A/N: This story is to be told in two-three parts. The first of which is Raijin.(that went up to chapter 12.) I know it says that this story is a comic romance in the summery, but it is also a mystery and adventure. Oh. And this little chapter? Yeah. I added it b/c, um. I felt like it. . . And so anyone doesn't get confused, this little insert in the story is basically just the story of the 12 chinease zodiac for those who don't know it. I have nothing to do with the story...er, except I'm the one writing it.

So, this is just for those of you who don't know the story b/c it will become very involved in PartII (haven't named it yet).

Me: Cool! I'm in the story!

Kyo: Yeah, in the introduction, you moron.

Me: Still, isn't that cool?

Kyo: . . .

Me: Gee, thanks.


Part I: Raijin-

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Joss skimmed the book shelves.

No luck.

Of all the books she'd seen, not one had yet caught her eye.

Joss was one of those girls who likes to read. I mean REALLY likes to read. So much, in fact, that she's read just about every book in the library twice over. So much that she and the librarians are on a first name basis with each other.

Geeky, I know.

Joss is closest to the librarian Jill. Jill has worked at the library the longest, so she and Joss have gotten pretty close over the years, as Joss is a regular at the library.

Sometimes, when she checks out her books, librarian Jill Smith tells Joss about all of the new books that have come in recently, since she is already quite aware of Joss's fondness for the written word. Anyway, one afternoon when Jill was checking out a copy of "Gone with the Wind" for her, (even though she has already read it like, seven times,) Jill started talking with Joss about the 'secrets-known-only-to-those-with-the-keys.'

In other words, known only to the librarians.

Because the librarians are the ones with the keys to the "PRIVITE: STAFF ONLY" room. Which, translated, means: "THIS IS WHERE WE KEEP ALL THE GOOD BOOKS WE FIND."

Joss had always wondered what kinds of cool stuff could be in there and so was fairly psyched on the day that Jill plopped the keys into her hand with a wink. "Just," she told her, "don't let anyone see you."

And so that was how Joss found herself sifting through the mysterious shelves of "the forbidden books" in the back room on one cold, Friday night.

Just then, a book slipped from the shelf and landed on the ground with a thump. Joss curiously walked over to it and picked it up. It was filthy. Seriously. Those librarians needed to do a better job taking care of these things, because the film of dust on this book? Yeah, it was like an inch deep. And it looked pretty old too.

"Humph!" Joss said to herself. "What a shame to let a book go like this."

She tried to wipe some of the grime off the cover with the sleeve of her jacket. When she had finished cleaning it, she could make out a few faded letters on the spine, but nothing else.

'Nothing too special,' she thought as she opened it.

Suddenly a chilling air swept through the library, making the hairs on her arms stand up. Joss noticed that she was all alone in the library before the lights above flickered a few times, and then went out.

"Hello…?" she called out. "Is an-anyone there?"

Silence greeted her.

Joss squatted down, still holding the book, and with trembling fingers turned the page.

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The Legend

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A long, long time ago, the Cat and the Rat were the best of friends. They accompanied each other everywhere they went and they shared their food. One day, the Cat learnt that the Jade Emperor was going to elect twelve animals to represent the twelve calendar years, and invited all animals to a party. The Cat suggested to the Rat that both of them should make a presence.

When the day finally arrived, the Cat told the Rat, 'I am going to take a nap so that I will be in my top form. Can you please wake me up when it's time to go to the party?'

'Of course.' the Rat replied magnanimously, 'Please, relax and rest. I will wake you up when the time comes.'

The Cat thought that he was very lucky to have such a considerate friend and thanked the Rat for his kindness.

After the Cat fell asleep, the Rat thought to himself, 'I am among the smallest of all animals and I don't stand a chance in making one of the twelve if the Cat will go.'

So when the time came, the Rat left on his own without waking up the Cat, and had a wonderful time at the party. Through a series of schemes, the Rat was elected as one of the twelve Zodiac Animals.

When the Cat finally woke up and found out what the Rat had done, he was furious. He discovered that he had slept through the whole thing and all because the Rat had tricked him. From that day on, the two became the worst of enemies.

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A/N: Concerning Chapter 13: since it is the first chapter of part II, It's going to be a rather legthy one and is taking longer than usual to write. I put this up to (hopefully) semi-appease my lovely little readers until I complete 13. Oh! and I've been getting a bunch of writer block as of late , soooo, for any of you who have ideas for chapters, (please not big big ones, b/c I already have a set idea of where I'm kinda going with this- just little things like flings or, arguments, ect. ect.) e-mail them to me! I check my mail every other day, and chances are, I will use your idea in the story!