Author Notes: Yaaaaay! Another chapter. I haven't written a shorter one in a long time. This one is only about...fifteen pages. Once again, Tamahome has no large role, just something incredibly minor. XP I can't help it. Ummm... Yep that's it. On with the chapter!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bird songs were the only cheerful noise near the royal palace of Konan. Within the palace's great conference room, counselors and advisors sat, stiff-backed in their appointed chairs on either side of the long table.

"Oh, my goodness." one said, his voice resigned.

"It's come to this..." a second agreed.

"Your majesty, something extraordinary must have happened to bring this about." the first said.

The emperor sat at the head of the long table, eyes closed with concentration, and chin resting on his folded hands.

"It has beenpeaceful in Konan country for years. Maybe, too peaceful." another counselor stated.

Hotohori touched his creased forehead with one hand, not liking where the conversation was headed.

"But-" he started, but was interrupted by a low vibration sound coming from above him.The sound intensified and ablood-red light filled the room. The counselors gasped when a form began to appear, directly above the head of the emperor.

Screaming, Kaho fell the instant she fully materialized. She gracefully landed, back-end first, upon the emperor's head. Stray, tiny bolts of lightning crackled around her.

"Your majesty!" the counselors cried out in shock, each with his own sweat drop.

Kaho sheepishly smiled from where she had slid to on the floor, hanging onto Hotohori's shoulder with one hand.

"Sorry, Hotohori!" she said.

"K-Kaho!" he acknowledged.

The counselors expressions changed from shock to delight and smiles were evident on their faces.

"The Priestess of Suzaku!" they cried, "She's back!"

Kaho stood up and dusted herself off.

"That's me. Sorry I took so-" she said and gasped as Hotohori embraced her and pressed her close against his chest.

"How I missed you, Kaho!" he whispered in her ear, one hand cradling the back of her head.

'H-Hotohori...' she thought, 'You... You really missed me?'

"You have been away for three months." Hotohori said as they walked out of the conference room and into the outer walkways, "I'm glad you are back."

"Three months?" Kaho repeated in shock.

'I came back not long after Tasuki... I wonder what the time difference between our returns are...' she thought, but her curiosity was interrupted by Hotohori's voice.

"While you were gone, we developed a little problem." he said, "Kaho, I have a request of you as the Priestess of Suzaku."

Kaho gave a nod in reply.

"You must find the other three warriors of Suzaku as soon as possible." he answered and began to explain, "Relations with our neighboring country Kutou has deteriorated. Every year, we send ambassadors with peace treaties."

"I don't understand." Kaho interrupted, "If you send peace treaties every year, why have your relations diminished?"

"Our ambassadors have not returned!" he answered, "In fact, Kutou accuses us of having never sent them in the first place."

Hotohori's face took on a more serious feature and he sighed.

"Their ministers were outraged, and they declared war. They've sought our lands since antiquity." he said sadly.

Kaho clenched her fists.

"War...?" she whispered.

'This is my fault... Going back home was a mistake. I could have used that time to look for the other warriors, but instead... instead... I took a three month rest and ensured a war. What's worse, Misora...!' Kaho thought and realized something, 'Misora!'

"Hotohori! Have you seen a girl with long blond hair, blue eyes, and like me, she's dressed differently?" she asked.

"I haven't..." he answered.

'Then where...' she thought.

Hotohori's hands on her shoulders interrupted her thoughts and brought her mind back to this world.

"Kaho, Konan is not a strong country. Gather the seven warriors of Suzaku quickly! Please!" he pleaded. His voice represented the urgency that was shown on his face.

Hotohori placed his hands back down and sighed.

"I'm sorry to haveto rush you like this, Kaho." he said, "I must return to the conference room. If you need anything, let me know. My advisors and I will be finishing up shortly."

Kaho gave a nod and he walked back into the conference room. Kaho turned and began to run down the hall.

'The power of Suzaku... I've got to find all the warriors and stop the war...' she thought, 'I'll find Tasuki and we'll search together..."

Attracted by the unusual sound of running shoes pounding the palace floor, a lithe, beautifully dressed form stepped out from a room and stared after the girl.

"Kaho!"

Kaho turned around to see Nuriko. Of course, he was still wearing women's clothes. He wore a red, vest-like robe with black and white stripes on the neck line. Underneath that, he wore an orange robe, and underneath that, was a pink frilled shirt. He had his hair up in a bun on the top of his head and a yellow sash around his arms.

"Nuriko!" Kaho acknowledged happily and ran over to him.

"I thought it was you!" said Nuriko.

"Nuriko, have you seen Tasuki?" Kaho asked, "I'm looking for him."

"He's not here." Nuriko answered, "He left with Tamahome a few days ago to Tamahome's home."

Kaho's happiness quickly disappeared and her face became crestfallen.

'I guess I wouldn't have waited for someone this long either...' she thought.

"Hey, Nuriko. Do you mind coming with me to search for Tasuki and Tamahome?" Kaho asked.

"Sure. No problem." Nuriko answered, "But I'll have to change first."

Kaho nodded.

Nuriko walked back into his room and Kaho waited for him outside. After about twenty minutes, the door slid open and Nuriko came out.

Kaho blinked in surprise at Nuriko's change in wardrobe.

He wore a pink tunic with a white color, dark purple pants, and a yellow sash around his waist. His hair was done in a long braid and was hung over his left shoulder.

"I suppose we should tell his majesty." said Nuriko.

Kaho nodded in agreement and walked to the conference room. She walked in and tapped Hotohori on the shoulder.

"Nuriko told me that Tasuki and Tamahome left the palace a few days ago, so I'm gonna go look for them." she said, "Just wanted to tell you before I left."

"On your own?" Hotohori asked worriedly.

Kaho shook her head.

"No, Nuriko's coming with me." she answered and jerked a thumb over her shoulder.

Hotohori looked past her to see Nuriko dressed in men's clothes.

"He looks pretty good in men's clothes, wouldn't you say?" Kaho said with a large grin.

"It's just harder to protect you in women's clothes." Nuriko pointed out.

Hotohori's face reflected his dislike of Kaho's wishes, but he finally closed his eyes and sighed with resignation.

"Very well. But do be careful. There are reports of Kutou spies in the area." he said. He then picked up a red scroll with a brown ribbon around the center and held it up, "Please, take this with you."

Kaho stared down at the innocuous roll of paper.

"What's it for?" she asked.

"It is Suzaku's Universe of the Four Gods. The only clues to finding the remainder of the seven warriors are within this." Hotohori answered, "Taiitsukun will forgive me for giving it to you."

With unsure hands, Kaho accepted the scroll and placed it in her backpack. Her mind was filled with worry and slight fear.

"I shall have a horse prepared for you." Hotohori said and gave the orders to his advisors.

Kaho and Nuriko left the room to help with the preparations. Once they were finished, they mounted the house and left.

Their horse galloped down the dirt road, leaving Konan behind in a cloud of dust. Kaho's arms were wrapped tightly around Nuriko's waist. She was disguised in a loose, beige cloak.

'Of all the times for Tasuki to leave... Did he forget about me?' she wondered, doubt raking her heart, 'After all, I didn't come back 'til a while after he did...'

"I can't believe you came back. Tasuki-kins will be so happy to see you." Nuriko cheerfully commented, unaware of his passenger's thoughts.

Hope creeped back into Kaho's face at his words.

"Ever since you left, he's been out of it." Nuriko said and grinned inwardly at the memory of Tasuki perched on the guard-rails of one of the palace walk-ways, a dazed, lifeless expression on his face, and a bird's nest sitting on top of his head. Then, the time he kept trying to eat a plate, his dumplings forgotten on the table in front of him as his teeth continually chomped down on the porcelain.

"That's a plate." Nuriko had informed him with a sweat drop. But his words had fallen on deaf ears.

Their horse's steady pace had finally left the bleak countryside surrounding the city behind, and the road now wound its way through a brightly lit forest. As if encouraged by their much more cheerful surroundings, Nuriko laughed and continued, "Most of the time, he was wandering around the palace pouting. You should have seen him."

"Really?" Kaho asked, pure shock on her face.

"Yeah. So, you don't have to worry about him." Nuriko answered and grinned.

Kaho pouted.

"Wh-who's worried?" she bluffed.

"He's happier when he's with you." Nuriko teased, "Tasuki's stuck on you."

"He's never shown any sign of it to me. He might be more like a big brother." Kaho insisted, "Besides, he told me that he didn't even like women."

"He probably doesn't want to admit it." Nuriko explained with a humoring grin.

He turned his attention back to their road and gasped. The bright green trees and shrubs that surrounded them had turned dark and gray. The cheerful sunlight seemed to shrink back into the sky, hiding behind the thick, low clouds. The peaceful forest that was so full of life and energy had inexplicably vanished into something dark and twisted.

"Hey, why'd it get so dark?" Nuriko asked, his voice heavy with suspicion.

"Suddenly darkening surroundings is not a good sign..." Kaho commented.

Without warning, the blackness thickened.

"It's getting darker!" she cried with dismay, "Nuriko, are you going the right way!"

Their mount skidded to a stop and reered, screaming in fright. Kaho tumbled over the horse's rump and landed in a crumpled heap upon the ground.

Nuriko calmed the horse as quickly as he could.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Kaho gritted her teeth against the pain and tried to sit up. Her cloak had been cast off by the fall and laid behind her upon the dark, gray grass. She looked up to answer Nuriko and gasped.

A dark and sinister looking figure loomed over her, faceless in the dim light. His hand grasped the handle of a razor-sharp scythe.

Kaho winced as she stood up and took a fighting position.

"What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

"Who the hell are ya?" he demanded, his voice sharp.

'That voice...' she thought and relaxed a bit, 'Could it be...'

Other men appeared out of the darkness behind the speaker, their torches casting warm orange light upon both of their faces.

The speaker's eyes widened.

"Kaho..." he said softly, shock reflected in his eyes.

She stared back.

"Tasuki..." she whispered.

The two did not move; they stood stiffly, standing face-to-face in the torchlight. Their eyes held each other still. Kaho finally broke from the trance and took a step forward. She took another step, but this time, quicker.

What happened next was something Tasuki did not expect. She had punched the side of his head.

"What the hell was that for!" he shouted. One hand was held up in a fist while the other held the side of his head.

"For not waiting for me to come back!" she shouted.

Tamahome walked out from the men with torches.

"You guys, you guys. Don't cause a scene. You'll scare away my profits." he said.

Nuriko had a dream like expression on his face and one hand was cupping his cheek.

"Love is in the air." he said aloud.

Tasuki and Kaho turned around to face the two.

"Shut up!" they shouted in unison.

"Tamahome. Tasuki. Who are these people?" one of the men asked.

Tamahome and Nuriko walked to join their friends. Tasuki raised his left hand to pat the top of Kaho's head.

"This is Kaho, also known as the Priestess of Suzaku." he said.

The men gasped.

Tamahome pointed at Nuriko over his shoulder with his right thumb.

"This guy's gay." he said and received a smack to the head in reply from Nuriko, "I-I mean, he's Nuriko, one of the seven warriors of Suzaku."

Tamahome looked over at Kaho.

"You know about Kutou, right?" he asked, "Because of that situation, there are suspicious men about. For a fee, I work for these people as a bodyguard until we reach the next village."

Kaho nodded.

"What about Tasuki? It's not like him to act as a bodyguard for random people. Is he getting paid too?" she asked.

Tasuki glared at Tamahome.

"That jerk took my fan. I'm being force ta do this stuff." he said distastefully, "I only get it back once the job's done."

Tamahome leaned over to Kaho and cupped his mouth to her ear.

"And I get his share of the money!" he whispered and grinned. "It's a two for one deal!"

"An' that's just not fair!" Tasuki growled and began fighting with Tamahome.

"But having us around makes them feel relatively safe!" Tamahome said and pounded the left side of his chest, "Protecting these people is the will of the heart! Where's your will?"

Kaho smiled at the two's enthusiasm.

'Tamahome hasn't changed a bit and Tasuki's as rowdy as ever.' she thought happily, 'I'm glad.'

Suddenly, the men's torches sputtered out, sending the clearing and surrounding woods back into the darkness.

The men began to panic.

"What's going on?" Tamahome shouted.

"There's no wind, but the torches are out!" one of the men cried.

"Tamahome! Gimme back the tessen so that I can shed some light on this place!" Tasuki shouted.

"Right!" Tamahome shouted back. He grabbed the tessen from within his tunic and passed it to Tasuki.

Unsure what she could do to help, Kaho stood still. From the darkness behind her, a pair of large hands slowly emerged, fingers spread. They soundlessly moved up on either side of her head and quietly clamped together over her mouth.

Trying to scream around the hands, Kaho was yanked backwards off her feet, and she vanished into the dark forest. One of her hands reached beseechingly towards her three guardians as she was mercilessly pulled away.

Before he could ignite the tessen, Tasuki heard the sound of her muffled cry.

"Kaho!" he cried, and raced after her.

Nuriko and Tamahome's eyes widened when they had realized what had happened and they moved to follow. But a sharp swoosh sound, followed by a bright, multicolored light made their heads whip around to the trees behind them.

Back with Tasuki...

Tasuki ran through the forest, leaping bushes and fallen logs. Too dark to see tracks upon the ground, he desperately searched the trees, looking for a glimpse of the girl or her kidnapper. He paused in a clearing, chest heaving from the effort and fear. He frantically looked from side to side, seeking anything. He tried to quiet his breathing and allowed himself to listen to the silent woods for several heartbeats. But there was nothing.

"Not here..." he whispered.

With Kaho...

She struggled against her captor, but only managed to free her mouth.

She stomped on her captor's foot, causing them to stop moving. Still with her back turned, she bent her leg up and kicked his shins.

'Shins...' she thought, then elbowed her captor in the stomach, 'gut...' she brought her arm up and punched him in the face with the back of her hand, 'nose and...' she whirled around and attempted to kick him where it hurts, 'groin!'

But before she could make contact, her captor had caught her foot. She jumped back and got into a fighting position, glaring at her captor. Her glare was quickly replaced though, with a shocked expression when she saw what her captor looked like.

He seemed to have a small frame, but somehow projected both size and power. His hair was sky-blue and closely cropped to his skull- except for a ponytail at the nape of his neck, and long bangs that defied gravity by curling up and over to one side. He wore a cone shaped, straw hat on his back, secured under his chin with a long, white string. He wore a loose, white shirt and forest green pants. A blue drape with large, white, swirly rings, which resembled bubbles, descended over his left shoulder and was secured around his waist. Around his neck was a necklace of widely spaced fat, green beads. But the most unusual thing that she noticed about him, was his face. His eyes, while expressive, seemed to be closed, and it reminded her of a cat's face.

But something was amiss. When she had touched his face, it did not seem like real flesh. She tensed up again when he stood up straight.

"That coulda hurt, no da. I understand that it's self defense, but..." he said. His voice then lowered to somewhat of a more serious tone, "I guess I should have asked before saving you from those Kutou assassins, Priestess of Suzaku, no da."

Kaho blinked in disbelief and confusion.

'How does he know who I am?' she wondered, 'What's he mean by assassins...?'

"But," he continued, "I wonder what that light was, no da. I better get more information, no da."

He suddenly became small, like an adorable plush toy.

"Be careful. Good-bye, no da!" he said cheerfully. He quickly grasped the brim of his hat with both hands and pulled it down. Without resistance, the straw hat dropped, as if absorbing him until it touched the ground. The hat rolled upon its brim a few times on the grass like a coin before finally laying still.

He had vanished.

Kaho finally relaxed, then leaned forward and took the hat in her hands.

'Who was that nut...?' she pondered and held the hat up to the meager light. She looked inside, but saw that it was empty. She lowered her arms and stared at nothing, still letting the incident sink into her brain.

Tasuki leaped out of the underbrush behind the girl.

"Kaho!" he called out.

"Tasuki!" she acknowledged.

"Are ya okay?" he asked with concern.

Kaho nodded.

"I'm okay, but..." she said and trailed off, her mind becoming incredibly worried.

'More assassins...' she thought. The girl continued to kneel on the damp grass, holding the hat and worrying about what the strange man had said.

"Nuriko!"

Tamahome's distant shout snapped her back to the present. Tasuki leaped away and shot back along his trail with Kaho following behind.

In the clearing, Nuriko and Tamahome were standing with most of the villagers and their backs towards the two. Three of the villagers were lying dead on the ground with a few arrows sticking out of them.

As Kaho looked down, horrified at the dead villagers, she noticed that an arrow was speared through a wrinkle at the bottom of Nuriko's tunic.

'Dead... They're dead...!' she thought and tried to calm herself down.

"Nuriko. Tamahome." she said, her voice quivering, "What happened here?"

Nuriko bent down and yanked the arrow out of his tunic, then crushed it with a clench of his fist. He and Tamahome turned around to face the two.

When they turned around, Kaho noticed a bracelet in Nuriko's right hand and gasped.

"First, Kaho was grabbed," Tamahome started, the graveness in his voice was clearly noticeable, "It happened right after you took after her."

"When you left, we heard something behind us, so we turned around; arrows were coming straight at us." Nuriko continued, "But, before the arrows could hit us, some weird light came out of no where and we couldn't see a thing."

"And when the light finally disappeared, three villagers were dead and a lot of arrows lay on the ground in front of us. That bracelet" Tamahome said and pointed to the bracelet in Nuriko's hand, "and a necklace were floating in mid-air."

"The bracelet acted as if it were a glass to help radiate light, and the necklace was like the power source." he explained, "The gem in the center looked like it was an opal, which would explain the weird light show. That thing glowed for about a minute before falling with the bracelet."

Kaho listened intently to their explanations.

'I know I left them at the cemetery. So, how'd they get here?' Kaho wondered.

"Where... Where's the necklace?" she asked hesitantly.

Nuriko averted his eyes away from her and clenched his left fist.

"I couldn't grab it in time." Nuriko said bitterly, "Another arrow came out from the trees while I was in the air. I managed to dodge it... sort of, but I only managed to get the bracelet. Some guy in black ran off with the necklace."

"A Kutou assassin..." Kaho muttered.

Nuriko was a little surprised when he felt a hand on his clenched fist. He averted his eyes back to see Kaho smiling at him.

"The necklace and bracelet were given to me by my mom and dad, so they're really special to me." she said, "You got one of them, and I'm grateful. So, don't worry about it."

Nuriko's face softened into a smile and he nodded.

Tasuki looked at her. The two objects were given to her from her parents, that he knew, and they were the most important things to her. He knew she wasn't as happy as she was trying to let on, but he also knew she really was grateful for saving one of them.

"Kaho..." Tasuki said, "Are ya gonna be alright?"

Kaho turned to him and nodded.

"Yeah. I'll be fine. Don't worry about me." she answered.

'What will I do if... you die... Tasuki?' she thought sadly, 'You, Nuriko, Tamahome and these innocent people nearly died because of me... Everything is my fault.'
--------------------------------------------------------------------
More author notes: I keep thinking Nuriko's a woman XD So hard to remember. I wasn't exactly sure how to describe Chichiri's chibi form, so yeah.