Chapter 1

Arrival

Her alarm beeped, 8:35 am, she hit the snooze button, a trans-Atlantic flight and she was still tired, why did she agree to let her folks send her to Japan? Her mother had let her stay with a family friend of theirs while she was in the country, but she was in luck, her three best friends were allowed to come, two of her friends, Anne and Mary were already in the country, but her third friend had yet to arrive.

"Selena, are you getting up?" she heard a older female voice call out to her.

"Dear, the girl went through a trans-Atlantic flight, can't you let her sleep a bit longer?" an older male voice told her.

"She's suppose to meet her friends soon, I just want to make sure she gets up, I don't want her to be late," the female voice replied.

`Wait, did she just say meet my friends?!` she thought as her mint green eyes shot open and she tossed off the blankets and as she did she shouted some choice words, but chose them very carefully.

"Fudge nutter-butter, why didn't you wake me up sooner, I'm going to be late!" shouted Selena as she grabbed some clothes and threw them on. She rushed down the stairs where her surrogate family were eating breakfast.

"Still running late? Really Selena what dose your mother say when you're in school?" asked the woman.

"Not the best time for 20 questions Ikuko, I have to meet the girls so we aren't late for work, not a good impression for my third day on the job," replied Selena, the man looked up from his newspaper.

"There's no shame in being a little late Selena, I was late my first day and so was your dad," the man told her, Selena seemed a bit annoyed as she grabbed some toast.

"I know the story Toushiro, you and dad tell me every time I'm late, I'm surprise you guys don't tell Catherine that story, she needs it more than me!" exclaimed Selena.

"I think your mother might be right, you'll be late for your own funeral," joked Ikuko.

"Oh ha ha, very funny," said Selena.

"Oh and Selena I need you to pick Yuli up after school, you told us you might be done with work by then and you said it's close by," added Ikuko.

"You know I will," answered Selena.

"And try not to be late again," Ikuko called after Selena as she ran out the door.

Selena LaRoweau average 15 year old American girl who loves music and reading, who also has a passion for fusion belly-dancing, she stays with family friends while in Japan. She lets out a high pitched whistle once she's further away from the house and what seemed like from nowhere trotted up a white Thoroughbred horse, Selena quickly mounted the horse.

"Running a bit late again are you?" the horse asked.

"Not in the mood Star, just get me to Yuko's place, I got a full plate today with her and after wards," replied Selena, Stardancer took off at a full gallop. Soon they arrived at a late 18th to early 19th century house, it seemed somewhat out of place in the large city, two other girls were standing outside of the fence, Selena's friends Adreanna and Mary were waiting for her.

"About time, thought I was going to have to tell Yuko you're sick," said Adreanna, she was the same age as Selena, about the same height, she had dark amber red hair that rested on her shoulders with one strand braided down one side, she also wore small glasses to at least show her light emerald green eyes.

"Over-slept Anne, still haven't gotten use to this time zone," said Selena, Adreanna was sometimes called Anne for short.

"You've been here for almost three weeks and you're still not use to this yet?" asked Mary, now she had dark sandy blond hair that came to her neck, Mary was also the same age as her friends but was a bit shorter than her friends and also wore small glasses like Anne to show her smoky blueish gray eyes, but had some secrets about herself that only those very closest to her know of.

"Look I got here didn't? Let's head in, she waiting for us," answered Selena. When they came to the front door it opened and out stepped a older woman in her early thirty's with straight black hair, long enough to go past her waist, her eyes were half-way closed and were a smoky pink amber, dressed in a navy blue dress adorned in pearls. Her name was Yuko Ichihara, to the three friends she was a strange woman with a lot of powerful secrets.

"Yes I am, but right now it doesn't, right now we have training and I need my shop cleaned before that," Yuko told them, her voice was a bit low but had a calming effect on most.

"Oh Yuko I almost forgot while we were waiting on Selena, this was in your mail-box, the return address is the university I work at, that's so strange," said Anne as she handed Yuko the book shaped package.

"Ah, thank you Adreanna," answered Yuko, the girls were slightly curious about the package, Yuko humored them and told them some about it.

"This is a book an old friend of mine is letting me borrow it for a while, for now cleaning and training," Yuko told them.

"Can I please work in the kitchen this time, the dust in your over-sized storage room really bothers my asthma," Anne asked.

"Knock yourself out dear, just remember after cleaning is our practice," said Yuko. The three friends often wondered what she was training them for, but shrugged it off as more for self-defense reasons, the three left to do their assigned chores, while Yuko slipped into her living room to open the package.

"About time you sent it, I'm not sure how much longer we have before...but I have a feeling their awaking is close, once the fourth one gets here all will be told, but my old friend she'll know about this soon enough, I just hope you warn her," Yuko told herself out loud as she looked at the book out of it's paper.

The book was leather bound with a black cover, showing in gold the details of the cover art, a tree with a cat's paw print in the trunk while above the tree was a crescent moon and falcon sitting on the edge of the moon.

"If I'm right and these girls are part of the key, then we might stand a chance," she added, she stepped outside and saw Anne, Selena and Mary in her backyard.

"Well I hope you girls remember the drills we ran yesterday, go over them then spar with each other, after wards cool down with meditating and connect with the elements I told you about, Mary you will connect with purity, Selena will connect with the night and Anne will be nature," Yuko told them.

"While you sit on your deck and get drunk off your ass once again," Anne pointed out, as Yuko poured herself a shot glass of sake she had saved.

"Come now, a lovely day like this deserves a good drink, now move it on your training, you have a lot to cover in a short amount of time," Yuko told them as Selena pulled her hair dark brown shoulder length back, letting a powder blue streak of her fall around her face, once their hair was tied back the girls started to spar. Yuko looked on while she drank.

The three girls stopped and caught their breath and got some water, Yuko smiled at them, inside her was so proud at how far they had come, everything she taught them sank in over the weeks.

"Great job girls, take a breather then get meditating," Yuko said to them.

"I might be cutting meditation short today Yuko," said Selena.

"Picking your little brother up from school again? Hmp, sure you can leave a bit early," replied Yuko. The three friends sat on the lawn and began to focus. Half an hour into the meditating Selena stopped to check her watch, when she saw the time she stood up to leave.

"Hope you're taking good care of that boy, I know how much he means to you," Yuko told Selena as she got ready to leave.

"He's a bit of a handful at times, but he worships the ground I walk on, besides he's sweet at times," Selena replied as she picked up her bag. "I'll see you tomorrow then, if I'm not late again," she added.

"Actually, you can take the day off tomorrow, I'll tell Anne and Mary the same thing. Just make sure your three promise one thing, if things get strange you three are to come to my house right away," said Yuko. Selena seemed a bit confused.

"I'm not sure what you mean," Selena replied, Yuko then handed her a small pouch.

"If possible slip these charms to your host parents, don't let them see it, will protect them from what is coming," Yuko told her.

"You're starting to scare me a bit," said Selena.

"All will be told in due time, for now go home and enjoy the rest of your day and evening, and remember to come here if things go haywire tomorrow," said Yuko.

"Um, okay then, see you around, don't go getting too drunk that we have to come bail out of jail again," said Selena, she waved goodbye and Yuko waved back.

`I just hope you three are ready for what's coming, we've seen the signs and know he's coming, but the four of you are part of a larger plan that will bring down a great evil that will rear it's head. I don't know how much time we have, but I just hope you'll awaken sooner rather than later. I fear this threat will find out about the powers that have been kept secret from their gaze for more than 400 years. But you have allies and are not alone in this fight, just keep in mind what you're fighting for, and why you must keep going,` thought Yuko once she was alone in her house.

Selena was in deep thought on the walk home, until a young voice snapped her out of thought.

"You alright Selena, you haven't said much since we left the school," said a young boy, this was Selena's adoptive younger brother Yuli, she looked down at him as they kept walking towards home.

"Oh I'm fine, just a lot on my mind," answered Selena.

"You didn't have a other bad day at work did you?" Yuli asked once again, Selena smiled and rubbed his head.

"No, like I told you I've got a lot on my mind, nothing you need to worry about," replied Selena.

"Last time you said that you stayed in your room once you got home, are you really sure you didn't have a bad day at work again?" Yuli told her, Selena sighed.

"Yes, you've known me since you were two so you know me better than that, and just like I told you, I've got a lot on my mind right now, besides I've got some news to tell you and your folks over dinner tonight," replied Selena with a smile.

"I hope it's not bad, last time you had news you had to go back to America," said Yuli.

"Well I assure you I'm not heading back state side yet, my mom said I'm staying a full year with you guys, she thinks a year abroad would be good for me," Selena told him. She could see they were coming up on the house.

"I'm glad you're staying a full year, things can be more fun when you're around sis," said Yuli as they entered the house.

"Oh good you two are back, Toushiro called he said he was going to be a little late with a meeting he's in so dinner will be a little late tonight," Ikuko told them.

"Sounds good, I want to catch up on some reading before dinner tonight," said Selena.

"Can you help me with some homework first sis?" asked Yuli.

"As long as it's not hard math homework sure I'll help," answered Selena.

"Just some English homework mostly, and you're pretty good with English," replied Yuli as the two settled in the living room to get started. About 30 minutes later Toushiro arrived back, the child and teen thought it good to take a break long enough for dinner, once they sat down and started to eat, Selena told them her news.

"Well, some good news for you all, my boss gave me the day off tomorrow so we can least spend the day together, and you guys said you've wanting to show me around the city," Selena told them.

"That's great! I don't think you've had a day off since you found that job, Ikuko and I both know how hard you've been working there, just what is this job again?" said Toushiro.

"It's mostly helping out at this antique store, straightening and cleaning things mostly, making sure customers don't break anything valuable, among other things," replied Selena as they ate dinner.

"Well, seeing as how Selena has the day off, we've got a busy day tomorrow," Ikuko started to tell them but Selena spaced out when her host mother was speaking, her thoughts drifted back to what Yuko had told her. What did she mean by `If things got strange` what was going to happen tomorrow? Something good or something bad? But if the charms would protect Toushiro and Ikuko she was going to take that risk.

Once dinner was done Selena helped Ikuko and Toushiro with some of the dishes, then Selena manged to sneak one charm in Ikuko's purse and quietly slipped into their bedroom while they were still downstairs. She managed to find the pants that Toushiro would be wearing tomorrow and slipped the second charm in his front pocket.

`Hope Yuko knows what she's doing,` thought Selena as she closed the door behind her then started towards her own room. She sighed once she was in her room.

"It's getting late, might as well turn in for the night," said Selena to herself. Selena changed into some pj's she had packed with her, she sat on the edge of her bed to do some coloring from some coloring books she had brought with her on the plane ride and put on her headphones to listen to some music while she did some work. She then heard a knock on her door. "Come in," said Selena as she took her headphones off, it was a Ikuko.

"Are you alright dear? You hardly said a word at dinner after you told us you were off tomorrow, you're not starting to get homesick are you?" asked Ikuko.

"N..no, I've got a lot on my mind with this job and other things," answered Selena.

"You sure you're not homesick? If you are I can call your mother and we'll arrange for you to go back state side," Ikuko told her.

"I'm NOT homesick! I just said I've got a lot on my mind, besides it would break Yuli's heart if he found out I was leaving and you of all people should know how close we are," said Selena.

"Suppose you're right, you've just seemed so...distant so to speak," said Ikuko. Selena shook her head to say no.

"I'm sorry if I was, you know I don't mean to be distant, but at times I need to be for my own reasons, you guys are like a second family to me, besides I'll never be too distant for you three," answered Selena. Ikuko drew her into a hug.

"That I'm glad to hear, now try and get some sleep, we'll be doing some shopping tomorrow, I know that might help clear your head some, and we have dinner plans at that new Turkish place you've been trying to get us to go to," Ikuko told her.

"That does sound fun, alright see you in the morning," said Selena.

"Oh and try not to sleep in too long, we'll want to get a early start," said Ikuko as she left Selena's room.

Selena turned out her light on her nightstand and as she was getting into bed she couldn't help but notice the moon, though it was in it's waxing stage the light shone as bright as a full moon. She couldn't help but feel the moonlight, it was sliverly and felt cool. There was just something about the night that seemed soothe her mind and worries, looking at the stars and moon was almost like being in a trance.

"Why do I get the feeling that something is going to happen tomorrow and it won't be good. But at least I hope that Toushiro, Ikuko and Yuli will be alright, if something happens to them I'll never forgive myself," Selena thought out-loud as she laid on her bed and felt her eye lids getting heavy. Suddenly she heard the clanging of what sounded like metal rings, then a man's voice spoke.

"Your mentor has taught you and your friends well enough, soon you four will awaken. But never let the coming darkness cloud your heart, I can see you have a strong will and your kindness shines as bright as the moon. You will find the five Ronin Warriors, you and your friends will help them and in turn they will help you with your awakening. Remember my words well child of night, until we meet in person," Selena fell into a deep sleep unaware of what would happen tomorrow.