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Li Xiang, the beautiful, but deadly dancing butterfly.

---*---

After the long run, our heroes finally made it out of the forest. Haruki, as it turns out, is actually one of the warriors from the legend, and agreed to travel with Aya and Satoshi after all. They came to a average looking town, where they found a large group of people crowded around something or someone.

"I wonder what's all the commotion is about over there." Aya said to herself.

The three went over to where the excitement was. The 'excitement' was actually a group of people performing amazing Chinese acrobatics. Four young girls balanced spinning plates on long sticks, one man blew fire from his mouth, three teenage boys performed impossible looking gymnastics, one woman was on a unicycle with a high seat, balancing bowls on her head.

One girl attracted everyone's eyes. She was a young beauty, about twenty years old; she had pink brownish hair done in an unusual hairstyle, (a/n Think Devil Hunter Yohko. Except all braided and pink.) her eyes were a light golden color, her skin was a delicate ivory, with not a blemish on it, and she wore a Chinese green robe to go with her brilliant pink hair.

She demonstrated martial arts with two large Chinese fans with green silk coverings. They way she moved was so graceful, it almost looked like she was floating. In fact, it seemed as if she was combining martial arts and dancing together.

"Wow, she's really good." Complimented Satoshi.

" Of course she's good, practicing martial arts can make anyone move like that." indicated Aya.

For Haruki, her beauty dazzled him so much, that it was hard to look away. Even some men were complimenting on her looks. When she was done, the crowd cheered wildly, as she took a bow. The fire-eater stepped up to the crowd.

"Now, is any man brave enough to challenge my daughter, Li Xiang, in a match? If you can knock her weapon out of her hand, you get a kiss from my lovely daughter." announced the Fire-eater. One by one each young man would challenge her, but one by one she beat them all with no trouble.

"Ah, too bad for you." The fire-eater said to another man, who lost. "Well, is there anyone else who wants to give it a try?"

"It's probably impossible. I mean no guy has beaten her yet. Why don't they just give it up, it's just a little kiss." To Aya's surprise, Haruki took a stand.

"I'll give it a go." Haruki told the Fire-eater.

"Hm, you look pretty strong. All right then, if you can knock her weapon out of her hand, you win." He explained.

Haruki stood in the ring, with him on the left and Li Xiang on the right. Haruki took something out of his boot, to what appeared to be a metal rod. When he gave it a flick, it extended into a long chain whip.

"On my count. Ready? Go!" The fire-eater declared the fight.

The match began. Haruki used the whip to sweep out at Li Xiang's feet, only to find that she suddenly disappeared. Confused, he looked around to where she went.

'Did she teleported?' He thought to himself. (a/n Sorry I can't describe fights that well. ^.^;;;)

"Over here."

The archer turned to find that she was right BEHIND him! She gave him a cool smirk, and gestured for him to come at her again. He did the same thing and found that she was behind him again. The third time was different; this time she used her two Chinese fans and threw off the silk coverings on them. Li Xiang, zipped right passed Haruki, and attacked him with her fan.

Haruki paused and noticed there was a tear on his sleeve. He glanced at the two fans Li Xiang held in her hands and saw it gleam in the sunlight.

'What? Those fans are razor sharp!' Haruki thought to himself.

Haruki had to think of something, if he tried to attack her she'll just use the same tactics over and over again. He had to watch her closely or he'll never beat her. He gave another lash with his whip, and watched her carefully. He noticed she jumped high above, flipped over his head and landed perfectly behind him.

'Hmmm... So that is how she's been doing it. She 's been flipping over me the whole time. She moves so fast that it looks like she disappeared.' Haruki had to make this last move count. If he were to make his move, no doubt that she'll jump over him again.

Haruki made another attempt, he lashed at Li Xiang once again. As usual she jumped right over him, not knowing what Haruki had in store.

'Now's my chance!'

When Li Xiang was right behind him, he did a back kick, and knocked the weapon out of her hand. She looked at him in shock.

'No one has ever disarmed me before.' Li Xiang thought.

"All right! Go Haruki!" Aya cheered. Soon everyone else joined her in the cheering.

Haruki, being the gentlemen, picked up Li Xiang's fans and handed them to her. She hesitantly took them from him and smiled.

"Thank you." Li Xiang stood up on her toes and gave the surprise Haruki a kiss on the cheek.

"I...I..." Haruki didn't know what to say; he was too lost for words. He touched the spot where she kissed him. His face grew red hot. Aya and Satoshi both started nudging him in the ribs and giving him sly smiles.

"Hey Haruki-kun, is that sunburn on your face..." Aya asked slyly.

"Or are you blushing?" Satoshi finished the sentence.

"N-Now you two, stop that! I'm not blushing, I'm just tired from that fight." Haruki lied through his teeth.

"Sure." They both said with catty grins on their faces.

'I don't know if I'm babysitting children or two foxes.' sighed Haruki.

"Um, here I forgot to give you this." Li Xiang handed Haruki a certificate.

"What's this?" The archer asked her.

"It's a certificate for a free stay at the 'Waterfall Inn'. It's one of the best Inn's in this town. This is another prize for beating me." Li Xiang explained.

"Thank you." smiled Haruki.

"Hey, Li Xiang you may not know me, but I'm friend of this guy and don't get me wrong but I think he-" Haruki quickly cut Aya off.

"Okay, that's enough about me, let's hurry up and get to that Inn before there are no rooms left." Haruki dragged the protesting Aya away from the confused Li Xiang.

---*---

"Ah, Li Xiang was right. This inn is great." Aya sighed as she relaxed in the hot spring.

Aya decided to take a quick soak in the hot springs, because she wanted to ease the soreness in her legs from all the traveling. Other women in the hot spring were chatting with each other.

"Hey, do you want to know what I heard?" asked the brown haired woman.

"What?" asked the blue haired woman.

"I heard that a new museum opened a couple of days ago. It's suppose to have a display case of one of the map pieces of the `Black Devil Sword.'

"Wow, THE Devil Sword?"

"Yeah."

'Hm? Devil Sword?' Aya thought to herself.

---*---

"Are you sure that the map is in here?" questioned Satoshi.

"Of course I'm sure. All we need to do is check it out and ask the museum owner to give it to us." explained Aya.

The trio arrived to the museum and found the piece of the map to the Devil Sword in a display case. What really surprised them was when they found Li Xiang there, arguing with the owner.

"But sir, I need that map!" Pleaded Li Xiang.

"I'm sorry miss, but I just can't give it to anyone." The owner protested.

"I know, but I need it. It's very important!" argued Li Xiang.

"I'm sorry, but I can't give it to you and that is final. That is a precious item and it is to never be taken by anyone." The owner said firmly. Frustrated, Li Xiang gave up and left.

"Weird, why did she want the map?" Aya asked curiously.

"I don't know." replied Satoshi.

"You don't think she's a bad guy do you?"

"Nah, if she was she would have taken it by force right away."

"Well, you guys heard what the owner said, 'I can't give it to anyone.' And I'm sure he meant it."

"We have to do something. Without that map we can never get to the Devil Sword."

"What do you think Haruki?" Aya asked the silent Haruki.

"Leave it to me." Haruki replied.

"Huh?" Aya looked at him questionably.

"You two just go back to the inn. I'll be back pretty late, so don't worry." He said.

"Well, okay whatever you say Haruki." The two fighters left Haruki and headed back to the inn.

"You don't think he'll try and steal it do you?" Satoshi asked Aya.

"Nah, Haruki is not the kind of guy to do that." They both chuckled jokingly.

---*---

Later on that night...

"My friends are going to be mad when they found out I did this." Haruki said to himself.

Haruki crept through the dark hallway. The only way to get that map was to sneak in the museum and steal it. Haruki quickly ducked behind the wall when a guard walked by him. When the coast was clear, he silently stalked over to the display case where the map was.

'There it is!' Haruki was about to retrieve the map when another dark figure, dressed in a ninja suit, appeared from the roof.

Haruki rushed behind a statue to hide. The dark figure tossed a rope down and slowly lowered its self down to the spot where the map was. Carefully, the ninja lifted up the display case, chanted something to set off the alarm, and retrieved the map.

"That's called stealing you know." The ninja looked up to find Haruki standing in front of him.

The ninja wore a mask, so Haruki couldn't see the face. The ninja's mask shadowed over its eyes a bit, so he couldn't really see that clearly.

The ninja jumped up and sent a vicious kick to Haruki, who dodged it. Then they started to exchange kicks and punches to each other.

Haruki made a sweep at the ninja legs, only to find that he disappeared out of sight. He looked behind him to find that the ninja was standing right there!

'Strange, I think I've seen that move before.' The archer charged at the ninja again. Haruki felt a sharp pain on his arm. He looked at it to find his sleeve soaked with blood. He glanced at the ninja and notice that it held two fans in its hands.

'What? Fans? Then that means it can only be one person.' Haruki zipped past the ninja and came up from behind him. He grabbed the ninja's arm, twisted it behind his back, and pulled off the mask. The archer found himself with a face full of pink silk.

The ninja elbowed him in the stomach, which caused Haruki to let go. The ninja turned to face him, and gasped when it found who it's attacker was, or HER attacker was.

"You?!" Haruki gasped. The thief was actually Li Xiang!

Aya Higurashi speaking to all you viewers. You're all probably wondering 'What? I don't get it why is Li Xiang stealing the map?'. Well, I'll explain that later, okay? Next chapter Li Xiang explains to them that she is on a mission to find the devil sword and to destroy it, because it turns out she's actually a descendant of a long line of ninjas! But what happens when Mako comes back and attacks Li Xiang's family? Next episode `An acrobat's tragic performance'. Only on `The Eight Anime Kingdoms!' ^_^V