Reisei's eyes fluttered open to the sound of her alarm clock, a small smile crossed her face. She got up and took a shower then dressed for school, she decided to leave her hair down. She bounded down the stairs. Dana normally caught the bus to school so it wouldn't matter if Reisei went ahead. She grabbed her backpack and bolted out the door locking it behind her. She hopped in her car, rolled down the windows, and put in the mixed CD her Aunt had sent her from America. ::Second thought, maybe I'll drop by, pick Dana up, and we can go out to breakfast, there's still an hour till school.:: She thought to herself, she was in an amazingly good mood. ::Of I could pick up breakfast, pick her up, and we can eat in the quad, it's such a pretty day.:: Reisei almost had to slap herself, she went and got some doughnuts and two lattes then she pulled up to Dana's house, got out of her car, and knocked on the door hoping she didn't wake Dilan up when she pulled up.
Dana was dressed for school and looking for breakfast when the door bell rang. She went to answer it and saw Rei there with some doughnuts and latte's.
"Hey what's up?" Dana asked letting her best friend in the house. "And lucky for you Dilan is still sleeping. boy sleeps like a rock..."
"Not much and I figured he did but I wasn't sure." Reisei said stepping in, "I was wondering if you wanted some breakfast, and if so if you wanted to go eat in the quad?" Reisei asked.
"Sounds good. Let's get out of here before my parents wake up..." Dana said grabbing her backpack and following Reisei out the door. "It's too.......ooh what's the word I'm looking for...hyper here in the mornings...."
"I think I'll most definitely avoid finding out." Reisei said as she set the doughnuts in the backseat carefully and the lattes in cup holders. When Dana was in and buckled up Reisei started the car and headed for the school.
"So, this is different what made you decide to get doughnut's and latte's?" Dana asked as they took off for the school. "Finally a morning without dealing with them...." She said referring to her family..
Reisei shrugged and tapped her hand on the steering wheel in time to the rhythm of the song on the stereo. "Just one of those mornings." Reisei said, one would almost think she had exacted her revenge on the ronins during the night to be in such a good mood but she hadn't.
Dana smiled and looked over to Rei. "Rei-chan! Your not wearing your hair up! It's....down!" Dana said as if the mere fact that it was down meant the end of the world was coming. Too Dana it probably did...
"Yea. I thought I'd try something different today." She said as they pulled into the school parking lot. She found a spot near the quad and parked.
"wow..." Dana said getting out of the car with Rei. "I don't remember you ever willingly having your hair down. It feels different wearing my braids while yours is down....y'know?"
"Yea." Reisei said carrying her backpack on her shoulder and the food and latte's in her hands. She found a partially shaded area and sat down carefully and she set the box of doughnuts by her as well as the lattes.
Dana grabbed her backpack and went and sat down with Rei. She took her Latte and a doughnut. She started eating. Much more politely now that she hadn't skipped two meals in a row. "So what do we want to do after school?" Dana asked
"No clue." Reisei said, she looked around as she picked up a doughnut. Those snoopy ronins could walk up right then and it wouldn't spoil her morning. She ate politely occasionally taking a sip from her latte.
"hhmm.." Dana thought for a moment. "Well, we could it the arcade why don't you come over for awhile? We can train and/or workout you could even spend the night if you want too..." Dana trailed off. "Dilan is going to his friends house and spending the night there. so since you picked me up I get the entire day away from him...YAY!" Dana's smile broadened "If we want to do this tonight's the perfect night. Dad's just doesn't like it when I'm not home..."

~~~~~~~

The ronins were feeling pretty lousy. and guilty.....THEY SHOULD BE GUILTY!!!! umm...on with the story....The ronins walked to the quad to have a breakfast that Shin made. There they saw the girls' having something to eat. They headed over to them.
"Hey, um...we're sorry about yesterday..."Ryo trailed off.
Dana didn't look at them she looked over to Rei for her verdict
"Sounds cool, I didn't intend on keeping you away the entire night last night, but as we all know things came-" Reisei didn't get to finish, Ryo's voice came from behind her, she siffened her back and straightened her shoulders. "Well! That's no excuse!" She said sternly and then she turned around slowly and smiled up at Ryo, "But since I'm having a good morning I forgive you."
Ryo visually relaxed. "That's good."
Dana looked up at them and smiled. "Well, if she forgives you I won't murder you all in your sleep k?" Dana looked at their faces. ".....get a sense of humor....." She said and turned back to her food.
"...."
"Yes. Dana knows about it. I called her last night pretty p.o-ed." Reisei said and then she slowly stood up. "Ummm...Ryo can I talk to you?" Reisei asked.
"no sense of humor what so ever..." Dana mumbled to herself.
Ryo looked at Rei"ok..." He hesitantly followed her. "what do you need?"
"Stop looking like I'm going to wring your neck. I'm over it. It wasn't nice of you to go through my stuff but oh well, it's not the first time someone's done it." Reisei said and then mumbled, "Just the last time I got my a$$ busted for those poems..." Then she cleared her throat, "Anyway, would you mind not saying anything about those poems or drawings around Dana, they're from a really hard time that I didn't tell her about and I don't want her to feel like she failed our friendship by not knowing and not being able to help or something." Reisei said, she looked into Ryo's eyes hoping he'd understand.
Ryo nodded. "All right. I understand." He looked over to see Dana hitting Shuu over the head for trying to steal her doughnut.
Reisei giggled at the sight of Shuu and Dana fighting over a doughnut. Suddenly her cheeks turned scarlet. She never giggled, she laughed or stayed quiet, but never giggled!! Especially not in front of a guy.
Dana stopped pounding Shuu's face into the ground with her foot for trying to steal HER doughnut when she heard Reisei giggle. GIGGLE! Reisei never GIGGLED!!!! Dana mouth hung open. "uh uh uh uh uh uh ....." Dana's foot was still on Shuu's head.
Reisei slapped a hand over her mouth with a 'oh lord this one will never be lived down' look on her face. She wasn't going to turn to Ryo for help because her face was red enough, instead she looked down letting her hair fall and cover her face.
Dana still in shock realized she was standing on Shuu's head grinding his face into the ground. "oops. sorry." Dana said getting off his head and would've returned to shock if Shuu hadn't went for her doughnut again. She landed her foot in his face glaring. (she wears black shorts under her skirt. The only things she owns that are black...are for her uniform...-Lita-) She promptly forgot about the giggle and concentrated on pounding Shuu it was her doughnut after all. She brought her foot down and smacked him upside the head with her palm.
"How many times do I have to say this.." She growled. "IT'S MY DOUGHNUT!!!!!!! And you can't have it!!!!!" Shuu made a pouty face. Dana turned around. He went around and looked her in the eyes. Then went for her doughnut. She threw a round house kick at the side of his head. With her bad shin. "oww..." She rubbed her shin. Shuu decided to stay on the ground.
"If your that protective of food I'd hate to see what you'd do if some one threatened Rei.." Shuu said rubbing his head.
"They. Die. Slowly. and. painfully." Dana said. "No one messes with Rei with out dealing with me." She looked at Rei. "Yes. I KNOW you can take care of yourself but that doesn't stop me from being protective." She looked back at Shuu. She lifted up her doughnut to her face. "Mine!" She turned around and ate her doughnut happily.
The other ronins just stared and thanked god that Reisei forgave them.
Reisei laughed slightly and pointed to the box, "There's plenty to go around, no use in fighting over them." She said, she cast a sideways glance at Ryo and felt her cheeks go scarlet again.
Dana looked at Shuu. "yea. Why'd you have to go after mine?"
"...."
Shin stepped up. "We brought our own breakfast so it was extremely rude for Shuu to go after Dana's doughnut."
"Yea." Dana said in a baby voice jutting out her lower lip pouting.
The ronins laughed and sat down next to where the girls were and got their food out. Shuu attacked the food worse than Dana did the other day.
Reisei avoided any reaction in fear that she'd go into another fit of giggled. She sat on the cobblestone of the quad with her knees pulled to her chest, of course her skirt kept anything from showing. She sipped at her latte and dazed off thinking. She tried to remember if she had any classes with Ryo, then it clicked, he was in her gym class and her mythology class. She wondered if he had ever noticed her in the classes. :Probably not baka Rei-chan, Ryo would notice other girls, not me.: She thought to herself
Dana noticed the zoned look in Rei's eyes. She went over and waved her hand in front of rei's face. Then she knocked lightly on her head. Her own head up-side down in front Rei's.
"Hello? Anybody home? If your out of your mind am I allowed to leave a message?" Dana couldn't figure out why she was so hyper this morning but decided to go with the flow.
Ryo had been off in his own world and remembered Rei in his mythology and Gym class. He figured she hadn't noticed him. She was always quiet and kept to herself.
"I'm here!" Reisei said slapping Dana's hand away from her face, "Just thinking." She said looking over to Ryo, she noticed him zoned and smiled some wondering what he was thinking about.
Dana stood up right and followed Rei's line of sight. Her eyes landed on a zoned Ryo. A look of understanding came to Dana's face. She nodded not saying anything. She decided to leave Rei be and went after the last doughnut
Reisei let her mind wander to a way to spend just a little more time with the guys and she cleared her throat getting everyone's attention. "Why don't we stay after school today and go swiming? The swim team doesn't practice on Fridays and even though the school pool is open to free use no one ever uses it because they'd rather party then swim on Fridays." She said, it was something she'd been thinking about doing today anyway, as a matter of fact she had come prepared, her swimsuit was in her backpack.
Dana looked up.
"GREAT!" Swimming was one of Dana's favorite sports. " you know I love to swim. maybe if I carried my swimsuit in my backpack less often it would be less heavy....."
"Are you on the swim team?" Seiji asked.
"Nuh-uh..I never had time to join..which really sucks..." Dana trailed off.
"Swimming is fine with us..." Shin said.
"Great, I was thinking about going swimming tonight anyways, it's been a while since I last had time to." Reisei said and then sighed, tomorrow was going to be her last day off then it was back to the work/school schedule. "Might as well have my fun until I go back to work!" She said and stood up, a necklace she wore every day, an antique locket, came off and landed on the ground softly, she didn't notice though because her usually up hair was keeping her from distinguishing the chain on her neck.
Ryo noticed the locket slip off of Rei's neck and picked it up. He'd give it to her later.

(Time lapse)

After school the ronins met Rei at the swimming pool. They were waiting for Dana to show up.

~~~~~~~~~

Dana sat in math class nearly falling asleep. This man never shuts up! The bell rang and the class jumped up to get their books together. Then were yelled at and sat down. He had to finish his story. Dana silently wondered if she was in math or really long and boring story time...:what was he talking about again? What do his cats have anything to do with math.....:
Dana made her way quickly through the halls til' she came to where she was supposed to meet Rei and the guys in the hall by the entrance to the swimming pool. She pulled her backpack up higher on her shoulder and stopped in front them.
"Sorry I'm late...Mr. Harder never shuts up." She said.
:I bet my backpack would be lighter if I carried it on both shoulders....:
That's cool. C'mon, Dana, let's go get our suits on. We'll meet you guys in the pool in five minutes?" Reisei asked pulling her backpack off her shoulders and holding it by one of the straps. They had been assigned a chapter in mythology so of course her huge mythology text and her mythology notes were in her backpack
Dana nodded and glared at Rei's backpack. "I suppose you have less homework then me again?" Dana said.
"Probably..." Reisei said as her and Dana walked into the girls locker room. Reisei took her swimsuit from her backpack and stepped into one of the shower stalls changing, then she came out and reached up to take off her locket. Suddenly Reisei stopped dead in her tracks and pressed her fingers to her collar bone hoping that the thing chain and locket would just appear on her neck. "Dana! I lost my grandma's locket." Reisei said
Dana stepped out in her aqua swim suit when Rei realized the locket was missing.
"Uh. Do you wanna go look for it?" Dana dug around in her backpack and got out her dark blue surf shorts. She put her shorts on. "We could look around where you've been maybe we can find it. We'll just let the guys know we have to look for something and we'll be there in awhile..."
"Yea." Reisei said pulling a pair of blue jean shorts on covering the bottom peice of her two peice sapphire swimsuit. "You go ahead out and start looking, I'll tell the guys." Reisei said and headed towards the locker room exit that lead to the pool hallway. When she got out there Ryo and Seiji were already out there in their swim trunks. Reisei didn't take the time to look Ryo over. "Hey, sorry guys, but Dana and I have to go look for something, I dropped my grandmother's locket somewhere, I have to go find it. You can go ahead and swim, we'll join you when we find it." Reisei said.
Dana nodded "I'll start in your homeroom. I'll meet you there." She ran off to Rei's hoemroom.

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

Ryo remembered the locket he picked up earlier.
"I found it when we left the quad I forgot to give it to you." Ryo said. "hold on. I'll go get it." He said and went back to get it out of the pocket in his jacket. When he returned with it in hand he handed it to her. "Sorry..." He said
"Thank you!" Reisei said clutching the locket in one hand and throwing her arms around Ryo in a hug without even thinking.
Ryo blinked as Rei hugged him. then blinked some more.... (Shocked that something as little as a locket could make her day, ne? -Ryidi-)

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

Dana made it to Rei's homeroom.
"Note to self: don't run in school hallways barefoot..." She whispered to herself.
~~~~~

Reisei moved back and tucked the locket into her pocket for safe keeping, a ACTUALLY HAPPY smile crossed her face. "I gotta go find Dana, be back in a second." She said and ran off towards her homeroom. When she actually made it there she slid into the doorway and almost fell over. "Nevermind! Ryo found it earlier, it fell off while we were in the quad." Reisei said, the same smile still on her face, she turned to head back out the door.
"ok cool" Dana said and followed Rei back to the swimming pool. "At least he found it instead of the many other people who would steal it to get to you..." Dana said.
"So true." Reisei said as her and Dana walked back to the pool hallway, by now all the guys were out there. Reisei slipped into the locker room, removed her blue jean shorts and tucked them in her backpack, and then grabbed her towel and walked back out to the guys. "Whenever you guys and Dana are ready I am." She said
:The nice thing about my shorts are I can swim in them...: Dana's line of thought trailed off as she grabbed her towel and followed Rei.
"We're ready."Shin said
"Ok." Reisei said, she pushed the door to the pool open and held it open for everyone.
Dana went in last and thanked Rei for holding the door. She set her towel off to the side and got in the pool. "It so nice to go swimming again..."
Reisei dropped her towel by the pool and sat on the edge then slid into the water. "Yea it is." She said before she let her head disappear under the water for a second to wet her hair, then she came back up and noticed the guys hadn't gotten in. She pulled herself up on the side and looked at them. "What 'cha waiting for? An invitation?" She asked.
"...." The guys got in and Shin took to the water like a fish.
Dana was already under water swimming around. "I don't remember the last time I got to go swimming....Hope dad doesn't find out about this
Reisei hoped the guys had a lighter attitude in a relaxing enviorment than they did in her apartment or out in the hall. There was only one way to find out though, playfully she splashed Ryo. :One you like you will tease lot.: She remembered the words of wisdom from her grandmother who had been nothing like her parents.
Ryo....got splashed. "Hey, what was that for!?" He said and splashed Rei back.
Dana was hidden under water watching her friend with hazy vision. She smiled to herself. Rei needed some one other then her sometimes. Dana's head came out of the water. Her braids soaked to waht would've been a bone but this hair we're talking about...
"Just to see if you could actually lighten up!" Reisei teased after she got splashed and swam to him then attempted to dunk him.
Reisei's hands pressed down on Ryo's shoulders as she attempted to dunk him.
Ryo swam away in attempt not to get dunked.
Seiji and Shuu were at the edge laughung at Ryo until Dana's face was in front of them.
"And just WHAT are you two doing?"
"um....swimming?" Shuu said.
"That's not what it looks like to me." Dana turned around and dived into the water kicking up tons onto Seiji and Shuu. She came up about 4 feet from them. "Now go have fun! Before I have to hurt YOU!" Dana went back to swimming.
"What just happend?" Shuu asked.
"she splashed us..." Seiji said.
"We'll have to get her back won't we?" Shuu said.
"your right..." Seiji and Shuu sneaked up behind Dana who was innocently swimming around and splashed her. The large splash (Shuu's pretty strong) pushed Dana forward. "Eep" Dana squaked as she was thrust forward by the wave. "Hey that was fun..."
"Aww! You swam off, that's no fun." Reisei said, oh well, her mind was begining to fill with other things anyway. She swam to the ladder and ppulled herself out and then walked over to the diving boards and climbed the high dive. She walked to the edge and spread her arms out cross style, bounced the board some, and then dived off head first. Her left leg bent pressing the bottom of her foot to her right knee, her right leg remained straight, she moved her arms in front of her and tucked her chin to her chest as her arms broke into the water followed by the rest of her. She resurfaced and pushed her fingers through her hair pulling several strands of it out of her face. She swam to the side and pulled herself up on it sitting and began to think, the dazed look returned to her eyes.
Dana was swimming as fast as she can (which is pretty dang fast...) away from Shuu and Seiji. Opposite ends of the pool....Dana stopped and was resting as the two guys made their way to her. She felt something sting her ankle.
"Shhh...OW!!!!!!" She cried out and then climed out of the water and looked at her ankle. It was burned. "That's odd...." She looked at where she was standing in the water. It was red..blood red.. She looked at her ankle and it was bleeding and burning. She looked at the water again and the redness was spreading thickly. "GUYS! GET OUT OF THE POOL! SOMETHINGS NOT RIGHT!!!!" She called out across the room. She watched the ronins swim to the nearest wall. "OH YEA! AND DON'T COME NEAR ME!!" She watched some turn around....
"Dana!" Reisei yelled, she yanked her legs out of the water and instinctively reached for her ittou makkura, then she realized where she was and nearly slapped her forehead. She grabbed one of the poles used for the pool nets as a defense.
"Well, isn't this a touching scene? Racing to rescue. I can see why Rajura likes you."
Dana looked behind her at the warlord.
:Uh-oh...I am SOOO dead!!!!!: Dana summoned a block of ice and threw it at the guy hoping to get him farther away so she could get away from this area of the pool.
Reisei pulled the pole up in a defensive position. Nazza jumped over the block of ice and back. "Ahh. So you're both ready to fight and die along side the ronins." He pulled two of his swords.
"I think you need to double check what you just said, if anyone here is going to die it's going to be you." Reisei growled ready to charge forward and kick butt, with or without her ittou makkura.
:NOT GOOD! If he shoves me back into the pool I'm SOOO done for...but I can't get away....: Dana stood up not an easy task. :Good thing I got out when I first felt the burn...I'd be dead....:
"Rei's right!" Dana summoned a barrage of tiny balls of boiling water. He'd have to teleport to dodge them and that would give her the chance to get away from the pool. "Take this!!!!"
Nazza saw the on comeing orbs of boiling water and disappeared, they hit the wall where he had been. "Missed me." He taunted, Reisei spun around searching for the origin of the voice and saw Nazza appear behind Ryo with swords in hand.
"RYO!" She yelled to warn him and pushed off into a sprint alongside the pool. Nazza saw her coming and grinned swinging one of his arms up putting the blade right by Ryo's neck.
"Stop now little girl or I'll slice him open like a can of fish and poisin him as well." Nazza said. He could easily kidnap Ryo for the dynasty now, but he wanted to toy with her opponets. He watched as Reisei slid to a stop.~~
Ryo and the other ronin who were all in sub-armor stood deathly still. Dana ran from the pool when Nazza disappeared and slipped on the water and her own blood and slid into the wall with a 'thud'. She looked up at Nazza.
"Now what are we gonna do?" She said weakly to herself. She was too weak from the loss of blood, scare, powers, and falling into the wall to heal her ankle now...
Reisei would have healed Dana's ankle but she wasn't going to move. She was angry of course. Nazza let out a 'hmmmm' as if he was trying to make up his mind. The sword moved just a bit closer to Ryo's neck.
Dana was starting to panic. Though she couldn't really move....:If he kills Ryo it'll kill Rei....What am I going to do!!!!!!!??????: She mentally screamed. She shakily stood up leaning against the wall.
"s...stop!" Dana yelled. "STOP!!! What do you want!!??" Dana didn't even know what she was doing...she hoped to god this wouldn't backfire on her whatever it was...
The ronins were as lost as Rei on what to do. And as lost as Dana on what she was doing.
Nazza was distracted by Dana and lowered his sword, Reisei took it as her chance, she sprinted forward with the pole still in hand and grabbed Ryo's arm pushing him aside but making sure he wouldn't fall into the pool of acid, and then swinging the pole she crashed it right upside Nazza's helmet sending a sharp ringing through his ears, as well as bending the pole. "YOU STAY AWAY FROM HIM!" Reisei yelled and dropped the pole from her hands, she felt the familiar tingle and grabbed Sekhmet's armored arm was wave after wave of electric shocks flew through her hand and into Sekhmet. When it was over she let go and stumbled back almost falling. Sekhmet, dazed and weakened from being electorcuted had also dropped his swords, he looked around before realizing what he was up against and drew two more swords, of course he wasn't fooling anyone or himself, this was going to be a no win battle.
Dana blinked. "That works too...." She said to herself..
Ryo and the others were releived at what just happened. They couldn't fight in full armor or else they'd blow up the school. But maybe....Shuu ran/walked over to Nazza and punched him in the gut.
Dana was slowly making her way to where Nazza was. She had to hold on to the wall, and was slipping occasionally. She decided to pick up her speed and slipped on a particulary wet spot from her attacks and went sliding for the pool. She involuntarily screamed and grabbed on to the nearest thing to her. Luckily it was bolted to the gound. She had to point her toes or else they get burned in the acid. Her knees were on the edge of the pool with her shin's over. She prayed to who ever was listening that she could keep a good grip on whatever she was holding...She couldn't figure out what she was holding being afraid to open your eyes does that....
The weakened but not giving up Reisei saw Dana slide towards the pool. :Aw hell...: She thought to herself and gained her composure and then made a running dive grabbing onto the ladder of the diving board with one hand and Dana's wrist with the other. "You and Ryo are going to put me in my grave long before I should be." She said and attempted to pull Dana away from the pool. Nazza was not taking well to his losses.
"I'll be back later!" He swore and disappeared.
"Well it's not my fault..." Dana grumbled "...ok maybe it is..." Once Dana was safe from the acidic pool she opened her eyes. Then nearly puked at the sight of her ankle. "That ain't pretty..." She said and attempted to heal it with out wearing herself out too much. She got it about halfway before she was ready to pass out. "I swear I saw my life flash before my eyes twice..." Dana said. she put a hand on the ground to steady herself.
"Don't go trying to heal yourself! I still have more energy than you." Reisei said, she put her hands lightly around Dana's half healed ankle and concentrated. The wound closed up the rest of the way and Reisei dropped down to on her butt leaning back on her hands. "Jeez...what a day..." She mumbled and looked up towards the ronins, particuarlly at Ryo, "You ok? That sword got pretty close.." She said to Ryo.
"yea I'm fine. It didn't cut the skin. Thanks though." Ryo said.
Dana had mumbled her thanks and was now sneaking/crawling away from the group to get to the locker room. Her ankle was healed but it's still bloody and icky and gross. She made it to her towel grabbed that and made her way to the girls locker room.
"You're welcome..." Reisei said, she stood up and followed Dana out incase Dana needed anymore help, right as she got to the door she whispered, "Anything to make sure you're ok..." She didn't know if Ryo heard it or not, she really hadn't even intended on saying it, it just kind of came out. She let the door close behind her.
Dana sat on the floor by her backpack and glared at Rei. "Nothing gets past you does it?" She grumbled going through her backpak. She muttered something incomprehensible even to herself and crawled over to the showers and turned on the water. To clean the chlorine off of her and to clean her ankle. When she was done she stood up and wobbled out to her backpack. She pulled her hair out of her braids and began brushing it. When her hair was down it reached to about mid-way down her thighs she always wore her braids rather high...and tight. "Well now that I'm not allowed out of your sight what do you need?" She started to seperate her hair into two parts to braid it again.
"Excuse me for being worried." Reisei said, she snatched a dry towel, went and washed the pool water off her, grabbed her clothing, dressed, slung the backpack over her shoulder and walked out of the locker room. She dropped her backpack on the floor in the hall leanding to the pool and sat down, she had sat indian style and rested her elbows on her knees, then she rested her face in her hands and sighed rubbing her fingers over her eyes.
When Dana was finished re-braiding her hair she got dressed again. and picked up her back pack. Fell over and dragged it out. She muttered something incomprehensible again. This time about teachers and homework. She dragged her backpack out and sat down by Rei. "What's wrong?" Dana said. Tepted to drop her backpack into the pool on 'accident'. She grinned and laughed to herself. She'd die laughing if she did that....then die from murder from the teachers and her parents.
"I dunno." Reisei sighed from where her face was tucked into her hands. She was in blue jean shorts and a sapphire tank top, reaching into her pocket she took her locket out and put it on and then tilted her head back against the wall closing her eyes.
Dana nodded absently grinning like an idiot imagining herself dumping her math book in the pool. "hehehe" Dana was about to start laughing maniacly when Seiji waved a hand in front of her face. "huh?"
"Why are you grinning like an idiot?"
"Idiot? darn it I was going for mischevious. I was imagining what would happen if I 'accidently' dropped my math book in the pool..." Dana trailed off and started laughing maniacly. Seiji edged away.
Reisei just shook her head and stood up. She didn't really know what to say, or even if she should say anything or just leave her two sense out of any conversation that came up. She leaned on a wall and sighed some.

Dana noticed Rei's unsual quietness. "What's wrong? and if you say 'nothing' or 'I don't know' I'll throw you in that pool...." Dana threatened provided she could barely stand she doubted she sould do it. but hey...
"Just got something on my mind, I'll tell you later." She said and turned to walk across the hall and smacked right into Ryo. Her face flustered and she looked down. "Sorry..."
Ryo looked away. "It's alright" He stepped out of the way to let her pass. Dana giggled. Then shut up ahead of the glares she knew she was going to get. "So what now?" She said. :I don't want to lift the backpack......:
"Well we can always go to my apartment. But your parents are going to kill you if you don't get home soon, Dana." Reisei pointed out.
*grumbles* "yea..." Dana stood up and went to get her backpack. She picked it up and put it on one shoulder, She regained her balance and looked around. Maybe if we hide them in the car they won't be noticed....." Dana said. how were they going to pull this one off?
"I'll just drop you off, not stick around long enough for your parents to see who, if anyone but me, is in the car. Then I'll take them to my apartment or where ever they need to go." Reisei said.
"ok sounds good." Dana said. she looked at the guys. "Is that ok with you?"
"Yeah it's fine.." Seiji said.
The others nodded in a agreement.
"Ok then, let's go." Reisei said, they all walked out to her car and climbed in how they'd been the night before, she climbed in and headed for Dana's house.
They had started walking down the school hall to go out to Reisei's car when Reisei stopped, she grabbed Ryo's arm. "Hey guys, go ahead, we'll be out in a second, I need to talk to Ryo about something." She said. She waited until everyone was out of sight before she turned and looked up at Ryo. "I don't normally bust a pole over a guy's head and put him through shocks for any person." She said, her lip quivered some, she was about to admit one of the few crushes she ever had on a person. "I sit exactly two rows over from you in mythology, and see you in gym. I've noticed you all year but couldn't easily see you noticing me, I didn't figure I was 'popular' enough to even have the right to walk over and say hi, because we all know that's what the majority of the students here thrive on, popularity, and if you aren't popular then you just don't get any privledges." She paused for a second, "I guess what I'm trying to tell you is I've had a crush on you all year long." Reisei said and looked down greatly expecting to be laughed at or told to get over it, in which case she guessed she could always make a bolt for it, give Dana her keys and tell her she'd be by later to pick up the keys and car and that Dana should take the guys home, ha, like that would happen, Reisei wouldn't show that big of crack in her pride to anyone. Reisei waited in silence for any kind of response from Ryo, her look cast downward to avoid making eye contact if it did turn out to be a situation where she would have been better off not saying anything.
Ryo breathed a sigh of releif. He chuckled a bit. "Ya'know I spent the entire year with the same problem...." He admitted looking around blushing and avoiding eye contact hoping this wasn't another joke, this time much crueler. (Like he thinks any of her jokes were cruel. Let's face it this boy went off the deep-end...-Lita-)

~~~~~

Dana looked at the two. She had a pretty good idea what was going on and hoped Rei wasn't left heartbroken. She'd have to murder Ryo then and that wouldn't look to good on her permanant record...

~~~~~

"Really?" Reisei asked looking up at Ryo. She was hoping that this wasn't just something he was saying to get back at her for her two jokes, or for her being angry about him and his friends searching her apartment...
Ryo was finally able to make eye contact. "Yea...I didn't think you noticed me because you didn't seem to like people...."
"I guess that since so many people here are the same, all gossip and backstabbing, that I just decided to shut almost everybody out, that doesn't mean I didn't notice certain people, just Dana's the only person I ever really talk to." Reisei felt almost akward, she wasn't sure of what to do, and almost had to laugh at herself, in highschool and she didn't even know how to handel a crush. Instead somewhere it struck a nerve and Reisei began to cry some. "I'm sorry..." She forced a couple of small laughs out, "I just feel really foolish...I'm in highschool and I don't even know what to do after finding out the guy I have a crush on likes me too..."

Ryo wiped her tears with his thumb. (I really should stop reading these romances...-Lita-) (She thinks she should! Ha! I need to also!!…-Ryidi-)"It's ok...I'm in the same ballpark..." Ryo said. probably more lost than Rei.

~~~~~

Dana looked at the two from a distance with silent tears running down her cheeks. Tears of joy for her best friend. She had a large smile on her face and she leaned against Rei's car. She noticed she was crying and started to wipe her tears. "Now...why am I crying?" She said. She knew why but she had to make a joke of it. She sniffled a little. This was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

~~~~~

Reisei reached one of her hands up to his hand and gently pulled him into a hug. She was completely unaware that Dana had been watching.
Ryo hugged Rei back.
Dana sniffled a bit. she was on her knees going through her backpack looking for a hankercheif to dry her tears with. :Rei'll kill me when she finds out I was watching.: She pulled out her light blue hankercheif. she dried her face and kept it dry as more tears came streaming down.
Reisei pulled back, "So...where do we go from here?" She wasn't sure Ryo wanted a relationship, she did, but then again she didn't have the task of saving the world set square on her shoulders.
"I...don't know really...um...We could go on a date tomarrow if your free..." Ryo said. He couldn't figure out if he was sounding stupid or not.
Dana had to resist the urge to jump up and scream that Rei was free. She also resisted planning the entire thing for them.
Reisei hadn't expected any grand declarations, she hadn't even expected him to suggest a date to be honest. She was thrilled, but Reisei being Reisei, she kept that from showing to much. "I'm definitly free tomorrow!" She said. "Or tonight...I mean...whenever you want to go. I'd hate to pull you away from your friends or your duties.." Reisei said, she could have slapped herself for being so blunt as to say tonight was a possible too.
"Tonights good too..." He said. "or both..." He couldn't beleive the words coming out of his mouth. He was sure this was a dream and he was going to wake up and Rei was still going to hate him for going through her stuff. Oh well if he wakes up at least it was a good dream.
Dana had by now turned around so not to watch. She looked at Seiji. With tears running down her face and grinning like mad. "I'm so happy for them. Rei really needed him. If he hurts her EVER though he deader than a doornail." She said. The guys nodded. They were equaly as happy as Dana just not in tears.
"Both sounds good...6-ish?" She asked, finally she glanced towards the care and noticed Dana crying. "Oh boy...I think she's realized what we're talking about..." Reisei said.
"6 sounds good." Ryo said. "Who realized what?" Ryo was too happy to realize what she meant.
Dana saw Rei look her. She ignored it.
Reisei looked at Ryo and smiled. "Dana, of course." She shook her head because of Dana then, in part to give everyone a show and in larger part because she wanted to she pulled Ryo down to her and pressed her lips to his.
Ryo blinked before returning the kiss.
Dana cheered by the car. The ronins smiled.
"Ok. Let's get going then, shall we? I still need to drop you and the guys off, and I just know Dana is going to force me to let her plan the entire evening. Hope you don't mind rich dining, that's what she'll plan, knowing her." Reisei smiled up at Ryo.
Ryo smiled back and agreed. They all piled into the car as Rei went to take them home. Dana leaned over.
"Way to go.." She whispered.
Reisei smiled and dropped Dana off, she left before giving Dana's parents a chance to realize that there were five boys piled in the car, she'd come back after dropping the guys off. She started the drive to the mansion.
Dana got out of the car and waved.
The ronins waited to get to their place. (aka Writers lazy-Lita-)
Reisei pulled up to the mansion and let the guys out. (Writer is tired...writer's eyes hurt like a beep beep -Ryidi-)
The guys said bye but Ryo stayed behind. "You'll pick me up at 6...I don't have a car..." Ryo said sheepishly.
"That's cool." Reisei said, she didn't care if she had to drive, she was getting a date with him, that was plenty!!! "I better get going before Dana thinks I got lost or something." She smiled.
"Ok See you at 6 then Bye!" Ryo said.
Reisei pulled off and headed to Dana's house, she pulled into the driveway and sat there a second before getting out and walking up to the door and knocking.
Dana's mom answered the door. She grabbed Rei in a hug. "It's been so long since you've been over!" Dana's mom sobbed on Rei's shoulder.
"Mom. She was over this morning." Dana said coming down the stairs. She had put on a light blue mini-skirt and white, sleeveless, turtle neck. Her hair in her normal braids.
Reisei hugged back with a look of completely, who knows what emotion, maybe just plain shock. "It's nice to see you, Mrs. Jinmei." She said.
Dana's mom let go. "Well, I'll let you go otherwise Dana will yell at me..."
"Gee, Ya THINK!" Dana said. Dana's mom ran off to get the girls' cookies and milk. Dana grabbed Rei's hand and ran up the stairs and locked her room.
Reisei dropped down sitting on the floor indian style and shook her head, then she looked up at Dana. "Well, c'mon, we've only got two and a half hours and I know you're just dying to plan both dates." She said looking up at her friend.
Dana sat on the seat under her window. "It's a nice day. You guys should have a picnic...I'll even make it for you guys!" Dana said.
Reisei resisted the urge to slap her forehead. "Well, I suppose that's better than you making me bok at some over done fancy restraunt. I figured that's what you'd make us do." This time Reisei did slap her head, she hoped Dana didn't remember that half the fancy restraunts around there had outside and inside dining. "Ok, so what are you going to pack for the picnic?" She asked to change the subject.
"hm..Well, I could make stuffed shells and a pie. some salad, garlic bread...How's that sound? I can pull it off in time." Dana said.
"Ok." Sound cool Reisei said then a sheepish grin came over her face. "I don't exactly have anything date worthy. I have my normal, my school outfit, and some elegant dresses I got from my aunt, I have nothing in between in style." She admitted. First she waited for Dana to freak because she actually owned dresses, then she waited for her to freak over the fact that Reisei had no clue what the heck to wear.
"YOU EVEN OWN DRESSES!? wow...." Dana said. "Alright let's see..." Dana opened her huge closet up. It was a really big walk-in closet. Dana owns a lot on clothes...She pulled out a dark purple knee-length skirt, and dark blue tang top, and a couple pairs of shoes. A pair of dark purple high heels, a pair of black high heels. "What do you think? I'll let you decide what color shoes."
Reisei's eyes widened slightly, she wasn't much of one getting into all the colorfuls. "I don't think highhells will be needed, it's just a picnic right? Or are you planning on making it a picnic and more?" Reisei asked nervously.
"Ok.." Dana tossed the skirt and top at Rei. She turned around and put the shoes back. She pulled out a pair of dressy black sandels. "How're these?" She said showing them to Rei. "If you want I have a black jacket you can put with the outfit and if you feel like I have some make-up in the bathroom...We should do something with your hair...I got it!" Dana said. "I'll do your hair..." Dana said pulling out the dress jacket and tossing at Rei. "Get dressed I'm gonna go start the food. When your dressed come down. Then I'll do your hair and make-up if you want." Dana said. She went downstairs and pulled out the ingrediants for everything she was going to make.
Reisei waited till her friend had left the room and let out a long sigh, tomorrow's date was going to be her own plan, she had everything she needed at home to get ready without confusing herself for that type of date at least. She couldn't believe she was considering a fancy restraunt but what the heck, it'd be a change in atmosphere. She quickly changed and pulled on the skirt, top, and black sandals. She left the dress jacket on the bed and walked downstairs
Dana had finished the salad and had put a batch of Stuffed shells in the oven when Rei came down.
"Mom, will you watch the food. and finish the shells for me if I'm not back in time?"Dana said.
"Sure hon." Mrs. Jinmei said.
"Ok let's go." Dana led Rei to the bathroom and sat Rei down. She went through all her hair peices, she pulled out a silver tie that had two silver kanji's on it. One stood for life and one stood for death. "I found this in a store and it reminded me of us.." Dana said. She put Rei's hair half up half down and tied it. She grabbed her hair curler and made some small ringlets framing Rei's face. "You can look in the mirror now. What do you think? and do want a little make-up?"
Reisei looked in the mirror, the hairstyle was cute. "Sure." She said, she didn't think a litle make-up would be to over doing it. She stdied the hair tye in the mirror and almost shivered, wearing the kanji of death on a date, well, it couldn't eat at her to much, she did after all have it tattooed on her ankle.
"ok." Dana went into the cupbaord under the sink and pulled out her box of make-up. It was a big box. But she had a lot of nail polishes in it too. She started with the foundation. Then she put the lightest hint of blush on her cheeks. "let's leave it at that. We don't want to overdo it too much..." Dana said. "We can do nail polish if you want but it's not too important and the darkest color I have is purple. I don't own much black like you..." Dana said.
"I think this is enough." Reisei said and looked at her watch, then she remembered that she had taken it off when she was changing and had left it on Dana's bed. She sighed and looked in the mirror and pulled her locket into place.
"Ok. I'm gonna go finish the food then." Dana said she put everything away and went to the kitchen. She started toasting the garlic bread while her mom finished the Suffed shells.
"Dana, what's going on? I very sure this meal isn't for the two of us."
"A little of it is. That's why I'm making so much. It's mostly for Rei though..." Dana said. "what should I make for dessert? Napoleans maybe?" Dana pulled out the ingrediants for Napoleans. While they were cooking she found a picnic basket and started packing the food. She finished with 5 minutes before Rei had to go.
Reisei walked back into the kitchen as Dana was finishing. "Thanks Dana-chan." She said as she picked up the picnic basket. "I need to get going." She said.
Bye Rei-chan! Have a good time!" Dana called from the drive way as Rei drove away.

~~~~~

Reisei drove towards the mansion and suddenly her cool and calm attitude was disrupted by knots in her stomach. She looked in the rearveiw mirror one last time as she pulled into the driveway and parked. Nervously she get out of the car and straightened a wrinkle in her skirt before walking up to the door and knocking.

~~~~~

Ryo also had been taken care of much like Rei had been. Seiji had picked out his clothing for him. Ryo asnwered the door when Rei knocked.
"Hi" Ryo said. closing the door behind them to block spying eyes.
"Hi." Reisei smiled. "Um, Dana packed a picnic for us, it's in the car. We can go to the park, or if you know a less disruptive place." She said, she looked over Ryo's outfit and could only imagine that the one and only stylish Date Seiji had picked it out for him.
"The park sounds fine." Ryo said.
"Ok." Reisei said as they got into her car and headed for the park.

~~~~~

"Rajura!" A voice boomed, the four warlords were standing in a room all facing forward, a candle by each, and at the front of the room was the dismembered head of Arago.
"Yes master?" Rajura asked taking a small step forward.
"Do you have any realization at all of who you fought last night?" Arago's voice echoed through the room.
"A mortal girl with a bigger mouth than mind." Rajura said, his pride was still mildly cracked.
"A powerful mortal girl who we need on our team." Arago corrected. "Shuten!"
"Yes sir?" The red hair warrior asked.
"I want you to go to the mortal realm and get the white hair girl known as Reisei. She could be of use." Arago said, Shuten nodded and disappeared from the room to head to the mortal relam and find Reisei.
~~~~~ When they got to the park Ryo carried the picnic basket for Rei. When they found a good place they sat down. "so.....how are you?"
"I'm good, you?" She asked as they sat down.
Shuten would have chuckled if it wouldn't have gotten him busted. Tracking down Reisei had been incredibly easy, what more so was that she had Wildfire with her. He kept out of sight while gripping his Kasuri-gama tightly, he'd watch for a moment before going into attack mode.
"I'm good.." Ryo sensed Shuten around. "We have company..." Ryo stood up and transformed into his sub-armor. "Come out where ever you are Shuten!"
Reisei heard a metallic clapping before she saw another armor clad man stepped out from behind a tree. "Your senses are strong, Wildfire, but please, make this easier on yourself and put down the weapons, after all I am here for the girl." Shuten snickered. Reisei got to her feet and looked around for anything to use as a weapon, another pole would be nice, but they weren't at a pool.
Ryo moved to stand in front of Rei protectively. "You'll get her over my dead body." Ryo said.

~~~~~

Dana was walking up the stairs to her room when a wave of nausea and dizziness hit Dana and she collapsed on the staircase. She pulled herself up and crawled to her room. She all of a sudden was hurting all over and wanetd to throw up. She wan't going to. She climbed into bed and tried to sleep but something wasn't right. She could feel something bad happening but she couldn't go to it.

~~~~~

"It can be arranged." Shuten said. Everything in Reisei's instincts was screaming for her to get Ryo out of the way, but she knew he wouldn't want her too. Shuten sensed this, "Wildfire, you do realize that if she were certain she could your girl would throw you aside like a limp rag doll right now, don't you?" Shuten grinned and lunged forward thrusting the blade of his kasuri-gama at Ryo.
Ryo turned around grabbed Rei and flipped out of the way of the attack. he set her down. "Armor of Wildfire Dao Chi!" He summoned his armor and pulled out his katanas. "Let's do this!" He growled.

~~~~~

Dana couldn't this evil she was sensing faintly but sensing was keeping her from resting. When she could take it anymore she pulled herself out of bed. She went to her closet and pulled out the first pair of matching shoes she found. Not going to argue she put the light blue high heels on. She stood up and left the house. She ran/jogged to where she felt the disturbance ignoring the pain in every inch of her body especially her ankle.

~~~~~

Shuten snickered. "Oh you're just so certain you can always be the protector, aren't you, Wildfire?" Shuten asked.
Dana came up behind Ryo and Rei. She leaned against the tree to catch her breath. This didn't look good.
"What's wrong with me..." Dana whispered hoarsly.
Ryo stepped up to Shuten. "I won't lose." Ryo said lunging at Shuten with both Katanas.
The muscles in Shuten's legs tightened and he lunged up jumping over Ryo and leanding behind Dana. "Little girl you showed up in the wrong place at the wrong time." Shuten grinned, Reisei had turned to face them, her fatures could have been stone at that moment, Shuten saw her face and grinned. "That's it, girl, let your hate for what I'm doing consume you." He said as he swung his kasuri-gama blade up and placed it at Dana's neck.
Dana panicked. This wasn't planned.
"urk! bad." Dana mumbled.. Like hell she was going to worry about her life before Rei's."RYO! Forget about me! Do what you need to protect Rei! Don't worry about me!" Dana yelled her voice hoarse from it being sore and it seemed she may be losing it.
Ryo went and stood protectively in front of Rei. It seemed like the only thing he could do. Could he respond to Dana's plea to save Rei over her? He wanted to say yes but being a ronin he at the same time needed to save them both.
Shuten chuckled. "Now, Ryo, you can't tell me you're willing to give up this life just to protect Reisei." Shuten looked thoughtful for a moment, "Reisei..." He turned the name over in his head, "It means Serenity, such a misfitting name for someone with her powers, but then again I don't know her entire name either." He gently scraped the blade against Dana's neck.
Ryo was torn. There was no way he could save both. The only one he could save was Rei. But then he'd have to sacrifice a life.
Dana felt the blade come closer to her neck. She noticed a small stream of blood stain her favorite white shirt. She was getting ticked. She was hurting but she was ticked. "HEY!" she choked out. "That's my favorite shirt! Do you know how hard it is to get blood out of white clothing?!" Dana said. She kicked backwards and drove her heel into his stomach.
Shuten was caught off guard but far from defeated by the week kick, he quickly regained himself and his hold on Dana. "Foolish child, I can kill you, and if you make me mad enough I will." He hissed. Reisei's hand clutched into fists and she moved standing right beside Ryo.
"YOU HURT HER AGAIN AND YOU'LL WISH YOU'D NEVER SO MUCH AS SET FOOT NEAR HER!" Reisei yelled, Shuten was pleasently surprised by the out break.
"Hurt? You mean like this?" He asked and grabbed a hold of one of Dana's hands and pulled two of her fingers painfully far back.
Dana creid out in pain as Shuten pulled two fingers back. Yep, she heard the bones break...
"j-jerk!" She spat out.
Shuten smirked satisfied with the sound of breaking bones, Reisei's entire body stiffined, her cold face showed no reaction to the sound or her friend's cry of pain, but her eyes registered something all right. They registered the look that ensured that Shuten was going to pay for that very painfully and slowly. Moving fast she lunged forward.
Ryo instinctivly grabbed Rei around the waist. "You can't fight him!" He hissed.
Dana turned her face to look Shuten straight in the eye. "Thanks, but I really don't need a hug." She spit in his eyes to show her contempt.
Shuten growled and removed his arm from holding Dana to full out slapping her hard enough to send her skidding a couple feet along the ground, and just to tormet the girl that Wildfire was now restraining he hit Dana further away from them.
Reisei cried out and tried to pry her way out of Ryo's grasp. "HE'S HURTING HER!" She yelled, she didn't have any doubts that Ryo could see that, but right now she was losing her grasp of logic, her train of through was running the same thing. :Get Dana to safety, kill the cracker jack. Get Dana to safety, kill the cracker jack.:
Shuten grinned back at Ryo. "Having some trouble there? I'll trade you, Reisei for this girl. Or I could just slice this girl into ribbons." He said and then looked down at Dana, who was on the ground, and pointed the blade of his kasuri-gama dangerously close to her chest.
Yep. Dana was really feeling this fight. She kicked the blade away from her chest and rolled away. She got on her knees and sent a flying barrage of medium sized Frozen orbs and boling orbs.
Ryo was restraining Reisei as best he could. Dana was willing to die for Rei right? He could keep Rei safe and let Dana do what she wanted right? NO!! If Dana died Reisei would hate him. But if he let her go he might lose her.
Dana did her best to regain her balance. Once she was on two feet she was doing her best to stand.
Shuten dodged most of the frozen orbs, some of the boiling orbs slammed into his armor and he could feel the heat on the metal and on his skin. He glared at the girl and then turned to Ryo and Reisei glaring threateningly. "Someday, someday, Wildfire, we're going to get our hands on that fiesty little witch, and when we do you WILL NOT be able to stop us." He said and disappeared. Reisei fought free of Ryo's arms and sprinted to Dana and hugged her best friend, losing all sense in keeping emotions from showing much earlier in the fight she began to cry on Dana's shoulder. She'd almost lost the two most important people in her life in one day. Shuten reappeared behind Ryo, the fools had really thought he was going to leave that easy. "It is wise to not let ones guard down when the predator might still be around." He said, Reisei looked up. "QUAKEEEEEEEEEE WITHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH -" "STOP IT!!!!" Reisei's voice stopped Shuten cold in his tracks, almost like a bolt of lightening had slammed into his spine, he knew then that he should have stayed gone, and that if he planned on living through this he would go now for real this time. He cast a glare at Reisei and disappeared
Dana was shocked at Rei's show of emotion.
"Rei-chan.." Dana managed to say despite the pain. "Are you ok? Did he hurt you?"
Ryo was releived that this was over. He banished his armor and stood looking around. :That's odd...She took the beating of a life time and knows Rei's not hurt but she still....weird...:
Reisei forced herself to nod and used her hand to wipe the tears from her face. The day had been ruined, no, she hadn't really cared about the swim or the date being ruined, she could live through that, but as before stated, almost losing the two people close to her left the day ruined. She looked at Dana, and then Ryo, then back to Dana, "You need rest, should I take you home, or to my place?" She asked then she looked over at Ryo, "You'd probably like to go home too, wouldn't you?" She asked, she didn't know if Ryo would want to be with the other Ronins, or if he'd want to stay near her to make sure the cracker jack warlord didn't make good on his threats or what
"Your place." Dana said. "Mom'll freak if she sees me like this..I'll just tell her I'm spending the night. Dad's on a buisness trip. Didi you guys get a chance to eat?" Dana asked.
"I'll stay with you guys til' your ready to beat me down for being to protective." Ryo said.
"No, we didn't, but that doesn't matter, I may not be as good a cook as you, but I can try to find enough stuff to make something at home, or I can order something." Reisei said, she looked over to Ryo for a second, "You can stay as long as you'd like." She said, then they headed for the car. "Dana, why don't you get in back, you'll have more room, not exactly a bed, but enough room to strech out some." Reisei said.
"alright." Dana said. "Geez! They never give up do they?"
"No, they don't."
Reisei had realized nothing had been disturbed in the basket and had picked it up before they headed for the car, to avoid taking up Dana's room she put it in the trunk and would take it out when they got to her apartment. "Dana, if you're not hungry then I'd prefer for you to go to bed as soon as we get to my apartment, you can sleep in my bed, there's another bed in the other bedroom which I normally use as a junk room, but I can clear that up and Ryo can stay in there, if he'd like, and I'll sleep on the couch." She said, she had a feeling that she wouldn't be alone in her apartment, or anything else, for a while. They all got into the car and headed to the apartment.
"That's fine with me." Dana said not in the mood to argue with Rei. Ryo nodded in agreement. Normally he would've protested but he didn't feel up to an argument.

~~~~~

They got to the apartment and Reisei got the basket out of the trunk, opened the door and set the basket in then went back to the car to see if Dana needed any help.
Dana waved her hand motioning that she didn't need any help. She got out of the car and sluped over. She kicked off her shoes and carried them. "Note to self: never wear high hells when chasing after an evil feeling..." When Dana got in she sat on the couch to catch her breath.
Reisei followed Ryo and Dana in and closed the door, locking it as well, she picked up the basket and carried it in the kitchen, she'd worry about dinner later, she walked into the living room. "Are you ok, Dana?" She asked.
"yea....no..."Dana admitted. "I'm just gonna collapse here I don't think I can make those stairs..."
Normally Reisei would have settled for that, but this wasn't normally. She looked over to Ryo, "Do you think you could carry her up to my bed...please?" She asked.
Ryo looked at her. "yea, I think so..." Ryo went over and picked up Dana. :WOW! she's a lot lighter then she looks...: He carried her up to Rei's bed.
"I'll be fine here." Dana said sitting on the bed. Ryo went back downstairs. Dana laid down and pulled the covers up to her chin. She tried to sleep but it wasn't working very well. She was trying to figure out why those cracker jacks as Rei puts it wanted her best friend.

~~~~~

When Ryo came back down Reisei walked over and hugged him, you wouldn't have noticed it from just looking at her, but she was shaking. "I'm sorry I fought against you today trying to get out of your grip, but he was hurting Dana, she was the only thing close to family I had until today, then I got you, and I feel like, and in a sense almost did, lose both of you day. You to that Nazza dude and her to that other guy." She said.
Ryo hugged her. "It's ok. We're both here. and we're both alive. And Neither of us are going anywhere. I can tell You I'm not going anywhere and It's plainly obvious Dana's not going anywhere. I have a feeling if she could she'd kill anyone who hurt you even after she was dead." Ryo said. "I'm still amazed how selfless you two are. Each one willing to give their life for the other."
Reisei smiled some, she didn't want to let go of Ryo. "Her and I have always looked out for each other, complete opposites and best friends at the same time." She said.
Ryo smiled. "You two do seem completly opposite yet exactly the same at the same time..That doesn't make much sense does it?"

~~~~~

Dana was lost in her thoughts when she finally fell asleep. She dreamt of the outdoors. and life in general. Happy dreams, full of life. Did I mention Life?

~~~~~

"No, it doesn't." Reisei laughed softly, "Then again, not to much seems to right now." She looked up at him, "Are you hungry? We do still have that basket of food Dana made if you are." She said, she'd go in in a bit to clean up the junk room, which would be an experince in itself seeing as she hardly went in there.
Ryo nodded. "Food sounds good."
Reisei walked into the kitchen and opened the basket, which was sitting on the counter, and took the different foods out. She reached up and took two plates from a cabinet and put some of each food on the plates. Stuffed shells, salad, garlic bread, napoleans. She set the plates on the small table, which ironicly enough only had two chairs, and got two forks. Calling out to the living room she asked Ryo, "What would you like to drink?"
"Root beer is fine." He said. Going to sit at the table.
Reisei got out two rootbeers and walked over to the table setting one down by his plate and then sitting down, she took a couple small bites of salad and then looked at him, "How do you manage to stay in school when you know they could show up at any time, I mean, I sure couldn't imagine you walking up to Miss. Keilholz (Their Myth. Teacher) and saying 'Excuse me, but may I be excused, I have to go save the world?' Her actually believeing it would be something hard to imagine." reisei said smiling, she was trying to start a light hearted, maybe even funny, conversation.
"Actually, They've never attacked during classes." Ryo said. "I've never really thought about it....what about you? You seem to love to fight. Are you careful not to fight in school?" Ryo hoped he didn't sound rude.
"Normally I am very careful to not fight in school, as a matter of fact that last time I fought during school other than my karate class was..." Reisei stops as she has to ponder this for a moment, "I'd say close to two years ago...Man oh man...That was my first real in school fight and my last one, I guarantee you. Dad was not happy."
"really? What happened?" Ryo asked.
"This girl had been going to school with me and she was one to let a person know when she didn't like them, and she didn't like me because I spoke my mind, I told her she needed to get over her stuck up self and after a while of her keeping up her and I got into a fight, I pounded her, was sent home on suspension, and, well, what that girl got, I got it for about three days straight from my dad." Reisei said, she stood up walking over to a phone book sitting on her counter and opened it taking out a picture that she had just stuck in here to get it out of her way, she walked back over and handed it to Ryo, the picture showed her, a younger girl, about 13, with black hair and emerald green eyes, a pettiete woman with light skin, white hair, and sapphire eyes, and a tall and almost truck driver looking man with black hair and emerald green eyes. "It's an old picture, the girl with the black hair is Itami, the woman is my mom, and the man is my dad." She said.
Ryo nodded. "Sounds harsh. Does Dana know about this?" Ryo would think He'd surely be dead if Dana knew but....
"No." Reisei almost grimaced as she put the picture away, "Dana, well, she didn't know as much as she thought she did about my home life. That's what all those poems and drawings in my room were from." Reisei said returning to her seat. "My parents were harsh people to deal with once you were inside our house." She said and with her hands clasped in her lap ran her finger tips over a scar on her forearm.
"I'd think He'd be dead if Dana knew about that...She's very protective I can tell....though that's not hard to figure out..."
"Yea, that's a part of the reason I never told her, I mean, her trying to take on my dad, chances would be good they'd both end up killing each other, literally." Reisei then mumbled under her breath, "Not that my dad wouldn't deserve a nice boot shoved where the sun doesn't shine.."
"I don't think we should talk about this subject anymore. So...um...let's pick a happier subject!" Ryo said.
"Ok." Reisei said, she was relieved to have dropped the subject completely before getting into any more detail. "So, you want to take the chances of planning our next attempt at a date?" Reisei asked laughing softly.
"We could do that now. Maybe we should try to explain to the Dyansty that we're on a date and to leave us alone...." Ryo said attempting a joke.
Reisei laughed, "Yea, one of them shows up just say 'I'm sorry Mr. Cracker Jack but we're a little preoccupied right now, would you mind coming back tomorrow sometime?'" Reisei smiled and shook her head, "Sadly enough, given that I'm in the right mood, I'm the type of person that would probably say something like that."
Ryo laughed. "Yeah they'd really go for that"

~~~~~

Dana's happy full of life dream changed Rei had joined the'cracker jacks' and was trying to kill her. (*shudder* scary...shutting up now...-Lita-)Dana shot up in bed. Fighting back the urge to scream.

~~~~~

Reisei smiled, she leaned across the table and kissed Ryo's cheek.

~~~~~

Dana wiped the sweat from her face. She was still shivering. She pulled the blankets tighter around herself.
"What was that all about?" Dana whispered. Dana winced as she was reminded of her broken fingers. She healed her fingers but they still hurt a little. She healed her neck too. She'd let the rest heal naturally. She got out of bed and started pacing back and forth to help her think.

~~~~~

Reisei heard the floor boards above them squeek. "I'll be right back, I'm going to take her some food up." Reisei said, she fixed a plate, grabbed a fork and a rootbeer, and headed to the stairs and up them. Unfortunately the stairwell was dark and if Dana was looking near the door she'd see Reisei errily covered in shadows before she'd be able to realize that Reisei was just bringing her food.
Dana saw Rei eerily covered in shadow's which was what she saw in her dream before Rei had lunged at her with the sharp end of her pole. Dana freaked and fell on her butt and scooted til' her abck was against the bed. She was sweating bullets now.
Reisei saw Dana fall and sprinted up the rest of the stairs, she set the plate and soda on the dresser and hit her knees sliding across the floor to Dana not realizing it was her in large part the caused Dana to fall.
Dana scooted farther back puching the bed backwards. Dana franctically searched for Rei's weapon so she could dodge it. Dana couldn't see it but wasn't going to let that make her think she was safe. Her face resembled that of a deer caught in headlights.
Reisei pulled back almost as if she had been slapped across the face by her friend, but it was more of an emotional slap... Realization that Dana was scared of her, she looked down not knowing why or how and stood up slowly. "If you're hungry there's food on the dresser." She said and then sprinted down the stairs and to the door of the apartment, she unlocked it and opened it and went outside sitting on the concrete biting into her lower lip hard. What she had just felt was cold hard rejection from Dana...Why?

~~~~~

Back in the room the bed had pushed into the bed table which was completely opposite from the door, a dull metallic thud was heard and Reisei's ittou makkura rolled underneath the bed and out by Dana's hand.
Dana flinched as the ittou makkura touched her hand. She pulled her knees to her chest and rested her heads on her knees. She tried to sort out reality from her dream.

~~~~~

Ryo saw Rei sprint out the door. He followed and sat by her. "What's wrong? What happened?"
Reisei looked at Ryo with an undescribable look on her face, a look that Arago would have probably paid millions to see, she opened her mouth to say something but her voice caught in her throat, so she tried again, "Dana...she's afraid of me..." Reisei said.
Ryo was taken back. "But how...why?" Ryo said. He hugged Rei to comfort her some.

~~~~~

Dana fell asleep again this time on the floor. She returned to her dream:
Rei was wearing silver and black sub-armor holding her ittou makura. Her face was shrouded in darkness. Dana just stood there. Rei lunged and shoved the sharp end of her rod into Dana's stomach.
Dana winced in her sleep and cried out in pain. She refused to wake up.....
Dana lie on the cold, cement floor with a hole in her stomach blood surrounding her. Betrayal, surprise, shock, and sadness were reflected in Dana's eyes. Her hands were clutching her wound trying desperatly to heal it. But she was weak from the loss of blood.
Dana was laying sprawled out on the floor next to Rei's bed, clutching her stomach. ++

~~~~~

"I don't know...I was coming up the stairs...and she fell...and I ran to her...and she scooted back against my bed...she was trying to get away from me..." Reisei said, she was begining to breath heavy to avoid busting into tears and while she didn't hug back she did try to keep herself as close to Ryo as possible, in his arms if possible.
Ryo hugged Rei tightly. "I'm sure it was something else. maybe she was thinking and you startled her. Everyone went through a lot today...Why don't you go talk to her again? maybe she's calmed down a bit..." Ryo said.
Reisei knew Ryo was wrong, but she wasn't going to fuss, and maybe she was looking for some way to prove what she knew wrong. She slowly pulled out of his hold and got up heading back into the apartment and making a walk up the stairs that seemed to take forever. She entered the bedroom and saw Dana on the floor clutching her stomach, it took Reisei a minute to realize that Dana was sleeping. She went over and knelt beside her friend and shook her gently. (Oh lord..that is a dangeorus spot to be in! I know from experince, I did it before and got punched in the jaw.-Ryidi-)
Dana's eyes snapped open and she started breathing heavily. She looked at her stomach and noticed there was no hole. "it...was....a dream?" Dana said to herself. She sat up and looked at Rei. She gulped. :Get a grip it's not a dream...She's not going to kill you...: "Your not going to run me through with your pole right?" Dana asked still breathing heavily. She was very pleased being able to see ALL of Rei's face, and not a little of it with the rest shrouded in darkness. "what's going on?" Dana was completely disoriented and the more she tried to figure it out the more confused she got.
Reisei winced with the question on if she was going to run her staff through Dana. "...17 years...you'd think that by now you would know I wouldn't spear you like a fish...Ryo and I heard you walking earlier and I brought some food up...you fell as I was coming up the stairs and scooted back into my bed, when I got to you you moved away more as if you were trying to get away from me...you looked completely scared of me, so I went outside and Ryo and I talked and when I came back in here you were on the floor asleep..." Reisei said standing up and walking to her bedroom window, she didn't know how long she could look Dana in the face.
"oh..." Dana said. "I'm sorry...It's..just..they seemed so real..." Dana said. remebering her nightmare. She involuntarily shuddered. "I think I'm going nuts....I should know better...." Dana felt very ashamed of her reactions from before.
"The entire world seems to be going insane around us." Reisei said almost dryly. It was true though, wasn't it? In the past 24 hours she had faced three warlords, almost lost her best friend and the guy she cared about most. She wanted to go hug Dana, but she was afraid to, afraid the if she did she'd start crying, or that she might not let go for fear that her best friend would have another dream of her turning against her.
"Well, I think the world has a lot of catching up to me to do to reach my point of insanity at this moment..." Dana said.
Reisei didn't really know what to say, if anything, she sucked in a breath realizing how late it was getting. "I need to go clean the guest room for Ryo, I'll be back when I'm done." She said and turned heading for the stairs
Dana got up and ran after Rei. "Do you want some help?" She asked. She didn't want to go back to sleep anytime soon.
"There's really not that much to do, maybe you should try to eat." Reisei said glancing back over her shoulder and casting a small smile to her friend.
"...food..." Dana thought for a moment. "Well, If you don't need any help I'll go eat..."
"Go ahead and eat, your food and a rootbeer for you is still on the dresser, you can eat downstairs if you'd like." Reisei said, she walked down the stairs and into the guest room and looked around, it wasn't so much that there was boxes and stuff, just where the boxes and stuff were, she was likely to break her neck trying to clean it up but she hopped to the job anyway and began cleaning.
Dana nodded and watched Rei go down stiars. She wen to the room and started eating. She didn't feel much like going downstairs...

Reisei cleaned the room up after about thirty, maybe even fourty five minutes, then she sat down on the bed for a second. :Man, this has been a long day.: She thought to herself and yawned. :Just a couple minutes of laying down won't hurt...: She laid down on the bed, which was rather comfortable, more comfortable than the one upstairs, which is probably why she kept it in the guest room, so that once she fell asleep at least on the one upstairs she'd be able to easliy wake up. Her eyes fluttered closed and before she realized it her exhaustion hit and she drifted off.

~~~~~

Ryo sighed and walked inside. He noticed the door to the guest room open. He peeked in and saw Rei sleeping on the bed. He went and sat on it next to her. He brushed some hair out of her face and decided to sit and watch her sleep.
Reisei's dreams were completely peaceful...at first...Then they began to twist, began to feel real, she could see Dana standing across the way from her with the Ronins, looking around she saw herself standing with the Warlords...
Reisei's face twisted into a grimace in her sleep.
She wanted to fight what she was hearing and seeing, but she couldn't, she listened as she heard herself call for the warlords to attack and she sprinted forward with her ittou makkura in hand, sharp end pointed forward, heading right for Dana.
"No..." Reisei gasped in her sleep quietly...
The point pushed right into Dana's stomach, she'd been unsuspecting, Reisei wanted to scream, she wanted to heal her friend, but she wasn't in control, she was, but she wasn't, it was like she was watching a movie from her mind. Instead Reisei looked down on Dana with a half satisfied grin.
A couple tears found their way down Reisei's cheeks as she softly said no again and again.
Ryo watched as Rei's face grimaced in her sleep. When she started crying and saying'no' repeatedly in her sleep was when he began to panic. He gently shook Rei awake.
"Rei.." He called softly.
Reisei woke up and looked up at Ryo, it was only when her lungs were close to bursting that she realized she was supposed to breath, but her lungs didn't want to seem to intake. :BREATH D***IT!: She yelled in her head, finally she took in a deep breath and let it out, took in another deep breath, and began to recover from lack of oxygen.
"I...I'm sorry..." She murmred. "I had meant to come in and clean up not fall asleep.." She realized that most of her words were going without a breath between. She went to get up from the bed. Did she really want to explain her dream? Did she really have to? She stopped, sitting on the edge of the bed, and looked at Ryo.
Ryo looked at Reisei.
"It's alright. You were pretty restless bad dream?"

~~~~~

Dana finished her meal and laid down on the bed again. She thought about the earlier events and felt bad for reacting that way towards her best friend.

~~~~~

"Yea." Reisei mumbled looking downward. A bit of her hair fell into her face and she reached up and braided it, focusing her sight on the braid forming in front of her face as she worked her fingers through the hair.
"Care to talk about it?" Ryo said.

~~~~~

The other four ronins sat in Mia's living room discussing on how they think ryo's Date was going and making Touma write down questions for their interrogation.
Shin looked at the clock, "It's getting late...He should be getting home soon unless something happened...."
Shuu looked at Shin, "You worry to much..you know that?"
Shin glared at Shuu, "So I've been told..."
Seiji interupted, "Anyways! Let's get back to the matter at hand...How many questions are we up to Touma?"
Touma looked at his list, "about 29...think he'll sit through all these?"
"Not a chance!" The other three exclaimed in unison.

~~~~~

"It was Dana's dream from my point of veiw. Me being with the warlords and spearing her with my ittou makkura..." Reisei said softly then looked at the window. "It's getting late, do you need to call the guys and tell them you won't be home tonight?" She asked. She was easily trying to change the subject.

~~~~~

The four warlords sat arguing amongst themselves. Specificly, they were trying to decide what approach would be best. Nazza, Anubis, and Shuten were at least, Rajura seemed to either be meditating out a plan or simply dazing out of reality.
"Hello, earth to Rajura." Shuten said waving his hand in front of Rajura's face, suddenly his hand was gripped painfully tight by Rajura's hand.
"Keep your mits out of my face." He grumbled. Shuten blinked and him and the other two warlords exchanged confused looks.

~~~~~

Ryo nodded. "Yea..I think I should call them...I'll be right back" He let her change the subject understanding she didn't want to dwell on it. He walked to the phone picked it up and dialed.

~~~~~

Shin glanced worredly at the clock again.
Shuu rolled his eyes at him. "Would you stop looking at the clock every five minutes!?"
Shin, "Well Sorry!" The phone rang.
Touma, being closest to it answered it. "Hello?"
Ryo, "Hey Touma,"
Touma, "Hey Ryo! what's up?"
Other three ronins, Rush over to the phone tripping over each other and their own feet. Seiji got to the phone fastest and grabbed it out of Touma hand, "RYO! What's up? How's it going? When wi.." Shuu yanked the phone away from Seiji.
Shuu, "How was your date man!" Shin grabs the phone.
Shin, "Is everything ok? When will you be home?"
Touma takes the phone back and looks at the tangled mess that is the phone cord and the other three ronins. Ryo was sweatdroping on the other end. "Ignore them.." Shuu take the phone.
Shuu, "Don't ignore us!!!"
Ryo, "Why don't you guys just turn on the speaker phone?"
Realization dawns as they turn on the speaker phone. Touma sweatdrops at the other three. "Any ways Ryo what's up?"
"Reisei and I were attacked by Rajura.."
Shin, "I TOLD you guys something could have happened!"
Shuu, "There are only two things keeping me from smacking you right now..."
Seiji, "Would you two be quiet and let him continue?"
Ryo, "Dana showed up and she got injured...I think the warlords are after these two for some reason..I'm staying at Reisei's tonight..."
The other four sat there for a moment.
A barrage of questions were yelled at the same time.
Ryo, "I'll talk to you guys tomarrow!" He hung up the phone to get away. Trying to decide if he wants to go home to the interragation he knows is coming.
Touma hung up the phone and couldn't stop laughing.
Seiji, "And just WHAT is so funny?" he said crossly.
Touma, "Hold on.." He ran off and grabbed a camera he snapped a picture. "there!"
Seiji, who was trying to get out of this tangled mess, "You. Are. So. Dead." He said in a low growl. Shin had managed to slip out of the tangled mess.
Shin, "Touma, Run..." Seiji slipped out of the mess also and chased Touma around the house with intent to kill. Shuu got out of the mess of phone cords and looked at Shin.
Shuu, "Should I break them up?"
Shin, "not yet..."

~~~~~

Reisei walked into the living room as Ryo hung up the phone. "Intresting call?" She asked as she saw the expression on his face. "I'm going to go talk to Dana.." Reisei said quietly. She turned and headed up the stairs. When she got to her bedroom she carefully peeked in, if Dana was asleep she'd just take the plate and be gone, if not she wanted to talk to her friend.
+Ryo nodded at Reisei.

~~~~~

Dana looked at Reisei.
"What's up?" She said sitting up.
"It seems you're not the only one having nightmares." Reisei said sitting on her knees by the bed. "I saw what you saw...from my point of veiw..."
Dana got off the bed and sat by Reisei. She focused on the floor. "I'm sorry about my earlier actions... I should have been in more control..."

"I can understand why you reacted how you did. That dream..." Reisei wrapped her arms around herself as if to chase away a ghost of a chill
Dana nodded. She held her stomach absently. "I know...I still feel bad about it..."

~~~~~

Shuu looked at the mess that was now the house. He stopped Seiji from killing Touma by tying them both to chairs. But the house was still a mess.
Shin shook his head. "You two are cleaning this up cause we aren't"
Shuu nodded. "If I let you go you two are going to go clean like civilized people right?"
Touma and Seiji nodded.
Shuu untied them, "Hurry up cause I'm hungry!!!"

~~~~~

"Don't. We both had the dream for some reason or another. And I doubt that may reason behind having it was just because you had it." She smiled slightly. "I'm not trying to be your sister that bad!" She joked.
"Alright..."Dana said smiling. "hhm..what time is it?"

~~~~~

Touma and Seiji finished cleaning in record time. Then Shuu dragged them out to eat

~~~~~
.
"Late." Reisei laughed realizing she had no clue what time it was.
Dana laughed. "Well, Idon't know about you but I'm in no mood to be going back to sleep...Wanna find something to do?"
"Sure." Reisei said getting up from the floor
Dana got up.
"Heh I just found a fault in my plan...what are we going to do?"
"No clue. Hang on...I think I may have a bit of a plan, hope you're ok with acting as backup." Reisei grinned and tiptoed down the stairs and peeked into the living room. Ryo had his back to the stairwell. She sprinted off the stairs and tackled him tickling the crap out of him.
Ryo gasped as he was tackled to the ground and laughed hard as he was tickled. Dana came down the stairs and started laughing her head off.
"You guys are too good! Where's a camera when you need one..."
Reisei grinned and continued to tickle Ryo. "It's on my desk by my laptop!" She said to Dana. And she wasn't kidding.
Ryo paled. "NO!"
Dana grinned and grabbed the camera going around in circles around them snapping photographs. She was smiling widely.
"Shh!" Reisei said, "Let her have fun." She'd stopped tickling Ryo and instead leaned down and kissed him.
Dana grinned and snapped a picture. "Aww...How cute!!!!" She exclaimed.
Reisei heard the comment and lifted one hand and flipped Dana off with a slight grin that would have been bigger if she weren't busy. She was sure her friend would know she wasn't serious with the silent statment.
Dana mock pouted and turned around with her arms crossed over her chest. She sniffed and turned her nose up.
"Well! I can see how loved I am here!" She said.
Reisei lifted her face away from Ryo's. "Aww, you're loved 'sis,' I was just in a pressing matter." Reisei grinned, it was all she had to not laugh.
Dana turned around laughing. "Are you going to stay there all night? You two look quite comfortable..."
Reisei looked down at Ryo like she was pondering the idea and then got up. "I've heard no comment from you." She said standing over him, one foot on each side of him and looking down at him, a small smile on her face.
Ryo grinned and slid out from her feet and jumped up and tackled Rei tickling her mercilissly.
Dana grinned and snapped pictures in the same fashion as before.
Reisei squirmed trying to get away and laughing hard at the same time. She moved her hands trying to push his away.
Ryo grinned. "So how do you like it?"
Dana was laughing her head off. She gave up on pictures cause she couldn't hold the camera steady.
"I think," She gasped for air, "Tickling looks much better when it's done to you!" She gasped and reached up pushing him over with all her strength and rolling onto him and tickling him again.
Ryo was shocked and was laughing too hard to breathe.
Dana raised an eyebrow. "Do you two ever quit?" She fake sniffled and wiped a fake tear. "I feel neglected!" She mock pouted.
Reisei stopped and grinned towards Dana. An evil grin. "Well, if you're so neglected..." She jumped up and ran to the phone, something was screaming at her to ask for Seiji as she pressed the redial button on the phone. The other half was screaming that she sealed her death warrent. She held the phone to hear ear and listened to it ring praying that the boys were by chance at home, of if they were going out she'd catch them right before they ran out the door.
Dana blinked for a second then realized what Reisei was doing. She screamed.

~~~~~

Shuu was rushing them all out of the house when the phone rang.
"I'll get it!" Seiji said and grabbed the phone. "Hello?" He heard a screech on the other end.

~~~~~

Dana ran over to Reisei and struggled to get the phone out of her hand to end the call.
"REISEI!!!!! YOU ARE SO DEAD!!!!!!" Dana yelled.

~~~~~

On the Seiji's end he blinked.
Resei did her best to keep the phone away from Dana and sprinted towards the room Ryo was staying in and slammed the door leaning on it to keep it closed. "Hey Seiji, it's Reisei, the girl Ryo went out with tonight, like you didn't know. Anyway, my friend, Dana, well, she's staying over here with us and she's lonely not having anyone else to cuddle with and all. And I was wondering if you'd like to come over and help her out with that because she really seems to like you!" Reisei said, oh, between laughing and telling Seiji Reisei could hardly breath, and she could hear Dana pounding on the other side of the door. :I am going to die...: She thought to herself.
Dana pounded ruthlessly on the door screaming colorful words.
"THAT'S IT! IF YOU DON'T ONPEN THE DOOR IN FIVE SECONDS!!!!!" Dana readied a ball of Ice. "Your door isn't going to survive. 5....4.....3.....2.....1!!' She threw the ice and kicked the door in. Dana summoned one of her frying pans. "Hang.Up. The. Phone. Now." She said in a low threatening tone.
Ryo blinked.

~~~~~

Seiji blinked again. "what? I missed something between you calling and the door being blown in..." The other Ronins couldn't take it and ran to different rooms and were listening in.
Reisei had made a sprint for the window and had just toppled out and saw Dana's look when the door blew in, she sprinted around the apartment. "Let's just put it this way....DANA'S GONNA KILL ME!" She yelled into the phone as she sprinted to the front. "She....ermmm....I've basicly already told you, but she likes you, and I gotta go, I can't run for my life and talk on the phone at the same time!" Reisei said and hung up, she climbed up halfway into one of the front windows and tossed the phone on the couch. "Hey Ryo! Wish me luck, babe, I think I'll need it." She grinned.

~~~~~

Seiji blinked as rounds of "Ooohsss" and "Awwwwss" rang throught the phone as Reisei hung up.

~~~~~~

Dana fumed and ran into the living room. She spotted Rei and glared. "You know I'm not going to let you live right?"
"You know you wouldn't have it in you to actually kill me, don't you?" Reisei grinned still hanging half in and half out of the window.

~~~~~

Seiji, after the oohhs and awwss, decided it'd be best if they got over there...Fast. "C'mon guys, I think we're going to be needed over there...Either to save a life or to attend the funeral..." He said dully.

~~~~~

Reisei looked at Dana, "Like you would have ever told him on your own anyway! You would have let him go without telling him! I did you a favor!" She protested, it wasn't the strongest argument and she knew it, but it was solid enough at points.
Dana stomped her foot. "T-t-that's not the point here!!!!!!!!!!!!" she yelled. She was blushing horribly. "Y-y-y-you...I'm gonna get you!!! and get you good!!!!!"

~~~~

the ronins nodded and went back into the room to join Seiji.

"Your right..."

~~~~~

Reisei raised an eyebrow. "I'm right here dangling from the window, what's stopping you?" She asked. :Jesus...What's going on? I'm never like this towards Dana...: Reisei thought to herself. Some of the ways the words were coming out of her mouth were just crude. And provoking Dana more and more.

~~~~~

Seiji ran down the hall and banged on Mia's door.

~~~~~

Dana fumed and threw her frying pan at Reisei. "SHUT UP!!!!!" She was blushing horribly. "That wasn't fair of you..."

~~~~~~~~

Mia opened the door.
"What do you need Sage?"
"I need a ride out to the apartment Ryo is staying at." Sage said and gave Mia the address, there was no question to the urgency in his voice.

~~~~~

The frying pan cracked one of Ryi's hands and she winced almost falling out of the window. "And that was?!" reisei demanded recovering from the hit. :This is not happening...what am I doing? What are we doing? Fighting like children...Dana and I have never fought...And up until today neither one of us ever took a physical swing at each other outside of fighting classes and spars..." Reisei thought to herself, a look of almost realization passed over her face as she looked directly at Dana.
A look of shock covered Dana's face. "What's happening to us?" She whispered.

~~~~~~~~~

Mia nodded.
"ok. Lets go."
Sage nodded and ran out towards Mia's jeep hoping the guys would get the idea and follow.

~~~~~

Reisei hung wordless from the window sill, she heard Dana's question, but it was almost a ghostly whisper. Her mind was whirling with a million things but in all that she couldn't think of a single thing to say. She let herself drop out of the window, back outside, and slide down sitting against the wall of the building. What was happening to them? If anyone had an answer now would be as good a time as any to share it with her.
Dana sank to the ground and fell silent.

~~~~~~

The other ronins followed Mia and Seiji into the jeep. Mia started the jeep and headed towards the address she was handed.
Seiji was impatient. He wanted to tell Mia to go faster but instead kept quiet.

~~~~~

Reisei watched the sky, almost like an omen the hair tie that Dana had put in her hair earlier made a snapping sound. Reisei felt behind her and picked up the two peices, it had snapped in half letting the orbs fall off them. Funny, she couldn't find the holes in the orbs where they had stayed on the hair tie at. She studied them though. Life and death. Seperated. One for best one for worse. And something began to dawn on Reisei. She dropped the one with life on it and pulled herself to her feet and began running for the large field behind the apartment. Life and death. Alpha and omega. Beginning and end. Something was suddenly so clear in Reisei's mind that she felt like she'd explode.
Dana sat silently staring blankly at the wall. Ryo didn't know what to say, so he just sat silent on the floor.

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

Mia pulled up in front of Reisei's apartment. She and the Ronins hopped out of the car.
"What now Seiji?"
Seiji ran up and knocked hard on the door just in time to notice someone sprinting across the feild. "KENTO, TOUMA, GO GET HER!" He said thinking he had recognized white hair. He the knocked on the door again.

~~~~~

Reisei was getting breathless, how much longer could she run? Her answer came when her foot hit a bottle that had clearly been dropped there by some kids having a good time and she fell to her knees. Her lungs burned. Her every sense was hightened yet clouded.

~~~~~

Rajura and Shuten had been watching, hidden among the shadows of the night atop an adjecent building. They looked at each other, nodded, and disappeared.

~~~~~

Shuu and Touma nodded and chased down Reisei.

~~~~

Ryo heard the car pull up. He opened the door and greeted the others and stepped outside leaving Dana alone to sort through her thoughts.

~~~~~

Reisei heard the footsteps behind her, she hadn't bothered to stand up yet. "Go away..." She whispered dully.

~~~~~

Seiji looked at Ryo. "What's going on here? It sounded like a war over the phone...What happened between those two?" He asked.

~~~~~

Touma, "No...what happened?"

~~~~~~~

Ryo looked at Sage. "It was weird..One minute they were having a great time then Dana joked about being neglected then Rei-chan called ,I assume you, and Dana got upset. It looked like harmless fun...After some taunting Dana through a frying pan and it all went silent..."
Dana sat on the floor withdrawn not noticing the tears that were falling freely down her face.

~~~~~

Reisei hugged herself. "You should go check on Dana...She deserves the help..." reisei whispered, the way she had spoken towards Dana spoke out in her mind across the realizations.

~~~~~

Seiji stepped into the apartment and looked at Dana, he walked over to her and knelt down in front of her. Then he hesitantly hugged her. "What happened?" He asked softly, he already heard Ryo's version, he wanted to know what it had been like from Dana's point of veiw.
Dana threw her arms around Seiji's neck and cried on his shoulder.
"I don't know!" She choked out between sobs. "Everything happened so fast! We never had a fight before much less ever used physical force on one another!" She sobbed.

~~~~~~~~

Touma shook his head,"Seiji and the others are over there...You need someone to talk to also...Would you rather talk to Ryo?"
:Ryo...: Reisei winced as she realized how hard her fingernails had been pressing into her skin, five bleeding breaks in the shoulder of each of her arms. She stood slowly and turned to them looking down. "Ryo knows what he saw, I'm sure." She whispered.

~~~~~

Seiji held Dana. "Shhh. It'll be ok." He said.

~~~~~

Touma looked towards Kento and then stepped forward, he could see blood trickling down Reisei's shoulders. "Let's get you back to the apartment, you're hurt." He said and reached out for her. She jumped back pulling away.
"NO! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND? I CAN'T GO BACK THERE. I'M NOT EVEN SUPPOSED TO BE NEAR DANA!" Reisei screamed, Touma jumped slightly.
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"Dana and I are like Life and Death. We can work together, for a time, but in the long run we end up seperated, we're not meant to be friends." Reisei said.
Realization dawned on Touma as to what Reisei was saying, but suddenly the white headed girl's eyes rolled back in her head and she fell forward. Kento had to nearly dive, but he caught her, and pulled her up. "Touma, man, she's burning up." Kento said, Touma wrinkled his brow and pressed a palm to Rei's head, she was burning up.
"That has to explain her outburst...She's so feverish...It must have been deleriousness." Touma said. "Let's get her back to the apartment." He and Kento walked back, Kento carrying Rei. As soon as they stepped in Seiji looked up.
"What in God's name happened to her?" He asked, his eyes were more directed at her shoulders than anything.
"Doesn't matter right now, she's burning up, we need to get her cooled down." Touma said and looked towards Ryo. "Would you like to take her while we figure out how?" He asked.
Dana looked up to see what was going on. Her vision was blurred but she could still make out Reisei's unconcious form and picked out her bleeding shoulder.
"RESEI!!!" She said and struggled against Seiji to go to her friend to heal the wound.
Seiji held Dana tightly. "No, just let them make sure she's ok first." He said.
"NO! Let me go! I can heal her!" Dana struggled to get out of his arms. "I can heal her!" She sobbed.
Seiji let go and looked at Kento and Touma and Ryo. "Will she be ok?" He asked.
Dana jumped up and ran over to Reisei. She wiped the tears out of her eyes and focused her energy on healing Reisei. When she was done and Reisei's shoulder was completely healed she sank to the ground. She had used to much energy today though she would never admit it.
"She should be fine" She whispered. "She just needs some sleep....It'd be best if you put her in the guest room down here..."

The three nodded and Kento carried her to the room and Ryo went with, Touma followed behind to check for a fever.
Dana sat on the ground unmoving again staring out in space.
Seiji moved to Dana and hugged her to him.
Reisei's eyelids fluttered but remained closed, her skin was still hot to the touch.

~~~~~

Dana put her head on Seiji's shoulder her face betraying no emotion.

~~~~~

Ryo sat on the bed next to Reisei and held her hand gently. Touma and Shuu went and sat in chairs in the room to keep an eye on the two.
After a bit Reisei's eyes opened, but she still hadn't broken the fever, or even come close to it. She sat up slowly.
Ryo put a hand to her forehead but quickly pulled it away.
"How do you feel?"
"I feel fine, what happened?" Reisei looked confused, almost like she didn't remember anything.
Touma spoke up. "You passed out while yelling at Shuu and I. We brought you back. Dana healed your shoulder, She's in the living room if you want to talk to her." He said. deciding to keep it simple simple.
Ryo never let go of her hand.
Reisei stood up, dark circles were actually begining to form under her eyes, like a person who was deathly ill, but she felt fine, with the exception of the last thing she remembered being bashed in the hand with a frying pan, she felt pretty good.
"Are you sure your ok? You don't look to good..." Ryo said.

~~~~~

Dana closed her eyes to help her think and ended up falling asleep.

~~~~~

"I feel fine." Reisei said looking at Ryo, since there weren't any mirrors in the room she couldn't see any cause for alarm, she couldn't see her own face.
Ryo hugged Reisei out of the blue.

~~~~~

Dana had peaceful dreams....

~~~~~

Reisei hugged back. "Ryo, why are you so worried? The only thing that happened was I had a lapse in memory." She said.
Ryo let go.
"Go look in a mirror..."
Reisei looked seriously confused. "Ok..." She said and slowly walked out of the room and down the hall to her bathroom, she turned on the light and looked in the mirror and gasped. She was looking at someone else. That would have been the first explination, but no, not anyone else, Reisei was the only one in the room. She leaned forward brushing her fingers to the glass. "What in the world..?" She whispered as she studied the reflection.
Seiji saw Reisei come out of the room and laid Dana on the floor, he got up and walked into the room Ryo was in. "What's going on?" He asked.
"It's odd...Reisei looks deathly ill...but she feels perfectly fine..."Touma said genuinely confused. "Do you think it could have something to do with the Dynasty?"
"Could be." Seiji said.

Reisei felt shivers creep up her spine like needles. She looked in the mirror, her reflection, that had been pale before, was just continuing to lose color. "This isn't me...this cannot be me." She whispered.
"I think Ryo should stay here to keep an eye on her for the next couple days or so..." Touma said.
Ryo nodded.
Reisei walked slowly back to the room in time to hear them talking about the dynasty possibly having something to do with it. She stepped in.
Seiji stepped to the side as Reisei entered.
Ryo looked at Reisei, "see what we're worried about?"
She nodded slightly. "But I feel fine." She said and then nearly jumped in surprise, her voice was slightly raspy.
"Maybe you should lie down again and rest..." Touma suggested.
"unless you want to talk to dana..."
"but She'd most likely freak at your appearance.."
"For what though? My voice is not normal and my body looks like it's about to fall apart but I feel fine." Reisei said.
"You want to go talk to Dana?" Touma said dead set on getting the two back to best friends
Reisei noted the change of subject and nodded. She turned back towards the doorway. Maybe she shouldn't talk to Dana. What would her friend think, seeing her like this?

~~~~~

Dana stretched and rolled over still asleep.

~~~~~

Seiji looked at Reisei then at Ryo and Touma with a questioning look. He didn't want Dana to wake up and be staring into the face of what looked like a corpse.
"Something wrong Seiji?" Touma asked. He knew that Dana wouldn't react well to Reisei's face but he was hoping for the best.
"Should we really let her wake Dana up? I mean, it's not going to be the world's most soothing sight..." Seiji said, he was well aware Reisei was in earshot. And well aware of the glare he recived when the white head girl turned around.
"I may not be in pagent queen condition but I didn't think I was that scary looking." She snapped.
"With your memory lapse you forgot some of the events...and well Dana won't take to well waking up to see you looking in a really bad condition...even if you feel fine.." Touma said
"I know I forgot some of the stuff, and I'm not saying she'll throw a party over what I look like, but I didn't think I looked like something that just stepped out of Mary Shelly's Frankenstine." She said and then shot the boys a 'don't say a word' look.
The boys wisely shut up.

~~~~~

Mia and Shin walked in the house and stepped past the sleeping Dana, "Where's the party?" Mia said Sarcastically.
Seiji stepped out of the room and put a hand up stopping them. "I don't think going in there is the best thing right now." He said and hitched his thumb over his shoulder towards Reisei, who had her back to the dorway.
"what's up?" Shin said worried.
Seiji pulled him aside, "Reisei is like, dead girl walking. It's not a pretty sight, she says she feels fine but she looks like someone with a deathly illness." Seiji said softly. Reisei hadn't bothered turning around, instead her voice came sarcasticly. "Oh, more people to play Halloween with." It was followed by a sigh,
"Blunt? aren't you Sage?" Mia said. "You know she can hear you right?"
"He knows I can hear him, ma'am. It isn't anything I haven't seen, said, or heard though." Reisei said. "Pardon not speaking to your face, but I have to agree with Seiji, it's not a pretty sight to see me." She said.
Seiji looked at Mia and then at Reisei's back. "Ryo, see if she still has a fever." He said.
Ryo stood up and felt her forehaed.
Reisei let him feel her forehead, she didn't think she had a fever, but her body, of course, was saying otherwise.
Dana stretched and woke. She blinked at the group of people. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. "What's going on?"
Reisei froze. Seiji looked at Dana. "Just taking care of some things, you just rest, ok?"
"tell me what's going on!" She demanded. "I'm not a glass doll! You don't have to worry about me breaking!"
"and I'm not three years old either!"
: Not turning around, not turning around...: The silent chant was going through Reisei's head. Her voice came hoarsh, "Don't worry, 'sis,' they're just taking care of some stuff." :Mainly me.: Reisei thought to herself.
"No one said you were three." Seiji said.
"DON'T TELL ME NOT TO WORRY!!!" Dana snapped. "I want to know what's going on and I want to know NOW! Do you understand me!"
"NO! You don't want to, Dana." Reisei said. Silencing Seiji's own protest to telling Dana.
Dana stood up and stomped her foot. "Well! If you not going to tell me what's going on will you at least tell me if your ok!?"
"I'm fine." Reisei said. "Just a small lapse in memory."
"How small?"
"Umm...I don't remember anything after you smashed my fist with a frying pan..." Reisei said sheepishly.
Dana's face fell, "Sorry about that...I didn't mean too...it was...oh nevermind..." She said sinking back to the ground.
"It's ok." Reisei said smiling even though Dana couldn't see it.
"Do you plan on tell-" Seiji was silenced by Reisei reaching back and clamping a hand over his mouth.
Dana shook her head, "No it's not ok..." Dana began, "I feel really bad about today...earlier upstairs and then the frying pan and the screaming...."
"Don't worry about it, Dana, I'm not mad or upset." Reisei said, she was glad Dana didn't ask about what Seiji was going to say.
"I'm going to take a walk...is that ok with you guys?" Dana asked pulling her knees to her chest and resting head on them.
Seiji nodded. Reisei wanted to say no but instead said nothing. She'd follow her friend and hope to God she didn't scare her to death in the process. "Give me a minute, I'll come with you." Reisei said, she used the shadows as cover until she got to the stairway and ran up it, grabbing a hodded sweatshirt and pulling it on, pulling the hood up so it shaded her face enough to hide all the 'pretties.' She walked back down looking towards the ground. "That is, if you don't mind me coming..." She said.
Dana stood up, "Not at all....Is it that cold outside?" She asked noticing the hooded sweater.
"From what I remember it was a little chilly...My eyes hurt too so the hood will keep the street lights from shing in them." Reisei lied through her teeth.
Seiji looked at Ryo. He was afraid Reisei would just yank the hood down and show all once they were apart.
Ryo looked at Seiji and nodded. "Is it ok if I join in?" Dana shrugged.
Reisei looked towards Seiji and Ryo and let out a small shrug. She had actually been hoping to talk to Dana on her own, but she'd suffice with not being able to.
Seiji spoke up, "I think I'll go too." He said.
Dana shrugged she didn't really care. She just wanted some fresh air.
Reisei sighed, "Let's go." She said and walked towards the door, Seiji followed catching his arm around Dana.
Dana went with Seiji making no objections. "Anyone care to tell me anything?" She asked.
"Like what?" Seiji asked. Reisei had already stepped out of the apartment.
"Oh I don't know...Care to explain anything! I'm willing to listen! As long as I'm told something!"
"Ok, here's telling you something, you're beautiful." Seiji grinned flirtingly leading the subject away from the night.
Dana blushed and giggled. "At the moment I must look absolutly awful...."
"Naw. You look better than some people I know." He said grinning at her blush.
Reisei walked ahead quietly, she had thought Ryo was coming along too, but it didn't look like it, she didn't see him around.
"I'll never get the blood out of this shirt though! OOH! I'm gonna kill that Shuten next time I see him! This was my favorite shirt!" She pouted.
Seiji grinned, "I'm sure another shirt can be made or bought to replace that one, I'm sure they'd both look great." He said.
Dana laughed, "It's just the principle of the matter! No one messes with my wardrobe!" Ryo walked quietly behind.
Reisei glanced over her shoulder and saw Ryo, she slowed down till the gigglie flirts passed her and waited for Ryo to get to her. Then she began to walk again. "Any reason behind you and Seiji jumping to come along?" She asked quietly.
Seiji laughed. "No one messes with your wardrobe? Ok. I'll be sure to note that." He said.
"Hhhmm...no reason in particular.." He said.
Reisei didn't say anything, but she knew he was lying, she didn't know how, but she just did. She tucked her arms across her waist and walked slowly looking at the ground.
Dana put her head on Seiji's shoulder. "The stars are beautiful tonight aren't they?"
Seiji grinned tightening his arm around her, "Yea." He said softly looking at the sky.
Reisei pulled just about every ounce of courage in her and looked at Ryo, even though the hood hid her face the sapphire eyes periced from the darkness. "So, which one of you was afraid I'd rip the hood off and scare the hell outta Dana?" She asked softly, she didn't know that was the reason for sure, but she had good idea that it was. "errr....it was more Seiji then me...I didn't want to see you hurt if she did freak..."
Reisei looked down again, so she'd been right, "I wasn't going to take it off at all." She said softly. There were a good two million thoughts racing through her hear, the majority whirled around Ryo and Dana. What would Dana think if she saw? What did Ryo think? It was all confusing.
"what are you thinking about?" Dana asked Seiji.
Seiji grinned, "You."
Dana, "What about me?"
Seiji, "Nothing in particular."
Reisei watched the ground pass slowly under her feet. What she saw in the mirror passed through her mind with the questions and she shivered.
Ryo put his arm around Reisei's shoulder. "You ok?"
She nodded. Opening her mouth to say yes would have been all the weakening her barrier needed, she would have cried, and if she started crying Dana would make her take the hood off, and...Reisei shivered again, she needed to clear her mind, gently Reisei leaned into Ryo's arm and against him as they walked.
"OK! That's it! Too silent!" Dana said to them all. "Someone! We need a conversation! so speak"
She regained herself, "You know, I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to go home tonight, I'm not exactly a great sight." She said softly to Ryo then nearly jumped when Dana bursted out. "What do you expect us to talk about?" Reisei called out to her friend.
"I don't know!" She said then thought, "ok how's this! How's the weather been Reise!?"
Seiji looked at Dana, "I was enjoying the silence! He protested.
Reisei looked at the sky, "Clear!" She called.
"Well I was going nuts so deal!" She stuck her tongue out at Seiji lifting her head off his shoulder."Really? I never would have guessed!" She called sarcastically back to reisei.
Reisei shook her head.
Seiji grabbed Dana's jaw gently. "That's not nice." He grinned.
"Too bad!"
Seiji, "Don't you too bad me!" He grinned then kissed her.
dana kissed back.
"C'mon, lets go somewhere to talk and let the other set of love birds enjoy themselves." Reisei said taking Ryo's hand and pulling him between a couple apartment buildings.
Seiji would have smiled but was to preoccupied.
Dana waved to them absently.
Ryo smiled and followed Reisei
Reisei shook her head and stopped once they were fairly well between the buildings. She didn't bother to take off her hood. "Sorry, I wanted to give them some privacy." She said.
"that's ok..." Ryo said, "I think she deserved something good happening today...then again...you do too.." he said. "This wasn't exactly the greates date was it?"
Reisei bit one of her finger nails. "No. But it isn't our fault it was interuppted. You'd deserve something good too." She laughed dryly. "Seems a little impossible around me, a fight, then a memory lapse in which anything could have happened, I don't know, and this, and those dang warlords..."
Ryo hugged her. "I do have something good..You.." He whispered.
Reisei hugged back and pressed her face against his shoulder just incase she were to cry. She felt like she could.
Seiji broke away and looked at Dana.
"I'll too bad you anytime I want!" She grinned.
"You love getting in trouble, don't you?" He asked before giving her a peck on the cheek.
"Didn't I ever tell you Trouble is my middle name! I specialize in pissing people I don't like off!" She grinned.
Seiji laughed.

Seiji looked around, he wondered where Ryo and Reisei had disappeared to, he'd been to involved in other things to notice, he looked back to Dana. "Well, you like to cause trouble so I assume pissing off the warlords is a second nature to you."
"Naturally!" She smiled. "And it seems they like to pick on me! So they deserve it!"
"Yea they do." Seiji grinned. Meanwhile; Reisei lifted her head from Ryo's shoulder.
Ryo looked at her, "what are you thinking about?"
Reisei shrugged, "Just about everything, not just any one thing."
"Care to talk about anything? You know you can tell me anything..."
"Just kind of wondering about, well, you know, " She guestured a hand to her face, "And how long I can hide it from Dana."
Ryo, "I don't know..."

~~~~~

"I have to get back at Naaza for my ankle and Shuten for my shirt so they better beware!" Dana said grinning.
"So. You like to cause trouble?" An unfamiliar voice called from behind Dana and Seiji. It would be unfamiliar to Dana at least.
Dana jumped and whipped around. "Who's there!?"
"Anubis..." Seiji hissed as he turned around slowly. Soon his eyes landed on the warlord.
"Very good Halo!" Anubis said sarcasticly.

~~~~~

"What a dearly touching moment." A voice came from over head, Reisei looked upward as Rajura jumped off the roof and landed several feet away from Reisei and Ryo.

~~~~~

Seiji moved in front of Dana defensively.
Dana cursed for using her special earlier at Reisei, She flipped her hair indignately, "I get to meet the FOURTH Crackerjack! I feel so honored! Of course your the one who should be honored since your butt will be soon kicked by yours truly!"

~~~~~

Ryo glared at Rajura, "What do you want?" He growled stepping infront of Reisei

~~~~~

"I'm just so worried little girl." Anubis said.
Dana stomped her foot, "Well you should be!!!!! AND I'M NOT LITTLE!!!!"

~~~~~

"Please, Wildfire, I think Shuten made it quite clear earlier what we want. Stop trying to be the strong protector of the girl."
"you won't get her!" Ryo growled summoning his sub-armor.

~~~~~

Anubis shook his head, "You are little to me, a mere child."
"That's because your a crazy old man!"
"Old, yes, crazy, no, that's Nazza's standpoint."

~~~~~

"Know it all, don't you, Wildfire? Let the girl fight for herself." He said and then stepped forward. "You have to get past me to get to her"

~~~~~

"I'd say all you crackerjacks are crazy!" Dana said.

~~~~~

"Afraid she'll lose?" Rajura grinned like he knew something Ryo didn't, and he did.

~~~~~

"I'm hurt." Anubis said sarcasticly.
"no" Dana began. "not...your not hurt...YET!" Dana summoned a wall of freezing orbs in front of Seiji ready to fly at Anubis at any moment.

~~~~~

"Then why not let her fight her own, boy?" He asked. Reisei narrowed her eyes at the man.
"Hey, cyclops, back off my boyfriend's case, ok? He gets enough trouble from you guys as it is." She said. Rajura narrowed his eye at her.
Ryo stood silent.

~~~~~

Seiji looked over his shoulder at Dana, "God forbade anyone protecting you didn't he?" He asked noting she could well protect herself.
Anubis snorted. "Ice cubes? You intend to beat me with a giant ice cube?"

~~~~~

Rajura took the opening and went sprinting forward, then he jumped up and flipped over Ryo and Reisei's heads and landed behind them. Reisei wasn't as slow or as weak as she looked, as soon as he landed she spun and kicked out sideways kicking him in the gut of the armor and making him stumble some.

~~~~~

"Hey! The only other people who ever protected me were Reisei and we fought as a team and my dad...and well lets say he's not to careful when fighting...So lay off! I learned how to protect myself very well!!! THEY'RE LITTLE CUBES!!! What are you blind as a Bat!!!" Dana half said half screamed.
Seiji blinked.
About the same reaction that Anubis had for half a second. "Little cubes or big, makes no matter. Stupid girl." He said.

~~~~~

Ryo ran forward and punched Rajura in the gut.

~~~~~

Dana pulled her hair. 'HEY!!! HOW DARE YOU!!?!?!?!?! I'M NOT STUPID!!! I'VE HAD PERFECT GRADES ALL MY LIFE FOR YOUR INFORMATION!!!!!!!"

~~~~~

Rajura jumped back after Ryo's fist connected with his gut and pulled his Chin Lin Tou from his back.
Ryo flipped backwards and summoned his full armor and pulled out his Katanas.

~~~~~

Anubis rolled his eyes. "This game grows tiresome." He said.
Seiji wondered what was up his sleeve.
Dana threw the barrage at Anubis. then vreated another one which was ready to fire at any moment.

~~~~~

"That was a mistake. Jumping away from the girl." Rajura said he jumped toward Reisei and sent the blades out, three at Ryo, three to pin Reisei, she just happened to yank her head forward at instinct so much that it came out of the hood and the hood became pinned to the wall of one of the buildings. "OK THAT'S IT I NEEDED THAT HOOD!" She yelled at the cracker jack and slipped out of the hooded jacket and sprinted at him and drop kicked him in the chest. Not as much bearing as it would be if he weren't in armor, but still a good blow.

~~~~~

Anubis disappeared from the wall of ice and reappeared behind Seiji and Dana.
Dana whipped around and back flipped a couple times to get away. She wasn't sure what his weapon was but knew she didn't want to be near it.

~~~~~

Ryo dodged the blades and jumped back in front of Reisei.

~~~~~

"Maybe there is a brain in the pretty head." Anubis smirked.
Seiji went ino subarmor.

~~~~~

Rajura got a good look at Reisei and then looked at Ryo. "It's begun, boy." He smirked and then sent his blades out again, all six aimed dead for Ryo's chest.

~~~~~

"HEY! Your not a nice.....thing.....you know that!?" Dana said.

~~~~~

Ryo turned around and grabbed Reisei before getting out of the way of the blades.

~~~~~

"So glad you noticed. I'm just sorry that your I.Q. is so low that it took you so long." Anubis sneered.
Dana's hand twitched. "HOW DARE YOU!!!??!?!?!?!?" She screamed and craeted a frozen orb her size and luanched it at Anubis before he had time to blink. 'YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT REMARK!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

~~~~~

"Running? Now? But the fun has just begun." Rajura grinned as he pulled his blades back. "Don't worry, I wouldn't put the dear girl in harms way without being certain she could get out on her own. She's to important for that."
"What are you planning?" Ryo growled.

~~~~~

Anubis dived missing the ice just hardly. "How will you make me pay? Toss your ice cubes till I beg forgivness?"

~~~~~

"Not what I'm planning. What fate is planning." Rajura grinned.
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!" Reisei yelled, the fever, that had lingered at the same degree for a while, began to rise.

~~~~~

"OOOH!!!!!" She growled and did the same with a boiling ball of water launching it faster then before. The orb hit Anubis and what his armor didn't block scalded his skin, but he wouldn't let it show or let himself break.
"This is getting tiresome, very tiresome." He mumbled.

~~~~~

"Fiesty one." Rajura grinned at Reisei. Oh she wanted to slap him across the face right now.

~~~~~

Dana smirked triumphently. "Didn't dodge that did ya!" She said. She'd never made an orb that big before, let alone two...she'd collapse later...not now...

~~~~~

"WHAT'S YOUR POINT?!" Reisei yelled at Rajura.
"Why, you look sick child, but you know just as well as I do to what's going on, or do you not remember?" Rajura tilted his head to the side as he asked, then he looked at Ryo. "Dumb little ronin warrior."
Ryo grumbled.

~~~~~

"Brat." Anubis said.
Seiji sweatdropped.
"HEY! I AM NOT A BRAT!!!!!!!"

~~~~~
"Oh. Did I strike a nerve?" Rajura grinned.
"Ok, that's it!" Reisei yelled as she launched forward to knock the hell out of Rajura, or die trying.

~~~~~

Dana watched in satisfaction as she dropped a good sized ball of boiling water on his head. Anubis bit down hard on his lip, the armor was burning hot now, and so was the water that ran in on him. "The things I do on Arago's orders.." He growled.
Dana blinked. "Arago?"
Seiji looked at Dana, "Their leader..."
"What a smart little ronin you are!" Anubis said sarcasticly.
"oh..." Dana said, "HEY! No insulting me! or..." She dropped another boiling ball of water, "people I care about!"

~~~~

Rajura watched the oncoming form. Reisei lunged and Rajura moved, sending the girl onto the ground. "C'mon, Reisei, show what I know you have in you." Rajura taunted.
Ryo stood dumbfounded.

~~~~~

Anubis was able to guess what was going to happen and move in time this time. "I'm so scared now." He said sarcasticly. "Hm, here's an idea, I wonder how my fellow warlord is doing on his catch."
Dana paled. "REISEI!!!!!" She screamed. Where the heck did those two go... She thought panicked.

~~~~~

Reisei pulled herself up only to be pushed back down by one of Rajura's stronger hands. "C'mon, show it, Reisei." Rajura taunted.

~~~~~

"Now you catch on." Anubis grinned.
"What do you want with her?" Dana growled.
"What do we want with her? What DO we want with her? Oh yes. I'm sorry child, I can't tell that, it'd give away the entire element of surprise." He grinned.
Dana closed her eyes. Trying to see if she could somehow figure out where Reisei was by some stroke of luck.

~~~~~

Reisei got up again, delighted to see that Rajura had retracted his face mask, she slung a fist forward, and was certain it'd hit, until the last second when an armor hand clamped around her wrist. "LET ME GO YOU CRACKER JACK!" Reisei yelled.
"Or what?" Rajura taunted. "Who's going to help you now, Reisei, trapped in the grasp of a warlord, your little boyfriend staring on like he's watching a NC-17 show on the modern TV." Rajura looked dead at Reisei.
"LET ME GO! STOP IT! STOP IT!" Reisei yelled. "That's it, keep hating." Rajura said. Reisei tried to pull her arm away.

~~~~~

Anubis began walking around Dana and Seiji like a bird circling it's prey.
Seiji growled.

~~~~~

Ryo quickly tried to figure out how to get Reisei's hand free without hurting her.

~~~~~

Dana's over exertion of energy caught up with as she collapsed.

~~~~~

"What do you want from me?" Reisei snaraled.
"Why, I just want to see your power, and then take you to Arago." He said.
Reisei growled. "LET ME GO!" A spark of something flared in her eyes. "LET ME GO!" Her body heat rose again to a temperature that would normally kill a person. "LET ME GO!" She yelled and with a suddeness pushed Rajura's hand off her wrist and pushed the warlord onto his back.

~~~~~

Seiji grabbed Dana as she fell.
Anubis grinned. "Oh, what ever will you do now?" He asked.
Seiji growled at him.
Dana's eyes snapped open. She cursed silently and tried to stand up.

~~~~~

Rajura looked up at the girl grining. "Yes, this is what I want to see, what else do you have, girl, what else?" He smirked.
Ryo noticed Reisei had gotton free and rushed forward swords first at Rajura.
"What else do I have?" Reisei leaned over Dais, "I have the power to kill you, and no army or warrior in the world could stop me." She hissed. Rajura reached up and pulled Reisei down in front of him.
"Now now, Wildfire, if I were you I'd hate to take the chance of putting her blood on your hands." Ryo stopped mid rush.

~~~~~

"Oh. Try try little girl. The fun and games have probably already begun." He grinned. Nazza appeared on the other side of Seiji and Dana, leaving a warlord in front and one in back. Dana managed to pull herself to her knees. "I'm still quite strong enough to get you both..."

~~~~~

"Let me go." Reisei hissed at Rajura, he tightened his hold.
"Why should I?" He asked.
"Because, you really don't know what you're getting yourself into." She said.
"Of course I do." Rajura said then looked at Ryo, "Do you want her, Wildfire?"
"Release her now.." Ryo growled narrowing his eyes at Rajura.

~~~~~

Dana began to summon a wall of Ice orbs to surround her and Seiji.
"Such a big mouth for such a little girl, careful, you may just eat the pavement." Nazza said and willed his poision, which was still in Dana's body, into effect weakening her again.
The ice orbs never came and Dana fell forward into the pavement.

~~~~~

"But, that'd be so easy." Rajura said and brushed a free hand over Reisei's hair.
"DON'T TOUCH ME!" She screamed.
"Oh. Snappy." He grinned.

~~~~~

Seiji scooped Dana up. "What is the point of you guys being here?" He asked.
Anubis grinned, Nazza laughed. "Why, for the white hair girl of course."
"Leave Reisei alone you jerks!" Dana said weakly.
"I'm sorry child, but no can do. Reisei belongs to us, and if not by will then she will by force." Nazza said.
"Reisei belongs to no one...She never did and never will..."

~~~~~

Reisei was still quite angry looking, and Rajura just continued to pester her. The last straw came when he had the balls enough to kiss her cheek. "GET OFF ME!!" Reisei yelled, louder than the yells and bellows before, her eyes flew closed as wave after wave of heat rolled over her then faded as the symbol of death appeared on her forehead in black and outlined by silver.

~~~~~

"She will belong to us." Anubis said and then turned his head hearing the scream in the distance. He looked back towards Dana and Seiji and smirked.
Seiji looked startled.
"No! Reisei..." Dana whispered.

~~~~~

Rajura had backed away, but now a triumpahant grin crossed his face. "That's it, you're showing your power." He said. Reisei looked startled but then lunged for Rajura.
Ryo growled and rushed Rajura again the minute he let go of Reisei.
Rajura disappeared, sending both Reisei and Ryo colliding. He reappeared hanging upside down from a 'web' formed between the two buildings. "So careless, Wildfire. Hurting such a delicate little thing." He grinned towards Reisei as she growled.
Ryo paled. "reisei...I-i didn't mean to I.."

~~~~~

Dana fainted, somewhere in her subconcious she knew she lost Reisei.

~~~~~

"I know you didn't, Ryo. This idiot thinks one little mind game is enough to turn me on you, but he's wrong." Reisei said and looked at Rajura, words flooded her mind, and all she could think was to call them out, "Yoroi Kokushibyou Tao Metsubou!" She disappeared in a flash of silver light and when she showed up again she was standing in armor much like Ryo's except for it was black with crystalish silver joints. In her hand she had a weapon much like her ittou makkura but instead it was like the joints of the armor, silverish crystal, forming into an orb on the thick end of black crystal. Silverish veins flowing through the black and blackish veins flowing through the silver. Ryo stood dumbfounded.
"Ah, but it's worked, hasn't it? I've tricked you into finding your armor, tricked you into wearing it, and you can't hold the armor and your strong mind at the same time, the barrier comes down now!" Rajura said and jumped from his spiderweb and sent the blades of his Chi Lin Tou at Ryo as he slammed down towards the boy.
Ryo managed to dodge most of the blades but was knocked to the side by one of them.
"Ryo!" Reisei yelled. Rajura looked towards her and grinned.
"You stick up for him, why? He stood by most of this time, I could have killed you, he's only acknowledged you when he's been in direct danger."

~~~~~

"It's going to happen soon." Anubis said.
Seiji looked at the unconcious form of Dana and then at the warlords.. Looking at the two openings he sprinted off, he'd get Dana to the apartment, then go find and help Reisei and Ryo.
Touma looked over to the front door as Seiji came in wearing his sub-armor holding an unconcious Dana. "What happened?"

~~~~~

Reisei couldn't find her voice to answer Rajura's question. No. Ryo would never do anything to hurt her. "Shut up!" She yelled at Rajura.
"Shut up? That's no answer. Why do you stick up for him, or care for him, or Dana? Be honest with yourself, Reisei, you'd be better off without them."

~~~~~

Anubis and Nazza disappeared.

~~~~~

"No time to explain! We've got trouble, Rajura went after Reisei and Ryo, and I have no clue where they're at." He said.
Touma nodded, "Well, I suppose you should put her in the guest room, we'll leave Mia and Shin here to stay with her...Shuu to if you think it's necesssary..then we'll go look for them."

~~~~~

"No!" Reisei called. Gods! Why was Ryo not saying anything? It'd be helpful for him to give her some sort of support.
"C'mon, even now he's not acknowledging what's going on. Is that really the kind of person you would want to care for?" He asked.

~~~~~

Seiji took Dana in and laid her down. Then he came back out. "Touma, they want Reisei for the dynasty." He said.
"All right." Touma said transforming as did Shuu. "let's go"

~~~~~

Ryo stood up. "Don't listen to him Reisei!"

~~~~~
Seiji nodded and ran out the door. "Look everywhere, I was a bit occupied when Reisei and Ryo ran off to leave Dana and I be." He said.
The three nodded following Seiji out and split up.

~~~~~

"See this, Reisei? Now he sticks up, now that his name's been dragged through the mud. Oh so nice, isn't he?" Rajura said. "The dynasty would offer you your fellow warlords to care for, and we wouldn't just ignore you in the heat of battle." Rajura said.
"Shut up! Just shut up, Rajura!" She yelled at him.

~~~~~

Seiji began running along the buildings looking into everything he could find.

~~~~~

Ryo spat, "You know darn well that in the dynasty it's survival of the fittest!"

~~~~~

Touma and Shuu split up running around trying to find The three.

~~~~~

"He'd say anything to convince you that with him you're on the better side. But look at yourself Reisei, where have you ever fit into this world? And where do you fit in now? The armor of death being an armor accepted upon the ronins? It's a fat chance." Rajura said. "I am offering you the chance to fit in." He grinned. Reisei didn't look completely sure of anything.

~~~~~

Seiji called out Ryo and Reisei's names as he looked.

~~~~~

"Reisei don't believe him."
"And why should she believe you, Ryo? Because you claim to be great? Look at her, tell me, is death accepted upon you, halo, torrent, hardrock, and strata? Actually, don't answer, you'd lie anyway, wouldn't you?" Rajura smirked. :She's weakening. She'll be turned any time.: He thought to himself.
"Your the liar!" Ryo spat.
"Me?" Rajura acted insulted. "I'm simply telling her what's around her."
"Reisei! Listen to me! Has Dana ever NOT accepted you?"

~~~~~

Seiji ran harder and finally slid past the alley seeing Ryo, Reisei, and Rajura. "SHIN! TOUMA! GUYS!" He yelled for the other ronins.
Touma, Shuu and Shin all heard Seiji yell and made a break towards his voice.

~~~~~

Ryo looked up. Waiting for Reisei to answer.
Reisei searched her mind. "No. She's never not accepted me." She said. Rajura looked at her.
"Are you so sure? What do you call her throwing a frying pan at you?" He noticed the surprised look on Reisei's face, "Oh yes, I saw it. She tossed it right at you, didn't she?" Rajura smirked and looked at Ryo then back to Reisei.

~~~~~

Seiji waved them over. "They're down here!" He yelled.
The three ronins ran over to Seiji. "what now?" Shuu asked.
"I've no dang clue...It looks like it's a pretty heated argument down there, but no one's physically attacked...yet." He said.
"Should we just..wait?" Shuu asked watching the three.
Seiji looked unsure, "We can't just plow in there, but we wait to long and real trouble could be started." He said then he noticed something and squinted. "Hey guys....is it just me...or is Reisei wearing armor?"
"Your right she is..." Touma said squinting also.

~~~~~

"No comment from either of you? Come now, Reisei, can you truthfully say you care about this world? And what of Dana, you care about her, but she was mighty quick to toss that frying pan at you, would a friend throw a frying pan at a friend for a simple game?" Rajura asked. Reisei was breaking, and he knew it.

~~~~~

Seiji looked confused.

~~~~~

Ryo stood silent. Not knowing what to say.
"Stop it." Reisei said weakly.
"Stop what? Don't you want to know the truth? You're a pawn to them, and this world. Do you think Ryo is here because he 'cares' for you? No, it's because he'd be giving himself a bad name if he wasn't, if he had the chance he'd turn and run as fast as he could, to avoid getting a single wound. He'd throw you into a pack of hungry wolves if it wouldn't jepordize how everyone saw him." Rajura smirked.
"Reisei! Don't believe him!" Ryo said. oh Gods...don't let her belive him...
"See?! He sticks up for himself and himself alone when it comes to dragging him through the mud!" Rajura said, Reisei clenched her free fist.

~~~~~

Seiji looked at the guys, "Oh man...It's starting to look bad in there..." Seiji said, the tension was unbearable.
Touma nodded, "but what can we do?"
"I wish I knew..." Seiji admitted.

~~~~~

"You're begining to doubt him, or your lot in this world, do you think he'd really take you in if you turned back now? Join us, Reisei. Under Arago you don't have to doubt what you're doing." Rajura said. He moved and extended his hand towards Reisei. "Just touch my hand and you'll no longer be stuck in a place you don't fit in at." Rajura said.
"Reisei...don't"

~~~~~

Seiji squinted again in time to see Rajura's move. "Man...this is not looking good..."
The ronins shook their heads.

~~~~~

"Why should she listen to you, Wildfire?" Rajura snapped. Reisei didn't move at all, her mind was whirling to bad, she felt like she was going to pass out.
"..."
"What are you worried about, Reisei? Hurting him? Do you really believe it'd hurt him?" Rajura smirked, he was looking at Ryo and addressing Reisei, the look on his face was one that read clearly to Ryo, 'You know I'm going to win.' Is what it said.
"...."
Reisei's mind registered another set of words and she looked at Rajura, "Come closer." She whispered. She closed her eyes and Rajura moved closer to her. "What?" He asked. "...Akumu...Kokushibyou...." The veins in her staff seemed to vibrate like they were pumping blood and thousands of small, needle like slivers of silver went at Rajura turning into balls of energy made to slam right into him.
Ryo tried to register what happened.
Rajura was pushed back as some of the orbs hit him and he growled. "You will be with the Dynasty, Reisei, be it by your own will or by force!" He lunged at her and almost like she had fought in armor all her life she brought her staff up expertly slamming the black orb at the neck of his armor nearly choking him. He growled with a look threatening that he'd be back and disappeared. Reisei lowered the staff and looked at the ground.

~~~~~

Seiji blinked. "What the hell just happened over there?" he asked his fellow Ronins.
The other Ronins blinked. "I don't know..." Shin said.

~~~~~

Ryo looked at Reisei, "Are you ok?"
Reisei pondered the question for a moment, "I doubted you..." She said finally settling for what was on her mind over answering the question.
"I'm sorry..." Ryo said.
"Why are you sorry?...You didn't make me doubt you...I managed to somehow let him get to me..."

~~~~~

Seiji watched, "Should we go down there and make sure they're ok?" He asked.
"yea.." Touma said. the others nodded.

~~~~~

Ryo looked towards the ground banishing his armor. "I guess I didn't put up a real good fight though....I just didn't know what to say..."

~~~~~

Seiji began walking towards them.
The other Ronins followed.

~~~~~

Reisei figured out how and after a second banished her armor, she turned around and literally threw herself into Ryo's arms throwing her arms around him tightly. Her face was no longer deathly looking, but she didn't know that, and Ryo probably wouldn't know since she moved so fast.

~~~~~
Seiji watched quietly as he continued to walk, he could hear the others behind him.

~~~~~

Ryo managed to keep standing and put his arms around her waist.
Reisei's poor heart was going about 90 miles a minute as she held onto him.
"your fever broke.." Ryo said.
"It did?" Reisei asked pulling back some to look at him, since she hadn't been able to feel the fever or what her body was going through she didn't know.
Ryo looked at Reisei's face. "You look living again too..." he said in a light joking manner.
Reisei blinked. "But...how?..." She blinked again.
"i don't know..."
Seiji finally made it to them, "Are you guys o-" He stopped, "Reisei! You're normal looking again!" He said, and was quickly silenced by a small glare as Reisei laid her head back on Ryo's shoulder.
Touma shook his head. "Are you guys ok? what happened here?"
Reisei grinned, "Oh, you know, a little battling, some warlord butt kicking." She lifted her head and looked at Ryo then back to Touma.
Seiji looked at them and then back to the others and then towards the street. "Let's get back to the apartment, I'm worried about Dana." He said.
"Whoa whoa whoa! What happened to Dana?" Reisei asked, demanded actually.
"She passed out." Seiji said.
"Then lets go!" Shuu said. "Can we get some food?" he asked, "I'm starved!"
Reisei laughed, "Yes, there's food at the apartment, but I have to agree, lets go, and the last one there has to pay to restock my kitchen when Shuu is done eating!" Reisei grinned jokingly to hide that she was worried about Dana and took off running hard.
The others shook they're heads and made a mad dash for the apartment.
Seiji was about neck in neck with Ryo.
Reisei, panting, was already about half way there. Reisei slid into the apartment.

~~~~~

Mr. Jinmei walked into the house and greeted his Wife. "Where's Dana?" He asked. He was still upset about the meeting he was just at. "She's spending the night at Reisei's tonight." Mrs. Jinmei said smiling. "SHE'S WHAT!?" "She's spending the night at.....oh dear....You had a bad day didn't you dear?" Mr.Jinmei turned around and slammed the door, walked to the car and drove off toward reisei's apartment.

~~~~~

She saw a little boy sleeping on the couch and a tiger sitting next to the couch and she yelped in shock and jumped back nearly falling over.
Ryo looked at rei, "what's wrong?"
Seiji made it to the door panting just in time to see Reisei jump and looked at what she was looking at and saw Yuli and White Blaze, he was to busy trying to breath and stop laughing to explain.
"I ran in and...and there's a tiger in my apartment!" It wasn't so really fear, just shock of walking in seeing a large animal and small boy in her living room.
"You mean WhiteBalze?" Ryo asked.
"Well." She pointed at the tiger, "If that's White Blaze then yes."
"That's my pet tiger..." Ryo said.

~~~~~

Mr.Jinmei pulled up in the parking lot and slammed the door as he got out.
"Oh...well...that explains it..." Reisei said and then jumped hearing a car door slam.
He started stomping up to Reisei's apartment.
"Oh boy..." She walked towards the door and came face to face with Mr. Jinmei, "Uh...Hello sir..." "Your just jumpy today aren't you?"
Mr.Jinmei glared at reisei, "Where's Dana?"
"S-she's sleeping." Reisei said.
"Well let me in! She's coming home!" He said still glaring.
"I can't do that. I won't let you wake her up." Reisei said. :Hmmm. I guess I'm looking to get slapped...: She thought to herself.
"Move." He said simply his glare going colder.
Seiji walked into the room Dana was in and sat down on the edge of the bed.
"N-no sir." Reisei said.
Ryo stepped up behind Reisei, "what's up?"
Reisei's eyes widened and she pleaded silently for Ryo to just go back in the apartment. Mr.Jinmei's head snaped up towards Ryo, "Not only do you have Dana here but you have a guy here as well!"
"I can explain sir."
Ryo looked worried for a sec and quietly excused himslef back inside.
"Well, I'm waiting!"
"See, this guy is my boyfriend and the woman who cares for him and his friends had car trouble, so I went and helped them out and afterwards they came here. And the lady who cares for him is here too, and a little boy that she also cares for is sleeping right on the couch, so please, keep it down." Reisei said.
"Keep it down! Just how many boys" he spat out the word, "Do you have in there!? What kind of an influence are you on my duaghter anyways!!!!!"
Reisei sighed. "The younger boy, and the woman's five teenage 'sons.' She's even here and wouldn't let anything happen. I happen to be a better influnce on your daughter than you're being, sitting here acting like I commited the mortal sin of letting some family friends in." Reisei's temper was begining to rise.

~~~~~

Seiji heard the commotion and looked at Mia, "Go out there, back everything that Reisei says, this could turn up ugly though." He said.

~~~~~

Mr. Jinmei glared at Reisei, "You'll let me get my duaghter and The two of us will leave and you will not say anything if you want to see her again!"

~~~~~

Mia nodded and went out to Reisei, "Reisei, Can I be of any assistance?"
"Ya know if all father's act like you and my dad then I'm glad I got kicked out of the house!" She snapped just daring him with her eyes to make an attempt to slap her. Reisei heard Mia, "Would you please explain t Mr. Jinmei that his daughter is not in any harm staying the night here!?" She growled and then looked at Mr. Jinmei, "While I go wake up poor Dana."
Mia nodded, She extended her hand to Mr. Jinmei "Hello, I'm Mia Coji, Can I help you with anything?"
Reisei slowly, and reluctantly, moved away from the door and grabbed Ryo putting him right there as if saying do not let him in. She walked into the bedroom and urged Seiji out of the way, then she knelt down by the bed and put her hands on Dana's hands and willed all her healing energy into Dana hoping it would get her up.
Mr. Jinmei glared at the new comer, "I just want my duaghter away from these "boys" now.."
Mia looked at him, "I assure she's in no danger of anything, You act so worried about her but...Do you trust her to make the right decisions?"
Mr. Jinmei glared at her still, "How I raise my daughter is none of your concern!" he snapped.

~~~~~

Dana slowly opened her eyes, "Reisei?"
"Yes! Now get up, your father is here and I'm about ten seconds from knocking him out." Reisei said, she got up and hurried back into the main room and to the door. "Dana's up, she'll be out any second." Reisei sneered and wondered if Dana was brave enough to duck out the window until dear ol dad was gone. Seiji had moved back next to Dana.
Dana shot up..."OH! Sh..." She dashed out the door and to her dad, in a sickengly sweet voice, "Hi daddy! How are you toady!?"
Seiji walked out of the bedroom after Dana.
Dana cursed to herself quietly, "Did you have a good day at work today Daddy?"
Mr. Jinmei glared at his daughter, "that won't work"
Reisei rubbed her hand over her eyes and nudged Ryo, "Maybe I should have stayed corpse looking and given this asshole a run for his money." She mumbled only audible to Ryo.
Ryo silently laughed to himself.
Dana swtched tactics, "So Daddy! What brings you around? Don't you trust me anymore?" She mock pouted.
He continued to glare,"try again"
Reisei crossed her arms over her gut.
She turned on the face she used whenever she wanted something, "daddy! I can stay right?"
He glared, "nuh-uh"
Dana switched tactics again, "DADDY! You are going to let me stay!" She said trying demanding. he glared, "DON'T even try it!"
Dana cringed a bit, "Bad day, huh?"
Reisei pushed past Mia and stood beside Dana, "My God! Act like she's sitting here drinking booze and partying! What, do you want her to cry every time a guy even says hello, or someone asks her to hang out?! Sorry Jinmei but the world doesn't work that way, lay off her before she does retaliate and really do something that you're going to regrete! You want to sheild her so bad you may as well lock her in a friggin padded room!"
"DON'T INTERRUPT!!!!!" He said wuite loudly. Dana silently pleaded with Reisei to go back inside.
"Didn't I ask you to be quiet?" She asked and looked at her watch, "Gee, imagine that, it's 10:30, you're disturbing the peace." With that Reisei retreated back into the apartment daring him to storm in, or even slap Dana. 1st degree trespassing or 1st degree assault would work quite nicely as revenge.
Dana tried the quivering lip. "But....Daddy!!!" She whined.
He glared ignoring Reisei, "That won't work Either and you know it!"
Dana resorted to her last option, "Go ahead and try to make me move! You can't make me go! I won't listen! Just becuase you had a crappy day at work gives you no reason to take it out on me and my friends! You don't trust me but have I ever given you a reason not to!?"
The door of the apartment next door opened and a cranky, sleepy looking old man stepped out. "Would you please be quiet!" He yelled across the way at Dana's dad and retreated back into his apartment slamming the door.
Mr. Jinmei glared at Dana ignoring the neighbor, "You will not speak to me that way Young lady!" "I'll speak to you anyway I want!"
Reisei watched, daring him to do something, just daring it.
he raised his hand and slapped Dana. The room went dead silent. Dana's head turned with the slap, she focused on the ground she brought her hand to her face and tears welled up in her eyes, she knew she shouldn't have angered him but she couldn't take anymore. "I'm not going home..." She whispered and pushed past him and ran out the door.
Reisei's hand twitched and she lunged forward and slugged him as hard as she could in the nose. "You keep your hands off her!!!! You ever hit her again and you'll live to regrete it!!! I WON'T LET YOU TREAT HER LIKE MY FATHER TREATED ME!!!!" Reisei yelled and ran past him and after Dana.

~~~~~

AUTHOR NOTE FROM RYIDI: Due to the content of a large chunk of the story I decided to edit it out and time lapse. To put it short after Dana's dad hit her Reisei's dad showed up. Mr. Jinmei and Mr. Kurai are good friends and both have similar methods on 'talking' to their children. They beat the hell out of Reisei and Dana and got some blows off on Seiji and Ryo before Reisei tricked them into thinking she'd called the cops. It was not a pretty section, I might post it later as a separate story, but that in itself would have brought the raiting up to R for graphic, very graphic, violence.

~~~~~

Reisei pooked her head into the doorway, "Night guys." She said to Seiji and Dana.
"Night." Seiji said.
"Night" Dana said.
Reisei looked back to Ryo. "Shall we?"
Ryo nodded, "Night guys" He said.
Reisei reached out taking Ryo's hand and began to slowly move towards the stairs.
Ryo took Reisei's hand and followed.
She made her way up the stairs slowly.
"Tired?" Ryo asked.

~~~~~

Seiji looked at Dana, "So, I guess that means we have the entire lower level to ourselves?" He asked.

~~~~~

"Yes." Reisei said and smiled slightly at Ryo.

~~~~~

Dana nodded, "Yea...I think your right..."
Seiji grinned, and tickled Dana's side slightly.
Dana giggled, "H-hey!"
Seiji grinned and stopped raising his hands in stopping and then stood up. "Hmmmm. So much trouble such little time!" He grinned jokingly.
"What are you planning?" Dana said raising an eyebrow.
"I'm not sure yet." Seiji admitted.

~~~~~

Reisei got to the top of the stairs and turned looking at Ryo.

~~~~~

Dana facefaulted into the bed. "well, that wasn't what I was expecting.."

~~~~~

Ryo looked reisei in the eyes.
Reisei smiled at Ryo and hugged him.
Ryo hugged Reisei back, "something on your mind?"

~~~~~

Seiji looked around.
Dana looked at him curiously, "what?"

~~~~~

Reisei shook her head, "Nothing, except getting to bed." She grinned and pulled away letting go of his hand and disappearing into the dark room.
Ryo smiled and followed.

~~~~~

Seiji looked thoughtful for a moment then grabbed one of the pillows from the bed, "Pillow fight." He smirked and gently thwaped Dana with the pillow.

~~~~~

Reisei sat down on the bed and watched Ryo.

~~~~~

"hey!" Dana said and grabbed a pillow whacking him with it.
Seiji grinned and hit Dana gently with the pillow again.

~~~~~

Ryo walked in the room and leaned against the door frame.
"Gonna stand there or are you gonna join me?" Reisei asked grinning.

~~~~~

Dana threw her pillow at him and stuck out her tongue again. "meanie."

~~~~~

Ryo walked over and sat on the bed next to Reisei, "I'll take the second option"

~~~~~

Seiji, "Dodged the pillow. "Aww...I'm sorry.." He said and dropped his pillow, "Forgive me?" He asked half pouting.

~~~~~

Reisei smiled. "Good." She leaned against him.

~~~~~

Dana grinned and giggled a bit, "aaaawwww...I couldn't stay mad at you..."

~~~~~

Ryo wrapped his arms around Reisei and hugged her gently.

~~~~~

Seiji grinned and pulled Dana up into a hug.

~~~~~

Reisei hugged back gently, "Let's lay down, shall we?" She asked.

~~~~~

Dana hugged him back.

~~~~~

Ryo nodded, "yea.."
Reisei moved slowly laying down and pulled Ryo with her.

~~~~~

Seiji yawned, "Ready to sleep yet?" He asked.
Dana stretched, "yea"
Seiji, "Ok." He said and reached over turning off the light and spun, still holding her, falling onto his back on the bed, and pulling Dana down by him.
Dana laughed a bit and rested her head on his shoulder again, "night"
Seiji, "Night."
Dana nodded slightly before falling asleep..
Seiji watched Dana for a few minutes then dozed off himself.

~~~~~

Reisei looked at Ryo and smiled.
"ready to sleep?" He asked, yawning.
"Yes." Reisei nodded.
Ryo, "Good night" he said.
"Night Ryo." Reisei said, she curled up to him and closed her eyes going to sleep.
Ryo watched Reisei fall asleep before falling asleep himself.