Blue Kitsune: I do not own Avatar, InuYasha or whatever else I may use in my story. Please Read and Review!

Chapter Two

In between the dimension of the universes lies three that separate themselves differently: the mortals world, the spirits realm and the yokai kingdom, time was different with them that spread itself beyond the border of them all.

Two whole years have passed in the world for the demons though many had lived longer to see more than just two compared to centuries while in the other worlds, the mortal would only be by a few months and the spirit realm was never changing.

Ryoko was sitting shaded and cool under a large nettle tree, close to where the stream was, the blades of grass tickling her bare legs while the rare twittering of birds broke the silence every once in a while but didn't bother her at all. The wind blew gently, ruffling the leaves to fall upon her and she used one hand to brush them away and smooth out the long knotted high ponytail she kept while staying in her position.

Breath deep…in…out…in…clear everything from your mind… She was to keep it free from any wandering thoughts, nothing was to penetrate or disrupt her concentration. She had to find an inner base to store the energy inside, to keep her conscious from being polluted by possibilities that could cloud her better judgment and see through whatever enemy she might face and conquer in the battle against her opponent.

Channel the energy within…let your body gather the chi and form it to your whim…

This exercise she practice was designed to attain her ability and perform her techniques in the peace and sound of mind with no one to disturb or distract her. This was her favorite spot to go and do her mediation in peace beside the garden and shrine at her family's manor. The tranquility she found here helped focus her mental energy and brought spiritual enlightenment to her, very Zen, very appropriate.

Breath in…out…in… Ryoko inhaled, the musky smell of what the wind brought to her, smelling the scent of the forest, the valleys over the mountains and a far, and hearing from the flow of the roaring brook to the faded drumbeat of her heart's own steady beating inside her chest.

Let your mind relax and drift…Find the inner harmony…Center your focus upon a peaceful memory that comes to you…

She did, allowing herself to see those times when she was young, running through the garden with her mother and attendants in their brightly colored yukatas, tailing behind watching her, smiling while she played and laughter surrounding her.

But time went fast and she had grown older with each passing spring, becoming more beautiful and lovely like her okasan and more powerful and stronger like her otosan with each experience and lessons her senseis taught to with the passing solstice, all leading up to this.

She lay down on her back, her hands behind her head and stare through the foliage of the branches and leaves overhead. Once a beautiful orange red shade where the sun once was setting over the eastern horizon now a vibrate violet-blue. The stars were out, shining bright were the constellations of her ancestors like sparkling diamonds across the darken sky and thought of the day that was to come the next evening.

The celebration to honor the year of the Dragon solstice that happened every few centuries with all four celestial guardians of the four kingdoms but also in part for she would become at sixteen springs of age, a full mature grown woman and daughter of Lord Seiryu, the prodigy heir to be deemed as the one-day future ruler to the kingdom.

I should feel excited that this is to be held for me and soon in another few years or maybe centuries even, Otosan will let me rule his kingdom in his stead. But then why…why doesn't it feel right…

She closed her eyes and the peaceful memories she was seeing were slowly diminishing and transforming into a different scene, a scene she seen one too many times from the dream that had been recurring after the new moon twelve and one nights ago.

There was fire everywhere, surrounding her where she stood and hear the terrifying screams of those in pain or dying around her but couldn't see them within the flames. The acrid stench of blood being freshly spilled on the ground and burning flesh hit her nostrils strongly that it made her want to retch. She could feel and almost taste the fear, the hate the panic, coating her tongue, leaving an awful taste. The lust for chaos and destruction, to destroy everything in its path to ashes seem so real to her that she could have felt the lick of those flames touch her and scorch her skin with its fiery blaze if she had wanted to.

Soon she was floating above the hellfire pit and saw below a sea of people, millions of faces she had never seen before but strangely notice a few that were brought to her attention to remember later when she woke up.

She heard voices but couldn't understand what they were saying, it seem to been mostly shouting and cheering when she saw a rectangle arena in the center and in that ring were two fighters on both ends, their heads bowed then standing up, dropping their ceremonial cloaks to the ground and turn around, waiting in battle stance to fight against their opponent.

She watched as one of the fighters, whose face and body were hidden but could tell his built massive than the others, walking in slow strides towards the other, his shadow stretching across the platform. His form was monstrous and gave an air of danger and she turn to glance at his opponent.

A boy younger than her age, maybe by a year or two, but not even close to being a man yet, stood there staring across the room, his handsome young face written with disbelief and horror. He then kneels to the ground in surrender. She could have sworn she heard him say something and hover down closer to stand near and see him admit defeat.

"Please, father, I only had the fire nation's best interest at heart! I'm sorry I spoke out of turn… I meant you no disrespect. I am your loyal son…"

It should have been enough when he asked for mercy but his father didn't pay any heed to his plead, demanding him to stand up and fight for his honor and still refused.

"…I won't fight you…" She then heard him spoke in a voice with no emotions, no mercy towards his son whatsoever that made her froze at the cruelty of his words.

"You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher." She saw the boy lift his head, hot tears streaking down his cheeks, his eyes showing fear for what was to befall him as to what his father would do to him. She felt pity and despair towards him, her eyes rimming with her own tears that threaten to fall while she heard her voice calling out, either for him or herself to not look, 'Look away, look away!'

But it was too late, his father lifting his fist, a ball of fire burning hotly in his hand, and struck out towards his own son. Watching the inflaming blaze burn away the left side of his face and hear the heart-wrenching scream. That cry of torture, and painful agony echo off the walls and she desperately wanted to close her eyes and covered her ears and wake up from this horrifying nightmare, not wanting to see anymore of this.

But she couldn't…and could only stand there and watch the scene before her very eyes, ingrate it into her mind just like the fire that scarred the boy.

When it was over, the dying scream diminished and the boy disappearing from the scene, she saw the man turn around, his eyes, the only one she could see from the shadows, molten amber in the firelight but rimming over red as they hungered for more blood, and saw him staring directly at her, small and frozen in place and saw him approaching towards her.

This man, no she couldn't even call him that, not with the aura she sense that grew and pulse with demonic energy as dark as any yokai she knew that could have such power. Like her otosan and even with all her years of capability training that she should not have any problems standing against, but all her energy was sapped away, staring hypnotic at his deadly glowing eyes, feeling weak and helpless and for the first time she felt true fear strike her soul.

Run! Run for it! Her conscious was telling her and she tried to but her legs refuse to budge, incapable to help her escape as he move closer, closing in for the kill, his fist were still on fire as he came forward and watch in growing terror as he punched it straight towards her.

The only thing she could do was open her mouth and relent a bloodcurdling scream that no one could hear but herself and echoed inside her head while the flames burn and melt the flesh off her face, blood spilling out and the singe of her bones...

Ryoko open her eyes, gasping for breath as she clutched her rapid beating chest, feeling her heart strike against her ribcage, her clothes sticking to her skin, drench in cold sweat. She must have fallen asleep while she was recalling the dream. The dream, the fire, the people, the father versus his son, him attacking her…

Her hands hovered over her face, wanting to touch her skin to see if he did leave his terrible mark on her just like he did to his son, even though it had been a dream but still had to make sure to assure herself that it was.

She went to the river and looked down at her reflection, checking the left side, from the cheekbone to around her eye and visa versa the other side, and saw no marred skin or scarred tissue and no blood stuck to her fingers where she touch and pulled them away staring at her still clean tips and letting out a sigh of relief.

"Oh thank Kami…thank the mighty lord of Seiryu." She dipped her hands in the water and splashed them on her face, cool and refreshing against her warm skin.

Troubling this dream was, she wondered as to why she kept having this unusual vision, what purpose did it have to do with or serve her?

And that boy, the one who begged for mercy and instead was given none, why was his face so hauntingly familiar to her when she had no relation to? It frighten and confused her terribly because she didn't know who he was but knew he had to be linked to her somehow in a way she was unsure of herself as it was impossible.

Or was it? Thinking for the millionth time as to why she kept pondering this, longer than she should, even after what her parents told her.

She had told them the first time she had the dream and they discussed it for in private a long while, saying that dreams were possible a mere imagination she made up in her head or at least that's what her otosan had said when she tried to further explain that it hadn't seem that way to her, that she had seem and smell the fire, heard the voice, saw a father-son duel and the father turning into some monster and attacking her.

But he hadn't given her a chance and told her to forget it, that it was the end of their discussion. Her okasan on the other hand thought differently and in the privacy of her bedchamber with the two of them alone, spoke her theory and believed that this 'vision' happened for many reasons, possible happened now or soon, but couldn't tell her exactly what it was.

She felt a great surge of hope lost and disappointment filling its place because she thought they or at least her okasan would give her an answer and make this stop. Her okasan had seen the crestfallen look and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder making her gaze up and heard her say that it was meant for her to find out, meaning she had to find the answer herself on her own.

The dreams were ever repeating and she tried to follow her mother's advice, to find some clues and put the pieces together on this puzzling vision as to what this was and why it had to do with her. But she had no such luck to finding out the truth behind it, only leading her more confused and more frustrated with each passing sleep. Somehow this became so tiring she wanted to just plainly forget about it but couldn't push it from her mind, even now as somehow a vivid feeling she wasn't able to put her finger on but knew that she might be closer than she realized.

She sighed, taking five long deep breathes and becoming calm once again, her heart no longer racing like crazy and stood up after sitting in a still position for three hours straight and stretched her body out, hearing the crack in her stiff shoulders and rubbed them tenderly.

"Well I better get going then. Okasan will be worried sick if she doesn't see I'm home before dinner starts and knowing her, she'll have all the servants in the household running amok searching for me."

She turned around and bowed towards the tree where she had sat quietly under, "Thanks again for your help Bokusen'on-san I really appreciate with what you did for me today. Helping me focus my mediation, it's always nice to have some company every once in a while don't you agree."

She watched the bark of the tree transfigured, molding features and transformed into a wizen old face with a somewhat crooked nose, opening his half shut eyes and yawned sleepy, "It was the least I could do for you Ryoko-san. And like you said you best run along home."

Ryoko gave Bokusen'on a sly know-it-all grin, her eyes glittering with anticipation in their depths, "Who said anything about running." And taking another deep breathe and concentrated her energy and focus.

She felt her body shift, welcoming the pain that came with it as the bones break and mend into new positions, twisting and stretching, her torso lengthen and thicken until she is twice as large her form. Her skin tightens and turns into scales that armored her entire body, giving a silvery gleam in the faint moonlight. Her back swelled then split open to allow her wings to extend and unfold, beating down on the ground, throwing gust of wind.

Sharp talons emerge and replace her hands and feet turned to claws. She snapped her jaw as fangs elongated from her mouth and ran her tongue over them giving a slick ivory shine. A powerful long tail grew and lash out, feeling it crack like a whip in the open.

When the transformation was complete, she opened her eyes, enjoying the moment for herself before standing on her hindquarters and sped off, taking flight with the mighty flaps of her wings in the air, flying back towards the castle, her silhouette dark against the white moon.

"Ryoko where have you been, Lady Yuki-onna has been searching everywhere for you? Do you even know what time it is? It's near the hour of the boar and you are very much running it short with yourself right now you hear!" Katachi, one of the ladies-in-waiting and her best friend said, scowling as Ryoko flew in, running forward onto the veranda and slowly became a trot and walked towards her bedchamber and notched, making the paper and lattice door slide open with her clawed talons and Katachi followed behind her.

Ryoko transformed back, ignoring the ache in her bones as they relocate into position or how the stretching of her muscle and skin seem so dry, covered in scales before becoming smooth and silky again like it was. The tiny prickles of hair appear all over where they had been and undid the bindings on her ponytail and shook the waist-length hair free, raking her fingers through her scalp. She looked behind to see Katachi come in and slide the door close behind them, waiting for her to explain on her almost late arrival.

"Well why were you gone for so long? You know how agitated Lady Yuki-onna gets when she's looking for you and you're like this!" Ryoko looked down at herself, taking first time notice of her appearance since she got home. She was covered from head to toe in dirt and bits of grass sticking to her and could smell the faint odor of sweat on her skin and clothes. Lucky the other scents like, fear that always came with her aftermath of the dream was back in the woods and had probably been swept by the wind and when she flew back home. But Katachi was still questioning her, "What happened? You look like you've been wrestling with a pack of wild saru yokais or something."

Or something was right. Ryoko hated when someone asked her on her whereabouts and what she had been doing. It was worse than okasan's. No rephrase that, her okasan's was ten times worse than Katachi's, at least she could not tell her the exact deal without having to be caught in the act or be interrogate the whole time for that matter, given a stern lecture and such that followed every time with her okasan.

"I was only doing some training and had decided to take a small nap by the river and forgot the time while I took to stargaze and see if any good fortune was going to come tomorrow evening at the banquet, you know for the Dragon solstice just for precaution sakes."

She hated lying to her but she didn't want to burden anyone about her worries and give trouble before the celebration tomorrow. Saying what she had to gaze at the stars as only many of their elder brethren believed the constellations revealed in different property of prophetic signs from their long ago ancestors that descended the skies centuries ago.

And Katachi believed those stories, which made the lie easier for her to swallow as her okasan had told her about them along with other stories, like their yokais bloodline and heritage, even though with half her blood being human.

Katachi was born a hanyo, a half breed yokai, one of the few lower statures to those of high purity and weren't always look to potential standards or in society and gotten position like this in life of servitude. Though few were born lucky to at least inherit some trait from their yokai's side.

Many didn't like the idea of having their blood tainted by someone as lowly as those of a mortal.

Katachi never saw her human father at all, even as an infant while her mother never spoke of him ever, possibilities that he had abandon her when he found out what she really was and never wanted to see her or the child they had in fear of having a half monster or never got the chance to tell him she was pregnant and left before she could to raised her child here instead as nobody could ever find to expect caring a half human-yokai in a world full of mortals where they would be shunned and hated for their kind.

Ryoko didn't care for the whole blood standards or purity idea like others did as her mother taught her to be opened mind and treat with utmost respect and equality with everyone she came to come in contact with and became fast friends with the hanyo girl when they first met.

Katachi was a shapeshifter on her mother's side of a once very proud family of shifters. Lady Asagao, her great-grandmother, could take on the form of any yokai, creature, mortal, anyone she desired while Katachi had only been able to change a couple times but not to her full potential. It had been rumor to say that the bloodline had thinned after Katachi's mother had taken a human as her mate, giving shame, disgrace and embarrassment to her kin to which saw to disown her and her bastard half-breed whelp.

Ryoko always kept encouraging Katachi to keep trying, being supportive as she could, saying that she would one day mastered her abilities just taking enough time and practice to get it there. She knew she had to go through the same thing herself when her family wanted her instructors to teach besides reading, calligraphy, history, mathematics, philosophy to mastering sword fighting, unarmed combat and using elements and techniques for better purposes.

Ryoko went behind a folding screen where she removed the rest of her clothes, dropping them to the floor or hung them over the panel for the maids to pick up later and headed to another room to where the granite square sunken tub surrounded by a raised floor of wooden slats. The torrent of water poured from an ingenious mechanic on the side of the wall, hidden by a slight notch to be pulled and filled the bath with steaming hot water, waiting just for her as she step in and allowing it to soak her tired muscles.

Five ladies-in-waiting came in and went to scrub her body and hair, lathering and conditioning it in water lilies and lotus blossoms. After they finished and were dismiss for Ryoko to rinse and remove the soap and enjoy the perfumed water with the sweet smelling petals floating on the surface.

She climb out of the bath and the maids return with towels to wring the water and dried her properly while rubbing fragrant scented oils into her hair and skin. She was dressed in a soft white kimono and led to sit down by a small table with a polished silver mirror, clustered around with brushes, combs, hair ornaments and jars of makeup on top.

She stared at her reflection while the maids went to combing out the knots from her wet hair and styling it the way she liked it.

Her skin was not pale like those who spend most of their days inside away from the sun while she practically lived it out in the open by running, swimming and training and in time had darken and tanned to a golden bronze that made her exotic-looking among her kind. Her hair, caressing the small of her back like silk against satin, was blue-black like her mother's only she had highlights of twilight blue, fiery red and amethyst violet when the light shone on them.

But it was her eyes that made everyone become captivated by her cerulean blue orbs the way they changed depending on her mood or would shift and dance with different colors of the seasons. When she was deep in thought or feeling conflict dwell within, the blue would darken and swirl with silver-gray like a coming storm cloud, fiery red gold like a volcano eruption or white like a frozen tundra when she was angry. Most of the time they remained their natural hue and not many had eyes like hers only with the exception of her mother's that were a darker color but it was not unknown to mortals but had yet to see one.

She heard stories about them along with everything else that she was to study about the other realms beside the one she lived in. She was taught and trained in everything she needed to know for she would be passed the duties to take charge and rule over this side of the kingdom when the time came.

Her fingers moved to touch her the base of her collarbone, seeing underneath her robe the black intricate shape of the dragon, circling around twice like a choker on her neck and moving further down to end right above her left breast. A strange mark one she felt most proud of to which reminded her of her heritage and family.

The maids wrapped another dress, a sea-blue silk kimono printed with pale green ivy leaves and a necklace of silk blue to cover her mark, though she would at times prefer to leave it out in the open. They placed her hair in a knotted bun, using two ivory-gold sticks to hold it in place, some strands fell out while her bangs hang in front.

Another servant came in, bowing towards her as she step into her chambers. "Milady, supper is ready and his lord and lady wish to speak with you…" Ryoko nodded while she looked over to Katachi then to the servant again, "Tell them I shall be there momentarily and thank you for relying this to me."

"Hai as you wish Ryoko-hime." And left followed by the others as they finished, bowing to their princess and went outside the room. Ryoko saw her friend was still there, knowing she had been asked not to leave but stay for a moment to talk, "Katachi, we had barely time to catch up on your practices with all this happening to getting ready for the celebration these past few days. Why don't we see to it to review your shapeshifting skills tomorrow? At the hour of the Dog after my morning training."

Katachi nodded, "Hai, if that is what you wish, Ryoko but we best finish early before the banquet starts and get you ready by then, you know that every yokai in this part of the kingdom will be coming."

"Of course, where will the banquet be if one of the guest of honor didn't show and end up missing the fun of it?" They walked out together on the veranda and headed to the dining room where the lady and her lord awaited and the two stopped as Ryoko and Katachi gave them a proper bow before the entrance, "Ohayo Seiryu-sama, Yuki-onna-sama…"

The dragon lord didn't look up from his tea but lady Yuki-onna saw her daughter with her friend, greeting them both, "Good to see you join us this evening Ryoko-chan."

"Hai as of to seeing you both, honorable Otosan, Okasan." She said and bowed respectively before her parents and Katachi left the three of them alone as she entered.

Ryoko took her seat opposite her parents as the servants came in, carrying platters of food and dinner was served and the drinks were poured in the ceramic urn cups.

Almost halfway finished and not much had been spoken throughout the meal and Ryoko felt awkward but kept quiet unless her okasan or okasan addressed her on whatever was at hand and thought they were somehow avoiding it in their silent matter.

Finally lady Yuki-onna look towards her husband as if asking request permission to speak what was on her mind and he nodded as he took a small sip of his sated warm tea, "Ryoko-chan, your Otosan and I have been discussing and wanted to ask you something very important, remember when you told us about your dream, did you have them again? The one you had few nights ago?"

Ryoko, who had a piece of sashimi to her mouth, lowered her chopsticks and looked to her parent, surprised they would ask her about it when they had told her to forget it? She looked from one to the other, both looked so different in her perspective like everyone's, the opposite of them.

Her Okasan was kind and gentle while her Otosan was fierce and powerful but all the same their loyalty and love for one another brought them together to be one. Ryoko saw her otosan's eyes boring into her as well did her okasan's.

Did they found out something about the dream to maybe give her the answer she had been looking for, for the meaning behind it? New expectation rose inside her but still had to not keep herself in check as she nodded slowly, not wanting to put her hopes too high, "Hai, the same one, the one with the fire, death inside those flames and—"

"And the unfamiliar faces that spins around you, a duel going on between a father and son and the man coming forward and tries to 'harm' you that isn't really a mortal it seem, isn't that correct Ryoko?"

Ryoko surprised but shouldn't been as she saw her okasan look almost guilty for telling her husband everything but nodded, wondering if now they knew. She listen patiently as her mother cleared her throat, catching every word she said, "I went to visit Yogensha this afternoon and asked her what your future might hold. She check the stars and told me that there would be big changes coming and that you would find the meaning behind your dreams very soon. Answers that only you would have to find the key from."

Ryoko almost rose from her seat as she spoke, in a tone that gave out her disappointment in not getting the answer she wanted, "But surely you must have an idea on what this mean, I mean this is odd indeed, maybe if I paid her a visit myself, then I will understand it better."

"Perhaps, perhaps…" She didn't seem like her usual self but it was odd to hear the strange tone in her voice, tired and solemn and her father, he was being so quiet while he not looking towards them, more interest in his cup of tea but knew he didn't miss what she heard.

She looked to both her parents with concern, worried something was terribly wrong, "Okasan, okasan what is the matter, is there something you're not telling me, not letting me know? Does it have anything to do with me, about what Yogensha told you about Okasan?" She watched her mother shake her head dismally but her father spoke for her, setting his tea down without really taking any sip from the still full cup.

"No Ryoko-chan, it's just that we had a busy day and we're all just a bit stress and exhausted that the council has been a bit havoc for the past couple days. Remember tomorrow you have to be ready for your banquet and you must show your utmost respect towards everyone."

"Hai I will." She said but couldn't push her suspicion aside as they finished in silence and said goodnight to one another, heading off in different directions to their chambers, well her mother was while her father went to go work in his private studies for some time alone before heading off to bed to join his wife.

Ryoko laid in her futon, unable to sleep as she wondered why her parents were acting so different, her okasan so withdrawn and sullen and her otosan so distracted and not wanting to further discuss the issue, both of them didn't seem their selves. Maybe they were told some grave news over something? She hope it didn't have to do with either one, they both seem to be able to live another hundred years or more. Perhaps if she asked tomorrow, she would find out what she needed and closed her eyes and fell in a restless sleep.

Ryoko woke before the sun rose the next morning, sensing inside her biology clock the change of the night leaving and dawn coming from the west and got up before the faint light enter the room and step towards the bathroom to relieve and draw a bath for her. Katachi arrived when Ryoko was getting dressed for her morning spar.

A short blue kimono with purple stitching and a pink sash wrapped securely around her waist and pulling her hair up in a high ponytail and Katachi went to the other side of the room and return carrying two practice swords.

She sheathed both to her side, ready and able in each hand when withdrawn from their scabbards and headed outside into the open courtyard to the training area where two of her sparring partners were waiting. She got into the circle and stood in battle stances and they followed and copy her position.

"All right, let's get started shall we and I don't want you two to go each on me this time, got it?" She didn't have to wait long for her answer as they faced off each other, one versus two and attacked at once, lunging at her with both swords drawn. She dodge the first move, unsheathing hers and slash the blades from one to the other, from front and back, side to side.

They moved fast like lightning, their blades whistling in the air, whipping and clashing their swords in fast curves to hit a blow on her but she steadily parried and kept her hold over her weapons while attacking with ferocious swordplay that drove the two to back away, trying to keep their guard up and attack as she did the same as well.

This went on for quite a while, an hour or so before she decided to finish it off with a killing blow. She jumped on one's shoulder and used his body against the other before turning her blade around and used the hilts on their stomachs to knock them both and held her swords at their throats, the tips pointed threatening at their collars and moving slightly down to their chests.

"Do you immediately surrender?" They did and she helped them up while Katachi who waited patiently watching the fight, came down to join them.

"Well that was certainly short, but at least gives us enough time to practice your shapeshifting now." Katachi handed Ryoko a towel to pat dry her face and skin from the sweat.

"Hai it would seem so, maybe they didn't want to tire you out before tonight." Ryoko gave her a look, "Kidding only kidding, I'm sure it's just something else. They certainly tried their best but you outmatched them." Smiling sheepishly before clearing her throat and saying, "So where shall we practice, here then?"

Ryoko shook her head, "No not here, better the field or by the river because you have to be relax and not have your body so tense or uptight otherwise the change won't come to you at all."

"Oh I see…" They headed off to the valley, not too far from where the river was before Ryoko turn to her 'pupil' and said, "All right, first off, you have to think positive and keep your mind clear and focus on changing your body into any creature you want, like so."

She showed her how it was by transforming herself into her yokai form. Her body shifted and swelled, her skin turning to silvery scales and her hands and feet with long sharp claws and horns sprouting on top of her head and long wispy whiskers appeared on her lengthen face with sharp fangs and snorting steam through her nostrils, her wings flapping on the ground. There stood a large serpent dragon, with silvery-white scales, a mane of blue-green on her head and down her back and tail, blue eyes looking down at the girl before the dragon shifted back into Ryoko, "Now you try it."

They practice for hours on shifting, trying to at least have Katachi change completely after finding her entire skin turn gray or having longer nails on her hands and feet or teeth in her mouth, before it was the setting sun and had to return to the manor to get ready.

Ryoko went to her room where all her attendants were waiting for her and brought to the bathroom and was being scrubbed down from head to toe, removing any unwanted dirt she gotten, feeling like her skin and scalp was being grated off as they scrubbed furiously.

Once she was cleaned and toweled dried, they dressed her in a fresh dress for the banquet, a stunning red-orange kimono to match a sunset or a blazing fire that sheen and shimmer in the light with beautiful cherry blossoms delicately gracing the front and on the hem of her sleeves and tying a gold obi behind and around her waist.

Her hair was don up in a bun with her bangs framing her face while the maids finished arranging elaborated fire lilies and jeweled gold and ruby combs to hold it in place.

They work on her face, painting it white, though she would have like it without the makeup, with light blush on her cheek and red on her lips to make them bloom and blossom and her eyelids with blue-violet to bring out her eyes. They wrapped a red satin choker with a pendant of the dragon crest around her neck.

When everything was finished and all set, the attendants were dismissed and went to go fulfill their other duties for the night and she herself, left her room and walked down the platform to wait by the doors, holding the gold gild fans in hand to her face, outside the awaiting room of the banquet, listening to her father make the grand speech to everyone before the gong was rung three times, announcing her to their presences as the doors slide open.

Everyone's heads turn to see her and watched as she lowered the fans, allowing everyone to see and walked into the room, keeping cautious steps and not trying to let her nerves get the best of her and approached her mother and sit next to her. She felt a cool hand grabbed hers and looked to see her mother stare assuring she did all right and had to return the smile. She could feel their eyes on her but chose to not look their way and listen to her father speak as he rose from his seat and brought everyone's attention to him.

"Tonight, after sixteen springs, we celebrate not only the year of the Dragon Solstice to which has brought much peace and prosperity to us all within our other kingdom rulers, Byakko, Suzaku, Genbu and myself. My daughter, Ryoko, the princess of the east kingdom is of age and soon to be more when she will one day rule over this land and hope you show and give her the same honored respect as you did for us and our ancestors before."

He raised a goblet and everyone followed suit, "To a blessed life and good fortune for our kind and may we live for eternity in this world and beyond." Everyone agree and the banquet started with the feast, drinking the finest sake in the land, the talk and the jokes, the music played on the samisen, flute and drum, dancing while Ryoko was being showered with praises and lavished gifts from their homelands and then had the servants take them to her chambers.

Before the evening was finish and all the guest were about ready to head back home, a frazzled servant came rushing in, his eyes showing fear as he shouted for everyone to hear, "We're being attack! Outsiders are attacking the East Kingdom!"

Definition Japanese/English Meanings:

Hebi-Snake

Yokai-Demon (In a dictionary it's akurei but I used the one from the InuYasha series, but if you like this too let me know)

Yuki-onna-Snow woman (I'll give description of her if anyone wants)

Shijin-Four Guardian Beast (I'll give information on those too.)

Seiryu-Blue Dragon Guardian of the East

Hai-Yes

Okasan-Mother

Otosan-Father

Ryoko-Huntress

Kami-God

Yukatas-informal summer wear

Sensei(s)-teacher/instructor

Bokusen'on- grandfather wizard nettle tree

-San-Mr.; Mrs.; Ms.

Katachi-Shifter

Hanyo-half demon/half human

Asagao-Morning Glory

-Chan-used as a pet name for kids

Futon-bedding

Yogensha-fortuneteller

Obi-belt

Byakko-White Tiger guardian of the West

Suzaku-Red Bird (Phoneix) guardian of the South

Genbu-Black Warrior (Turtle with A Snake ((weird I know but these were the guardians) guardian of the North

The dragon form of Ryoko/Katara is like Haku from Spirited Away. If you have never seen Spirited Away go to Google or Yahoo and type in 'Spirited Away: Haku' you'll get it if you see it.