Disclaimer: I don't own the original FY characters; I own Kei, Taki, Lily, Jason, their kids and any other person who isn't a FY character.

            Thoughts

            Memories

~*~Review Response~*~

            ~Jaime - Things any better yet? I hope you like what I wrote.

            ~Lady Viola - Priceless, huh? Indeed Tasuki is confused. The romances will start a little earlier, but since they're all in disbelief, except for Kei and Jason, it will continue pretty much as it should.

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"It doesn't really matter. If they do, fine, if they don't, whatever…all we need to be worried about it getting Reizo and getting home…" Akane crossed her arms and sighed.

"I guess you're right. We should go see if they're up now…" Hiroshi piled up his breakfast dishes.

They nodded and got up to leave. Upon getting up, they turned to see their parents watching them. Their eyes widened. They all knew they just got themselves a new set of problems. Akane ran her hands halfway through her hair and pulled on her hair till it hurt. "That was so not a conversation to be heard…" She groaned.

The adults stared at them with wide eyes, not sure what to make of the information brought to light now. Kano slouched in his chair and stared up at the ceiling. "Oh man…"

The adults and kids stared at each other, no one knowing how to even begin to explain the new situation.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Akane and the others nervously stared at each other. Everything just went haywire. "Hey guys?" She looked at her friends.

"Yeah?"

"Remember when I said we should stay here?"

"Yeah…"

"Screw it. We're running." In a split second, the eight kids broke apart and ran from the room, causing a great deal of confusion. The adults took off after them.

The eight kids could run faster than most of their parents but ended up getting separated from each other. The adults split up to find them.

Toru and Toshiro ran down a side street only to be followed by their parents. The two boys turned to face them.

"Who are you people, no da?"

"We are who we said we are, Dad…" Toru sighed.

"Things just didn't go like we wanted…" Toshiro shrugged.

Lily looked ready to lunge at both the boys. "Why don't you just tell us who you really are? Time travel isn't possible."

"We already did, Mom…" Toru reached into his denim jacket and pulled out a straw hat like his father's. A magic cape like his father's was pinned in as well so he could just reach in and pull things out. "But really, we have to go now…"

"Too bad we don't have more time." Toshiro had done the same as his brother and pulled out another hat. "But Reizo's a bigger problem for us now."

Without another word, the two young boys put the hats on their heads and disappeared into them. Lily and Chichiri ran and picked up the hats.

"H…how did they do that?" She flipped the hat around in her hands.

"Magic, no da." He shook his head. "I don't know how a couple of kids could know that spell though. It took me 6 months to learn it, no da…"

"Magic, huh?" Suddenly the two hats disappeared in small puffs of smoke. Lily stepped back surprised. "Well I'll be damned…"

"Lily, what do you think of what they said, no da?" The eternally smiling monk turned to the blonde fighter.

"I don't believe it…I can't…" She shook her head.

"If you don't mind me asking, why no da?"

"Love, marriage, family…it isn't for me. Those things need a willingness to put yourself on the line…you have to be free to open up to someone." She looked at her gloved hand. "I have too much to hide really…"

"What could you be hiding, no da?"

"Chichiri, there's a reason I'm hiding it. No offense, but I'm certainly not going to tell a guy I just met yesterday." She looked at him with saddened eyes. "No one knows what I hide. No one."

Chichiri was amazed by what she had just said. Lily looked like a woman with nothing to hide. He had sorely misjudged her.

"Since they're gone, we should find the others. See if they caught any of the other kids."

"Right…" He took her back to the main road so they could find the others.

From on top of a roof, the two boys watched their parents leave. "Holy crap…I didn't think they'd come after us…" Toru breathed a sigh of relief.

"Wow…Mom was mad…" Toshiro sat up. "We gotta find our friends before their parents do."

"Yep…" They hopped off the roof and went in search of the others.

Naoko and Nyoko waited patiently behind a building. Nyoko saw Nuriko run by. "Mom just passed us. We're okay for now."

"Good…" Naoko sighed. "Now what do we do?"

"Well, you could keep running instead of resting…"

They turned and gasped when they saw Jason standing there. "Dad!"

"The one and only I suppose." He shrugged.

They looked up at him. Naoko bit her lip. "We're caught…great…"

"That's really only if I keep you here though, isn't it?"

"What do you mean by that?" Nyoko looked worried.

"They're after you 'cause they don't believe you. I'm not sure I do either, but I believe you more than they do."

"You do?" They both looked surprised.

"Sure, why not? If it's really possible I'm here, why not believe time travel is possible?"

"So what are you gonna do about us?" Naoko looked up at her father.

"Get outta here before the others find you." He looked off towards the main road.

"Are you sure?" Nyoko was still surprised.

"Yes, I'm sure. If you're so convinced I'm your father, do what I say and get outta here.

"Thanks Dad." The two smiled and ran off. They ran into the twin boys. Jason watched as they talked for a brief moment then the boys made the girls disappear into the hats. They followed.

Nuriko found Jason as soon as the four were gone. "Did you see them?"

"No…I don't think they were down this way." He shook his head.

"It's not becoming to lie, Jason." Nuriko waved her finger in his face.

"Huh?" He couldn't believe she knew he was lying.

"I can tell you're lying. Why are you covering for them?" She put her hands on her hips.

"I dunno…keep in mind I have no idea why you all are so mad over what they said. It makes no sense to me whatsoever."

"I know…I guess I shouldn't say anything…"

"Why does it have you all so upset? I really would like to understand."

"It's a really long story…" She sighed, not wanting to think about it.

"Oh. You'll have to tell me if we ever get the time then." He smiled slightly at her.

Nuriko felt her heart race. 'If they're telling the truth…I could see why I'm in love with Jason…he's so handsome…really nice too…'

Kimiko and Hiroshi were running away from Hiroshi's parents. His mind buzzed while he ran. 'Holy shit! Mom and Dad are gonna kill me when we get back home! They will rip me apart piece by piece for this! I can't believe I'm running away from them like this! I'm a dead man!' He looked over his shoulder for a brief moment. To his horror, his father had gotten a hold of Kimiko. He wasn't sure how it happened, but Kimiko was squirming around in Hotohori's grip. He ground to a halt and he turned. "Kimiko! Let her go!"

"Gotcha!" Taki popped up behind Hiroshi and grabbed him. He gasped. "Now quit lying about being from the future. It's just not possible."

"If you can believe in Konan, why can't you believe magic can do other stuff too?" Kimiko hissed as she continued to try to break free.

"That's not the point." Hotohori struggled to keep his hold on her. "We want to know how you could have gotten here and what made you decide to make the absurd claims that the 8 of us are your parents."

"I said I wasn't related to you." Kimiko spat.

"Fine then, the 7 of you." Taki tightened her grip on her future son.

Kimiko stopped struggling in the emperor's grip. She took a deep breath. 'I can't believe I'm about to this…if Mr. Seishuku doesn't kill me on the spot for this, Hiroshi will later…'

"Give up?" He relaxed his grip since she stopped.

"No. And I'm really sorry about this, Mr. Seishuku." She looked up timidly at the confused man as if she'd sorely regret whatever action she was planning.

"Sorry for what?" He asked.

Suddenly without warning, she bit into his hand as hard as she could. Hiroshi and Taki gasped when they saw this. Hotohori hissed is pain as he let go of her to look at his hand. Taki let go of Hiroshi to help Hotohori and Kimiko stumbled away from Hotohori.

"Sweet mother of God, Kimiko! You bit my dad?!?!" Hiroshi was completely shocked.

"Your dad's free to kill me later but for now we need to get outta here!" He let out an exasperated sigh. "Did I mention I was sorry?" She asked sheepishly as he grabbed her hand and they ran away.

Hotohori couldn't believe a 15-year-old girl had just bitten him.

"Lemme see." Taki grabbed his hand. "How hard did she bite?"

"Pretty hard." They both saw the teeth marks where Kimiko bit him.

"Wow…I think she put a row of bruises in your hand." Taki watched as the row of indentations was already looking black and blue. "Does it hurt?"

"Not that bad." He looked around. "Looks like they got away though…"

"Yeah well, it's more important that you're okay than we get them as soon as possible." 'Gah! What am I saying? Why would I care if he has a little row of bruises on his hand?' She blushed because of what she said and it became a deeper blush when she realized how she was hanging onto his hand. She dropped his hand. "I think you'll be fine."

"Thank you." He smiled. She tried to hide a deepening blush. "Should we try and find them?"

"I don't know if it's worth it. I think we've been standing here too long. They're probably too far off." She shrugged regaining her composure.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Depends." She looked over at him.

"When Hiroshi said we were his parents, you seemed so confused, as if it was never possible that it could be true. Why?"

She nervously pushed her hair back. "I know…I had a feeling you'd ask…"

"Is the thought of being married to me that appalling to you?"

She shook her head. "It isn't you. I just don't think I'll ever get married. Not with my luck…"

"Your luck?" He looked intrigued.

"Yeah…I think it started when my parents' marriage crumbled in front of me. I kinda thought all guys were like my father…so every time I got into a relationship with someone, I went in expecting to be hurt…"

"And?"

"And it turned into a self fulfilling prophecy. I got hurt so many times, I stopped caring." She shrugged and started walking towards the main road. "I stopped thinking I'd ever have a future with someone. I decided not to ever fall for someone again. No sense in getting hurt."

"I didn't know." He walked next to her.

"Not like you had any way of knowing. We've only known each other for a day or so." She shrugged again. "But what about you? Aren't you married?"

"No…" He sighed.

"Really? Why not?" She looked up at him questioningly.

"The right woman never came along." He murmured.

"The right woman? Aren't you an emperor?"

"I am, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"I didn't think royalty married for love. I thought it was political most of the time."

"Most of the time, yes. Maybe I'm just different." She giggled. "What?"

"A hopelessly romantic emperor. I'll be damned." She giggled again.

"Maybe I am." He smiled and shrugged. "It never hurts to try."

"Sometimes it doesn't hurt to try. Most of the time it does." She sobered up. "Believe me, I've tried more than anyone and I've been hurt more than anyone. The only guy I've ever known not to hurt me was Jason and that was only because I have no romantic interest in him."

"I see." He nodded. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's life. It happens." She shrugged a third time. "It hurts but it made me who I am."

"True." They finally came back up to the main road.

Akane and Kano tore through the streets being tailed by Kei, Tasuki and Kouji. Akane wondered if she'd be grounded for life for changing the past when she got home. Kano couldn't believe he was running from his father like this.

They eventually found themselves cornered in a blocked alley.

"Looks like we gotcha." Kei smirked.

"Now, you're gonna explain that little conversation from breakfast." Tasuki was standing on one side of Kei.

"Even if we explained that, you still wouldn't believe it." Akane hissed. She was annoyed. How could her very mystically inclined parents not believe that any, even a little bit, of what they said was true?

"Look, I don't care about who's married to who or whatever. I want to know whatever you know about Kanako." Kouji frowned.

"She's dead, okay? That's what I know about her. And that she left when I was little because she didn't want me and won't come back for 18 years when it's convenient for her. Oh yeah, and it turns out I'm not her only kid." Kouji looked taken aback. "Surprised? You should be." Kano's voice was becoming more acidic by the second. "Turns out that other kid's a couple years or so older than me. Who is he? Well, it happens to be the other blonde you met yesterday, Reizo." He spat, not wanting to think about his relation to the man who tried to kill him and Akane and killed his mother.

"Kano, this isn't the time to be bitter. Let's just find a way out of here." Akane desperately wanted to get him out of here. The more he talked, the more she heard his pain.

Kouji was in a state of total disbelief. He didn't want to believe the woman he loved had been with Nakago. Tasuki saw his friend's pain and it upset him. Kei wasn't sure what to think. She didn't know who Kanako was. She only knew of what Akane showed her last night.

"Can you two please explain what you were talking about in there?" Kei tried to be nicer than the men.

Akane shook her head. "We already screwed up the past. We can't change any more. We just wanna find Reizo before he causes any more damage."

"What's his plan? Why's he after Kouji's son?" Tasuki demanded.

"He's teamed up with his father to kill me before I know who I am. Any follower of Suzaku, especially a seishi, is a threat to any follower of Seiryuu."

"And he's after you because?" Kei looked at Akane.

"I told you already…" Akane whispered. "Remember?"

Kouji and Tasuki turned to Kei. She looked at the ground. "Right…I remember." The visions still played vividly in her mind.

"Now come on…let us go. You know we're not a threat to you. What have we really done anything that seems dangerous?" Akane pleaded.

Kouji had to admit to himself that these kids seemed to be on their side. After all, his son would probably be dead if Akane hadn't been around. He didn't have much of an interest in Nakago or any of the other kids either. It was Kano he was interested in. Everything Kano talked about was true. Kanako hadn't wanted Kano when he was born and the little time she did spend around him now was quickly dwindling. It was possible she could just leave him any day now. But another kid? It was true Kanako wasn't a virgin when he kidnapped her, but he thought she might have been married. To think that she could have a child with Nakago? He didn't want to.

Tasuki looked at Kei. "What did she say to you?"

Kei was staring at the ground. "Nan demo nai…"

"Are you sure?" He heard the uncertainty in her voice.

"It's not important." She shook her head.

Akane looked up towards the roofs, looking for a way out. "Kano, what are we gonna do? We're stuck…"

"I was hoping the others would come and help us out…" Kano watched his father carefully. "You're right…we're really stuck…"

"I think we should let them go…" Kei spoke suddenly.

"You do?" The bandits looked at her, confused.

"You do?" Akane and Kano were even more surprised.

"Yeah…I mean…so what if what they said sounds weird? It's the future…we're not supposed to get it…" She kicked some dirt around. "Just let 'em do what they came here to do."

"You're taking their word for it?" Tasuki asked.

"I got my reasons, okay?" Kei muttered and turned to walk away. "If they were evil, they would have let Tall, Blonde and Evil kill Kouji's son…" She started walking away to find her friends. She was desperately trying to push the images of her future out of her head, but they wouldn't go away. Love scared her. She preferred the fate she thought she was going to have.

"What's the matter with you?" Tasuki growled and went after her.

"I said it was nothing…" She shook her head and kept walking. He tailed her closely, trying to get what was bothering her out of her.

Kouji was left with the two children. "So what are you going to do now?"

"We're gonna go find Reizo and get him outta here." Akane watched her parents leave.

On top of a roof, Toru and Toshiro looked down at their friends. "Kano! Akane!" The three on the ground looked up to see the two blonde boys. "Let's go!"

Kano looked at his father. "What are you gonna do?"

Kouji let out a deep sigh. "Get outta here before I change my mind…and keep that guy away from my son."

"Sure…" Akane nodded and turned to her cousins who had dropped down from the rooftop. "The future depends on it…"

"Sure…" Kouji murmured and left them alone.

"What was that about?" Toru looked at Akane.

"Nan demo nai…" Akane murmured in the same tone her mother had.

"Come on let's go. We already rounded up the others." Toshiro put the hat on Kano's head and pushed down, making the young bandit disappear then following.

"Sure." Akane took Toru's hat and went in then Toru disappeared into it as well. The two hats then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Kei distanced herself from the others when they regrouped. She wrapped her arms around herself and sat on a barrel by the side of a building. Tasuki watched her curiously. He wanted to know why Kei trusted the kids that made no sense. He began to walk towards her. Someone grabbed his arm firmly.

"Don't." A male voice muttered roughly.

Tasuki had to look up to see Jason glaring down at him. "What?"

"Don't go near her now…" He pushed Tasuki back to where he'd been standing before.

"Why?"

"She's not in the mood to talk. Don't force her."

"Why do you care? Seems to me you two don't give a damn about each other."

"We've never gotten along, it's true…but it doesn't matter. I still respect her. She'd rather be alone right now. And I don't care if Akane said you and her are married and she's your child, you're not together now so you're not going near her. Get it?" Jason let go of his arm.

"Got it…" Tasuki was surprised by his fierce protectiveness of Kei.

"Guys! Would you hurry up? We're going!" Nuriko hurried the three along. Kei still kept her distance as they walked. Questions burned in Tasuki's head but he knew he'd never get to her to ask as long as Jason played the overprotective brother role.

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Toru and Toshiro had taken the group to a lake a few kilometers from where they had been. While everyone sat in a clearing, Kano excused himself and went to the edge of the lake to think.

He picked up a rock from the shore and threw it as hard as he could. The rock went skipping across the surface for a while.

Without warning, tears began to roll down his face.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kano's POV

Dammit…what's wrong with me?

I touched my face. I'm crying…it's over Mom…

You know…it used to be so easy…I could hate my mother for abandoning me, for not wanting me…now I can't. She's dead because of her maternal instinct, the want to protect her children. Was that what she wanted? To make me feel like it was my fault she was dead? No…that wasn't her intention…she wasn't out to make me feel bad.

I shook my head vigorously. Mom was trying to protect me from Reizo.

Reizo…why did I have to be related to him? Why?

"WHY?!?!" I screamed out across the lake. My voice echoed loudly.

"Why what?" I turned around quickly. Kimiko was standing there with her arms crossed.

"Nothing." I turned back to the lake. She suddenly smacked me in the back of the head. "What the hell?" What did I do now?

"What did I tell you before? Didn't I tell you not to bottle it up?"

"I'm not bottling anything up!" I snapped at her.

She smacked me again. "Don't you snap at me!" I touched my sore cheek. She had a really strong arm. "You're worse than I was when my dad died!"

"What am I supposed to do?!?! I'm new at this!"

"You don't have to do it alone though!!" She was really annoyed with me now. "Don't be a dumb ass!"

"I can't talk about things like this, okay?!?!"

"No! Not okay! You're gonna have to learn! Keeping it to yourself is never gonna help!"

"I can't talk to anyone! It's just not for me!" Anyone except Akane that is…she's easy to talk to…you'd talk to her if she was here… A little voice in the of my head laughed. Dammit, why do those little voices always have to be right?

"I'm going to get Akane."

"W-what? I didn't say anything about her!" She couldn't read my mind, could she? I turned away from her to try to hide my blush.

"You thought about her. Any idiot could see that you like her and she's the only on you can talk to. I'll send her over her."

"Hey! Wait a minute!"

"Don't you want her around?"

"Well, yeah. But that's not the point! I…" I turned to her. She was already gone. I ran my fingers through my hair and pulled on it. I wanted to see Akane, yet at the same time I'd rather be alone. " Shit…

This was so not good. Was I that readable? Guess so…

"Kano?"

"Yeah?" I turned to see Akane standing there. She looked cute in the outfit she had on. I think she called her pants jeans or something like that and her shirt was a red silk Chinese style blouse. Cute…never thought that word would go through my thoughts…

"Kimiko said you wanted to talk." Okay, now she's twisting my words, not that I even said anything about wanting to see her…well, sorta…

"Well I…it's not so much talk as uh…"

"Just being around?" She was standing next to me looked out over the lake.

"Yeah…" I sighed. She does know me too well. Her hand slipped into mine. I smiled a little. "Thanks…" I murmured, almost too quiet to hear.

"Anytime…you know I'm here…" She squeezed my hand tighter.

"Yeah…I know…" I closed my eyes trying to be anywhere but here. I wish we didn't have to deal with Reizo, then I could be happier at this moment. We're all in too much danger now to think about romance or shit like that…

She seemed to know that too. She looked at me every so often with this look I couldn't quiet pick out. It couldn't be longing, could it? I hope it is, but I'm not good at reading emotions like Kimiko.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Narrator's POV

"Kimiko, did Kano really ask for her or did you make that helpful little suggestion?" Hiroshi looked down at her.

"Well, maybe not specifically…but he's not so good at expressing himself…"

"He didn't, did he?"

"No…but I am helping things along…" She smiled sheepishly.

He smiled and shook his head. "I can't believe you…"

"I wouldn't be me if I was believable."

"I know, I know…" He moved closer to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Anyway, let's get down to the business of biting my father…"

"You know, he's gonna kill me when we get home so I don't think you have to worry about it." She scratched her head.

"I suppose you're right…"

"Hey!"

"But I'm glad you're okay…" He pulled her closer briefly. "I wasn't sure what Dad was gonna do."

She blushed and leaned in closer to him.

The two sets twins looked at each other with the same thought.

'Love makes people do such dumb things…'

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

How in the world are they going to take care of Reizo?

How are things going to go with their parents?

Sigh…I have to make an idiot out of myself on camera on Monday. How? Acting out a skit in my theater class. I never realized how pitiful it was until we started rehearsing it. I'm doomed…I will forever be on record as the medieval Blade Master in a skirt with a plastic light saber. How fun…

~*~Shadow Hawk~*~

          5/2/03

(20 days till I can get my drivers' license!)