Okay…. Yay! I'm finally back! So I said finals were holding me back before… now it's that whole thing about trying out for high schools and big projects and state-wide tests. You know what? For some reason wasn't sending me e-mails about my reviews! –shock- So it wasn't until Shinju-chan kindly pointed out that I had fifteen that I realized, "Hey. I think I'd better update!" –sweatdrops- Heh. I'm really very sorry, peoples! –bow bow- I hope that you can forgive me with the installment of this new chapter! (Actually, yesterday I had been debating whether or not I was going to quit Shinju-chan, without even knowing she was, convinced me not to. Thank her if you love Never Roses!)

Never Roses: Volume One: Chapter Three

"Aotsuki-san. Hajimemashite Nice to meet you, no da." It was at that moment that someone knocked rather loudly on the door. "Come in?" Chichiri said rather hesitantly. A young man with raven blue hair walked through the door and looked up at the three in the room.

"Ara Ah. Chichiri-san. Sorry to intrude; I'll be going now."

"Wait-" Chichiri began, but it was too late; Kouji had already left.

Shizuka's ruby orbs followed Kouji our the door. "Who was that? You're friend- the one who you're going to ask if we can stay?"

"No, no… That was Kouji, no da. He's the second-in-command. I wonder where Tasuki is…"

…

At that moment, Kouji was wondering the same thing. 'Where's Genrou?' He asked himself as he raced down the halls of the bandit fortress. Kouji had something very peculiar, very unusual, to share with his friend, something that needed to be thought out properly in council.

…

"Hmm," Chichiri thought aloud, "I wonder why Kouji was in such a rush, na no da…. I thought he might have at least said hello, no da."

"Thought who'd say h'lo?" asked a familiar voice.

"Tasuki, no da!"

"About time…" Shizuka added in an undertone.

"What was that?" Tasuki asked.

"Nothing," she lied.

"Who is that, anyway?" Tasuki asked, this time addressing Chichiri. "I thought monks weren't allowed… this." He snickered.

"Baka, no da…" Chichiri said in an undertone. "It's not that, no da. They needed a place to stay, so I invited them to stay here, no da."

"What, in my room?"

"No, in the stronghold, no da! They don't live nearby, so they have no place to stay, no da!"

"'They?' You mean you have more than one girlfriend?"

Chichiri sighed. "Neither of them are my girlfriend, no da. We've only just met, no da. And, yes, there are two of them," he said, exasperation etched into his voice.

"Sure." Tasuki looked at him, a glint in his eyes. "That's what you say, but really-"

WHAM! Shizuka had taken Chichiri's staff and hit Tasuki hard over the head, defiance and anger etched into every line of her body. "You might as well be polite if we allow ourselves, two lovely young maidens, to grace your horrid presence."

"Why you…."

What Tasuki would have done then, none of them would find out because at that moment, the door opened and Kouji burst through.

"Genrou!"

"Kouji!"

"So, you've finally taken up women?"

WHAM! Tasuki had hit Kouji over the head with his tessen. ((Oo. De ja vu.))

"Just shut up. Anyway, any news from patrol?"

Kouji suddenly turned serious. "Yeah… an' strange news, too. You'll never believe…." He trailed off, looking over his shoulder at the other three occupants of the room. "Tell ya what. Come outside with me an' I'll tell ya. 'Chiri, they can stay if they wanna, s'long as they don't fool about with any o' our bandits. We need 'em thinkin' straight."

Shizuka scowled. "Despicable. All of you. Can't even speak correctly, can you?"

But Kouji wasn't listening; he was out the door, pulling Genrou with him.

"Wait 'till ya hear what I've gotta say," Kouji murmured out of the corner of his mouth. "It's tha strangest thing you've seen these days…."

To Wolfdemon-san: Thank you. I think what I'll do is just stop the translations all together, unless it's something unusual. Also, it feels so weird for me to have to go back to Japanese after so long of no Japanese. Hmm. Also, Texan feels weird because I prefure proper English.

To my most beloved Shinju-chan (love her! –glomps-): I feel clingy today so I'm typing to you as if you were my beloved friend. You're more like my cynical friend, but thank you for not wanting a stressed-out me! –sobs happily- I know it's been so long. I don't even have school work anymore. But. ;.; -sobs- Ihad to sit through six friggin' hours of Red Cross baby-sitting training! D: -insert crysobweep here- Anyway, thanks for the inspiration to start this chapter. The poetry "Speak Out" or whatever thingy last night gave me the inspiration to write the second half. :3

To Cheeto-san: Heheh. Heheh. You'll see. –ebil cackle- In the end it's so… trajic. –sobweep- They end up loosing… their Cheetos! No, seriously, I couldn't think of anything to write right then ((oo. Spiffy.)), so I inserted the first thing that came to my mind… heh… Cheeto….

To Tsuki-san: Yays! You luffles me:3 Texanees. –shivers- Too many people speak that where I live. 'Chiri must be dead by now, neh? D: -crysobs-

And, finally, to all: Yes, I'm sorry for all the wait. You thought I'd abandoned you, neh? Well, I almost did…until I remembered that the story I luffles so is connected to this fic. But, since it has no characters from FY in it, I have to make it part of this fic. It will begin at the end of volume one in this story. It's called "Falling Roses," and oh my do I luffles it. I love you, Chiya! Tosuke, not so much, but, yes, I do! And Zozu, you adorable little freak of a midget, I luffles you to death! You look like that guy who went to my elementary school! Okies… done. You'll learn who they are later…. I'm planning to end volume one of this story in a few chapters…. Then Falling Roses is MIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE!

Oh-so-late-you-must-hate-me-now,

Mie-chan

(Please don't kill me. ;.; )