Hey, guys, last time on Green Maiden!

BC - Today I don't feel like doin' anythin'!

Blossom - In the night, I hear 'im tell the coldest story ever told! Somewhere far along this road, he lost his soul...to a woman so heartless! How could you be so heartless?

And now time for the Green Maiden. Now this chapter is gonna be different because it takes place faaar in the past. So let's get out the Pastinator 3000 -thank you Doofenschmirtz Evil Incorporated- and get this show on the road. (presses button)

-Scene fades to show a six year old Buttercup with her parents-

BC- Gee, Mom and Dad, I sure do love that you're totally alive and that I haven't been kidnapped by a lovesick but bitter dragon while unknowingly being persued by Mom's jilted, pedophile of an ex-fiance!

Mom - Me too! It's so great not being killed by bloodthirsty bandits who would burn us alive and carry our sweet daughter off into the woods on the night that dragon would come to feast on blood.

Dad - Sure do hope next year will be just as great.

Okay, so farther?

BC- YA THINK? (presses button and scene fades to Butch with Black and a brunette girl with blue eyes)

Butch- Gee, Reina, I sure am glad that we're happily married and that there haven't been any assassination attempts plotted against me and my darling baby sister, Black.

Black - Yeah. It would suck if someone that we held near and dear to our hearts betrayed us by plotting to murder us with their village and family so that they could take your wealth and land. Don't you think, Reina?

Reina- Heheh...yeeeeeeah...(quickly sips tea)

...Farther?

Butch - FARTHER.

The Child in the Forest

The day had been warm and bright as the summer edged on, cicadas singing into the air and fish jumping in the streams. Nadeshiko walked along the woods, humming as she carried a basket on her back that was half filled with treats for this evening. Her older sister was going to be visited by the family of her fiance and her father was determined to make a good impression on them. She had volunteered to go and get desserts to enjoy with their tea after dinner. Her long dark hair fell behind her back and was tied in a loose braid. Her eyes were glowing with happiness, golden specks sparkling in a massive pool of honey brown. It was said that all the women in her family were blessed to have eyes that reflected that of gemstones. They say that even the Empress would look upon them with awe and envy, wishing for such magnificent eyes.

Nadeshiko believed that her mother had the most beautiful, eyes that reflected the color of bottles, polished from the sea. It was a good thing that they had such beautiful women in their family, as her family had no sons born to them.

As she walked along the dusty road, she hummed a soft song.

"Little one, oh little one

Let your tears fade

Little one, oh little one

Your heart is made of jade"

Suddenly, she heard a loud wail, followed by a pitiful whimper from within the woods. Nadeshiko froze and stared into the murky depths of the forest, with shadows that seemed to block out the sun. The crying continued, weak at some points and loud at others. Her mind flashed with thoughts of yokai and monsters that lurked in the woods, making noises to draw in weary travelers like herself. But the crying continued, growing frantic and tired as the winds picked up.

"Curiosity will be the death of you," her mother often said. And she would be right, as Nadeshiko turned and walked straight into the woods, determined to find the source of such feeble wails. She walked along the stones and grass, listening quietly as the crying got louder and louder.

"MAMA!" Finally, she came to a ravine, where Nadeshiko peered in. Deep in the muddy ditch sat a little boy, no older than two, dirty and tired. He had fallen deep and was covered in dirt and dust. His inky black hair was full of twigs and leaves. He wore a kimono that was tattered and filthy, but Nadeshiko could see that it was once a very ornate and lavish one. He looked up at her, with bright green eyes. He opened his mouth and let out another, earsplitting cry for his mother.

Nadeshiko's heart broke. The poor thing must have wandered away from home and gotten lost in the woods. He was lucky that nothing came to eat him before she came along. "Poor child," she cooed. "You must be lost. Don't worry, I'll get you out." She clambered down into the ravine and plucked the child from the mud. He whined, but allowed her to carry him out of the ravine, where she put him in her basket. Placing the basket back on her back, Nadeshiko quickly left the woods, not knowing what yokai may have been attracted by the young child's crying.

She walked along the path, softly singing and lulling the boy to sleep.

When she returned home, her father stood at the door, berating her for being so late. "You are lucky that our guests haven't arrived yet, or we would have nothing to offer them with tea!" But as soon as he set his sights on the slumbering boy, her father became perplexed. "Who is this, Nadeshiko?"

"Papa, this boy is the reason I was late. I heard him crying in the woods and found him laying in a ditch. I think he is lost."

"What if he is a yokai? He could eat us all in his sleep!"

"But, Papa, he needed help. He does not look like a yokai to me. I'm sure we will be fine and it would be dishonorable to leave him there." Finding no fault in her reasoning, her father allowed her to take the child in. Nadeshiko found herself busy with the fussy little boy, who woke up and immediately began to cry for food. He would not take milk nor would he take grains, only meat and fish. He wailed and cried when put down, only wishing to be carried by only Nadeshiko, and hissed at all who tried to take him from her.

"This child is a demon! We must be rid of him," her father grumbled as the little boy hissed at him once again.

"He is a scared child, Papa, I'm sure he will calm down once he is no longer frightened." But soon, something amazing happened. The family they awaited for arrived at long last and Nadeshiko's older sister, Sakuranoji, met her fiance. The two immediately fell in love, and happily celebrated their upcoming marriage to each other. Nadeshiko and her family were shocked, as Sakuranoji -like all the women in Nadeshiko's family, including herself- detested arranged marriages and was adament that she would not marry her fiance.

But now Sakuranoji fell deeper in love as the hours passed.

Later the next day, their father found his wife's fan that had been passed down by her family. She had lost it and was inconsolable.

Then Nadeshiko found herself flocked with suitors, each one more charming than the last.

The family in the next house had been struck by illness, but suddenly began to heal and rapidly too.

The river surged with fish and the forest became overflowing with animals to hunt.

All had began happening the longer the little boy stayed. Merchants began selling more and more to travellers and lords. Fishermen were pulling in more fish than they had seen in their lives. Women who could not have children were suddenly pregnant. "This boy is a blessing from God! He has brought us nothing but good luck!" Nadeshiko's father cheered. One night, an entire two months since she had found the boy, her father announced his intention to adopt the child and give him the name "Ushin". Her family celebrated the first boy in the family.

But Nadeshiko did not celebrate. For she knew, that out there, the boy's family was searching for him. She wondered how worried they must be for their darling baby, whom she had also grown to love like her own. Poor Ushin had been lost for two months now and she could see he wanted his mama.

Ushin was still a very troublesome child, who liked to chew on fabric until it tore to pieces and climbed up the beams that held up the house. Nadeshiko was tasked with watching her new brother, as he would not listen to her father or mother. He wondered away if not constantly held or watched and he ate more than her own father could.

"Such a fiesty attitude promises a strong, brave man once he matures," her father said whenever Ushin got into trouble.

One night, though, Ushin wandered out of his crib, waking Nadeshiko who had slept beside him. He toddled over to the shoji door that led to the garden, pushed it open, and wandered just to the edge of the wooden walkway. There he sat and stared up into the skies.

"Ushin," Nadeshiko yawned as she climbed out of bed. She went to collect him, but was startled when he looked back at her.

His bright, jade eyes were serpent like, with black slits replacing his normally round irises.

"U...shin?" He blinked and his eyes were normal again. With a big grin, he pointed to the skies.

Pointing at the moon, he declared, "Mama!"

This happened a few times every week. Ushin would climb out of his crib, toddle to the garden path, and look up at the moon. Sometimes, he'd speak to it, in a language that sounded like a mix of baby talk and...something else...something strange.

Soon, she began to seriously wonder where Ushin came from. The farm animals that they kept cried out whenever he was near, almost as if frightened. Her family used to attribute it to his rambunctious behavior.

Now, Nadeshiko was not so sure.

He seemed mesmerized by flames, always trying to touch them. Her family said it was simply his curiosity.

But is it really, Nadeshiko wondered.

One night as she tucked him in tight, Nadeshiko asked. "Where is your mama, Ushin?" The boy blinked and his serpent eyes stared up at her once again. With a grin, he declared.

"Up!"

Soon three months had passed and autumn slowly seeped into the air. Leaves began to change color and festivals to celebrate and placate dozens of deities and monsters began to spring to life. Nadeshiko took Ushin to each and watched as he excitedly cheered and clapped, playing with children and babbling excitedly. However, then they went to a festival celebrating the Tsukimi festival to view the Autumn Moon, Ushin became very excitable. He would wiggle out of her grasp and dash about, chattering in his strange tongue.

Her father, finally fed up with his behavior, threatened to punish him if he did not behave. But Ushin did not listen. Quicker than Nadeshiko thought he could move, Ushin climbed up a pole and pointed up to the moon. He cried out, "Mama! Up! Up!" reaching out like he did when he wished to be held.

Later that night, Nadeshiko and her family discussed the adopted boy as he slept in Nadeshiko's arms. "He keeps pointing to moon and calling it mama. Does this mean that his family has perished? Are they in heaven?"

"It must mean that," her father said, "poor child must think his mother will come back to him."

But Nadeshiko did not think that. She looked down at the slumbering child as he whined, dreaming of the moon.

The moon he called his mother.

Later that night, as the Autumn Moon began to descend and the skies began to turn into the color of tangerines, Ushin awoke again. By now, Nadeshiko was used to his ritual. He would wake, go and look at the moon, and then he'd return to bed on his own.

But not this time.

Ushin went to the door, stepped out, and then went straight into the garden. Nadeshiko got up with a start, "Ushin, no! You must not go out without an adult!" She followed him, but he escaped her grasp. He led her into the garden where she stopped short.

There, standing beneath the cherry tree, with the moon showering all its light onto her stood a woman Nadeshiko had never seen before.

Her long, obesiden hair flowed like ink until it swept far past her feet. She wore an elegant junihitoe, awash with pale greens, purples, blues, and whites with gold seams and stitching. On her head were two ram-like horns with an ornate crown nestled between them. Around her floated several glowing orbs, shining out in colors that merged and swirled.

Her bright, serpent eyes were mint green and framed with long dark lashes. Her face was pale with red lips.

Ushin toddled up to her, crooning out "mama! Mama, up!"

The woman, who was like a goddess to Nadeshiko, slowly looked down at him and smiled before she knealt down and scooped him up. Nadeshiko stared.

Ushin looked almost exactly like her.

"Nadeshiko, Ushin, why are you-?" Her father came from within the house, awoken by Nadeshiko calling out to Ushin. He stared at the stranger in his garden, cobfused by her appearance and awestruck by her beauty. The woman looked back to them and then glided over to them.

They looked up at her once she was in front of them, as she was so tall. "Nadeshiko..." Her voice was soothing, but chilling as well. The wind seemed to carry it through the trees and grass. The path the woman had walked had suddenly sprang with strange flowers with yellow seeds in the middle, multiple white petals bloomed and released a sweet fragrance. "Nadeshiko, savior of my child."

"A...ah...I...savior?" The woman nodded, smiling.

"Thank you for finding him...and caring for him...my baby, Daichi."

"Ushin's name is...Daichi...?"

"Ushin...?" His mother laughed, "He might as well be called that. He always wanders off. I have been looking for him for three months now." She smiled at them, "my name, Matsuo Nadeshiko, is Tsukiya Teruko." Gasping, Nadeshiko bowed. How could she forget to introduce herself? Teruko looked to Nadeshiko's father and nodded. "Nadeshiko...had you not found Daichi when you did, he surely would have died. Baby dragons are especially vulnerable at his age."

"D...dragon!?" Teruko nodded.

"The child you saved is the fifth son of the Celestial Dragon Empress, which is I. When he fully matures, he will be formidable. But for now, he is simply a baby. And you found him, protected him, and cared for him...despite not being his mother and I am sure it was not easy." Nadeshiko nodded as she remembered Ush...Daichi's love of trouble. Teruko chuckled, "your kindness is astonishing."

"Hold on," her father interrupted. He did not wish to give Ushin (Daichi) back. Ever since ge came, their whole village had been blessed with good luck. If he left, it would be over. He stomped up to Teruko, who regarded him coolly. "How do we know you're truly Ushin's mother? What kind of mother loses her child for three months?"

"Papa!" Nadeshiko shook her head. It was blaringly obvious. Daichi kept squealing out "mama" and the woman looked so much like him that it was impossible for her to be anyone else. "It's her. I can tell it is. Daichi needs to go home to his family." Teruko smiled at her.

"To think, so kind and honest as well. I must thank you for everything. I will return, with a gift befitting your pure soul." With that, Teruko turned away, her skirt fluttering behind her. As she walked through the waning rays of moonlight, flames emerged on her skin and slowly feathers sprouted from within.

Nadeshiko and her father watched in amazement as the beautiful woman grew in size, muscles enlargening and covering themselves with scales and feathers until she resembled a white dragon with angel wings, tipped with mint green. She was bigger than a mountain with feathers stretching to the tip of her tail. Her snout was long and thin, with an elegant curve. Daichi climbed into her waiting claw and she fanned out her wings, catching the moonlight one last time before shooting onto the air.

Disappearing into the fading night.

Life resumed to normal sokn after. Her sister became pregnant and Nadeshiko finally found a suitor, who became enamoured with her as she was the girl who found the Boy Who Fell From Heaven.

Then, on the next eve of Autumn Moon, Teruko returned. She looked no older and was awaiting Nadeshiko in her family's parlor. Her mother nearly fainted from shock at the strange woman. Her father glared, as he wished that Ushin...Daichi was back. Nadeshiko bawked, then smiled when she saw Daichi emerge from under the table and toddle over to her.

"Nada!"

"Nada?"

"Yes," Teruko giggled, "he has been asking for you all year. I apologize for not coming back sooner, but this night is the only night I can get away from my kingdom."

"Who are you," her mother demanded. Teruko stood and bowed slightly.

"I am Tsukiya Teruko, Empress of the Celestial Dragons and mother to Daichi...whom you know as Ushin."

"Dragon?"

"It's true, Mama," Nadeshiko said, holding Daichi as he squealed. He looked no older either, "her dragon form is quite lovely." The family sat at the table with the two dragons, where Teruko poured them tea that she had brought. As Nadeshiko sipped it, she noticed the strange coloring and taste. When she asked what it was, Nadeshiko was told that it was 'Star Tea', a special blend made only by Celestial Dragons.

"I thank you. Nadeshiko, I have brought you two gifts. One is to thank you for caring for my son. I have also learned that you will soon be married. I have brought a gift to congratulate you for this." With an almost lazy wave of her hand, two items appeared on the table before Nadeshiko.

One, an ornate fan made with the purest silk and deepest wood. The silk had the depiction of a celestial dragon flying through a sky filled with silver roses. A strange inscription was etched on the fan.

The second was an equally ornate odachi sword, that stretched to each end of the table. The blade was pure ivory and the handle was pitch black leather with gold etching. A matching inscription was etched into its base.

"To thank you for protecting Daichi, Fifth Prince of the Celestial Dragons, I -Tsukiya Teruko, High Empress of the Celestial Dragons and Sovereign of the Monsters- do bequeath you this sword, made by one third of one of my own dragon pearls. This sword will pierce anything which it cuts, from steel to iron, and from dragon scale to basilisk hide. Never must a male of any sort touch this sword, or the destructive power within will kill them." Her father froze his hand and stared at Teruko, who gave him a blank look. He retracted his hand. "And, to commemorate your upcoming wedding and to mark you as a eternal friend to my family and my kingdom, I beqeath you this fan, made from the second part of one of my pearls. This fan will purge all evil from your body, it shall protect you from sinister gazes and allow you to see the truth behind illusion. Never must a male of any sort touch this fan, as it will cause them to go mad."

Nadeshiko's father froze, retracting his hand from taking the fan. "I cannot even look?"

"I apologize, but it is impossible for even male dragons to touch what was once a dragon pearl." Teruko smiled as she stood and called to Daichi, who wiggled out of Nadeshiko's arms and went to his mother. "I wish I could stay longer, but I must return to my kingdom. Until then, may the moon continue to bless you and your family, my friend." With that, the two disappeared into the night, never to return again.

Later that year, after Nadeshiko married, she became pregnant. After months of waiting, Nadeshiko went into a labor that lasted two days and finally gave birth to her first child.

A son with ebony black hair and green eyes.

"And that's the story that's been passted down my family for generations. My ancestor, Daichi, further honored Nadeshiko by naming his first daughter after her," Blossom said after she finished telling the tale of how her cousin wandered away from home. Buttercup stared down at her fan and sword.

A wedding gift and a gift of gratitude.

She hasn't even heard of Matsuo Nadeshiko, her own ancestor...to think this sword was that old.

"But...How did she not find him for three months? She must have lived nearby."

"He was a two only by dragon years. He was twenty by human standards. It was simple for him to wander away, especially when his mother was always so busy. I don't know the exact details, but I think she had been away from home and his father had been busier than normal, so he got out. It happens all the time, hatchlings are so good at escaping."

"But, really...three months?" Blossom nodded.

"I'm told that she was frantic and searched all of Japan...not to mention, they lived miles away from where Nadeshiko found him. It wasn't until the Autumn Moon that she could sense him, as that's when she was most powerful." Buttercup raised a brow. "Celestial dragons are connected to certain celestial bodies, the most powerful being the moon. They say Tsukiya Teruko was so powerful because she was born when the new moon was closest to the Earth and red as blood." Blossom gestured to the sword. "You must be a descendant of Matsuo Nadeshiko, friend to the Celestial Dragon Empress."

"So my life was tied to dragons before it even began," to think that she had been carrying around pieces to a dragon's pearl. And not just any dragon, the Empress of the Celestial Dragons!

Ancestor to the current Empress of Dragons, Blossom.

Was it fate or a big joke?

Who knows what other powers lay in her blade? In her very fan?

"This explains, too, why the basilisk wasn't able to kill you with its gaze or breathe and how you hurt it..." Buttercup looked up at Blossom, who held her fan with a reverant look.

That's right, Buttercup realized, these things must mean a lot to her...after all, Tsukiya Teruko was her ancestor."The fan protects whomever holds it from poisonous gases and gazes, so the basilisk breath and stare affected you much like a dragon...the sword can pierce anything, like a basilisk's scales. You hahad both of them when you confronted it, so they protected you from it...even its poison."

"Wow," Buttercup was awestruck. In front of her were parts of a supremely dragon empress' pearl.

Parts that she had weilded since the age of seven.

Alrighty, then! We now know where Buttercup's sword and fan came from. But just to let you know, there's one more mystery about them.

Bubbles- Hint please, I'm done with people guessing.

Geez, I thought you were made of sugar, spice, and everything...

Bubbles-(staaaare)

So, the hint is that a dragon's can only be broken into three pieces. Buttercup has two. I'm sure you guys can guess where and what the third piece is.

So, we learned that Blossom's ancestors, Teruko and Daichi, met Buttercup's ancestor, Nadeshiko, long ago and were so pleased by her kindness that they gave her parts of a dragon pearl. Daichi's name actually translates to Earth, meaning child of the Earth. Teruko means Sunshine Girl, which is Ironic since Teruko is a Lunar type Oriental Celestial Dragon.

Her mother was a Solar type, it's very random.

The name Ushin is actually me shortening the word ushinawareta, which means "lost" basically, since Nadeshiko found Daichi while he was lost in the woods.

So, funny thing about dragon pearls is that almost every Asian depiction of dragons can be seen with them. I began to wonder "why? what's so important about those?". I remember something about there being a legand that said that the dragon's pearl was the source of their power.

There's also a neat movie called the Dragon Pearl about two kids who find a Chinese dragon and go on a quest to find his pearl so that he can go home. I really recommend it.

Anyway, so there was that and I thought it was a cool concept. But then I started to think of ways to make it a little more interesting. Now, dragons are a vicious species, especially to each other.

Dominate, dominate, dominate. That's them. No matter how civilized dragon culture gets, in the end, they want to dominate those around them. Male dragons are bigger, tougher, and stronger with more stamina and a very early urge to dominate. Females are smaller, less confrontational (I suggest not testing that, though), but faster. Speed, however, does not help when you have less stamina.

So what happens when you have a bunch of male dragons, who will gang up on females, and a bunch of defenselesa females? Chaos, that's what? My theory is that females would be oppressed if they didn't have something to even the score a little.

In comes the Dragon Pearl, the one thing standing between a female dragon and a male that just doesn't understand "NO".

The Dragon Pearl channels kinetic energy that the female can use to defend itself. There are limits, like a fire dragon can use her pearl to blast ice, but other than that...the power is limitless. It makes a females flames hotter, her ice cooler, etc. They can communicate with mates, family members, and friends from up to a hundred miles away (that range increases as they get older and more powerful. Teruko could actually communicate a world away). They can create energy fields, heal injuries, store memories, the list goes on.

Now, like I said, there are restrictions. They are very hard to create, so you usually see a female with only one...perhaps two. Only very powerful dragons can make more than that. Once broken, it is hard to repair. Males cannot physically touch them, at all. This may be a good thing sometimes, but it can also be a hindrence. But other female creatures can touch and use them, meaning that they can be stolen.

Well, that's all for right bow. I have to get up at NOPE o'clock, so signing off.

Bell- Next time, Butch meets with Blare, who gives him disturbing news and Buttercup discovers...*reads script* something about our favorite blue eyed blondes' past.

Blare - See you next time...I want pretzels.

So we're back to this again...