Part three

Disclaimers and author's note on first chapter

++++Amiko++++

Downtown
Two hours after the last chapter

"Oh god... I can't believe you actually talked me into this." Amiko looked at her friend as she finished dealing with the last details of her costume.

"Oh come on, this will be great." She said pulling the two brown ponytails into knots to hold them back. Mian watched as she laced blue ribbon, matching the kimono that she wore, through the knots and in a loose braid through her hair. She finished by putting a small tiara made to look like stars across her brow.

"Oh, yeah right... You're in pants." Her friend grumbled biting back snapping at her in Chinese.

"You think this is my costume?" Amiko asked and giggled. "I wasn't going to walk around town in my costume all day. Besides, I need Michi to help me with the finishing touches, and you know that Mian."

"Oh right. I'm stuck in this ickie dress... And you were going to go as what may I ask?" She glared at her as a flash went off. The two girls looked up at the door where Michi and Aki stood. Aki smiled lowering her camera.

"Where'd you find the dress?" Aki asked remembering how the four of them had searched everywhere for the right dress.

"You'll never guess. Did you get the kimono for mine?" Ami asked looking at her hopefully.

Michi held up the bag. Took us forever, and we bumped into the guys while we were looking for it. Guess what. You're not the only one who was looking for one. We found out that Ryo's girlfriend's going in the same style. Ryo was trying to find an outfit to match."

Ami looked at the two girls. Aki was pulling off her blouse to get ready. Ami pulled out the kimono and tucked the hair out of her eyes. "Let's see here." She went to her closet and tossed her old kimono to Aki.

"Domo!" Aki said grinning as she held the orange kimono close. Over the back and arms were gold bamboo stalks, She slipped into the kimono. Ami looked at the pockets hanging on the back of the door and closed her eyes a second.

"You break one of my fans Aki, I swear I'm going to pound you into a pulp." She said taking out a fan with a tiger painted on it, handing it to her.

"You going to help with my hair. You know I can't get chopsticks to stay." She held up chopsticks that had little gold tigers dangling from them.

"I'll work on her." Mian said motioning for the younger girl to join her on the bed so she could pull her long red hair back. Michi dragged Ami into the bathroom and started to work.

Michi finished by putting small butterflies and flowers along Ami's brow. She fidgeted slightly not wanting to really go through with this.

"Come on, you know Kento and Rowen asked us to go on a favor for them. We can't back out." Michi said as she finished pulling up her hair in a loose ponytail. Ami looked in the mirror and bit back a laugh as one of her brown locks decided to fight Michi's work and fell into her face in a loose curl.

"Yeah, but I'm not friends with them. You guys are."

"You need to meet some other people if you're going to have fun here in Japan. Besides, we set you up with the one guy that everyone would kill to date." She grinned warmly.

"Just like you're with Cye?" She asked. Michi squealed and glared at her.

"You talk in your sleep Michi."

"Figures." Amiko slipped into the green kimono and had Michi help her tie it around her waist. "God... How can people breath in these things. Mom tried to warn me about them before we moved back to Japan..." She gasped then breathed easier.

"You know, maybe we should have gone with something other than green. It looks right, but wrong on you somehow." She said as Amiko picked up a tube of purple lipstick.

"I know what you mean. Oh well." She applied the lipstick and stood looking at her. "What'cha think?"

"Looks natural on you. You sure your dad won't complain with you being out all night?"

"Not at all. He's cool with me disappearing for a while, as long as I check in." She said with a grin.

"Man wish my folks were like that." The two of them entered Ami's room and saw Aki was looking in the mirror. She turned back looking at the others.

"What do you think?"

Mian had applied orange make up to Aki, matching it with the kimono. She was standing in her sandals trying to look graceful.

"Mian, how'd you tame down the runt?" Michi asked standing behind Ami. Michi was wearing a blue kimono with small fish on it, her hair was pulled up in a twist, held in place by chopsticks with little fish dangling from them.

"Would you quit calling me that?" She asked putting her hands on her hips.

"Just remember not to drip anything on that. It was my mothers." Ami said looking at her. She agreed.

"Don't worry, I'll stick with water and steamed rice. Mian tied it so tight I doubt I could eat."

"Good, this means we won't have to worry about you making us look bad."

Ryo tugged at his collar. "I still can't believe after what happened two days ago, we're still going to the festival." He said looking at the others.

"Oh come on. You know Mia's been wanting to do this for weeks." Cye said as he stopped Kento from grabbing a bag of chips.

"Oh come on, I haven't eaten all day."

"What about the snacks you had while we were at the mall?" Cye said looking at him.

"You promised not to say anything!"

"You know me. I can't lie." He said ducking his light swat.

"You're lucky that we're setting you up with someone." Kento said looking at him.

"Only because your date has a friend who just moved to town." Cye said as he jumped over the couch to put the chips back in the kitchen.

Mia came down the stairs dressed in a red kimono, matching Ryo's shirt.

"Mia? That you?" Rowen asked amazed.

"You look great." Ryo said looking at her. Kayura and Yuurei both walked down behind her dressed in kimonos as well. Jordan looked at Yuurei, who smiled.

"I'm glad you like it Wildfire." Kayura said with a grin.

"They spent all afternoon getting me ready." Mia said with a grin. Her hair was pulled back with combs that looked as if they were flames.

"Fitting for the occasion don't you think?" Yuurei said knowing that the two of them were close.

"It wasn't my idea."

The clock rang seven. Kento and Rowen both gasped. "We're going to be late picking up the girls!"

"I'm amazed that the six of you would want us to go with you to the festival." Yuurei said politely.

"Considering you two say the last armor will be there... It might be a good idea to have you here so that we can find them."

Ami felt as if something was coming and looked out the window seeing the van pulling up.

"Amiko! Your friends are here." Her father called from the door after a few minutes.

"Okay, Thanks dad. Would you tell them we'll be there in a minute?" She asked searching for her ever present bag.

"You can leave it this once." Aki said grabbing her wrist. The two of them followed Mian and Michi down the stairs.

"You'd think that they'd be on time while we're half an our late." Kento said then heard a yelp as the quartet made their way down the stairs.

"Damnit Aki! You almost made me break my..." She froze seeing the boys standing with Mia.

"You okay?" Sage asked going to her side to help her up.

"Huh... Hai. Domo Arigatoo." She said smiling.

"You'll be sure to call if you're going to be late right?" Sho Tejina asked as he stood in the hall looking at his daughter and her friends.

"Don't worry Mr. Edwards, we'll bring her home safe and sound." Ryo said nodding. Aki and Kento had already stepped outside to talk.

Ami blushed and pulled herself out of Sage's arms.

"So... I guess this means I'm with you eh Cye?" Mian asked with a grin. He nodded escorting her out of the house.

"I guess so. Mian right?"

"Yep. You sit next to me in Bio class." She said with a grin.

Michi looked at Rowen. "You think we did a good choice with them?" She asked.

Amiko froze seeing the trio that were waiting outside. They look familiar... Almost as if I know them. Though the blond next to me I have the same feeling from...

I wonder if she's the one that the passage was about. Sage thought glancing back, noticing the others were watching her as well.

It's her. Jordan thought looking over at Yuurei. She nodded.

Don't say anything to her about it yet. It will be safer for her if she doesn't know.

Than I was right. Sage asked catching the tail end of their conversation.

"Why you five so silent?" Ryo asked as he opened the door to let Mia into the van. The other girls followed her talking about everything they could think about. The guys sat next to their dates talking amongst themselves.

The pairs split up to go explore the festival. Amiko felt Sage place his arm in hers and looked up at him.

"Something wrong?" He asked.

"Well...." She touched the rune hanging around her neck, remembering when it had been given to her. "I don't know, this might sound funny... But I think We know each other..." She said calmly.

"You know, I've been thinking the same thing." He said as he lead her towards the area that the others had agreed to meet at.

Amiko looked at him.

"Sage! Ami!" Michi waved seeing them. "Come on book worm." She dragged Rowen towards them.

"Michi!" Ami smiled raising her hand.

The surrounding area started to feel more humid. Ami saw that both boys noticed it as well.

A figure in deep blue armor stepped out of the fish pond that went through the festival grounds. Amiko stepped back touching the rune lightly. It shimmered faintly.

"Korin. Would you get Rowen and Michi out of here." She asked in a low whisper. He looked at her.

"How'd you know that?"

"Lucky guess..."

"AELIN! NO!" Yuurei ran towards the group. The four noticed she was dressed in white armor. The blue figure held out his hand and a blue orb crashed into her throwing her back into Jordan, who was running up in his gold armor. The two fell to the ground.

....Aelin.... Those two looked like Laurë and Telepë.... She thought as the bush near them erupted in a mass of vines. Sage pulled her back away from them as two more figures appeared. One was dressed in copper armor, the other a deep forest green.

"You know Telepë... You should have allowed us to just get her and Jordan."

The girl in white hadn't moved from where she was lying. Jordan picked her up gently and growled at the three figures.

"Laurë!" Amiko yelped as someone wrapped their arm around her.

"I'd stop struggling little one. I know there're animals around... But you even start to gather energy, or go into your armor... I'll make sure the pretty little blond boy's at one with his element." She saw a smoky gray armored hand holding a staff towards Sage.

"Sage! Ami!" Michi yelled looking at them. Rowen had disappeared. A man in blue armor with a bow appeared standing on a nearby roof aiming at the man holding Ami.

To be continued...

Part two

Part four