Lian walks up: "umm... hi everyone. Lian here, doing the intro this time. DuskStarDragon is currently sitting in the corner in the fetal position, singing I'm a Little Tea Pot. I think her Finals finally got to her, but don't worry; finals week is over and she should be back to her... umm... well I'm not sure if I should classify anything she does as normal. Anyway, nothing new to report, except for the shout outs for our usual reviewers. Many thanks, honorable ones (bows low). Ok, umm... I guess I'm done. That wasn't so bad. Alright enjoy the story.

Chapter Ten

Five days have passed and still no sign of Kakashi and his team, good... I guess. I looked out of my inn window, it was raining. I had stopped in a small village for a rest and it had been raining the two days I've been here, might as well, my shoulder is still hurt.

Sipping my camellia tea, I sat on my mat, just thinking about all that has happen and all that will happen. Kasuro had confirmed my worst nightmares; someone was after the most treasured heirloom in the Lotus Blade Clan, the Blades of Green and Blue Jade. Though I had never seen them, I knew of their legendary powers.

I can't allow them to be soiled with another's hand or greed. I took another sip of my tea and released a heavy sigh, "why are you afraid?" I asked myself quietly. Because you're a scared little girl, a voice answered in the back of my mind. I shook my head, stop thinking about it, just relax and enjoy the break. With a final sip of my tea, I settled down for a nice nap.

"Sensei we've asked everyone in the last two villages that we've visited and no one has seen Lian," Naruto complained.

"And we're going to keep asking people until I can confirm that she is either alive or dead." Kakashi looked back at him with an intense eye.

Naruto glared back with the same intensity. "I hate to say this, but I agree with Naruto. If Lian is still alive, then she probably stopped, if anything, in the village ahead. You have to remember that she's injured and it's raining." Sakura meekly interjected.

Kakashi released a sigh, Sakura was right.

I shouldn't be pushing them so hard; they volunteered to come with me. He looked at each one of his teammates, Sakura was shivering and Naruto and Sasuke were trying their best not to. With a sigh, Kakashi knew that he and his team needed a good rest.

"Ok team, let's get to the village ahead and get a room for the night."

They began to smile, then ran as fast as their legs could carry them to the village.

Kakashi followed after, Lian, wherever you are, I'll find you.

Kakashi and the others took refuge under some awnings of the first building they saw.

"I wonder which one is the inn," Sakura asked as she rung out her hair.

"Over there, that must be the inn," Sasuke pointed to a large wooden building at the center of town.

"Ya, now we can rest... and see if anybody seen Lian," Naruto saved himself from another harsh glare.

They quickly ran into the building, the lobby was empty.

"Well hello, welcome, it is good to have more customers," the inn keeper beckoned them to come closer.

"Umm, hello. We need a room," Kakashi looked down to Sakura, "ah, make that two rooms."

"Sorry, I only have one room available."

"But you said it was good to have more customers. Doesn't that imply that you have plenty of rooms?" Sasuke asked with suspicion.

"Normally it would, but since it's been raining, most of the rooms have become, well... a little flooded," he motioned with his hands.

Kakashi sighed, "So only one room? Is there a way to separate it, so the young lady would have privacy?"

"Yes... wait, are you all ninjas?" The inn keeper narrowed his eyebrows.

Kakashi raised his brow; Naruto released a growl, "so? What's it to ya?"

"Well, there happens to be another guest and she's umm...," the keeper leaned in towards the group, "she's a samurai and well I rather not clean you off the walls."

She... samurai... Lian? "What's the samurai's name?" The inn keeper pulled back, "I can't, it's not proper and I don't want a samurai after my head." He brought his finger across his throat.

"Look, we're not looking for a fight; we want to help her, please?" Kakashi explained.

There was a commotion downstairs, it sounded like the inn keeper was fighting with someone.

The person must be trying to get out of paying their bill, I lazily pulled the covers off and put on my outer kimono. Good thing that clothing store had kimono, not many places still carry them. Sliding the paper door, I exited down the stairs. What the? "Ka... Ka.. Kakashi!"

There he was, just standing there. "Lian... Lian you're alright!"

He met me half way up the stairs and threw his arms around me.

"I was so worried about you," he held me closer. I knew I was blushing, but it felt good to be in his arms again.

Remember, if he stays, he dies with you. I pushed away from him, "what are you doing here? I told them to tell you not to follow me."

He just looked down at me with a dreamy eye. "I'm not following you, they are and as their Sensei, I have to go where they go." I could tell he was smiling under his mask, smiling that smug smile.

I groaned as my forehead landed in my hand. "If I didn't have feelings for you and there weren't kids around, your blood and guts would be decorating the walls," I whispered to my hand.

"It's so good to hear your voice again," he hugged me again, this time closer to my wounds.

"Ouch! What are you trying to do? Trying to inflict more pain?"

"No," he leaned closer to my ear, "pay backs are hell."

I love him, yet right now I want to choke him.

I sighed, "It's good to see you too." I hugged him back. "I didn't think that samurai and ninjas got along," I heard the inn keeper whisper to the group as Kakashi and I descended the stairs.

Kakashi put his arm around my waist, "so, you going to tell me what's going on and why you had to make applesauce out of my Adam's apple?"

I blushed, I forgot about that. "How about you guys get changed and dry, then I'll tell you over dinner." I gave him the biggest set of puppy dog eyes I could.

He shrugged his shoulders, "sounds good. Oh, but there's only one room. Do you think you and I could...?" He began to reach for me, but he was met with the sole of my sandal.

"Sakura and I will share a room. You two and mister horny will share the other room." Naruto grinned and Sasuke smirked, while Sakura giggled.

I showed her up to my room, while the inn keeper showed the other three to theirs. Sakura quickly change, while I laid out another bed.

"Well I don't know about you, but I'm hungry," I held my stomach.

She giggled, "me too. Kakashi Sensei hasn't allowed us to rest all that much since we left the village."

Was he really that worried about me?

"He really cares about you. Something special must have happen between you." She began to blush.

Ya, something special. "You could say that," I began to blush. "

Do you think I'll ever find love," she asked abruptly.

"Don't look for it, it will find you," I looked down at her.

She kind of reminds me of...

"HEY, are you two done in there! I'm hungry!" Naruto began to bang at the door.

"Stop that! These are paper doors!" Kakashi yelled. "Come on, before Naruto eats the door."

Sakura and I began to laugh as we exited.

Lian and Sakura emerged from their room, they were laughing about something.

"Yeah, now we can eat," Naruto jumped for joy.

He's going to eat me out of house and home if we keep eating out, Kakashi thought as he follow Lian down the stairs.

The inn keeper showed them to a table and began to bring out soups and noodles.

"Lian, are you going to tell us what this is all about?"

She looked down into her soup, "it is yet a story or should I say a legend."

Everyone looked up, Naruto finished slurping up some noodles, he's an embarrassment.

"You see, it was a long time ago, before the different clans of samurai separated. There was once an old couple that lived in the mountains. They had no children to take care of them in their old age. Everyday they would pray to the gods to give them a child. One day when the old couple were fishing in a pond. It was spring time and the lotuses were just blooming. The old woman was sitting on the shore when she noticed a large lotus floating towards her. She called for her husband to bring the flower closer. When they brought it ashore, it bloomed and inside was a beautiful baby boy. They thought that this child was a gift from the gods, so they called him Chokichi or good fortune. Needless to say Chokichi grew up into a great warrior." Lian's eyes were sparkling, she must love the story.

I took a sip of tea, man, I think this is the most stories I've ever told in a long time.

"So how great of a warrior was he," Sasuke asked nonchalantly.

"I could tell of his many adventures, but we would be old and grey before I would be done. Anyway, the most important part of Chokichi's life was when he received the greatest weapons known in the Lotus Blade Clan history." Everyone leaned in. "They were the Blades of Green and Blue Jade. It is said that Chokichi received the swords from the gods themselves. One is carved from green jade and the other from blue and their sheaths are said to be made of the finest and purest gold."

"What can they do," Sakura asked.

"It is believed that whoever holds the swords will not be defeated in battle and the bearer of the swords will also increase their strength ten times full; there are a few other things, but they've been lost in history."

"Wow! Is it all true!?" Naruto nearly jumped across the table.

"Sit down!" Kakashi grabbed him by the collar and pulled him back into his seat.

I shook my head, "anyway, I believe that's why I've been attacked and why my Clan was exterminated."

"Whoever is after the blades is serious. Where are the Blades located?" Kakashi stared at me with a grave look in his eye.

"They are located in the sacred mountains, where all Samurai Clans can trace their origins. I must go there and send the Blades back to the gods." I rested my chin on my folded hands.

Kakashi released a heavy sigh, "there will be more people after you. With your current injuries, you won't be able to defend yourself. If you want, we can help you," he leaned over and grabbed my hand.

Oh Kakashi, only if you knew what I was going to have to do when I'm done.

"Ya, we'll happy to help you. Besides you saved the entire village, we owe it to you." Sakura and Naruto smiled and Sasuke nodded his head in agreement.

I looked back to Kakashi, "I ask for your assistance, but only to get to the mountains, after that I can handle the rest."

Kakashi smiled, I think, and brought my hand up to his covered lips.

And he calls me to tradition.