Amazing amazing amazing great character development I really enjoyed this!

love it very much! thank you. I am really fun of 12 kingdom

I'm beaming. loved everything

This was lovely.

I adored Youko's character development throughout the series, and you managed to both capture that AND continue to add onto that in this fic. This is the first fanfiction in the fandom that I've seen do this. And yet you've also kept her so believably human. She is in no way perfect, yet she has some brilliantly redeeming qualities. The keikixYouko was also mostly understated - no up in your face fluff - I appreciated that. Keiki's feelings toward Youko were wonderful as well - a combination of ruler/kirin bond, appreciation of Youko as a person, and just devotion. It fit him well.

The only thing I would critique is possibly how Youko's feelings toward Keiki was represented. It doesn't really feel quite like she's in romantic love with him - her feelings are shown mostly through the struggle she goes through acknowledging Yin's words, rather than internal monologue or action. Then again, I suppose, romance is not a large part of the narrative. Making it a larger part would probably overshadow other things.

I actually like their relationship now more than if they were a couple. Here they have mutual trust, devotion, and solidarity...something that can grow deep over time and not waver.

I think Tentei's choice was both flamboyant and necessary. Necessary, because it gave Youko the opportunity to make a choice - which is one of the main issues in this story - but flamboyant because, da heck, she met TENTEI? And got a choice? I honestly can't think of any other way for the internal conflict to be resolved externally like this, however, so - yay for your plot twist.

Either way, though, this was done marvelously. Thank you for writing this.

rainbows

Your story is very well thought out.
Thank you for writing it.

AWEEEE I just loved it. I love this entire story. Good job and just wow.

Type your review for this chapter here...

Hehe, your comment in the beginning made me snort. Don't worry! You cleaned them up pretty well this time.
And ooh... This chapter has me on my seat's edge.

Awesome chapter! It's a nice beginner of the story .

But, I have to say, my idea of how Youko talks was a bit different from how she talked to Rakushen. But that's alright!

Noooooo! It shouldn't echo!
Heh, there should be more Juuni Kokki fans. It's such a great anime and book. And ahh, I can imagine how long it took to research. That world is huge and very well-developed.

I like this so far, so I shall keep reading! .

I am glad that I found your story. Back when I first saw this anime I think I was around 13-14 and I remember being very much attached to the different plots and intrigue, and to the hardships that Youko went through. When I first found Fanfiction, I searched for a Youko & Keiki romance story, because I'm such a hopeless romanticist. But now, being almost 22, after reading your story - I feel like THIS is what I should have searched for :)

I've never read the novels, but despite that I am still a fan of this anime to this day, for around 9 or so years now, haha. Your story was excellently written, and it hit me that I've never thought of Tentei as a "personality", or along the lines of God in Western culture. You portrayed Youko really well, as well as Keiki's inner struggles. I must say, if a love story is impossible for them - your result is the next best thing, in my opinion :D

Thank you for a great story. I'm glad to know that The Twelve Kingdoms will not be "buried" beneath all sorts of new, cliché anime because of stories like yours :)

Sansho (Yes, I humbly borrowed the first half of Sanshi's name a long long while ago _ )

Beautiful story. Though it's a shame it ended so soon and that the "romance conflict" was not resolved. I would to read more of your stories.

And I pray that the author of Twelve Kingdoms will continue writing soon, and, the books are translated in English.

More power.

thanks for writing such a unique and fun twelve kingdoms story. I just recently discovered the anime, and after watching it, am doing my best to find fanfiction about it... although there's a disturbing lack of it for an anime with such wonderfully complex characters and detailed world! I very much enjoyed your story! Thanks again!

I know what you mean. Juuni Kokuki has so much terminology and so many people that I had absolutely NO idea who was who at first. Not surprisingly, the first names I actually could remember in the Twelve Kingdoms were the Kirins - they were simple. Anyway, I like how you have Youko take up painting. It's a nice reflection compared to her warrior side.

Yoko! What happened to you? I hope she is fine... but at the same time i like the idea of keiki worrying about her (am i selfish?)That lady Yin seems to be strong... :S

Oh my gosh i'm loving this fanfic xD