Chapter 12 - Chapter 10 Continued Chapter 11 Starts

DaisukiFox: Please remember to check out my original story Natsu's Life if you're into the same gender bending comedy with martial arts like me and so many others! ^^ 

Later still…

Nekonron Tower was an imposing, fifteen stories tall building erected at the center of the plateau crowning the peak of Seven Luck Mountain, allowing the leaders of the clan a full view of their domain. Herb, Mint, and Lime spared a moment to look back, admiring the breathtaking view of Nekonron during the sunset, and gazing at the village built at the feet of the mountain. The river and the hills beyond it and how the orange light of the setting sun gave it all an almost magical touch. The climb may have been a boring chore, but the three young Musk royals could easily admit this spectacle alone was worth it.

"Greetings, Prince Herb," a voice said behind the young dragon, capturing his attention. The Musk warriors had to give this man credit, as he managed to approach them without making a single sound that revealed his presence.

Herb turned slowly and was met by a short, stocky, and big-eared man who was on his knee, showing him the proper respect. "Greetings… are you the second in command of the Seven?"

"That I am," the man said as he got back on his feet. "I am Ebiten, royal adviser to Prince Kirin. It is an honor to receive such distinguished guests, would you like to enjoy the view for a while longer, or would you prefer to go and meet my lord?"

"We'll meet him now," the dragon prince said. "Lead the way, Ebiten."

"Very well, please follow me."

Once inside the tower, Herb was met by two rows of soldiers standing at attention, bowing respectfully as he passed by. Ebiten then led them to a large room, where comfortable cushions, water, and rice cooked in several different ways were served on trays and, much to Mint and Lime's surprise, there were actual meats and fruit juices on the table, too.

"We prepared some food for you and your companions in case you wished to eat something before meeting Lord Kirin," Ebiten offered, standing next to a large door.

"I see you were considerate enough to cook something that's not pickled," Herb noted. "I am not hungry, but I feel my bodyguards may enjoy an early dinner."

"If they wish to eat, they are free to do so," the short martial artist said. Ebiten was nervous, but he was doing a good job hiding it and was truly hoping the food would keep the Musk happy. It had not been easy to prepare this feast on such short notice and he was extremely thankful that they always kept some 'normal' food in case important visitors arrived.

"Can we, Prince Herb?" Mint asked, remembering to use Herb's title while talking to him in front of other people.

"We would really appreciate it," Lime seconded.

"You may eat your fill," Herb allowed. "I'll probably have dinner with Kirin after we talk, so wait here until I need you. I trust my men will be treated well?"

"As well as your majesty," Ebiten promised. "Prince Kirin is waiting at the top; would you rather take the elevator, or… maybe the stairs? I'll accompany you either way."

"Elevator," the dragon prince said.

"Of course, my Lord, just a moment," the little martial arts master said, pulling a lever discreetly hidden behind a tapestry, activating the clever water-based mechanism that moved the tower's elevator up and down the edifice.

A few minutes later…

Herb walked out of the elevator and signaled Ebiten to wait. "I will talk to Kirin alone, stay here and make sure we are not disturbed."

"As you wish," the diminutive fighter said. "Prince Kirin is in the throne room, it's the large door at the end of this hallway."

The Dragon Prince nodded and without answering, made his way down the hall, reaching the door quickly. He reached with his senses and confirmed a strong presence waiting on the other side. This was the strongest power signature he had felt on Seven Luck Mountain; strong enough to impress him, as he imagined Kirin's battle aura at full power would easily be double of what he was letting out.

'It seems at least one of The Seven is a fighter worthy of notice,' Herb thought. While it was true Kirin could not compare to him or any other member of the Dragon Clan, the Nekonron noble was certainly above many Musk warriors, a truly notable feat for a normal human. 'I didn't think Kirin would progress this much in six years… I understand now why my parents respect Nekonron's royal family; they are strong enough to be our allies.'

Thinking this, Herb entered the room.

Kirin, tall and regal, waited while standing next to one of the room's many windows. As usual for him, he carried a bowl of rice in one hand and held long chopsticks in the other. He had been studying when Ebiten told him the prince of the Musk Dynasty was on his way and ordered that they were treated as honored guests once they reached his tower. Not just for his convenience, but because he knew it was the proper, diplomatic thing to do. What he had not expected was to literally feel Herb's powerful ki the moment he reached the peak of the mountain. Herb was clearly much stronger now than when they met six years before when they both were fourteen, and if he had to be honest, Kirin found the dragon prince very intimidating, as he understood now that facing Herb in battle would mean absolute, painful defeat. This was not an appealing thought, so Kirin pushed it out of his mind and instead focused on keeping things amiably with his fellow prince, after all, everything pointed at Herb wanting to discuss something that, with luck, could be beneficial for both the Musk and Nekonronians. Besides, his pride as the Prince of Nekonron demanded he remained calm, and fear was below him anyway. Thus convinced this was not a crisis as Ebiten had warned, Kirin turned to meet Herb.

"It is nice to see you again, Prince Herb," Kirin said. "What brings you to Nekonron?"

"Thank you for seeing me unannounced," Herb replied. "I have come to request assistance."

"I see… perhaps you want to sit down while we speak?" The Nekonron Prince said as he pointed at a table with his chopsticks. "We can have some refreshments brought in if you wish."

"It's not necessary, I don't think our conversation will be long," the young dragon said, just remembering tea made with water from Nekonron had a vinegary taste that he detested, and would rather not have to drink out of compromise.

"Then you can join me for dinner afterward," Kirin invited.

"I accept, dinner will be nice," Herb said and grabbed a seat.

"Very well, what is it you need assistance with?" The Prince of Nekonron asked as he sat in front of the Musk royal.

"I would be very grateful if you arrested any redheaded girls that enter your territory," Herb said after taking in a deep breath, as he knew his request was far from ordinary. "The girls should be between fifteen and nineteen of age if that helps you..."

"This is… unusual," Kirin placed his chopsticks and his rice bowl on the table and linked his fingers as he stared at the Musk Prince. "I'm afraid I need more information before I agree to do this. We don't normally arrest people who enter Nekonron without a good reason, Herb. Doing such would tarnish the reputation of the Seven Lucky Gods."

"I understand, and it is a reasonable question, Kirin," the other prince nodded. "I would ask the same if you came to my castle with a similar request."

Silence fell between the two royal heirs, Kirin giving Herb time to gather his thoughts, as he imagined sharing the reason why he was asking something so strange was not something easy, particularly for someone as prideful as Herb.

"A redheaded girl stole a family treasure from us," the dragon admitted then. "We have not been able to find her. We heard she visited Joketsuzoku and Yakusai, but we lost her after that. We believe she has not left the region because nobody has seen her in Tong Po harbor, but she may try to leave the mountain range by going through Nekonron."

"Or through Ho'O peak," Kirin pointed out. "But the Phoenix people would arrest her the moment they see her, they are not fond of strangers. I imagine that is why you decided I should know about the theft."

"Exactly," Herb said. "Will you help me?"

"Are your parents in the Musk citadel?" Kirin asked after a moment of silence. "I would not like to go behind King Dasuan and Queen Zhima."

"They were summoned to the Capital by the Central Government, same as your parents," Herb replied. "Or are King Hirin and Queen Lirin here?"

"No, they are not," the Nekonron Prince said. "They are also in the Capital. You do understand that if we do this, we will be acting without our parents' approval, Herb?"

"Recovering this family heirloom is a very important matter for the Musk Dynasty, Kirin, and it justifies acting without permission from a higher authority."

"So it seems."

"Must I remind you there is a pact of cooperation between Nekonron and the Dynasty?" Herb said then. "This precedent requires our people working together..."

"The pact our grandparents signed, I know," Kirin recalled. "It is indeed still valid, but it also indicates the party that helps the other will get something in return."

"And I am prepared to offer something," the dragon smiled, as he had expected something like this would happen. "You help me with this, and I am willing to sign a no aggression pact between Nekonron and the Dynasty, effective as soon as both of us are crowned kings of our respective kingdoms."

Kirin's eyebrow rose at the offer, as he realized this would be a great achievement for him, one that would impress his father and work in favor of his people. If Herb kept his word on this and signed such a document, Nekonron would not have had to fear war against The Musk during his lifetime and beyond.

"Do I have your word that you will sign a no aggression treaty?" Kirin asked. "Swear on it and The Seven will do as you request."

"You have my word, which is not lightly given," Herb promised, offering his hand and smiling when Kirin took it. "This pleases me, and I expect both our lands will remain partners and allies for ages to come, my friend."

"Same as I," Kirin smiled back. "Will you travel tonight? I would be honored if you and your bodyguards spend the night at my tower."

The redheaded girl appeared to be trapped in a pit of endless darkness with only a corridor leading to a bright but hazy white light in the far-off distance. Despite its eerie appearance, it was the only thing to head for as whenever she looked behind her she could only see the infinite abyss creeping up behind her, trying to take her back, to keep her trapped in the blackness.

"Almost there…" she muttered with worried eyes as the haze of the light enveloped her completely and entirely.

Ranko found herself standing in a rather large and ample room. It was familiar yet not, and much like a typical household living room it was warm and quiet, but it made her feel slightly odd, almost on edge even.

"Have I been here before...?" she wondered as she looked around, going towards the door leading out of the house and, she hoped, to somewhere she was familiar with.

Checking her left side she barely noticed the sound of someone's shoes on the floor right in front of her, an unseen stranger who suddenly appeared in the room and was now keeping Ranko from proceeding further. Blinking her surprise, the redhead found she was now facing a tall boy in red and black clothes just like the ones she was wearing but what shocked her most was the fierce determination in his deep blue eyes.

"I can't let ya' go out there anymore," he declared in a deep and partially aggravated voice.

Ranko froze in terror at the sight of the teenager, given his disposition she could tell it wasn't someone who was looking for a friendly talk.

'Why am I scared? He's not even saying anything terrifying but-but then why is my body damn near paralyzed!?' she thought as she closed her eyes and took a step back.

"Why'd you say that!?" she managed to force herself to ask.

The unknown boy took a deep breath. "It's just been long enough, I need ta' come back… and those things you're doing…"

"Come back?" Ranko repeated, raising her fists just in case she was attacked.

"Don't worry. Once I'm out I'll fix everything, I promise." The young man said. He offered her a smile and reached his hand out to her as if asking her to take it. "You just have ta stay here and…"

"Back off!" the redhead barked as she shivered like some cornered animal. "Don't touch me!"

'Why are we wearing the same clothes!?' she thought now rushing towards the door, escaping him the only thing that suddenly mattered. The boy's hands were mere inches from grabbing her by the shoulders now. She couldn't let him! With one last titanic effort, she gained the door and slammed it shut behind her.

"AAhhh!" Ranko screamed as she sat up on her bed, her brow covered in sweat and her skin still crawling in despair.

"Ra-Ranko?" Ryoga muttered in his sleep as his eyes gently opened.

Frantically, Ranko began to pat herself down, checking her attire even as she saw that she was just in the pajamas Lotion had given her. She relaxed a little, ignoring Ryoga's worried stare even though she knew he was in the bed to her left expecting an answer.

'He almost got me!' she thought as she could feel her quickened breath and sweat dripping off from her chin like morning dew off the blade of some grass.

Sitting up now himself the Lost Boy ignored his need for sleep and blinked a few times. Helping Ranko with whatever worried her was far more important than his sleep. "Hey… are you really alright, Ran?" He inquired with a worried demeanor.

Off to her left, she could see Ryoga was fully awake and about to get off his bed, she took in a deep breath and understood it had all been a very bad, very scary dream. A little calmer now, she managed to finally answer him. "Yes… it was just a nightmare, I'm… I'm ok, Ryo."

"Are you sure?" Ryoga asked, hurriedly moving over so that his hand was touching her forehead.

For Ranko, the way he had moved so quickly to check her temperature was enough to fluster the girl as her cheeks went red. "I'm fine! Really!" she assured as she looked away, seeing that outside it was still really dark.

"If you want to talk about it, I'm right here," Ryoga offered a gentle smile, hoping to encourage her and or just help her calm down.

"You worry too much," Ranko half-heartedly pouted, closing her eyes and crossing her arms.

"Sorry," Ryoga smiled awkwardly while scratching his cheek with his index finger. 'Guess that dream really shook her, hope she's alright.' he considered the notion in his head.

"Just get some sleep," she added as she flipped herself so that her back was facing the Lost Boy.

"Right, you too," Ryoga responded as he made his way back over to his bed, climbing in and resting on his back, falling asleep shortly after.

Internally berating herself for not thanking him, the redhead allowed her expression to soften as she closed her eyes. This attempt lasted a good while but as Ranko tried to fall asleep her mind kept wandering back to that black-haired, blue-eyed boy. She pursed her lips ever so slightly as she struggled to relax well enough to get some actual sleep.

"Ugh…" she groaned, flipping onto her back and opening her eyes, now just staring at the ceiling, "who was that guy anyway?"

She brought her hands to her sides as she reflected again on the dream from earlier. 'Maybe my real boyfriend?' she humored the idea, trying to see if the thought stirred any familiar feelings or memories, it didn't.

"Can't be, then," Ranko dismissed the thought as she didn't experience the tense or lightheadedness feeling she got whenever she was around Ryoga. "That guy definitely felt… he felt like family, maybe?" She pondered as she put a hand to her chin.

"Some brother I'm just 'now' remembering?" The redhead whispered, her voice getting softer to avoid waking Ryoga.

"If so then why did he terrify me so much?" she puzzled, her eyes wandering the ceiling as they appeared to be losing focus. "Felt like sumthin' real bad would've happened if he-"

Ranko left the phrase incomplete for a long while as she rested in silence, listening only to Ryoga's steady breathing as he slept.

"It could've been bad if he got me…" Ranko mumbled tiredly before slowly drifting back to sleep.

The night had come and gone, only to be replaced by the warm light of day. Lotion leads the two young martial artists back to the clearing they used for training. They tiredly followed the ancient master as she leads them to the top of some hill.

"Why are we up so early?" Ranko inquired with a begrudging yawn.

"How come we aren't having breakfast?" Ryoga followed Ranko's question with one of his own.

"You'll get your breakfast when I've heard what I want," Lotion answered, narrowing her eyes and looking at the Lost Boy as she spoke.

Confounding the two they woke up a bit more to quirk their brows in suspicion, seeing as Lotion was asking things like when she first met them. Neither knowing what to expect they stared at her in silence.

"You, boy…" she started by pointing at the Raven-haired teen, meeting Ryoga eye-to-eye.

"Yeah…?" Ryoga questioned cautiously.

"I'd like you to show me the Shishi Hokodan you mentioned before," Lotion confirmed as she put her hands in her sleeves.

"I guess I can try," Ryoga blinked for a moment, wondering where this was going as he closed his eyes and focused on how conflicted he'd be if he got lost and separated from Ranko again.

His own aura began to flicker around him before spreading out surrounding him with an eerie glow. To anyone else they might just notice the sickly glow, but to the trained martial artists around him, they could see the surge of energy fueled by emotion coalescing from his entire being.

"Shishi..." he started as his voice dropped, crossing his arms against each other by his forearms.

To Lotion and Ranko the Lost Boy's aura was now channeling itself through his arms, gathering his power.

"Whoa…" Ranko mumbled as she watched with her arms crossed.

"Hoko..." he continued as his arms loosened, holding his hands out as though he were holding some ball he couldn't quite touch.

"Hmmm…" The Chinese Amazon hummed deeply, narrowing her eyes.

"What exactly did that weird construction worker teach ya'…?" Ranko inquired in a low voice, not really intending for Ryoga to answer while readying his skill.

"…Dan!" The man in yellow roared as his ki flew through the air, its green color leaving a gentle hue in the area as it flew straight into the nearest boulder, destroying it completely as the energy ball exploded on impact.

This display of power clearly impressing the redhead, she gawked while the withered old Amazon nodded her head in appreciation. "You're able to generate quite a bit more ki than the typical person, boy," Lotion commented while still watching the birds and squirrels frantically escaping the surroundings.

"No kidding…" Ranko added as she whispered with wide eyes, still feeling some residual jealousy from Ryoga's ability to throw ki blasts.

"I take it that wasn't at full potential," Lotion remarked, looking at the taller boy.

"I can't make it stronger without forcing my thoughts," Ryoga admitted as he remembered the pain and grief from the battle with Taro.

"I know this technique and how it works," Lotion confessed. "I even know how to perfect it."

While that was being said Ranko was still processing her thoughts as the last time she spoke to her now-boyfriend about this she was too busy being a sore loser over the fact his new skill probably put him above her in skill. "Then why'd ya' ask? Just show us the perfect version instead!" She complained.

"I just wanted to see whether or not he actually knew," Lotion admitted.

"Well, that was about a third of the strongest one I've managed," Ryoga stated, clenching his arms to his sides.

"Yeah, that one was a bit smaller than the first I saw, come to think of it," Ranko looked off to the side, a hand on her chin as she blinked with a serious look.

"Have you by chance used the perfect version?" Lotion asked, continuing to dig for answers.

"I haven't..." Ryoga answered, dodging Lotion's gaze. "Not yet..."

"That thing has a stronger version?" Ranko asked bewildered by the fact, that her left eye twitched, only wanting to shout about how utterly unfair this was all turning out to be for her.

"I haven't been able to decipher the instructions in the scroll," Ryoga said in a way that seemed almost as if he were trying to whisper his shame.

"Is it in some foreign language or sumthin'...?" The blue-eyed girl questioned, tilting her head.

"The final step just has an arrow pointing down," he answered a tad bit slowly as he almost felt dumb for being unable to solve it.

"You'll figure it out in time; that I'm sure of," Lotion encouraged as she really did believe that the young man in front of her was capable of mastering the technique, unlike her other, most impatient student. "There is, however, something I should warn you about the Shishi Hokodan."

"What's that?" Ryoga asked curiously.

"You should avoid becoming reliant on the technique. It's been known to alter the user's ki, oftentimes to states of permanent despair," Lotion explained, alerting him of the skill's potential drawbacks.

"So it basically ruins your life if you use it too much?" Ranko asked incredulously.

"I'll only use it as a last resort!" Ryoga exclaimed before too much worry would be cast.

"See to it that you do," Lotion agreed, nodding her head before opening her eyes.

"I still want to perfect it, though," Ryoga added as he got a look from Ranko, actually seeming worried for once but he had to remind himself that those times of emergency would more than likely just involve keeping his redheaded beauty safe.

"Can I learn it?" Ranko asked out of the blue, looking to both Lotion and Ryoga.

"No. You and the Shi Shi Hokodan would be a poor match," Lotion said as she silently evaluated what she knew about the redhead.

"Why's that?" Ranko quirked a brow, eye twitching.

"Trust me you don't want to," Lotion warned again, putting her hands in her sleeves.

"I only did it because I had no other choice," Ryoga explained.

"And why is he better for it than me, huh?" she asked, tilting her head to one side.

"Because his ki is far more in tune with heavy emotions than yours," she answered without hesitation. "Plus the vast reserves that still dwell within him."

"Shows what you know!" Ranko replied defiantly as she pointed at the old geezer. "Tell me how it works and I swear I can master it too!" she declared, looking to her friend who appeared to be second-guessing himself.

"Tell her," Lotion said to Ryoga as his gaze fell on her. "It's best if she sees what I mean."

The Lost Boy nodded and looking over to Ranko he remembered how it had been explained to him. "First, you take a sad thought and make it heavy with your ki..."

"Think I can manage that," Ranko closed her eyes and focused on the most despairing thoughts she could think of and found there was very little that genuinely made her sad; afraid, maybe, like the nightmare she had, but not sad or miserable. She decided to settle on her recent misadventures, which managed to make her feel somewhat down.

"Seems like she might have the idea," Lotion provided some commentary as she watched Ranko's aura slowly build around her.

"Shishi..." Ranko muttered as all her brushes with death and rotten luck filled her mind.

"It feels off…" Ryoga provided as the wind around Ranko began to gently sway her hair.

"Hoookoooo..." the redhead's voice dropped further as she extended her hands, a golden orb coming out from her hands as if she had been inflating it with her breath, 'Come on...! Need something sad...!' she thought desperately, until remembering how she first felt when she thought Ryoga might have fallen in a pit of spikes… only to feel relief when she remembered he was fine afterward.

"Wait! I think she's got it!" Ryoga's eyes widened as he noticed a wave of sadness erupt from the girl's aura.

"Think again," Lotion said right before Ranko finished.

"Daaannnn...!" Ranko screamed as the ball of ki popped out of her hand and drifted around in circles, knocking into things but flying harmlessly into them like some corporal balloon.

"Well, she tried…" Ryoga gawked, really having expected her to nail that with her usual finesse.

"Your ki is too light and your personality is too bright to truly harness the Shishi Hokodan," Lotion spoke plainly, shaking her head.

"Okay. So hows about teaching me something else," Ranko said, an embarrassed blush on her face.

"Perhaps there is something I could show you," Lotion said, musing as she scratched her chin.

"A ki attack, maybe?" She inquired, uncertainly and possibly hopefully.

"Yes, one that could very well match a perfect Shi Shi Hokodan, even…" Lotion retorted, narrowing her eyes.

"I should have known you'd have something up your sleeve!" Ryoga crossed his arms, smiling a little.

"Though I still have yet to decide whether or not Ranko would be best suited for it," The wise Amazon said. "It is a dangerous technique to learn after all."

"Of course, you can teach it to me!" Ranko exclaimed with a confident smirk, gesturing to herself with her thumb.

"Perhaps," Lotion gave the same response, much to Ranko's annoyance. "Right now you two need to prepare for in the next three days as you two will go acquire the final ingredient needed for Ryoga's cure," she explained as she made her way back to the house.

Putting her hands behind her head the redhead girl mumbled the following...

"I swear I'm gonna make you teach me that technique, ya' old geezer..."

[End of Chapter 10]

[Start of Chapter 11]

The calming sound of running water, mixed with the amiable chatter of a few fishermen getting ready to start their days were the only sounds on the piers that morning. It was early, and the sun was only starting to rise over the horizon. A quick glance above would reveal the sky was clear and promised to bring a bright and sunny day. And there, at the end of the piers, were two figures who silently observed a boat as it faded into the distance. A few minutes later, once the taller figure had decided it was polite to do so, he turned and walked back to the dirt road that leads back to Nekonron, followed by his short companion.

"I'm glad Prince Herb and his bodyguards are finally gone," Ebiten sighed in relief, walking calmly behind Kirin. The short martial artist appeared to be distracted as he examined his fishing pole, but he in fact was completely aware of his surroundings, prepared to stop anyone who tried to hurt his prince. He didn't look it at first glance, but Ebiten was the main bodyguard of the Nekonron Royal family, and he hadn't earned this position on luck alone; his skills in the region were legendary, being recognized as a true master of combat. "If I may be honest, I would rather deal with the Joketsuzoku Amazons than the Musk. One has to be careful at all times around the Musk, it's very stressful."

"No, the Musk Royals aren't as difficult to deal with as I used to believe," Kirin disputed. "I was not expecting to get along with Herb… last time we met as kids we mostly ignored each other."

"I noticed Prince Herb was in a good mood this morning," Ebiten observed. "I take it things will remain stable between our kingdoms?"

"Yes, I'm sure they will," the Nekonron Prince said with a nod. "I think Herb and I will be good friends from now on, even."

"That would be great for Nekonron," Ebiten smiled as they both entered a rather large clearing next to the main road. "If the two of you maintain a strong friendship, we will not have to fear from the Musk during your lifetime, and our kingdom would earn strong allies against any possible threat."

Kirin didn't answer, he simply nodded and crossed his arms as he waited while Ebiten used a mirror to reflect sunlight, using that to signal their airship to descend. Once their flying ship was at ground level, the prince and his bodyguard made their way on board, silently passing the Nekonron soldiers that gathered to salute them on the way to the open deck on the upper levels of the ship where the two of them sat so they could enjoy the cool morning breeze.

"We will have to take the Musk's request seriously," Kirin said once the ship was high on the air, floating gently back to Seven Luck Mountain. "I gave my word that we would do our best."

"As you wish," Ebiten nodded, remembering he had heard what Prince Herb wanted the night before from Kirin. "What do you want us to do first?"

"We should relocate a few soldiers to the city and have them send any redheads or any other light haired young women who enter our territory to my tower so we can question them," the prince said thoughtfully. "And we could send people to Bao and Shangjie… I'm thinking of sending Monlon, scouting and infiltration is her specialty, after all."

"You're planning on using one of us already?" Ebiten's brow knit in thought. "Lord Kirin, for you to send even one of us Lucky Gods to one of those towns for something so trivial… I beg your pardon but this is truly unusual, did Herb threaten you?"

"No threats were made," the Nekonron Prince said and looked at his bodyguard, shaking his head and smiling a little as he found Ebiten's comment particularly silly.

"Then why?"

"Because I can understand him," Kirin said. "Just like Herb and his family, we too lost a royal heirloom to a thief. Have you forgotten how three generations ago a criminal stole one half of the Scroll of Luck?"

"How could I?" the bodyguard responded. "Because of that awful crime the royal family has not properly followed tradition during our wedding ceremonies! It is a terrible tragedy and a source of shame for The Seven."

"Exactly… that is why I can sympathize with Herb's plight," the young prince admitted. "He still has the chance to recover his family's treasure, and I want to help him, not just as a political ally, but as a friend."

"I see… friendship it is, then," the bodyguard nodded, surprised to see that Kirin was so eager to have a real friendship with the Musk prince. Perhaps, then, his impression that deep down Kirin had always desired to have friends beyond the Seven was correct. "If that is your reason, my Lord, then I will do my best to assist you, and I am sure the rest of the Lucky Gods will as well."

"Thank you," Kirin answered with a small smile, glad to know the rest of the Seven would support him. "I really appreciate your loyalty, Ebiten."

"I was thinking, my Lord… once this is over and the Musk has their treasure back…" Ebiten grinned and twirled his mustache. "Maybe we can start looking for the missing half of the Scroll of Luck. I've heard rumors it may be in Japan…"

"Beyond the seas?" The prince took in a deep breath and allowed his gaze to wander into the horizon, thinking about the many possibilities of going abroad for the first time in his life could bring. "Sounds interesting. Very well, Ebiten, very well… we'll travel to Japan after this and who knows? I may even find a bride along with the half of the scroll."

On the river...

Herb sat on the further end of the deck, silently relaxing and enjoying the cool breeze and the soft murmur of the river around him. The Musk Prince was in a better mood than the day before, as he knew Kirin would do his best to keep his part of the agreement. Knowing The Seven were on his side made Herb feel even a little optimistic, and for a moment he entertained the idea that the ring would be back in his hands in a matter of days.

'…No, it isn't that simple,' he thought as he considered the facts on the matter. 'We have no actual leads and this redhead… she and her companion were able to defeat two of my trackers, and even if she's alone now she has eluded the Amazons for a considerable amount of time… she could even prove to be too much for The Seven, too, so I have to plan for that as well.'

The Musk heir rested his chin on his right fist and finally accepted the redheaded thief could have gone in the opposite direction, aiming to leave the region through Ho'O Peak instead of Nekonron.

'But we've considered that possibility before, and I know Chervil wouldn't go there,' he mused recalling his previous conversations with Sumac. 'The other redhead would surely avoid visiting Jusendo as well since the only path to get there is through Jusenkyo and goes too close to Joketsuzoku. I'm sure she wouldn't go to Phoenix Mountain, so that leaves Tong Po harbor and…'

"Herb… Herb!"

The Musk Prince blinked and then turned to look at both Mint and Lime, who was smiling and seemed to have something to say. Judging by their expressions Herb realized it was going to be something either very naive and harmless or extremely stupid and time-consuming. Annoyed at being interrupted, the prince took in a deep breath and nodded at his bodyguards, focusing on keeping his frustration in check.

"Mint and I were talking and…" Lime started.

"We think we should really have one!" Mint completed.

"Have one?" Herb asked, frowning as he couldn't understand his two friends. "One what?"

"An airship like Kirin's!" Lime provided, obviously quite excited by the idea. "We could use it to travel around the region!"

"We could get really fast from place to place!" Mint said, feeling as enthusiastic as his friend by the prospect of owning a flying machine. "Airships are awesome!"

"You know, that's…" Herb blinked, this was certainly not what he was expecting to hear, and he found it rather surprising. "That's… honestly not a bad idea, perhaps when my parents return we could present the idea to them."

"Really?" Mint asked, feeling near tears at the idea of traveling in an airship again.

"Yes, really," Herb promised. "Now be quiet, I need to think."

The prince's request, however, was completely ignored. Feeling too excited by the idea of having a flying ship, Mint and Lime started planning about the many things they could do, and they even mentioned taking the airship to Yakusai so that they could visit the village and impress someone they knew, two girls from what Herb gathered, not that he particularly cared about that.

'Still, they're being so nosy…' Herb thought, leaning back and looking up at the clouds, feeling slightly frustrated by his bodyguard's non-stopping chatter. 'Why can't they just shut up and sit still so I can think in peace?'

Tired of hearing Mint and Lime debating whether they should paint their imaginary airship yellow or blue, the Musk Prince slowly raised his right hand and for a brief instant considered blasting his bodyguards all the way back to Seven Luck Mountain but the instant passed and Herb took in a deep breath to calm down. What was he doing? Losing this temper to the point of almost attacking his friends? No, he couldn't do something that would shame the Dragon Clan so badly. What would his parents think of such improper behavior? Finding the ring was important, and the situation at present was not ideal, but it was not so bad he should lose control like this. It wasn't as if he had locked himself with the Pail of Preservation in a body that wasn't his own, a tragic event Herb could readily admit would make him lose his patience rather quickly.

'And a missing ring is nothing compared to losing my manhood,' the Prince admitted. 'But I am getting restless, and losing control in front of my people remains a possibility unless I find a way to vent down safely… but how?'

"I sure hope I can get some training with grandpa," Mint said then catching Herb's attention. "He knows this technique that you can use to charge your weapons with ki, and I think that could help me, I don't carry that many knives but if I could do that trick, it'd make them more effective."

"Using Ki is fine and all, but I don't need anything like that to fight," Lime said with a prideful grin as he flaunted his biceps. "Why would I waste time charging a ki attack when I can defeat anyone who challenges me with a single punch?"

"Well, yeah, but not all of us are as strong as you are," Mint sighed.

'Training somewhere on my own for a while would be nice,' Herb thought as he nodded, allowing himself a small smile. Without even trying, his friends had helped him find a way to let out all the negative emotions he was bottling in without causing any unfortunate incidents. He could surely afford a day or two training alone in the mountains; if the Nekonronians, the Amazons or his own trackers managed to find Chervil or the other redhead while he was away, Mint and Lime would be able to easily find him to deliver the news. 'Yes, that's what I'll do. It's only for a couple of days, after all.'

"Mint, Lime," Herb called as he reached for his gear and after checking it, grabbed all the bottled water and dry meat he could carry. "I'll be training in the mountains for a while. I want you two to continue looking for the thief, and tell Sumac to send someone to find me if the ring is found."

"Herb, what are…?" Lime asked, but before he could finish his question, the Prince jumped high, flared his ki, and glided all the way to the left shore of the river, landing on a large rock with ease.

The young prince spared one look at the boat, lifted a hand to signal goodbye to his bodyguards, and then turned, starting his way into the mountains ahead of him.

Back in the Musk castle...

Sumac, sitting in his private chambers on the east wing of the Musk Castle, was busy reviewing a few ancient scrolls which contained some old techniques he had not used since his younger days. He wished to share some of them with his grandson, as he believed the Wolf Clan would lose prominence if the Cat Clans continued increasing their physical strength the way they had been doing for the last two decades or so. He trusted Mint would be able to learn these techniques, and smiled a proud smile as he recalled just how fast and nimble the boy was. If Mint reached his full potential, he could become one of the mightiest Wolf Clansmen in generations.

A knock on his door took him out of his meditations, and he wondered who it could be as he didn't have any appointments at that hour.

"Come in," the old wolf said as he returned the scrolls to a drawer.

"Forgive the interruption, Lord Sumac, but Dill and Fennel just arrived in the castle. The children said that you summoned them," a man from the Lion Clan said, waiting respectfully by the door.

"Yes, I did call for them," Sumac answered. "I was expecting them later today, however. Where are they waiting?"

"We have them wait in the guardroom near the main entrance," the lion said. "Would you like me to send them here?"

"No, I'll go meet them," the old wolf said. "Thank you."

A few minutes later…

Sumac entered the guardroom to find Dill and Fennel standing by the window, muttering about something in a low voice. The old wolf, however, still had a very sensitive hearing sense, and could hear some of their conversations; the teenagers were talking about the weapons lined on the walls of the room, as they wondered if any of them were ancient or had magical properties.

"The blades and spears we have here are fairly new, and none of them possess any magical attributes," Sumac said, surprising Dill and Fennel, who had not even felt the wolf's presence or heard him open the door.

"M-master Sumac," Dill stuttered, standing straight as he felt ashamed by being caught of guard by one of the Musk nobles.

"We… we came back from our mission," Fennel offered. "We have good information."

"I'll be the judge on that," Sumac said as he paced in front of the teenagers, carefully smelling the air around the two. "Very well, I am listening, tell me everything."

"We met an Amazon elder…" Dill started, shivering a little as he recalled Cologne's threatening battle aura, "She is… more powerful than what I imagined."

"But she did tell us a few important things," Fennel added quickly.

"It seems the Amazon elder was not happy to see you," Sumac said, wondering just which one of the elders he was familiar with the children had met. From what he remembered the strongest one in Joketsuzoku was Cologne, but elders Rinse and Lotion were also strong enough to pose a serious threat. "Unsurprising, but I am glad to hear she didn't attack you. What did she say?"

"We heard her talking with some of her warriors, she sent them to Ho'O Peak and to Tong Po Harbor," Dill said.

"And then she called us out, apparently she knew we were hiding there all the time," Fennel added. "She said they have not found the ring yet."

"And that if we attack them, we may win a hard-earned victory," Dill completed.

"We are not interested in fighting with them," Sumac clarified. "At least for as long as they do what we asked of them, and from what you said it's clear the Amazons decided to cooperate with us by sending people to places we hadn't yet. Did you learn anything else, children?"

The old wolf was relieved to hear the Amazons had sent people to Mount Phoenix, as he truly didn't want to bring the Bird People into this, particularly because Saffron's current incarnation was still a small child and that made him completely unpredictable… not that the Phoenix King had ever been any better as an adult, however.

"We met some herbalist girls from Yakusai, too," Fennel offered then, sparing a discreet glance at Dill, hoping he would get the hint and avoid mentioning what happened then.

"They were taking a cargo of poisonous and healing plants to Joketsuzoku," Dill completed, he had noticed Fennel's gesture and, understanding what his friend meant, omitted to mention their scuffle with the two teenagers from the Amazon village. It was for the best, as Sumac had forbidden them from fighting during their mission, not to mention that revealing their defeat would only shame them in the eyes of the old Wolf.

"I see," Sumac said, arms crossed as he stared at the two teenagers in front of him. "Very well, I thank you for the information. Now, go to the training grounds and find Master Cardam, tell him I'm sending you with him to take Course Seven."

"Co-course seven?" Dill asked, fear evident in his voice as he struggled to understand what he had just heard.

"But… we're on course five!" Fennel said, as surprised and afraid as his friend, for them to even try to take a course seven at their current skill level meant this was nothing but punishment. "Lord Sumac… why are you doing this?"

"I told you not to fight," Sumac said, his voice completely serious. "And I am smelling traces of the sweat from the two Joketsuzoku children I released a few days before in your clothes. The only way this could be is that you both disobeyed my orders and fought them. Am I wrong?"

Exchanging glances and feeling both terrified and amazed by Sumac's ability to discover the truth, Dill and Fennel fell on their knees and bowed, keeping their heads down and hoping to recover the old wolf's favor and forgiveness the two of them decided it was best to admit their lie and apologize for it.

"We didn't mean to disobey!" Fennel said, not daring to raise his face.

"We only wanted to prove how strong the Musk Dynasty is!" Dill added, also keeping his head low.

"Stand up, you two!" Sumac ordered. "Such behavior is revolting, true Musk warriors face the consequences of their actions, they don't grovel like weaklings!"

Startled by the old wolf's harsh tone of voice, the teenagers bolt up from their kneeling position, standing straight and doing their best to avoid trembling in fear.

"Lord Sumac…" Dill started but decided to be quiet when the royal advisor released his battle aura, filling the room with it and making him feel very small and very afraid.

"I am not pleased with your childish disobedience!" Sumac stated, baring his fangs and staring the teenagers down. "I gave you an order and you will follow it, go seek Master Cardam! Or would you rather I train you personally?"

Fennel looked at his friend and saw that Dill was as scared as he felt. A training session with an angry Sumac could very well end up with both of them in the clinic, with at the very least a few broken ribs.

"We will do as you ask!" Dill said at once, bowing and moving to the door.

"We thank you for this chance to prove how sorry we are for what we did!" Fennel offered, rushing behind his friend, both of them vanishing in less than three seconds.

Once alone, Sumac brought his hand up to massage his right temple, feeling that perhaps he had been too harsh on the children, but reasoning it was best for them to get a reprimand that would also help them hone their skills while at the same time teaching them the importance of obedience. Taking in a deep breath, the old wolf managed to relax a little and started wondering if Herb was already on his way back from Seven Luck Mountain.

"Grandpa!"

Startled a little by the sudden interruption, Sumac turned to see Mint and Lime standing by the door, and by the looks on their faces, Sumac could already tell he was not going to like what he was about to hear.

"Yes, Mint, what is it, did Herb send you to find me?"

"No, but he did ask us to give you a message," Mint said, entering the room and stopping once he was in front of his grandfather.

"What is it?" Sumac asked.

"Herb's not coming to the Castle," The young wolf revealed.

"He's… what?" the royal adviser blinked, not really understanding what his grandson meant.

"Prince Herb said he wanted to train alone for a couple of days," Lime clarified.

"Yeah, he said he'll be in the mountains for a while," Mint recalled. "Also said you should send us to find him if the ring was found."

"I see," Sumac said, hands behind his back as he started pacing the guardroom. As he meditated on the news, he finally realized Herb must have been feeling too stressed by the situation, there was no other reason why he would have decided to train alone, and it was not even that surprising the ring's theft had bothered Herb so much. The Musk prince was the descendant of dragons, after all, and if there was one thing dragons didn't like, it was to have their treasures stolen.

At Lotion's farm...

The morning sun gently climbed further and further into the sky and onto lotion's home and farmland. A myriad of animal calls singing in the distance, only growing in tempo as said celestial giant's glow gave vision and energy to the diverse but delicate ecosystem that surrounded the wise elder's property.

Sitting beneath a great Sawtooth Oak the two martial artists sat, their legs crossed with their backs towards the trunk of said acorn tree. It wasn't anything too great in size so it required the two to sit quite close to one another. Clearly an attempt at being romantic, the two love novices were just close enough to be leaning on each other.

"The Tsukemono was better than usual..." Ranko commented nervously and seemingly out of nowhere.

'Is that really the best I got...?' Ranko thought with a defeated and annoyed inner monologue, her attempt at being cute ruined by her lack of experience.

"I-I think Lotion's trying out a new recipe," Ryoga added to her comment by awkwardly laughing before he answered.

'I've always wanted a girlfriend and now I have to think of small talk…' the equally as inexperienced boy thought.

Ranko joined in on the awkward laugh and then sighed deeply. 'That was probably a pity laugh, should I just lean on him some more...?' She thought to herself, cheeks flushing a little.

"I guess I ain't much for small talk, huh...?" She asked, scratching her cheek with her index finger; having a nervous open-mouthed smile.

"I was just thinking about the same thing..." Ryoga's eyes widened as he looked to Ranko's own.

The redhead eye's widened and felt panic rising in her chest, her blushing vanishing from sheer humiliation.

"But about me." Ryoga finished before Ranko even had a chance to think.

Their expressions softened as they shared a genuine laugh together. It died down rather quickly but the sentiment was mutual.

"Nice save..." Ranko mockingly commented with a rolling of her eyes.

"I try..." Ryoga replied with a slight chuckle.

"You sure do..." Ranko confirmed, closing her eyes with a light smile.

"Anyways, Lotion told me she's off to take care of some personal matters," Ryoga commented as he picked up the teacup he had set off to the side, next to his and Ranko's empty plates as they had eaten breakfast out, taking it with one hand before finishing the lukewarm drink.

"Whadda ya' think she meant by that?" Ranko asked, wondering what such a shut-in could do with her time.

"I don't know, she really didn't give me much to work with," Ryoga added then looked to the side. "But I'm glad it gave us some alone time." He tried to say in as calm a tone he could.

"Stop trying to butter me up when you already got me," Ranko advised, rolling her eyes before letting them go soft.

'Think he's earned a treat…' she thought, allowing her posture to relax and her shoulder to plop against Ryoga's shoulder, resting on it as she looked out into the beautiful wildlife of Lotion's farm.

Ryoga was about to apologize for trying too hard but gasped a little when he saw that Ranko had become rather bold, resting her shoulder as well as her head against him. He looked down at her with a shocked expression. When she turned to look at him, he saw that she had a coy, cat-like smile on her face. Blood rushed to his head when he laid eyes on her seductive looking blue orbs.

"Ya' know, I may be the girl but you're the one always looking so damn cute..." Ranko cooed and maintained her flirtatious look.

"W-whatta' mean by that?" Ryoga asked, broadcasting his nervous energy even through his voice.

"Deep breaths, big guy, deep breaths..." Ranko smiled honestly, fighting back her laughter.

Now that the redhead's face had changed and her teasing had seized as well. Ryoga was able to collect himself enough to break away from her allure and just bask at the moment. Here he was with the girl he had come to know, the girl with who he had shared his first kiss.

"You just like messing with me," Ryoga commented because as soon as Ranko had stopped laughing, he took the chance to place his arm around her and bring her form against his.

For once, Ranko didn't have anything to say, all she could do was allow herself to be taken by her Lost Boy's incredible strength. From Ryoga's angle, all he could do was feel the warmth of her small body against his. The gentle smell of the lavender shampoo Ranko used hit him along with her true smell, and he took in her scent. This woman was not only a thing of beauty to him but she reflected a personality he had never even encountered when it came to the fairer sex.

"Huh..." As Ryoga had looked down from her head his eyes traveled further down to her clothes. "Are those the clothes Lotion gave you?" he inquired, blinking with a slight blush on his face.

"Y-yeah... whaddya' think?" she asked as she looked up to him.

"T-they look really good on you, as usual," Ryoga complimented, rolling his eyes as he appeased his redhead's bloated ego.

"You know it..." she replied with her eyes closed, feeling as smug as she usually did. "But thanks for the sweet talk, Ryo." She added, showing her appreciation by leaning up to him nuzzling the side of her face to his neck.

Not expecting that the raven-haired teen swallowed thickly. Leave it to his Ranko to leave him speechless, his silence hadn't gone unnoticed as Ranko returned to his side with a slight chuckle and a smile on her face. They went back to enjoying the peace and serenity that surrounded them, for though it was tame and serene around them right now, their adventures were rotted with peril so what little time they could make just to stop and smell the metaphorical flowers was considered a blessing between the two.

Though they were both forever students of the arts, whether be it through their upbringing or innate nature. Ranko found her mind wandering back to the technique mentioned by Lotion. Something that matched Ryoga's ki blast but was dangerous? Although she wasn't exactly a stranger to the concept, she still wanted to meet Ryoga's skill. Why couldn't she just be happy that the guy she's interested in is capable of taking her down with his depression ki?

'Maybe I like him but also wanna' be a challenge to him too…' She thought.

Leaning his head in such a way Ryoga was able to see her face, he noticed that she appeared lost in her thoughts. "What's on your mind, you look troubled?" Ryoga asked.

"I was thinking about that technique the old bag mentioned and I'm wondering what it could be..." Ranko answered his question. She wanted to think deeply about this but she didn't know what about 'her' Lotion was going to work with. Could she even picture an ideal ki technique for herself? Well, for starters she was fast but would that be a ki blast or some speed enhancement training?

"Maybe it could be something when you're keeping a cool-" Ryoga was about to answer with an idea of his own.

That was until a loud yowl noise assaulted their ears, both stopped talking. Across the farm but nowhere nearly far enough for Ranko's tastes, was Lotion's cat repeatedly batting at some injured looking bird. Ranko was now actively embracing the Lost Boy as her fear grew, especially now that it was chasing the bird closer to her and her squeeze.

"C-cat!" the redhead exclaimed, gluing her eyes to the passive-aggressive household pet.

"I don't think they're going to get any closer," Ryoga said while watching their movements, flexing the necessary muscles in his legs in case he needed to get Ranko back inside as quickly as possible. As if the universe was guided by Ryoga's will, the cat chased the bird into the woods near the farm.

"I'd completely forgotten about that damned cat," Ranko mumbled disgruntledly. Her eyes widened when she stopped to put her hand over her heart, she knew she had locked eyes with the terrifying hellcat but her heart hadn't pounded in the same way it had before.

"Hey, I noticed you didn't..." Ryoga took the words right out of her mouth.

"I'm thinkin' it's cause you were holding me so close that-that I was able to ke-keep it together this time," Ranko explained but found herself blushing and wishing she had thought that out rather than explaining it.

Thinking he should change the topic or at least segway onto a lighter discussion, he forced something to come to mind. "Y-you know Ranko, you wouldn't have to worry about cats if you ever came to my house, we-we have a dog..." Ryoga said bashfully looking off to the side, wanting to slap himself. It all sounded as though he had just invited her to meet his parents when he was actually just trying to ease Ranko's tension or awkward feelings.

"Already thinkin' about introducing me to your folks?" Ranko asked in a teasing sing-song sort of voice, unable to control herself whenever she saw how flustered the male teen could get.

This was the response Ryoga had been expecting but that wasn't to say he didn't feel embarrassed for his Freudian slip. Not having a prepared answer or able to come up with an excuse at the moment, all Ryoga could do was go red in the face while leaning his head back.

Not one to miss an opportunity, the redhead decided to take advantage of his distraught disposition by laughing openly. After her laughter died down she decided to up the ante by wrapping her arms around his neck and sliding her legs across his lap, effectively straddling him. He was about to try and say something in retaliation, that was until he felt the tip of his redheaded beauty's finger on his lips. Ryoga stared at her in awe, enamored by the gentle face, his eyes wandered down to her finger and then back to her as she leaned up to kiss his cheek.

"I'd be honored to meet your parents someday, so just chill, man..." Ranko advised, reaching her pointer finger out to poke Ryoga's nose.

After shutting his eyes for a second from getting his nose poked, he returned her smile with one of his own, although his blush had remained prevalent, especially now that Ranko was sitting on his lap. The firmness of her rear on his thighs was more than a bit distracting, still, he was able to gather his wits and fight off the nose bleed he was sure to come if he didn't maintain his focus. Successfully doing so, with far more control than ever before, he was able to ready himself for a response right before it became too awkward.

"I-I'd like to meet your parents too..." Ryoga threw into the conversation, looking into those beautiful eyes, the ones he had come to adore. "By the way," he said, taking the girl's hand in his, looking down at it before looking back up into her deep blue orbs.

"Y-yeah, Ryoga...?" Ranko replied while stuttering, letting her voice trail off as she found herself just as lost in Ryoga's eyes as he was in hers.

"I swear I'll get you your memories back, but not just that!" he leaned in closer to her as his eyes sent waves of unrelenting determination her way. "I´ll get you back to your family!" he declared.

Ranko felt as though Ryoga's strength was invading her very being, gathering the inner strength and security she needed to know that everything would be alright. That not only could they defend each other, but they'd also be willing to go above and beyond, no matter the cost. The intensity in this sentiment exploded when she felt him get close enough to make their foreheads gently come together in the middle.

"Come 'ere you..." Ranko said in a low trailing voice, taking full advantage of her seated position she tried to pull the other teen's face towards her.

Sensing that she was about to take the lead in his declaration, Ryoga felt an uncontrollable need to meet her with the same passion and fearless bravado she was displaying. Although she had taken the lead, that didn't mean that she would be the one to close most of the distance between their lips.

"Mmph...!" They both moaned deeply, closing their eyes and basking in the peace that their presence brought each other.

Inside Lotions bedroom...

Near the front of her bed was the exiled elder, and in front of her, was a box filled with dusty old scrolls. One of which she was currently examining while she hummed, looking at a scroll with Chinese characters and a small depiction of a wolf.

"I need those two to be ready for Joketsuzoku if they're going to be making that journey to my old home," she paused before shaking her head and putting the scroll she had just taken out.

"Or would it be more accurate to say that storage warehouse they turned it into?" she wondered to herself as she took out a different scroll. Grunting she took once glance at the new scroll and shook her head, letting her hands go limp, she lowered her head.

'Till this day, I worry something might have happened to all my precious memories, to all the mementos they took from me and my dear Grandson, sometimes I wonder, can this is this really be the way? To take from one's family? To deny my dear grandson all the proud history, only because I was banished...?' She pondered remorsefully, shutting her eyes and letting out a shuttering breath.

Pulling herself back together she straightened her posture and put the scroll back into the large box, making a key appear from her sleeve before shutting it and locking the hard leather container shut with a thud.

'Those techniques are much too advanced for those two…' she thought as looked at the picture of her Grandson.

Not able to reach any solid conclusions at the moment, she realized that maybe Ryoga was already well onto his path of mastering the Shishi Hokodan. 'From what they told me and from what I've seen, perhaps Ryoga's vast ki and use of the Shishi Hokodan might be enough so that I might not even need to teach Ranko anything else…' Her inner monologue trailed as she ruminated on her thoughts.

"Still, there would also be the matter of Rinse and Cologne, so would that really be wise?" she asked herself, clanking her staff and taking a deep breath. "Likely they'd be tasked with guarding it," she said, pausing as she put her hand to her chin. "But on the off chance they do happen across them, they'd at the very least, need one more than one powerful method of escape, something just to keep them from outright dying at the hands of those two powerful elders," she mumbled as she turned to face the door to the hallway.

'Though the Shishi Hokodan counts as something strong enough to give all three of us elders some difficulty, what if something were to happen to Ryoga? Ranko would at least need something that can turn their extraordinary ki back at them, and considering how agitating the girl can get, it'd be a more than a useful tool in her arsenal…' Although she spoke confidently in her own mind, that didn't mean that her outward appearance reflected that idea.

Shutting her eyes, she allowed her hand to slip off her chin and fall to her side, "I suppose it'd be best if I teach her another technique..." she said, confirming it with a deep but exhausted sounding relief of breath.

Meanwhile, Ranko and Ryoga are...

Taking a stroll around Lotion's farm, the two casually enjoy each other's company. For them to have gone through so much, to the point of Ranko actually becoming the Lost Boy's girlfriend, all while Ranko's memories were missing? That their chance encounter could lead them down a path of strength and enlightenment? It was a lot to take in, on one hand, Ranko and Ryoga worried that if Ranko were to regain her memories she would find that her old life clashed with them staying together, but none of them dared to say this yet.

These thoughts dominated Ryoga's mind more than Ranko's, however. 'I've spent what feels like my whole life looking for somewhere I belong, hoping I could find some kind of purpose, especially after I've taken my revenge on Saotome…' his thoughts dragged on as the visual of Ranma played in his mind, remembering the school uniform he had last seen him in, and though he knew he despised the pigtailed teen, he couldn't bring himself to summon the fires of rage he felt before. Recognizing this, he looked over to the girl by his side. He didn't know why exactly but he felt a strange familiarity. 'But when I'm with her, I feel like I have a best friend, someone I'd like to spend the rest of my life with…' He thought but allowed the words to settle, looking out in front of them again he blushed deeply.

Though Ranko was giddy from the fact that she was now actively dating Ryoga, she couldn't help but think back on the boy from her nightmare. 'Who was that guy? Why was I so freaked out by him too?' She thought, trying to make sense of it all. His words bounced around her head like some broken record. 'Why couldn't he let me go out there? What did he mean by out there? What did he need to fix and did it have to do with me staying somewhere?' She pondered as she then sighed heavily, stopping and looking off to the side to scoop up a handful of pebbles.

Still going for a little bit beyond Ranko stopping, Ryoga looked to where he last saw his tomboy maiden, he stopped to look around. Spotting her, he watched her as she began throwing pebbles, he noticed that she was able to bounce the mini stones from tree trunk to tree trunk. Impressed with Ranko's ricocheting prowess, he failed to see the internal conflict she was experiencing at first.

Even though at first glance it looked as though Ranko was just casually enjoying some rock-throwing, her face gradually began to mimic her inner turmoil. She couldn't help but recognize the fact that they both wore the same clothes, the fact that they both had pigtails, they even had the same blue eyes and yet she couldn't remember a thing about him. 'If I'm remembering people, isn't that supposed to bring back some memories?' She tried to fathom the meaning behind this strange boy, still not receiving a satisfying answer from her mental state. She closed her eyes, looking as though she were trying to squeeze out anything she could from her mind, but alas, that's not how memories worked.

To Ryoga, it looked as though every rock Ranko threw was intended to not only jump from the trunks but off of the other pebbles she was throwing. It was only when he noticed how much faster she was moving that Ryoga give way to pause. Before he could see if something was wrong, his eyes widened when his ears caught the sound of a pebble zooming towards his head. "Ah!" He yelped in surprise, ducking before the small mass of earth could hit him.

Looking to where the ball was heading for a second, he turned to look at Ranko. It looked as though he was angry enough to give her a piece of his mind, though he found that he couldn't do it anymore, there was a look of pain and utter frustration on her face.

"Are you okay?" Ryoga inquired in a soft but delicate tone.

"It's just been long enough, I need ta' come back… and those things you're doing…"

The memory of her dream haunted her in the real world, his words piercing her very being so much, that she couldn't even tell why she was reacting the way she was. Why was it when Ryoga spoke to her, that his words, along with the warning given to her by that mystery boy in her dreams played out at the same time as if she were on the phone while trying to listen to the radio at the same time? Ranko honestly didn't know.

What followed after was the girl gasping, dropping her pebbles onto the ground. Though Ryoga couldn't see it, she appeared to be genuinely scared by the fact that she felt as though she had to run, to escape to wherever she was supposed to be; away from the one she had come to know so personally.

"Please talk to me, Ranko," Ryoga paused as he took a cautious step closer. "Are you okay...?" his voice dragged out a little as he noticed her flinching as if in pain.

This gave Ryoga a reason to stop, he never wanted to see her scared, scared at the idea of him. The fact that he thought he saw her freeze at the sound of his voice was enough for him to feel an aching in his heart. Despite facing her, his eyes drifted off to the side, wondering if he had said or done anything to upset her recently. It felt as though it came straight out of nowhere.

'Did she not like it when we were doing that?' he thought, thinking back to when they were making out a little while ago.

"Ryoga..." Her voice trailed as she forced herself to swallow, preparing herself for something she was clearly nervous about. "Could you do me a favor and... hold me?" she sounded as though she were pleading with her request.

'I-it's okay if he holds me, it's okay b-because he's my boyfriend, m-my Ryoga...' Her inner voice repeated like a pre-rehearsed mantra. 'It's okay, he'll keep me safe.'

Outright refusing to hesitate, the Lost Boy took this as his chance to comfort Ranko. After a few steps, she was in his arms while he embraced her from her side, and though he could sense that she stiffened up upon contact, she didn't pull back or away from him. Instead, she reached out to put her hand atop his forearm.

"Sorry, I'm all outta it. I remembered that nightmare from the night before and it got me all nervous and junk," she explained then looked at him, tightening her hold on his arm. Although under normal circumstances, the amount of pressure she put would have been enough to make any normal man coil inward, Ryoga was no normal man. "I-I'm better now, so don't worry 'bout it..." she assured, keeping her voice down despite them being alone.

"You can talk to me about it, Ranko," Ryoga offered, his voice trailed as he begged her to open up about it.

"I-I can't Ryoga! Be-because I'm not even sure what's wrong!" She paused, looking off to the side and hearing the raven-haired teen's dejected sigh. "It's not like I don't wanna'... I-I just don't get it myself and it could be connected to my screwed up memories!" Ranko attempted to clear the air with some urgency, not wanting to make her dependable friend feel unnecessary.

Ryoga's rejected demeanor vanished when he felt the redhead wrap her arms around him and pressed her body against his. "Ran-Ranko..." he muttered, finding himself smiling and she clung to him just a little tighter.

"Promise me you'll stay by my side, please, Ryoga," Ranko implored, her voice carrying the fear that invaded her hearth.

"I swear I'll stay by your side, no matter what happens," Ryoga responded as genuinely and as honestly as he could, dropping his tone several octaves in the process.

"I… I promise I'll never forget you, Ryoga. Even if my stupid memories come back I won't forget you..." Ranko practically guaranteed as her voice dropped in volume. "Because you're really the most important person in my life, Ryoga, and-and I don't wanna' lose you!" she whispered in a low but affectionate voice while pressing her face against his chest. "I can't lose you..."

Meanwhile, in the mountains behind the Musk Citadel...

The two collared crows landed on a tall rock, not too far from a cave on the mountain's side. The bi-colored birds preened and stared at the strange individual sitting by the entrance of the cavern; they had spotted it from above and, not strangers to the concept of easy to pick food left behind by farmers, decided to simply wait until the hooded stranger had finished eating, and both black-winged birds were already anticipating a tasty serving of leftover rice and vegetables.

It was then that the crows felt it. The aura around the stranger was… dangerous. Staring at this mysterious person, they could clearly see her energy forming the shape of a ferocious lioness, and both of them instinctively knew they shouldn't stay close. Nervously glancing at each other, the crows let out a loud 'Kaar-kaar!' and took off, as they understood flying far away from there was the wisest choice they could make.

Stopping her chewing for a moment, Chevril spared a second to glance at the departing crows, though they could have made a better meal, and then drank from her water bottle so she could swallow the tasteless dry meat she was eating. The young Musk girl debated on finishing the meat or saving it for later. Deciding she wasn't so hungry, she returned it to the small bento box she had between her legs and placed it back in her bag, the same as the water bottle.

"I'll have to hunt something later, dry meat is only a little better than eating cardboard," she sighed and leaned back on the rocks behind her while her mind wandered until she remembered her troubles when she tried to track down the other redhead who had taken the ring. "I do wonder why her trail was so difficult to follow…"

And difficult to follow was putting it lightly; Chervil frowned as she recalled how once she got the trail near the only inn between Shangjie and Tong Po Harbor, it started going in circles, then going in weird directions, then zigzagging, then going back and forth in ways that made no sense, then mixing directions in ways that seemed physically impossible and then…puff, it vanished! She simply lost the trail, could find no smell, no signs on the trees or tracks on the ground, nothing!

'It's as if she… could teleport at will or something,' the girl from the Lion clan thought, scratching her left temple as she tried to make sense of the strange route the other redhead and whoever was traveling with her had taken before disappearing.

'And I have such rotten luck, too,' Chervil sighed. 'Just when I tried to find her scent again, the wind changed and I smelled Mint and Lime approaching me, pushing me north to avoid meeting them.'

And going north proved to be far more trouble than she had imagined because the further she went in that direction, the more Musk trackers she saw and, as she focused on avoiding them, she ended up reaching the river, where three trackers from the Fox and Wolf clans got too close, forcing her to cross the river near Bao.

'And because of that I'm stuck hiding in this stupid cave,' the feline beauty thought, knowing it was safer to stay in the cave for a couple of days before returning south to start searching for that other girl and her friend again. 'I just hope the Musk trackers didn't capture her yet, I'd feel really bad if she gets hurt because of my mistakes… and now that I think of it, I didn't tell those Joketsuzoku kids I met a few days ago how to contact me... Well, too late to fix that now, I guess.'

Feeling slightly frustrated by her lack of luck, Chevril decided to go for a walk, hoping she would be able to find a nice spot by the river where she could catch some fish for dinner. Her decision made, she stood up and picked up her things, hiding them carefully behind a rock. That done, the lion girl stretched by lifting her arms above her head until she feels her shoulder blades pop and then brought her hands down. Her gaze lingered on her fingers for a second and she sighed, suddenly sad as she remembered the ring she had stolen, the ring she should be wearing as proof of her place as Herb's…

"That stupid, pedantic, stuck-up, insensitive, jerk-faced, no-good Prince!" she muttered, recalling how poorly Herb treated her the day they met, and how he didn't even listen when she tried to tell him about the harsh training she had endured to secure her right to meet him and being close to him. "Making me feel like a fool when all I ever wanted was to…"

Chevril stopped that thought and shook her head, realizing it wasn't right at all. True, Herb had not been exactly polite when Sumac introduced them, but she had no right to get back at him by stealing the royal ring and running away from the Musk Castle.

'Well… I was angry, and taking the ring made sense at the time,' she thought as she started walking in the direction of the nearby river. 'I mean… I didn't steal the ring because it technically would've been mine after Herb and I...'

CRAAA-KOOOOM!

"What was that?" Chevril asked, terrified by the loud noise as she feared it was either a military exercise that went wrong or even Saffron acting crazy. Her fears vanished, however, when she saw several flashes of golden light that were matched with a very familiar aura, one that she knew and that could only belong to one man.

'Herb… he's there...' she thought. For a moment, the lion girl considered picking up her things and running away as far as she could but in the end, she couldn't. She had not seen Herb in too long, and a chance to catch a glimpse of her Dragon Prince was simply something she couldn't let pass.

With her mindset, Chevril rushed towards the golden aura shining bright ahead of her...

At the bottom of a ravine...

Herb stood still as two massive rocks fell in front and behind him, his aura protecting him from the debris flying in his general direction. When the dust cleared, she looked up at the top of the cliff and saw that the damage caused by the energy blasts he had just shot at the tallest point of the rocky walls was not as severe as what his grandfather or father could do. Herb took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly; he knew his strength was still growing, but he had hoped his raw power was higher.

"It will come with time," the Musk prince said in a low voice, remembering the old tale about how his great-grandfather had once managed to counter Saffron's flames with his battle aura, if only for long enough to save the Musk Castle; that feat, however, had impressed the Phoenix King, and he agreed to sign a pact of no aggression between the Musk and the Bird People, a pact that had been respected by the residents of Ho'O Peak since then. But The Musk knew each new incarnation of Saffron was slightly different, and could suddenly change his mind about the agreement. Because of that, it was imperative for the Dragon Clan to grow stronger with each generation, as it was the only way to make sure the Musk Dynasty would have a chance to avoid a crushing defeat in case Saffron attacked.

'Hm… I should try using some of my special techniques now, I may not be as strong as my father yet, but I can aim to be more precise than he is for the time being,' Herb thought. 'I'll practice the Hito Ryu Zan Ha, then, that should help me improve my overall technique.'

The Dragon Prince took in a deep breath, relaxed his shoulders, and then looked up. He selected two spots high on the gorge and shot one ki blast from each hand, hitting the rock with explosive results, causing a rain of rather large rocks to fall in his direction. Herb focused his energy and waited, he had less than two seconds to do this right; if he failed, the chances were high that he would get injured, so he had to time it perfectly and then when most of the rocks were just where he wanted them…

"Hito Ryu Zan Ha!" He shouted, bringing his hands up in rapid succession, unleashing a barrage of ki blades that impacted the falling rocks. Each energy blade cut the falling rocks well, splitting most of them into smaller and smaller stones until they were harmless pebbles; most of them, that is, with the exception of the largest one, a massive rock similar in size to Kirin's airship.

Not bothering with thinking and acting instead on instinct alone, Herb ignited his battle aura and launched himself at the enormous boulder. When he was about to meet the stone, the Prince focused all of his energy in his right fist and punched the rock hard, using both his considerable strength and his own ki to split it in half. Still, in midair, the young dragon quickly spun and delivered a powerful kick with his right leg, shattering that half of the rock into dust. Turning quickly Herb delivered a second kick, this time with his left leg, hitting the other half of the boulder and destroying it completely.

Below, a rain of pebbles and dust rained down the bottom of the precipice, and Herb descended slowly, landing safely in the midst of the destruction he had just caused. Looking around, the prince couldn't hold back a satisfied smirk. He had done better now than the last time he had tried this exercise a few months back and while he still was not at his father's level, Herb considered he was now improving faster and would surpass his father in less than three years, something that greatly pleased him.

'Good, if I keep increasing my power we won't have anything to fear from Saffron and…' the prince started, but he then felt something that interrupted his thoughts. A presence? He had detected a familiar battle aura, but it had disappeared so quickly he may have imagined it. Puzzled by this, he spared a glance to his right and waited, expecting to see a newcomer approaching him but there was nobody there. 'I must be tired… I'm even feeling Chervil's presence now.'

Deciding it had been nothing but his imagination, Herb jumped up twice, reaching the top of the cliff with ease. Once there he walked a bit until he reached the woods and stopped under a tall oak, where he found his gear.

Sitting and resting his back on the tree, Herb reached for a water bottle and took a sip, wondering then why he had imagined feeling Chervil's presence. Perhaps he was starting to miss her?

'No, that couldn't be,' Herb thought, but at the same time, he remembered Chervil's slim, athletic figure, the line of her hips, and the inviting curve of her breasts. The prince groaned in frustration and shook his head. Why was he thinking of that annoying, foul-mouthed, irritating woman? It made no sense.

'I must be very tired,' he decided and yawned loudly, taking advantage of being alone to do so.

A few minutes before…

Chevril hid behind a rock with a hand over her heart, sweating in fear and breathing fast. She was focusing on keeping her battle aura hidden to avoid being found out and was starting to believe she had been too careless and had gotten too close too fast.

'The last thing I need is to meet Herb without having the royal ring in my possession,' she thought, wiping a bit of sweat off her forehead. Sure, she knew the prince wouldn't kill her, but there was no way she could face him empty-handed because even if her life was not in danger, there would be punishment, and she was not eager at all to find out of what kind.

'Is he coming here?' she wondered after a while of hiding. Waiting for a moment more, the lion girl finally dared to slowly peek above the rock, only to find… nobody. Herb wasn't there anymore. 'He's gone, thank God! For a moment I really thought he would come here!'

But where was he? Confused, Chervil looked left and right and finally up, just in time to see Herb reaching the top of the cliff with incredible ease. 'He used all that ki and still had enough energy to jump all the way up there. He's… he's so amazing… so strong… and so handsome...'

Blushing at the thought, the lion girl sighed and sat down. Her heart was beating faster, just like the first time she'd seen him from afar when she was a little girl and sneaked into the boy's section of the Musk Citadel.

'I'm such a fool…' she thought running her hand over her face and leaning her back on the rock behind her. 'And Herb's probably never going to forgive me.'

Midnight…

Chervil moved stealthily, climbing with feline grace and agility until she reached the top of the ravine. Once there, she used her delicate sense of smell to sniff around until she found his scent. He was straight ahead in the woods. Slowly, and keeping her ki as low as she could, the lion girl walked in the direction of the trees.

As she moved silently through the forest, her feet avoiding every single twig on the floor, walking with her head low to avoid touching any branches and making unwanted noises, she suddenly realized that she should not be there. She really shouldn't be there. But she couldn't stop moving.

She had to see Herb. She simply had to.

It took her a few minutes, but she finally found the small clearing where he had set his camp. He was sleeping on his back, under an oak. He hadn't bothered to light a fire or set up a tent, covering himself only with a blanket. This confused her for a moment, and she stopped while looking at her surroundings, wondering why Herb was sleeping like that. It was then that she smelled and noticed a few wolves on the other side of the clearing. Being of a cat clan, her night vision was perfect, and Chevril was able to see that the wolves were afraid, and didn't dare to approach the Dragon Prince. Finally, after a moment of hesitation, the leader of the pack turned and all wolves vanished into the shadows.

'Makes sense Herb didn't bother with a tent or a fire,' she thought. 'There's no animal here that's stupid enough to get near him after feeling his battle aura, even when he's sleeping.'

For a moment, Chervil considered turning and going back to her own camp, but in the end, she tip-toed until she was next to Herb and slowly knelt beside him. She spent a moment observing him, taking in his relaxed and calm expression, thinking he looked so peaceful and content. On a whim, Chervil reached for his face and slowly, so very slowly, ran her fingertips over his forehead, enjoying the warmth of his skin as she caressed him.

Feeling a little bolder after seeing he didn't appear to be waking up, she leaned closer and stopped short of touching his lips with hers. What was she doing, kissing him like this? Chevril blinked and shook her head. No, she wanted him to kiss her when awake, doing this would be a waste of their first kiss, and she didn't want that.

But she really wanted to kiss him.

Closing her eyes and struggling against her fear of waking him up, Chevril moved a bit and shyly, slowly, pressed her lips against his forehead, trembling the moment she felt how soft and warm his skin truly was.

"I… I love you, Herb," she managed to confess after a moment of hesitation. "And I… I am sorry I caused you so much trouble, I promise I'll fix this mess."

Herb moved a little then. She noticed and waited hoping it was nothing, but then he stirred again and Chevril understood he was going to wake up. Not wanting to meet him again until she had recovered the ring, the lion girl used her considerable cat-like agility and jumped high, landing on a branch above, and from there she kept moving as fast as she could until she was back in her cave.

Had she stayed, Chervil would have seen Herb opening his eyes and sitting up, rubbing the sleep off his face as he scanned his surroundings, searching for the energy of any strangers that had dared approach him while he rested, but other than what felt like wolves moving away from him, there was no one? Confused, Herb touched his forehead, wondering why he felt as if someone had caressed him there. The prince sat in silence there, waiting until he felt sure he was alone.

'I do wonder what that feeling in my forehead was, though…' Herb thought as he covered his mouth while yawning. 'But it felt good, so maybe I was having a nice dream...'

Thinking that whatever it had been wasn't something he should concern with, Herb went back to sleep, his last thoughts before he fell asleep devoted to the training exercises he would do the following day.

The following day in Joketsuzoku...

A bird squawked in the distance, towards the afternoon sun. Looking in its direction was Mousse, who had his hands in his sleeves, and Shampoo who stood to his side as they watched Pink and Link counting a considerable sum of money, straight from a rather hefty looking sack at that. Nearby, only a few yards to be exact were two wise tribal elders. Further beyond them was the village entrance.

"Is the payment complete, young ones?" Cologne asked, closing her eyes with a soft smile.

The Amazon in the red and green garbs asked her question just as Pink stacked the last bit of it. She closed her eyes and hummed for a second, "I believe it is paid in full, honorable Elder, we pray that it will be very useful for Joketsuzoku," Link confirmed their successful transaction with a cheerful clapping of her hands.

Pink in the meanwhile, loaded the back of the cart with the payment, closing the backdoor with her hand she dusted her palms of any loose hay, putting her hands to her hips.

The elder in Christmas colors, save for the golden circle with a cross in the middle on the front of her robes, nodded her head. "Give my regards to Ginseng, if you please, but also tell him that I expect him to remember our agreement," Cologne said, pausing right after to make sure she looked into Pink's eyes.

Pink saw that right after Cologne finished speaking, Link had bowed graciously, she would also show the same respect but with a much more pronounced grin than a delicate and courteous one like her sister Link. "We promise to deliver your message!" they proudly assured as they stood up straight again.

"We're still in need of some more herbs and roots, so we hope that the Yukusai herbalists can send more merchandise by tomorrow morning." The short-haired elder in red and blue robes inquired, putting a hand to her chin.

"We will personally bring whatever the Amazons want, Elder Rinse!" Pink added to the conversation.

"We will also ensure it is the highest of quality!" Link threw in her own promise as well.

"I would also like you two to keep the Musk ambushes to a minimum, so to make sure we can avoid another mishap. Shampoo and Mousse will spend the night in Yukusai with you two." Cologne's voice trailed as she looked at the Amazonian couple.

"Yes! Of course!" Link agreed with a forced-looking smile.

Pink on the other hand appeared annoyed as she crossed her arms, "If it's what the Elders would like of us..." her voice dragged out as she looked over to the other two equally as displeased martial artists.

"This could hinder our training," Mousse said as his specs met Cologne's eyes.

"He's right, Great Grandmother," Shampoo concurred with her husband-to-be, hands on her hips expectantly.

"Then you two will have to resume your training the following day," Rinse said as she shoved her hand hands up her sleeves as well.

"You two can make up for the lost time with some extra training," Cologne advised as she clanked the bottom half of her staff to the ground.

With no further words, they began their walk back into the Amazon village. Walking side by side they left the four teens with very little room for argument, in fact, it was considered dangerous to question the will of the tribe leaders. The second they knew that the two ancient slave drivers were far away enough, Pink and Link looked at Shampoo and sighed inwardly, slouching their shoulders as they went to take their place in the carriage.

The twin's lips resembled flat lines, feeling the cart rattle a little from the weight of Mousse and Shampoo boarding. Both took their respective reins, one thought remaining prevalent through their departure.

'This is a stupid idea,' they thought in perfect harmony.