Closing the door behind her, Akemi sighed and slid down it, letting the friction ruin her carefully done up hair. One of the golden locks fell loose and she blew it away from her face, only for it to drift back down right were it was, so she gave up.

She is tired. Tired of being a doll, tired of being the perfect little marionette, a tiny little heiress raised to be married off to rich men, tired of her father's ambitions and thirst of power. Akemi stood with slight difficulty, it pains her to wear those heels, they are too tiny, too tight and much too extravagant for her tastes. Slumping on the four poster bed of her quarters Akemi snuggled into the covers, hoping to gain a pleasant night of slumber.

She woke to the sound of birdsongs and a pleasant rumbling purr by her side. Lazily blinking open her eyes she discovered that sometime last night Smudge had snuck into her bed, most likely through the balcony. Smiling with fondness and a warm feeling in her chest she hugged her dear friend tight and flopped over to sit up, as she was untangling her hair a knock sounded at the door.

"Enter." She called, and the door was pushed open by her personal maid.

"Young Mistress." The maid greeted, and Akemi smiled in return, "Lord Kimura had left last night due to an emergency letter from the congress, and will not be returning in five months time." She bowed, "Should I prepare for your travle soon?"

"Yes please, Kaiya," She grins, " As for Mother?"

"She is currently in the Southern lands, managing her trading business." Kaiya replies, "Perhaps you should visit her?"

"Sure!" She finishes smoothing out her hair and bounces up from the bed, grinning, "Oh, and Kaiya, take care of Koki, won't you?"

"Of course, Young Mistress." Kaiya bows again, "Breakfast will be ready in a moment, one of the servants shall bring it to you shortly, so decent yourself if you would," she smiles, "Please don't traumanize the new one again."

"I won't I won't." Akemi shoos her away, "Now go help me get my stuff and whatevers, shoo shoo!"

The maid laughed, and exited with another graceful bow. Akemi smiled after the girl and bounces off to bathe and change.

Hibiki simply couldn't wait.

Pulling on her boots the apprentice healer hopped to her feet and bide her mother goodbye before skipping out of the castle gates, waving as she jogged up towards Tenya.

"Tenya!" She cheered, "Ready to go meet up with Akemi?" She cheered as she fixed her white cloak. She is dressed in a white shirt with a brown vest and overalls beneath it, pouches of herbs and healing crystals dangling from her belt.

"Of course, Hibiki!" He nodded, smiling, "Akemi must've been dreadfully bored the past month..."

"Yeah..." Eyes saddening she turns to look around, "Where's Hiroi?"

"Oh, gathering his luggage, I heard. He found quite some tradable goods on his last journey to the Eastern Empire, and they just happen to be quite a rare find in the Southern Lands, where we will be heading for this time." Tenya glances over his shoulder and brightens, "Oh, here he comes."

"Sorry I'm late!" The teen panted for air as he stopped near the two, a large bag slung over the back of his horse. "Amatsu wouldn't cooperate, so I had to bribe the fellow with carrots."

Hibiki laughed, but then there was a familiar rustle and a growl, and she yelped as a large black tiger with saddle and straps leapt out from the trees and landed a little before them, on it sat a familiar figure in black, blue and gold, a hooded scarf, bandaged forearms and a black vest with knives strapped to her thighs and a set of harness, holding the reins of the tiger so it would stop before reaching up to pull down her mask.

"Akemi!" Hibiki cheered and hopped onto Smudge's back, "Ever the stealthy look, huh?"

"well, It's my style." She grins, "so, who're you riding with this time? Last time you went with Hiroi and I was stuck with that hunk of metal over there," She jabbed a thumb towards Tenya jokingly, who gave a yell of protest, "So this time you're coming with me, right?"

"Yep!" Hibiki nod and swung over to sit on Smudge properly, Tenya clambered onto Amatsu's back and the three rode off into the forest, heading for their first destination.

The borders of the East and West.

In this AU, Akemi is a mercenary. Wrote this a while back for fun. Hibiki is a healer and Tenya is a knight in training.

More AUs are on the way! Tell me which one you want to see first.

Halloween AU

Hanahaki AU (BakuAke or TodoAke, choose one)

Ghost AU

Hogwarts AU

Soulmates AU (TodoAke)