• Two weeks later, Misao was being prepared for her big celebration--it was her fifteenth birthday! This night would be one of the best nights of her life. Her heart was pounding, because she remembered something that her Aoshi-sama said to her just the week before. Aoshi had been there a total of 4 weeks--one whole month.

    **FLASHBACK TO ONE WEEK AGO**

    "Misao."

    "Yes, Aoshi-sama?"

    "Your birthday is one week from today, correct?"

    "Yes, Aoshi-sama."

    "I have a surprise for you. The night of you party, be waiting for me around midnight. I have been observing the others, and that is usually the time that they are all asleep. I will check on everyone, just to be sure. We will be going some where, so we will have to sneak out. When I knock on your door, be prepared to leave."

    "Yes, Aoshi-sama."

    **END FLASHBACK**

    Her maid came in, and told her that it was time for her western party. She had recently signed a contract that would befriend her city to the city of London, England, so she wanted to demonstrate her enthusiasm for the new relationship with her birthday party, her birthday ball in her brand new ballroom.

    She was also using this as a young samurai would with a genpuku ceremony--that means that at the age of fifteen, they become an adult--and even though she wasn't a samurai, she was still being trained by Aoshi to be a ninja! ninja

    She walked to her door, and when she opened it, her jaw nearly fell to the floor. There stood Aoshi, in a western tuxedo, and as soon as she opened the door, he gave a small smile, and dropped to one knee, kissing her hand. "Young Queen."

    Misao couldn't believe her eyes! She straitened up her western style gown (it looks like Cinderella's dress at the ball) He stood, grabbed her arm, and started for the ball room.

    His hair was slicked back in a western fashion, and he looked so handsome that she couldn't even keep her eyes off of him.

    They got to the ballroom, and he held out his hand and said "May I have this dance, young queen?"

    She merely nodded in the positive, and then they began twirling and spinning. She didn't know what to think! First he's a ninja and great martial artist, and now a dancer?

    After a while, they got hungry, and everyone piled out the door after Misao and Aoshi, heading to the dining hall.

    They had western styled food--of course--and western style music. Everyone was wearing western attire--besides her servants, who wore traditional japanese kimonos.

    Soon, the party was over, and Misao stood with Aoshi and left for her room. When they got there, he hugged her, and whispered in her ear, "Don't forget about my surprise for you. Go, get a bath, and be ready. I will knock when it is time."

    With that, he disappeared.

    She did as he said, and at midnight, she heard the knock on her door. She was dressed in a simple kimono, with nothing underneath. She opened the door, and Aoshi stood there, in his ninja uniform.

    "I've checked on everyone in this castle. No one is awake. It is safe to leave."

    Before she could say anything, he picked her up, carried her into her room, shut the door, went through the room to the balcony, and then practically flew out and down--tree stories, i might add--to the castle gates wall. He ran along the top of the gate, and then jumped into the trees beyond!