Chapter Nine:

Mirihanna and the others fell in what it seemed like some kind of fruit stand in a middle of a crowd of people. Everyone started looking at them for their strange appearance. Mirihanna looked around and observed her surroundings. This world was much different from Hashin Republic. The houses were more rustic and an ancient castle was seen on the far end of the small town they ended up in. The people also wore different clothes, but not so strange for Mirihanna. They were wearing baggy pants with skirts on top and ornamented top dressings, something very common in her world.

She looked now at her group and saw Kurogane being frustrated at the landing, yelling at the poor Mokona who was happy at all the attention given by the locals. Although Syaoran was holding Sakura, it seemed that the fall made him land a little further from her. Mirihanna looked at the girl, who was besides her and asked if she was okay, and the sleepy girl nodded.

"Who the hell are you?!" They all heard from nearby. Mirihanna glanced her eyes to see a big grumpy young man stomping his way to them. She looked behind to Kurogane hoping that the man would stand up and scare the poor fool.

"Answer me!" She heard and suddenly the girls were being pulled away. Sakura by her wrist and Mirihanna by the back of her white cape, slightly raising her from the ground. But without hesitation, Syaoran kicked the man, releasing them both. She fell once more on the ground and looked behind, seeing the man knocked down on the ground

"Do you realize who you just kicked, boy?!" His voiced showed now anger and Mirihanna got closer to Sakura who was slightly frightened by the situation. Tension was rising but a voice interrupted.

"Stop! Don't mess with people you don't know. Dumbass!" Everybody looked up to see a young girl on a top of a wall.

"Chunhyang!" The man screamed at her in anger.

"Who do you just called dumb?!"

"Besides you, I don't see anyone else!" She snapped back making the man shake in fury.

"How rude! He is the son of Ryanban-Sama, ruler of Koryo!" They heard a soldier say.

"Even though he's a Ryanban…he was just a homeless magician a year ago!" Mirihanna was trying to figure it out what all the fuss was about.

"Who dare you say something like that about my Aboji! You should know better what happens if you say something against the Ryanban! I'll come back for my revenge, you'll see!"

Everyone's attention was now at the young girl. Mirihanna slowly got up and patted her baggy pants that were coverer with dirt from the fall but suddently she felt a hot sensation on her back, as if someone was looking at her. She quickly turned and saw a merchant looking at the group with a frown. She then realized that they just destroyed his small stall.

"We're terribly sorry!" She heard from Syaoran "Well clean this up!" Upon hearing this, Mirihanna started grabbing some vegetables that were scattered on the ground and placed them on a wooden box. Everyone helped, even Kurogane who was complaining all the time. Mirihanna noticed the princess getting sleepy again. 'Not again' she thought in her mind. She got close to her, and helped her besides her. Sakura looked at her confused, and she just gave a small smile.

"You look weird." She heard a girl's voice say. She glanced and saw the little girl from before.

"Hehe, weird? Must be Kuro-po!" Said Fai pointing at the other man.

"If I'm weird, then you are weird too, you idiot!" The little girl then gasped.

"Are you… you must be…" Mirihanna looked at her in confusion.

"You must come with me!" She finally said and grabbed Sakura and Mirihanna's wrist, dragging them away from the three men.

Mirihanna sat next to Kurogane in her knees in a very elegant way while the dark men read a girl Magazine from Hansin Republic. She had her eyes fixed at the paper object, admiring the colorful and realistic drawings. Kurogane sat there quietly, not minding the girl's presence. He was about to turn a page but she grabbed his arm to stop him. The man quickly snapped.

"What are you doing, girl?"

"I'm still reading." She simply said, still grabbing his arm.

"What do you mean you're still reading? You can't even read this!" He screamed at her.

"Neither can you." All she heard from him was a grumpy 'Tsk'

"I like to see the drawings." She said next. Kurogane had a small twitch in his eyebrow. Although he didn't mind her presence, he was still a short tempered man. He looked at her once more and gave her the Magazine without a word. She gladly accept it and rested the object on her lap, slightly touching the papers and in the corner of her eyes, she could see Kurogane looking as well, leaning down at her.

"Huh, excuse me, who's this house?" Syaoran finally spoke to the little girl.

"It's my house."

"Huh… and why did you run so fast?"

"Don't you people have anything to say?" The little girl said with some temper. Mirihanna peeked at their side with curiosity.

"We just got here in this country and then we met you!" Said Syaoran with his arms up in surrender.

"You really have nothing to say?!" She spoke once more. Everyone just looked at her in confusion and the little girl bowed and her voice started cracking.

"…Thinking about it carefully, I suppose there's no way that these kids would be the Amenosa…"

The girl then proceeded in explaining that the Amenosa were government's spies that investigate each region and Ryanbans, making sure that they are not oppressing people using political reasons. Mokona jumped at started talking gibberish, saying that Yoko called it Koumon Mito. Fai was the first, as usual to speak after the explaining.

"So you thought that we were the so called Amenosa, err…"

"Chunhyang." She introduced. Fai gently smiled and introduced everyone else, adding a funny nickname to Kurogane as always making him scream at him.

"So, anyway… the ruler of this region in evil and you are waiting for the Amenosa to help you?" Fai concluded.

The girl's eyes started shining with tears.

"He's the worse… and he… my Omoni…" Suddenly a huge strike of wind started rumbling the walls, making Fai jump out of his place.

"Is that outside?" Fai questioned and Chunhyang panicked.

"Don't go outside!" A strike of a powerful wind made all the windows open in fury. Mirihanna noticed the roof shaking. Felling the tension rising and also having a bad felling, she quickly warned her friends.

"Brace yourselves!" Syaoran looked at her and quickly grabbed Sakura and Fai Mokona who was squealing in fear.

With no warning, the roof of the house was somehow sucked by the powerful wind, making some debris fall. The wind was very strong and Mirihanna was being pulled by it with a lot of pressure. With nothing to grab on but herself and the Magazine she was holding, she felt herself being raised off the floor. Luckily she felt a strong hand grabbing her wrist and pulling her down with ease. The wind kept blowing for a while and then stopped. Mirihanna looked at Kurogane who was crouched and nodded in thanks.

"That wasn't a normal wind, wasn't it?" Fai finally said after analyzing the situation. Mirihanna heard a small whimper and saw Chunhyang crying.

"Are you hurt child?" She asked her, crawling in her direction.

"It was the Ryanban! He did this! As always!" She cursed the air letting her tears roll on her small face. Mirihanna looked up were a hole was open on the roof and looked strait to the sky. 'Someone's watching.' She though and gently wiped the girl's tears with her thumbs. Chunhyang broke once more in tear and grabbed Mirihanna's waist and rested her head on her belly. The white haired girl sighted and patted gently her head, comforting her.

An hour after, Chunhyang, Sakura and Syaoran left the house to get some information on the feather. Mirihanna was now climbing a small wooden stair with a box of nails while listening to some loud knocks.

"Remind…me…why… I'm fixing…someone's…house!" Said Kurogane between knocks on the wooden roof. Mirihanna got to the top and placed the box near Kurogane who mumbled thanks.

"Because Chunhyang-Chan offered us shelter for tonight! That's the last thing we could do to thank her!" Fai said placing another wooden board near the hole. Mirihanna jumped down from the stairs to get a new board.

"But, it's amazing the she lives here alone." Said Kurogane making a small break from him bagging.

"Yeah… she said her mother died." Mirihanna passed the board to Fai who was just thinking about his last sentence.

"Hey…how long are we staying here anyways?!" The ninja said waving his hammer.

"That depends on Mokona!" Fai answered with a smile. Kurogane started to angrily mumble once more.

"Why the hell does that White Manju always side with that brat!"

"Because Syaoran when to find out about the feather of course!" Mirihanna looked at the two of them, arguing as usual and crossed her arms.

"But is it okay? That princess is always passing out." It was true, Sakura was still very weak to barely walk.

"It's not enough, the feathers." Started Fai. "It's only two so far. She need more until she can regain her former self."

"What do you mean?" Mirihanna asked looking at the blonde.

"She doesn't have thought of herself. That's why she came with us without asking why. Besides that, even if she regains all her memories, she'll never remember Syaoran. That was the price." Mirihanna listened carefully and gently nodded. Yuko's magic was truly powerful and effective but her own doubts still remained. The blonde sat down and looked at the broken ceiling.

"But, Syaoran will still look for them… He will still go world after world to look for the feather. Even though there are many challenges ahead." The girl sat down next to him and he gave her a small tea cup with green tea. Kurogane looked down and her blood started boiling.

"Why the hell are you two relaxed and drinking tea?!" He pointed the hammer at the two of them.

"Well, I wanted to see blacky working!" Fai said with a huge grin while Kurogane spat curses. Mirihanna sighed and took a sip of her hot tea and when the dark man was about to throw the hammer at the blonde she finally spoke.

"Kurogane-san, come down and join us, will you?" He stopped his mumbling and looked at her ready to shout but she was too fast and spoke first.

"A machine does not work without fuel." He slowly closed his mouth and gave a small 'Tsk' as usual

"Yes Kuro-po, come down a little!"

"My name is Kurogane! Stupid mage…always calling names…freaking stupid guy…" Fai and Mirihanna heard while he was climbing down. Fai was leaning on his hand, Mirihanna sat on her normal kneed position and Kurogane finally reached them, crossing his legs and supporting his weigh on his knees. Fai gave him a teacup and they all sat there quietly for a while.

"So Mia-Chan! Tell us more about you!" The mage broke the sacred silence. The white haired girl looked up at the young man and raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"Well I was thinking, since you're so shy and barely speak, this would be a great opportunity to get to know you!" Kurogane quietly sighted regretting his decision. Mirihanna rested the teacup on her lap.

"I am not shy. I'm just not as lively as you." She said with a small smile. The mage kept looking at her, hooping to get some info out of her. She sighed and surrender.

"What do you wish to know of me?"

"Tell us about yourself! What were you doing before this trip?" He said, hugging his knees like a child waiting for a bedtime story. Mirihanna pondered for a minute. She didn't felt ready to speak of such events. Fai and Kurogane seemed to notice her vibrant green eyes turning into a blank expression.

"I…I was travelling through many countries." She said with a cracked voice. The two men stayed quiet, not wanting to push her any further. The girl looked at the ground with the teacup in front of her cherry lips. Memories were filling her memories and she started to space out in her thought.

She ran as fast as she could. The sun was now setting. After passing a dozen of abandoned ruins, she finally arrived at the Emperor's castle. From the outside, it looked like dark and tall ruins, but everyone from their race knew that inside laid a home, heavily protected.

The sun was setting, Mirihanna quickly ran up the stairs to the top of the ruins were a huge stone beastly creature guarded the door.

"Bei-Ren, arise." She said in a tone of panic. The statue's eyes snapped opened and looked directly at her. At the sight of the girl, it bowed.

"My Lady…"

"Not now Bei-Ren! Call all the guardians and warn the troops. We are under attack." She said in a demanding tone.

"How dares to do such thing?" It said in an eco.

"Mortals." She simply said full of anxiety. The creature closed its eyes in anger.

"Yes my Lady…" It said and disappeared in a cloud of black smoke. She then, with the wave of her hand, opened the stone hatch on the ground and enterer the castle running down the dark stairs into the subterranean lair. Bei-Ren was a fast one. Already inside she could see the guardians, fully armed leaving the barracks and gathering for the attack.

There was a lot of movement, all the servants were running about and the guardians were everywhere in the entrance of the castle and more were gathering in every direction through the tunnels. Citizens were also gathering from every direction. She looked up and saw dark spirits gathering as well, swirling madly on the rocky ceiling. Spirits were welcome in her race, and were living in harmony with them. Mirihanna froze in place. She could not believe the commotion before her eyes. Inside her home she always felt safe but now she was felling trapped and terrified. What could the mortals possible what from them? They always avoid contact with them, preferring a calm and rich life by themselves and the spirits. Humans always forget the soul and spirit. They were vicious, materialist and selfish being.

"My Lady!" She heard one of her maids cry, snapping her out of thoughts. She quickly turned, still confused by the panic installed. The humble maid with long fair hair gently grabbed her hands, shaking them.

"My Lady –" She repeated, "The Emperor is calling you." Mirihanna stared at her still in shock. She always loved her gentle maids. They were always kind, lovable and serene. But this maid had the eyes of pure fear.

"The mortals are everywhere M'lady. They've attacked the South of the tunnels."

"They broke the South seal?..." Mirihanna asked in misbelieve. The subterranean city had four main entrance sealed with magic and protected with stone spirits.

"True, M'lady. They invaded two hours ago; we just got the news from an injured messenger. It is horrible M'lady." She said with teary eyes.

"W-what said he?" She fearfully asked looking straight into the maid's eyes.

"This a massacre. They let no one alive!" Her heart was beating strongly. She realized that they were trapped mice in the city.

"You must go M'lady." She rushed her, gently pushing her to the direction of the great hall. Mirihanna gripped her hands.

"Come with me." She almost begged. "Y-you'll be safe with me!" The maid let down a single tear.

"I can not." She started biting her lower lip. "My sisters…they live on the main roads of the South…it is not far from here. I have to go get them!" Mirihanna's eyes widened. Around them she could hear the cries of several women and children that were looking for shelter. In a distance, she could hear some guards saying the reports from the West.

"But it is to dangerous!" She begged once more "You might die!" The humble maid made a small honest smile to the girl and softly responded.

"Then I shall die with the ones I love." Mirihanna stood silent for seconds.

"You must go M'lady!" She maid plead pushing her once more. Mirihanna released her hands slowly and backed away slowly never stop looking at her maid.

"May the Gods be with you…" She finally said running to the South tunnel.

Mirihanna watched until she could not see her anymore. A loud blast was announced on one of the tunnels. 'I must go' she mentally said to herself but her feet betrayed her. What was going to happen to all her people?

The guardians rushed to the sound of the blast only to meet dozen of mortals soldiers and magicians. 'I must go' She said once more but not one muscle moved. She saw blood being splattered everywhere and heard the cries of the mothers protecting their children against the mortals. The guardians used their magic. Fire and thunder were visible in the air, but they were outnumbered. Their screams were daggers in her heart.

"I must go…" She said in a whisper and a firm grip caught her wrist.

"Lets GO!" She heard and was firmly pushed into running. Ryu with his sword in his hand and covered with blood and cuts, was now rushing through the hallways into the direction of the Emperor. Mirihanna couldn't speak; she just let herself being dragged. In a distance, she could hear their cries and screams fading away, but her memory could not be erased.

It was the first time she had seen such terror. The first time she felt real danger. In all the peaceful decades she lived, that day was the first time she feared for her life.

"Mia-Chan?" She heard the blonde's voice, snapping her out of her thoughts. She looked into his deep blue eyes and noticed that the men's attention were entirely on her. She cleared her throat and gently placed the tea on the floor. She slowly sat up and gave a weak smile.

"If you'll excuse me, I'll go get some fresh air." She said and quickly left the room in silence, not even bothered to get an answer from her friends.

Kurogane, who was silently drinking the tea, finally spoke to the mage.

"This girl is another problem."

"Ah don't say bad things about Mia-Chan, Kuro-pi…"

"She has a wound that did not scare." He said interrupting Fai who now had a serious expression. He slightly nodded.

"It's true. Mia-Chan seems to be unstable. She seems to be a charming young lady with a good heart. And yet, she restrains herself from others. Something from her past must have truly marked her for life…"

"Maybe it has to do something about her wish to the witch."

"Yeah… she wished to save her people. I wonder what she meant with it."

"Whatever it might be…" Kurogane strongly started "She's far from ready to open herself." Fai looked at his teacup with Mirihanna's in his thoughts. He sensed that there was so much more in her that they didn't know.

"Heh… I guess we all have our reasons." Kurogane stayed in silence, not wishing to go any further with the conversation.

Outside, Mirihanna stood on the open green fields were the wind was softly blowing. She slightly hug herself and looked into the sky trying to hold her tears. She was trying hard to restrain her memories. She hated her wicked mind for having them. She wished a thousand times for all her memories from the past to somehow disappear. She wished that she could just rip them apart like a page of a book and throw them into the fire, not leaving a single trace. But life itself proved her that things are never easy. In the end, she swallowed her tears. She couldn't perceive herself that she was weak. She had to stay strong and keep a clear mind in order to achieve her wish. But then again, how could she look for something she did not know its shape or place? Her people were slowly dying. Suffering by each minute. And she was simply waiting for an opportunity to save them, away from harm.

It was that or the rest of her years running and hiding until a fatal day. She slowly sighted and rubbed her temples with her index fingers trying to release the small headache she was having.

She just had to be patience…and hope her wish would come true.