Chapter 1
Armor of the Dragon Princess or How did I get myself into this mess?

Tony Watanabe couldn’t believe his luck. He never once believe that he would be selected for the high school internship to the Smithsonian for the summer. He didn’t care if it was only serving coffee in the restoration and cleaning room. Just the chance at working in the Smithsonian was a dream come true for the teenager. He knew that this was his chance to finally get away from his mostly all white neighborhood. Not that he didn’t appreciate his heritage. He just didn’t want to simply be known as the stereo typical Japanese smart kid.

His favorite topic in all of his studies was history. He really wanted to be a famous archeologist like his heroes. Unlike his friends who grew up with, his heroes weren’t sports stars, action movie stars, or comic book super heroes. No Tony’s heroes were people like Howard Carter, Arthur Evans, Zehi Hawass, and Indiana Jones. Sure, the last one is a fictional tome raider. Not that it mattered to Tony. He wanted to follow in the footsteps of those famous men and be the one to find the lost treasures of history.

He wanted to be the one to find the Lost Ark of the Covenant, the Staff of Ra, the Bow of Diana, the Lyre of Apollo. Tony wanted to find the True Cradle of Life. He wanted to find at least one of the great mystery treasures of antiquity. But above all he wanted to find the Temple of the Shiryū or the Four Dragon Kings. The temple is believed to have been somewhere on the side of one of three mountains, Mount Fuji, Mount Haku or Mount Tate. The problem is no one has been able to prove this theory.

As Tony walked through the doors of the employee entrance, he looked around expectantly. He knew that he was supposed to be met by a Doctor Lynn Carter. From what he was able to gather off the woman who interviewed him Doctor Carter had to be in her sixties. She had more wards for new archaeology finds than any other archaeologist in recent years. Imagine his surprise when the thirty year old woman walked up to him smiling.

“Anthony Watanabe?” She asked. Then held out her hand. “Lynn Carter. Pleasure to meet you. If you’ll follow me?”

“Um… excuse me but you’re Doctor Lynn Carter?” Tony asked in surprise.

The woman chuckled. “Yup. That’s me. I know, I know. Not the old bat that you were expecting, am I right?”

“Um… yeah. No office ma’am. But you don’t look like you hold two Doctoral degrees. Let alone being old enough to hold one.” Tony told her honestly. The Doctor’s appearance really threw him for a loop.

Lynn just chuckled. She knew that her age and good looks have been a real pain in the ass for her career wise. Most of her colleges considered her to be a flash in the pan, lucky ‘pot hunter’. And those were the ones that actually liked her. The ones that didn’t like her used terms that far less respectful. It wasn’t her fault that she graduated from high school early. Nor was it her fault that she is smart enough to earn two doctoral degrees by the time she was twenty-one. Unlike her counterparts wasn’t afraid to use satellites and all the newest forms of tech to make her finds.

“I understand what you’re saying young man. You also know what it’s like to be the smartest kid in the room. I read your high school transcripts. A three point oh overall GPA. Which would have been higher if not for your PE score. I take it that your PE teacher wasn’t a fan of good grades?”

“More like he wasn’t a fan of someone turning in his starting quarterback for cheating on his homework and testes.” Tony snorted. “Racist bastard.”

“Let me guess. You’re the only Japanese-American in the school?” Lynn sighed.

“Got it in one, Doc. It sounds like you went through something similar.” Tony told her with a crocked smile.

“Not until I reached college Tony. There I got slammed with the BS because I won’t let the jocks cheat off me. But enough about the past.” She told him with a smile. “How would you like to see a dragon?”

“Are you kidding me?!” Asked a very excited Tony. He knew what Lynn was talking about. After all she was the one to find the statue of Toyotama-hime or Luxuriant-Jewel-Princess. “I would love too!”

“Right this way Tony.” Lynn said with an even wider smile for some reason. A reason that Tony wouldn’t understand until it was too late.

Lynn led Tony down to the authentication and restoration wing of the museum. Once there they took the elevator to the basement where the real work done. As they entered the authentication section Tony had to stop. Lynn turned to look back at the boy when she noticed that he wasn’t beside her.

“You okay Tony?” She asked.

“Yes, ma’am. I’m just amazed by what I’m seeing.” Tony raised his arm and started pointing. “That is a tsurugi from around seven-hundred AD. Over there is a Naginata from around sixteen-fifty AD. And that’s a full set of armor from the Edo period. None of them have the same family markings. Where did all of this come from?”

“The same place that I found the statue, Tony.” Lynn said as she waved arm around to take in the whole room. “And this is just the tip of the iceberg.”

Tony spun around to face Doctor Lynn Carter in stunned disbelief. “How in the world did you ever convince the Japanese Government to let you bring all of these National Treasures out of the country?”

“That was easy. I own the land that all of these was found on.” Lynn answered him with a sly knowing smile. “See one of the things I always do before starting a dig is to buy the land in question. This way I don’t have to deal with pesky landowners. As for dealing with local Governments I always promise to return the items I find once they have been ‘authenticated by the Smithsonian’. I’ve yet to meet a Government desk jockey that didn’t want a National Treasure authenticated by the Smithsonian.”

Tony would have to have been a true idiot to not hear the air quotes around authenticated by the Smithsonian. He noticed the snickering of the employees working the room. For some reason he felt that Doctor Lynn Carter hadn’t declared most the items she found on her dig sites. His father had told him about more than one Japanese historical site being raided by the GI’s after World War Two for war trophies. The problem that he faced was proof.

“Come on now, Tony. Time for you to see the greatest Lady to ever visit our fine institution. The Dragon Princess, and Goddess herself, Toyotama.” Lynn spotted the boy’s unusual interest in the artifacts in the authentication room. She might have to get ride of the boy if he becomes a problem.

As they walked toward the back of the room to the vault Tony spotted what had to be the finest work of Japanese sword making in the last five-hundred years. “Ma’am, is that really a Shintō Ken?”

“Yes, it is Tony. We’ve been able to date it to the Edo Period around sixteen-seventy. Or close enough anyway without doing a Carbon fourteen dating.” Lynn answered the boy with a true smile. “Sadly, we’ll be returning that beautiful piece of artwork to a private temple in the Yamanashi Prefecture. Between fifteen to twenty miles north of the Mount Fuji base.”

“Why did they send it here?” Tony questioned her.

“Well that is a little hard to explain, Tony.” Lynn sighed. “You see, when I found the cave that held all these relics it is on the boarder of the private temples grounds. It seems that even though I own the property the cave actually sets on the temple personnel have guarded the cave for more than eighteen centuries. If it hadn’t been for an official survey, I won’t have been able to even enter the cave. Even then I had to make concessions to the temple. The first of which was that sword must accompany the statue.”

“I don’t understand. Why would the people of the temple want the sword to accompany the statue?” Tony asked her blankly.

“The legend of Toyotama’s Defender.” Lynn answered with a smile. She knew it was time to planet the seed. She could tell by the questioning look in his eyes. “According to the temple monks and nuns the Dragon Princess Goddess was protected by five loyal samurai who were all brothers.”

“Wait. I thought she returned to the sea after her husband spied on her during the birth of their child never to return to the land.” Tony thought he should correct Doctor Carter on her misinterpretation of the legend. Then he saw the look in her eyes. “What am I missing here Doctor Carter? It has to be something big for you to be grinning like that. Is there a part of the legend that only these monks and nuns know?”

“There is Tony. I must say though that you are well versed in the legends of your ancestral homeland. Who taught them to you?” Lynn asked with true interest. After all most young Japanese-Americans know so little of their ancestral nation’s legends. Especially if they are third generation or more in the United States. Like young Tony who was a fifth generation child.

“My grandfather use to sit and tell me all of the old legends, ma’am. He did it mostly because of my desire to become an archaeologist. That and my love of history, I suppose.” Tony answered with a small smile of pride.

“Then I will take great pride in telling you the legend of the Defenders of the Dragon Princess Goddess Toyotama.” For the next twenty minutes Lynn Carter told the tell of five brothers who swore their undying loyalty to the Dragon Princess on the side of Mount Fuji. When she came to the end of the story she explained about the sword.

“When the last brother laid dying form battle Toyotama took his blade and dipped in her own blood. Then with a mighty thrust sheathed the blade in the samurai’s chest. According to the legend the samurai was cursed to eternal life by becoming the living scabbard for the blade. A blade that his now holds his very soul.” Lynn picked up the sword and scabbard. “This very blade I now hold in my hands, Tony. The monks and nuns say that if the blade should ever be pulled by one who is truly pure, they shall become the undying Defender of the Dragon Princess Goddess. Forever cursed to walk the earth. Until the day that they are defeated by their replacement in signal combat.”

Tony’s hand slowly reached out to touch the beautiful blade for some unknown reason. Only to be stopped by Lynn’s warning. “Please don’t touch any object in the restoration and authentication room with your bare hands Tony.”

Tony snatched his hand back and shook his head. “Sorry ma’am. I don’t know what came over me. For some reason I just had to hold the sword.”

Lynn smiled a very forgiving smile. “Don’t worry, Tony. You stopped before touching the hilt. Which is a good thing. Remember that the oils on our hands can damage the artifacts. So always wear the lent free gloves that we provide whenever in this room. You’ll find them near the door as you enter.”

“Does everyone wear them ma’am? I mean aren’t I just here to fetch coffee, make copies of notes, and enter data on the computer for you?” Tony asked.

Lynn laughed after hearing Tony describe his job. “Oh no, Tony. Not by a long shot. You won that internship because of your work on the Ogata Temple texts. I have to say your translation of those ancient writings has brought new meaning to them. For all of us in the archaeology field.”

Tony blinked his eyes. “You actually read that paper ma’am? I mean sure I submitted it to the universities of Harvard, Cambridge, Oxford, Berkeley, and Stanford. They are after all the top universities for archaeology. I never thought that someone like you would have read it.”

“Tony do you realize that almost every department head at those Universities read your paper. Then passed it along to just about every archaeologist that specializes in the Far East.” Lynn just chuckled as Tony shook his head no. “Your work in translating those old texts is beyond ground breaking. Why Doctor Howard Rice of Cambridge made the comment of wanting to offer you a full fellowship. Just off that one paper.”

“Wow. I didn’t think it was that good. All I did was go back to what my grandparents taught. I had to do a lot of research into the ancient texts that have been fully translated. After that it was easy to break down the Ogata Temple Texts. I just had to find the right context for the kojiki.” Tony thought it was best to explain his paper and how he came to his conclusion. The whole paper was based around the legend of the bamboo cutter.

“Well here is a piece of information that you definitely don’t know then. It was your work that led me to the legend of the Dragon Princess Defenders. If it had not been for your groundbreaking work neither Doctor Tanaka nor myself would have ever figured out those ancient texts.” Lynn smiled as she turned to put the sword back on the table where it had been.

“WAIT! Don’t move!” Tony ordered as he grabbed Lynn’s shoulder. Pointing at the scabbard. “Have you translated these yet?”

Lynn looked at Tony then down at the sword’s scabbard. For the first time she saw the line of kojiki running down the black scabbard. Until now those characters never been seen before. It was only by a trick of the light that she only now able to see them. “Can you read these kojiki, Tony?”

“Well, yes. It’s not that hard. I mean it’s not hard for me.” Tony corrected.

“Well what do they say, boy?” Came a voice from behind Tony. When Tony turned to face the man that the voice belonged to, he almost shit his pants. He was face to face with the Director for the Smithsonian’s restoration and authentication department, Doctor Richard Anders. “Well! Don’t take all day. What do those characters read?”

“They are a warning against removing the statue from the cave. They’re some kind of curse. I would need the other half of the script to fully translate the text for the curse.” Tony answered the Director. “Do we even have the other half of the text?”

“Right this way, young man.” Anders ordered him and then led him into the vault where the statue rested. “Lynn bring the sword.”

Once inside the Director handed Tony a pair of latex gloves followed by a pair of white lent free cotton gloves to wear over the latex gloves. “This is a double glove area, young man. Always remember that.”

Tony followed the example of the Director. Once properly gloved the two archaeologists and one student examined the statue. Tony was the first to spot the matching kojiki. “Here. On the backside of the base. Look at these kojiki. They complete the curse on the sword.”

“What do they say Tony?” Lynn asked almost breathlessly. Her own excitement matched that of the teenager’s. What Tony didn’t realize was that the three of them were making history.

“Well, the warning starts on the scabbard. Can I see the sword Doctor Cater?” Lynn just handed the whole thing to Tony. Taking his finger, he pointed to the first character and worked his way down the scabbard.

“Who should ever remove Toyotama’s fang shall face her wrath.” He stopped when he reached the end of the scabbard. Then turned to the statue’s base. Before he started reading aloud Tony noticed something wrong. “There is a part of the curse or warning that is missing. Have you removed the sword from the scabbard yet Doctor Carter?”

“No. We were given explicit orders to never remove the blade from the scabbard.” Lynn answered then a thoughtful look came to her face. “You don’t think that the rest of the text is on the blade?”

“Well it is wakizashi length religious or ceremonial blade. Not to mention it is in the Sōshū School style from the Sagami Province. Sagami was one of the original provinces of Japan established in the Nara period under the Taihō Code in what is today the central and western Kanagawa Prefecture.” Tony hadn’t realized what he was doing but both Doctor Carter, and Doctor Anders saw a teacher in their element. “It would stand to reason that the middle section of the warning is on the blade.”

“Why do you say that Tony?” Lynn asked the young man.

“Back during the shinto period of sword making in Japan swords like this one often had special names given to them. Often carved in the metal before they were hardened. Then there are the ones that had messages carved into the blade. It was not that uncommon for ceremonial swords.” Tony explained. “Though I doubt that there are more than a handful of these swords still left in the world. If this sword has the second part to the warning on its blade. Then the value of the sword just became beyond priceless.”

“Draw the blade Tony.” The Director ordered. He didn’t care what Lynn promised those foolish monks. He wanted a true authentication of that blade.

Tony just nodded his head and slowly pulled the blade from its scabbard. With each inch a new kojiki appeared. With each one Tony read them out loud. “The Wielder of this blade shall never know peace or happiness.”

Tony turned back to the statue. “Let my Defender know not the peace of the grave. Let them carry my blood and rage into battle against the evil of men.”

Tony looked up at both of the Doctors. “Um… I don’t think that I should read the rest of this warning out loud.”

“Nonsense boy. There is no such thing as magic and curses. We are people of science here at the Smithsonian.” The Director told Tony with an air of authority. “Now if you please read the whole inscription for us.”

Tony swallowed and nodded his head. The feeling that he should read the curse out load still laid heavily on his mind but did as requested. “Who should ever remove Toyotama’s fang shall face her endless wrath. The wielder of this blade shall never know peace or happiness. Let my Defender know not the peace of the grave. Let them carry my blood and rage into battle against the evil of men. My Defender shall walk the faces of the earths never knowing age, or illness. Forever shall they carry my visage. Till the day they are defeated in honorable single combat.”

When Tony finished, he was staring at something in the jeweled eyes of the dragon statue. For some reason they appeared to be gazing out at him. Then on a whim. As if to prove the curse was nothing more than superstition. He yank the blade the rest of the way out of the scabbard. With a quick sure movement, he cut the palm of his left hand.

Then placing his left hand on the statue Tony called out. “By the right of victory, I claim my place as Princess Toyotama’s rightful Defender!”

The second he placed his bloody palm on the statue several things happened at once. First there was a blinding flash of the purest white light. Second thunder blasted the vault and restoration room. Lastly the most beautiful woman that Tony had ever seen stepped out of the light.

“WHO SUMMONS ME FROM MY LONG SLEEP?!” The woman’s melodic voice boomed out. For some reason Tony knew exactly who the woman was, Princess Toyotama. When the Dragon Princess turned her eyes on Tony the first thing, she saw was the sword. “ARE YOU THE ONE TO DRAW MY FANG BOY? DO YOU NOT KNOW THE PRICE FOR DARING TO DRAWING MY FANG? DID NOT MY MONKS GIVE THEE WARNING?”

When Tony didn’t answer right away Toyotama sighed and softened her anger. “I fear that you shall pay a far greater price than any of my Defenders before in history. The price shall be your manhood. I’m truly sorry.”

When Tony heard this, he was jolted out of his fear. “Wait! What do you mean the price of being your Defender is my manhood?”

“None of my Defenders can be male, boy. Didn’t you read the warning?” Toyotama questioned Tony.

“But it talks about your Defenders being men. Even the legend talks about the five brothers who were samurai.” Tony whined.

“BY THE GODS! WHY ARE MORTALS SO IGNORANTE OF THEIR OWN HISTORY!” Toyotama screamed at the ceiling. When she looked back down at Tony, she spotted Carter and Anders. “Are these two your sempais boy?”

Tony could only think of one way to answer. “Yes, ma’am.”

Toyotama pointed at both of them and twin beams of light reached out to touch their foreheads. A few seconds later the beams of light faded away. Toyotama sighed heavily. “I see. You can only learn and understand what you have been given to learn. Your sempais are lacking in their own knowledge. I shall correct that before I leave. You still have a lot to learn my young Defender.”

“What does that mean?” Lynn questioned the Dragon Princess.

“SILENCE MORTAL! JUST BE HAPPY THAT I DON’T REMOVE YOU FROM THE SCROLLS OF HUMANITY FOR YOUR FAILURES AS A TEACHER!” Once again Toyotama’s melodic voice boomed out over Tony. For Carter and Anders her voice was anything but musical. To them her voice was like being hammered by thunder. “You two have failed in your chosen path of life. I shall correct that mistake.”

Once again twin beams of light leaped from Toyotama’s hands to bath the two archaeologists. Ten seconds later where the two proud Doctors of Archaeology once stood were two young Japanese women. If not for his upbringing Tony won’t have any idea of what he was looking at. Both were dressed in the traditional attire of a miko. Each wore a pair of red hakama the scarlet or vermilion, long, divided trousers tied with a bow, and a white kosode kimono robes. Their hair was tied back with red and white hair ribbons.

Both also carried the traditional tools of a miko. This included the azusayumi or “catalpa bow”. Both also had a set of Shinto prayer beads hanging round their necks. Between them at their feet was the gehōbako the ‘supernatural’ box that contains dolls, animal and sometimes human skulls.

“Ah much better. Now my Defender has a pair of proper teachers and my earthly vessel has true guardians.” Turning back to face Tony, Toyotama gave the young man a cruel smile. “Now to take care of my newest Defender.”

Once again, a brilliant white light shown forth from Toyotama’s hands. Only this time it bathed a very frightened Tony Watanabe. To Tony it felt as if time slowed to a crawl, but in truth it was only seconds. To Tony it felt as if his body turned to clay then was grabbed by a pair of giant hands. The sensation was painful in the extreme.

First there was the pulling in his groin as he felt his testicles and penis drawing up into his body. This was followed by a crushing feeling as his hips popped then widened and his waist constricted. The slight pulling at his chest grew with each passing moment until it reached a climax of painful tugging. This wasn’t the only place where there was a pulling sensation. It felt as if his very hair was being pulled from his scalp. Once the sensation of being remodeled stopped a new one followed.

One of a slowly being burned by the noonday sun. Tony could only watch in horror as strange multicolored liquid poured out of the statue to cover first his arm then his whole body from the neck down. He could even feel part of the strange liquid racing up his neck to cover the area around his eyes and up over his temples into his hairline. As he watched the liquid cover his body Tony noticed that there was three main colors. Red, black, and gold. He also noticed that a pattern was emerging. A pattern he knew his subconscious was influencing. As much as he didn’t want to admit it to anyone, but he loved to watch the cartoon Miraculous Ladybug with his kid sister Yu. His favorite character is in season 3. When Marionet becomes Dragon Bug. He always believed that was how a true superhero would look.

When the liquid stopped flowing, he knew that there was no way he was getting it off his body. That he was forever sealed inside of this costume. The shifting of a weight at his left hip let him know that the scabbard for the sword now hung there and it wasn’t alone. Looking down Tony saw that he now wore the matching wakizashi for the very functional katana that he held in his right hand. He had no idea of where the ceremonial blade had gone to, but he didn’t care. He had more pressing concerns.

Namely, what was he going to tell his parents. As the light faded once more Tony felt multiple lifetimes’ of swordsmanship filling his mind. That wasn’t all that flowed into his mind. He learned more about Japan’s history starting with the Yayoi Period around 900BC up to the Edo Period ending in 1868. This covered all the periods in between. Not just the Kofun, Asuka, Nara, Heian Periods, but the Kamakura, Muromachi, and Azuchi-Momoyama Periods. With each historical period there was at least two lifetimes of experience. Tony knew that if someone were to question him on the time period he could answer correctly without a problem. Because he had somehow lived during that time.

Once the light had faded and Tony could once again see. She was shocked to find that they were no longer in the vault in the restoration room of the Smithsonian. Tony also noticed that she no longer thought of herself in the masculine form. Another disturbing realization was that her name was no longer Anthony Watanabe. She still had those memories of being a teenage boy named Tony, but that was not who she was anymore. This realization drove her to her knees. Toyotama looked down at her newest samurai and cruelly smiled.

“Rise, Chiyoko Hakuryū, first among my new samurai.” Toyotama commanded.

The newly minted girl struggled to her feet. “How my I be of service, my Hime. What are your commands?”

Chiyoko never looked over at the two miko who were kneeling behind her. That was when she noticed that all four of them were in some type of Shinto shrine. Not just any shrine either, but one dedicated to Toyotama. The statue that had been in the vault was now situated at the center of the shrine. There was something about the way the shrine was built that felt off to Chiyoko. It was way too new. And it felt that way.

With the care born of centuries practice Chiyoko returned her katana to its scabbard. Chiyoko didn’t know where all of this experience came from, but she had a damned good idea. The download of knowledge that Toyotama had stuffed in her head. She also knew that her forced acceptance of her new life was also because of that nasty download. There was also something else about that download that left her feeling off. It was as if she had been forced back in time with the way she was acting. That’s when it hit her. All three of them were no longer in their own time.

“I see that you have grasped the situation, Chiyoko. Only you have made one mistake. This is not a different time, but a different plane of existence. I believe that you would call it another, oh what is the word?” Toyotama looked as if she was hunting for a word that made sense. Then she smiled. “Oh yes, a different universe. You are familiar with this concept, yes?”

Nanami knew exactly what the Dragon Goddess was talking about. Like all Sci-fi fan geeks Chiyoko was very familiar with the concept of the multiverse. It wasn’t the only concept that she was familiar with. The concepts of time travel, the 4th dimension, mutants, FTL travel and communication, wormholes, and some many other science fiction mainstays. The idea of being in another universe wasn’t that hard for her to grasp. The question she had was which one. Chiyoko just prayed that the one she was in now, had a way back to her original universe.

That hope was dashed by Toyotama before it had a chance to even take root. “There is no way back to your old universe my young samurai. Give up on that hope now before it drives you moon sick.”

“Goddess if there is no way for me to return to my home. What will happen to my family? They will expect me to come home by a certain time.” Chiyoko pleaded her case to Toyotama.

This time the Dragon Goddess offered the distraught young girl a sad smile. “You and your two sempai are dead in your old world.”

When Chiyoko and the two miko heard this their heads all snapped up to look her in the eyes. “It is as I said. Your old bodies are dead.”

“How?” Was all Chiyoko asked in a whisper.

“A group of thieves armed with iron tubes that spit fire and iron will have broken into the room where you foolishly woke me. They will have killed all those that worked within that camber. The authorities will find your bodies in the center of the vault. Only they will have found that the vault is empty. Those seven men and two women shall in turn be killed themselves by the authorities of your home world during their attempt to flee.” Toyotama took pity on her newest samurai. “Your family will not suffer from your death, child.”

“HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT?!” Chiyoko screamed. “ARE YOU SO DISCONNECTED FROM HUMANS THAT OUR PAIN MEANS NOTHING TO YOU?!”

“I am not a heartless monster Chiyoko. I have arranged for all of your families to be financially well off because of your deaths.” Toyotama told the visibly distraught teenage girls. “That would have happened even if you hadn’t drew my Fang and called for me. The only difference is you all would be on your way to your Heavenly rewards.”

Chiyoko looked directly into her eyes. “So, no matter what had happened back in that vault. We were going to be dead on our home world. Is that what you’re saying, my Princess?”

“I am sorry is this has upset you children.” Looking down at Carter and Anders. “If not for the greed of these two. None of this would have happened. Those men and women had come to steal back what was rightly part of their family shrine. A shrine that Lynn Carter raided in her greed. A shrine that was violated on the orders of Robert Anders. A shrine that had stood unmolest for more than two thousand years. A shrine that held one of Japan’s greatest secrets. My Fang, and Earthly vessel.”

“Now that shrine is no more.” Toyotama snarled as she glared at Carter and Anders. “For your crimes I have cursed you with eternal lifelong servitude and bound you to this temple. As you were both complicit in the crimes against my temple on your home world you shall share in your punishment. As sisters share everything so shall you share in your eternal servitude as sisters. Put them to work my samurai. They have delayed enough for the day.”

Chiyoko felt the new names for the two former archaeologists suddenly pop into her mind. “Satomi, Satoko, see to your duties.”

As one the two miko stood up and headed towards the front of the temple. Once they were alone Chiyoko turned to face Toyotama. “What shall I do now my Princess? What do I do for food, water, a roof over my head? I don’t even know if this world even has samurai. I don’t even know where to start.”

“No need to worry child. I have brought you to the one world that has the most in common with the Edo Period of Japan from your home world.” Toyotama graced Chiyoko with a bright smile. “A place where the Maji revolution has yet to happened. Here the Emperor still rules, and samurai still know the meaning of honorable servitude. To a place and time where the Western ways have not overruled the ways of tradition.”

“But where are we? Are we even still within the United States?” Chiyoko questioned with the sinking feeling that she wasn’t.

“You are in the Yamanashi Prefecture, located in what you know as the Chūbu region of Japan. This shrine is one of ten located on the side of the great Mountain Fuji. In this world this shrine has stood for more than two thousand years. In all of the universes, this is the only one where the Temples of the Dragon Gods and Goddesses have been able to stand unmolested throughout time.” Explained carefully for the teenage boy turned girl samurai.

“Wait. You said that in this universe there are ten Temples or shrines to ten Dragons. Who are they?” Chiyoko almost begged.

“There are ten Dragon Deities one for each of the Great Truths. Accept for the one that needs two True Neutrality. They are the embodiments of the nine great alignments. These are broken down into three types. Law, Neutrality, and Chaos. These are further affected by Good and Evil. Like in all universes there are Lawful Good, Neutral, and Evil. Then there is Neutral Good, True Neutral, and Neutral Evil. Lastly, we have Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutral, and the true bane of life Chaotic Evil. Each of these alignments is represented by a Dragon God and Goddess.” Bowed with a little flourish. “I happen to be the Dragon Goddess of True Neutrality.”

“Okay let me see if I got this straight. There are a total of ten Dragon Gods and Goddesses. One for each alignment, accept for True Neutrality which has one male, and one female. You are the Goddess of Pure Neutrality. Am I getting this right so far?” Chiyoko asked Toyotama as she nodded her head yes. “Following that logic then that would mean that your duties are keeping the Balance. Does my being here have anything to do with resorting the Balance of the Tao or some shit?”

“Not exactly my samurai. In this universe I am but one aspect of Neutrality the feminine aspect for magic. My brother Wolong is the other half, he is the masculine aspect for science.” At Chiyoko’s blank look Toyotama sighed. “Here there are two aspects of Neutrality, magic and science. The two aspects must always be kept in Balance for true progress to happen.”

“Okay, I think I get it now. For humans to move forward no one side can gain the upper hand. They must be present in all things. If not, then humans stagnate and die off. Is that what you’re saying?”

“Exactly. For true progress to be made there most be steady insight gained through hard work with the occasional sudden leap of faith. This is the meaning behind Neutrality. My brother and I have worked tirelessly to keep the status between magic and science from becoming one sided.” Once again Chiyoko had a confused look on her face. Toyotama could tell that she was think something over before asking her next question.

“If you and your brother are the Gods of True Neutrality. Then who are the Gods of Lawful and Chaotic Neutrality? What’s their responsibilities?” Chiyoko asked before snapping her fingers. “They must be your brother and sister. With one governing magic the other science. Let me see if I got this right. Your brother who is the aspect of Lawful Neutrality is also the aspect of science. While your sister is the aspects of Chaos and science.”

“Close Chiyoko. You just missed one thing. My brother Choe-long handles the aspect of Law while my sister Choe-ze only concerns herself with the aspect Chaos. My brother Jiro governs the Evil aspect of Neutrality and my sister Jun governs the Good aspect of Neutrality. My brother Wolong and I govern magic and science.” Toyotama quirked her lips. “My main duty is to the chaotic beauty of magic. I also have four other brothers and sisters. Those other four that were not mention govern the aspects of Good and Evil with science and magic having an equal influence in all aspects.”

“I think I understand now. All of the other alignments, Neutrality, Law, Chaos, Good, and Evil have influence on science and magic. But only in the center is there any real control over those two powerful aspects. That is why there are a total of nine Great Truths and ten Gods to govern each aspect. Does each of the individual alignments effect the different aspects?” Chiyoko questioned.

Toyotama nodded her head as she answered Chiyoko. “My brother Atsushi is the God for the Lawful Good, where the Law of Man holds sway over the Laws of Nature. My sister Chieko is the Goddess of the Lawfully Evil, she only believes in the Law of Might makes right. The Goddess of Chaotic Good, who believes that the Laws of Nature overrule the Laws of man is my baby sister Chiharu. For Chaotic Evil it is simple. The Strongest make the rules.” Toyotama sighed over the last one. “My baby brother Ayumu was always such a spoiled little brat. I whish that mother would have let father punish the little shit more.”

“So, each alignment has its own God or Goddess with the exception of True Neutral. Which has both a God and Goddess because they govern magic and science. Have I got it correct now?” Toyotama nodded her head yes to Chiyoko question. “Then who gave birth to the ten of you? And who is the oldest?”

“Our Father Ryōjin is the King of the Dragons and our mother is Zennyo Ryūō his Queen. They gave birth to us because of the prayers of a nameless monk. The monk pegged our parents to bring order to the Nine Great Truths. As we were born my Father place each one of us in control of the Great Truths. He only had one problem. The first egg to open held a pair of twins. Me and my brother Wolong. Between the two of us he is the older by minutes.” Toyotama answered Chiyoko honestly. Then she grumbled just a little too loudly. “He always holds those few minutes over my head.”

There was a thunderous boom and brilliant flash of light when she finished. Toyotama just sighed as Chiyoko blinked to clear the spots from her eyes. “Do you always have to butt in brother?”

“Only when you take my name in vain, dear sister.” When Chiyoko could see again there was a massive man standing next to Toyotama. “Is this our newest samurai sister? I must say that this one has more style than our last one.”

“Wolong allow me to introduce our first samurai, Chiyoko.” Toyotama turned to Chiyoko. “Chiyoko this is my oldest brother Wolong. He is also the biggest pain in my ass.”

“Ah come on sister. I’m not that bad. Just because I understand the laws of science better than magic is no reason to be mean.” Wolong huffed.

“I know brother dear. Just as I understand the laws of magic over that voodoo you call science. I mean really where is the equivalent exchange?” Toyotama huffed in return.

“Wait are you’re talking about the first law of alchemy. Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost.” Chiyoko exclaimed. “THAT is science not magic.”

“This one is brighter than our last samurai sister. She passed the test without even trying. Have you told her of her place in this world yet?” Wolong said smiling. “We don’t have much time. The Shiryū are once more moving in the shadows.”

“The Shiryū? Aren’t they supposed to be the Four Dragon Kings?” Chiyoko questioned the two deities. “You know the good guys.”

“In this world they are not as you say the good guys, young samurai. Here they are the greatest enemy of all that is lawful and good. They are the righthand of our baby brother Ayumu. Their only desire is to cause Chaos among mortals. They live on the misery that they cause.” Wolong snarled. “They don’t care how they do it, just that a great many humans suffer.”

“More like they do everything they can to gain power at any cost. And unlike in your home world there are five of them not four.” Toyotama explained next. “The Five Dragon Kings of this world are some of the most powerful mortals is this world’s history. Every century or so Ayumu selects five mortal men and gives them power to do whatever they wish.”

A light came on in Chiyoko’s head. If this had been a cartoon there would have been a lightbulb over her head. “One Dragon King for each Defender. Defender for each classical element. Is that where I fit into all this?”

“Ah the Light of Knowledge does truly shine within this one.” Wolong chuckled as he looked over at his sister. “Is she our Void sister?”

“Yes brother. Chiyoko is our Void.” Toyotama answered heavily. “Now will you stop interrupting so I can finish explaining?”

“By all means sister. I shall leave you to your duties.” He gave Toyotama a kiss on her forehead before turning to Chiyoko. “Before I go, I want to bestow a gift upon this newest and brightest of our Defenders.”

He reached out and placed his hand on Chiyoko’s swords. There was a small flash of light. “Those blades are now true dragon slayers. Nothing shall withstand their edge. Wield them well young samurai.”

With that the Dragon Prince disappeared. Chiyoko looked over at Toyotama. “Hime why did your brother call me the Void?”

“We have five defenders. As you have already quested one for each of the Five Elements. Earth, Fire, Water, Air, and Void. Of the five Void is the most dangerous. Because it is the most powerful and hardest to control. Yet Void is always the first to appear.” Toyotama explained. “While your four sisters will be bound by the laws of alchemy you are not. You only answer to the laws of magic.”

Chiyoko could not believe her ears. In this universe alchemy is an actual working science instead of magical mumbo-jumbo. And it is based off the four classic elements of Earth, Fire, Water, and Air. But Void is deferent it doesn’t fall into the classical definition of an element. It explained the unexplainable. Chiyoko didn’t know where all this knowledge was coming from, she just accepted it as part of her new life. She did have one question. Well two questions really.

“If I am the Void. Then who are the other elements? And what do you mean by my sisters?”

Toyotama chuckled. “Your sisters are the other four Defenders. That you will have to search out on your own. As for the other four elements they are your sisters, and each is aligned with an individual element. One for each of the other Neutral alignments. Earth for Law, Fire for Evil, Water for Chaos, and Air for Good. When joined together under one banner, your banner, they form an unstoppable force for Balance.”

Chiyoko had known that was the case she just didn’t want to admit it. “Now, I have already been on this plan for too long. Call me if you have need child. I shall do what I can within the confines of my power.”

With that the Dragon Goddess disappeared. Chiyoko sighed as she had more questions than answers and the only person who had those answers was now gone. Looking around Chiyoko decided to find some kind of mirror. Talking to herself Chiyoko wonder out load. “I wonder what I look like now?”

With a plan in mind the teenage girl went in search of said mirrored surface. It didn’t take her long to find one. What she saw was not what she was expecting. The girl in the mirror could have been Tony’s twin sister. Her skin was smooth and clear. Her eyes were the deepest green instead of the usual dark brown. Her hair was the darkest of night black and reached to the back of her knees. Everywhere she looked screamed sexy bad ass. When she finished checking out her new body and face. She had a signal, thought ran through her head as she stood there looking at the beautiful teenage girl in the floor to ceiling mirror. “Welp this has been one fucked up first day at work. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings for me.”