe the only reason you would possibly return here is if you thought your presence was a danger to your siblings."

"…you are correct ojoousama(5)." Mimiru replied, not lifting her head out of pure shame only to have it lifted for her by the all too self-satisfied Sugino Kiyoshiro.

"Well now…what an interesting turn of events." He murmured a smirk dancing on his thin lips, "Very well then. You shall be allowed to stay…on one condition…"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Everything is falling into place sir, just as you expected." Dorothy snickered in delight as she leaned back in her chair.

The Rousseau's, both Guillaume and his traumatized, currently catatonic, wife Fleur, and Dorothy Catalonia were aboard a private airship flying in the stratosphere above the Sugino Main House.

While Fleur lay in her bed as she had since the attack in Venice, Dorothy and Guillaume laid out the finer points of their well thought out plan.

"Mimiru is unwittingly acting a lure to draw them all into the open." Guillaume nodded, massaging the bridge of his nose, "And in one fell swoop…"

He brought his first and smashed a nearby display of porcelain deer, "I will wipe them and all they know of my crimes from this earth."

"Very good, Monsieur." Dorothy smirked, rising to her feet to gather two wine glasses and pour a Bordeaux, "Here's to success."

"To success." Guillaume agreed raising his glass in a toast with his subordinate.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Are you sure this is it?" Quatre asked warily as he shifted his heavy pack and stared at the stone stairs that vanished into the forest.

"Andromeda?" Michiru asked opening her laptop, "A-are we st-st-still on c-course?"

On the laptop screen was the CG face of a eighteen year old girl with hair that appeared the be made of the night sky and glowing moonbright skin.

"Yes, we're still on course." The A.I. known as Andromeda replied tetchily, folding her CG arms huffily, "You really think that with MY G.P.S. we could get lost? Hell, I could hack into a military satellite system if I wanted to."

"Now, now, Andy." Misaki said pacifyingly, "No need to get upset. Q was just asking is all."

"I'm so sure." Andromeda said grumpily, "I'm going into sleep mode. Don't bug me unless it's something life threatening, okay?"

And with that, her image disappeared and was replaced by a screensaver of lambs hopping clumsily over a fence.

"You were right." Wufei murmured while shaking his head in disgust, "She does have an attitude problem."

"She's nice when it's just Michi…butcha gotta be nice to 'Mom', tho'." Mitsuki sighed giving a small shrug.

"Well at least we know where we are." Noin said, trying to look on the bright side, "And if we find Mimiru when we get there, we can grill her on why she left."

"Affirmative." Heero nodded in agreement, "She may be a double agent for Rousseau."

"I don't think so." Trowa said, voicing his doubts, "She was the one he initially wanted out of the picture to begin with, and you must remember he killed her mother."

"I highly doubt she would want anything to do with him." Quatre chimed in concurrence, "But that still doesn't explain why she returned to the Main House…if she returned there at all that is."

"We shall find out in due time I suppose." Sally muttered as they began the climb up the stairs.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Why did I agree to this again?" Mimiru thought to herself as she cinched the sleeveless mini kimono around her waist in preparation of what was to come.

What was she preparing herself for? Why for combat of course. Against whom you ask? Why against Sugino Kazuma – who else? And why is Mimiru, a dancer, preparing herself for battle against her cousin? Because that was the set condition made by her great-grandfather Kiyoshiro of course.

But why fighting? Well…let's just say the Sugino Clan didn't reach it's current status by playing nice-nice. It's founder was a ruthless warlord by the name of Sugino Akuma who mercilessly slaughtered no less than 50 enemy lords to reach empiric status and keep it that way.

Once reaching the position of emperor, he decreed that all those of his lineage, by law of birthright, had to master at least one physical art or be disowned. And clan laws being absolute, all members followed the tradition which was now being upheld by Kiyoshiro to this day.

While Mimiru knew a physical art, Capoeria(6), she was no where near mastery and had only used it in dance routines and never on another human being…okay that was a lie - she had used it twice on other human beings...but once was on Duo when she was in a mindless, fever-driven stupor and the other was self defense so they really didn't count.

Now as she sat in her room, fully aware of Kazuma's size, his mastery over not one, not two, but three physical arts, she couldn't help but think to herself-

"I am so screwed."

"Oujosama? Have you readied yourself?" Shouka called, knocking gently on the shoji screen, "I have been sent to collect you."

"I am as ready as I'll ever be, Shouka-san." Mimiru replied dryly, dusting off her loose leggings as she rose to her feet thinking, "Let the bloodbath begin."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"How much further?" Misaki asked, gazing up the seemingly endless flight of stone steps, "We've been walking for nearly an hour."

"O-only about f-f-fifteen more minutes." Michiru replied, slightly red in the face from the non-stop walking.

"Oh, good." Mikura replied, looking relieved, "Cuz I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I'm really getting hungry."

"…how can you think about food at a time like thi-!" Mitsuki's infuriated shrieking was cut short by a loud groan emanating from her midsection.

"Hypocrite." Duo snickered, shaking his head as they continued on their way towards the top of the stairs.

Fifteen they reached their appointed destination…only to find it as silent as the grave and, apparently deserted.

Or at least, that's what they thought until a young girl of about twelve dashed frantically along the walkway with two elder attendants.

"Hey, you!" Wufei barked authoritively, making all three screech to a halt, "Where is everyone?"

"Good sir, we musn't dally." The youngest replied apologetically, "Oujosama is about to do combat with Kazuma-sama in the courtyard and we must be present if there are any injuries to tend to."

"Oujo…sama…" Michiru mumbled eyes wide with fright, "Th-that's…Mimiru's going to…we have to stop her! Sh-she doesn't have a ch-ch-chance against Kazuma! She's going to be killed!"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(1) oujosama - Princess/or a way of addressing a girl of high standing.

(2) furisode - a very elaborate formal kimono worn only at special events.

(3) Mimiru-san - this shows how impersonal the Sugino family truly is; by using the -san honorific it shows the depth of Kiyoshiro's detachment from his great-grandaughter,

(4) teiousama - Monarch/King/or My Lord; an honorific used for men of high status; by using this honorific, Mimiru shows her detachment from her great-grandfather.

(5) ojoousama - Queen/or My Lady; an honorific used for women of high status; by using this honorific, Mimiru shows her detachment from her great-grandmother.

(6) Capoeria - a Brazilian martial art whose name translates literally into "Dance of War". Developed initially by African slaves in Brazil, starting in the Colonial period. It is marked by deft, tricky movements often played on the ground or completely inverted. It also has a strong acrobatic component in some versions and is always played with music.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(A/N: Oh me oh my! The sparks are gonna fly! Mimiru about to be beaten to a bloody pulp while Rousseau and Dorothy circle overhead waiting to trap the G-Boy's and Sugino Girl's like rats. What will happen next? R&R to find out if I off one o' my main charas!)