**************Chapter Five************
********* Devil Against Devil ********
**************************************
Nousatsu sat down among the Suzaku seishi, leaning back against a tree.
"So, why are the Suzaku and the Seriyuu seishi doing so far from home?"
she asked casually.
"We are in search of three items of power, two are in the possession of
the Seiryuu warriors," Miaka started slowly, still quite Furious.
"Wait a minute! I thought that there were only two Shinzaho!" a fully
recovered Tamahome interrupted.
Miaka continued without missing a beat. "Yes, there are. But Taiitsu-
kun also told me of an Eighth Warrior, that any of the Four Gods can
claim as their own." Miaka related the information that Taiitsu-kun had
given her to Nousatsu and the other seishi.
"Well we have our hands full, no da!" Chichiri commented when Miaka was
finished.
"Well, it seems to me that you really only need to find the warrior,"
Nousatsu said. "If the Seiryuu have summoned their God, then the Eighth
Warrior is your last chance."
"What if Nakago and the others have already found the warrior?" Miaka
despaired.
"Well, there's only one way to find out," Nousatsu replied coolly. "But
it seems to me that this Eighth Warrior could be anywhere. I doubt that
Nakago has found him, or even if he knows about him. But it does seem
that Nakago gets to everything before you can," Nousatsu smiled
wickedly and spoke with contingency. "I might have a way to help you
find out if Nakago has found some extra help."
"You do? How...?" Miaka, as well as the rest of the party, was puzzled.
How could they penetrate the Seiryuu camp to search for the eighth
warrior?
"I am all you need." Nousatsu continued. "Give me tonight, and you will
have the information in the morning."
Nousatsu rose. By the look on her face, it was apparent that she was
planning on being mischievous. Tasuki walked over to her as she went to
prepare her horse.
"What are you planning?" he asked, slightly flirting. "You look like
you're counting on being naughty."
Nousatsu laughed softly, like a devil planning a night to remember.
"Wouldn't you like to know." She turned to face him. "It's going to be
fun."
"What kind of fun?" Tasuki asked. His own version of a naughty look
spread across his face.
"Oh everything," Nousatsu spoke like a seasoned veteran in the field.
"I'm sure that there will be plenty of everything."
"And what would everything include?" Tasuki asked. He liked this game!
"Well, I'm expecting at least one bottle of sake, maybe a few minor
skirmishes, and... let us say..." She positively radiated evil. "Foul
play."
Tasuki laughed quietly. "Sounds like lots of fun. May I join you? I
couldn't possibly pass this up."
Nousatsu brushed the backs of her fingers down Tasuki's cheek. "Sorry,
but you'll have to miss out on all the fun tonight. I work alone."
She mounted her horse as Tasuki's face fell to disappointment. "DAMN!"
he thought. Nousatsu turned to him once more before taking off.
"Besides, if you came, it would be very hard to do my job with you
there. Now I'm not sure if Tomo might be happy to see you, but I know
Nakago wouldn't. I know he's straight." She bent down smiling once
more.
"I swear, the way he and Soi rock the boat, I should hope that he's not
Tomo's type. I also wouldn't be surprised if Soi drops out of fighting
in, oh, say *nine months*!" Nousatsu laughed. "Be waiting for me in the
morning, Tasuki!" And with that she rode off into the distance.
Tasuki looked after her for a minute or so. At first he watched in
disappointment, but quickly changed to thinking about her mission
humorously. "What a woman!" he thought. "Nakago will sure have a
surprise tonight!" Tasuki shook his head slowly as he thought about the
surprise Nakago would be receiving. "He gets all the fucking luck!"
Tamahome walked up to Tasuki. "So, what is she going to do?"
Tasuki turned back to camp. As he walked past Tamahome, he said
quietly,
"The same thing you obviously want from Miaka, which you are never
gonna get!"
Tasuki, for fear of his life, bolted for the safety of the rest of the
seven. Tamahome wasn't far behind him, yelling to Mitsukake that his
healing power would be needed in the morning.
********* Devil Against Devil ********
**************************************
Nousatsu sat down among the Suzaku seishi, leaning back against a tree.
"So, why are the Suzaku and the Seriyuu seishi doing so far from home?"
she asked casually.
"We are in search of three items of power, two are in the possession of
the Seiryuu warriors," Miaka started slowly, still quite Furious.
"Wait a minute! I thought that there were only two Shinzaho!" a fully
recovered Tamahome interrupted.
Miaka continued without missing a beat. "Yes, there are. But Taiitsu-
kun also told me of an Eighth Warrior, that any of the Four Gods can
claim as their own." Miaka related the information that Taiitsu-kun had
given her to Nousatsu and the other seishi.
"Well we have our hands full, no da!" Chichiri commented when Miaka was
finished.
"Well, it seems to me that you really only need to find the warrior,"
Nousatsu said. "If the Seiryuu have summoned their God, then the Eighth
Warrior is your last chance."
"What if Nakago and the others have already found the warrior?" Miaka
despaired.
"Well, there's only one way to find out," Nousatsu replied coolly. "But
it seems to me that this Eighth Warrior could be anywhere. I doubt that
Nakago has found him, or even if he knows about him. But it does seem
that Nakago gets to everything before you can," Nousatsu smiled
wickedly and spoke with contingency. "I might have a way to help you
find out if Nakago has found some extra help."
"You do? How...?" Miaka, as well as the rest of the party, was puzzled.
How could they penetrate the Seiryuu camp to search for the eighth
warrior?
"I am all you need." Nousatsu continued. "Give me tonight, and you will
have the information in the morning."
Nousatsu rose. By the look on her face, it was apparent that she was
planning on being mischievous. Tasuki walked over to her as she went to
prepare her horse.
"What are you planning?" he asked, slightly flirting. "You look like
you're counting on being naughty."
Nousatsu laughed softly, like a devil planning a night to remember.
"Wouldn't you like to know." She turned to face him. "It's going to be
fun."
"What kind of fun?" Tasuki asked. His own version of a naughty look
spread across his face.
"Oh everything," Nousatsu spoke like a seasoned veteran in the field.
"I'm sure that there will be plenty of everything."
"And what would everything include?" Tasuki asked. He liked this game!
"Well, I'm expecting at least one bottle of sake, maybe a few minor
skirmishes, and... let us say..." She positively radiated evil. "Foul
play."
Tasuki laughed quietly. "Sounds like lots of fun. May I join you? I
couldn't possibly pass this up."
Nousatsu brushed the backs of her fingers down Tasuki's cheek. "Sorry,
but you'll have to miss out on all the fun tonight. I work alone."
She mounted her horse as Tasuki's face fell to disappointment. "DAMN!"
he thought. Nousatsu turned to him once more before taking off.
"Besides, if you came, it would be very hard to do my job with you
there. Now I'm not sure if Tomo might be happy to see you, but I know
Nakago wouldn't. I know he's straight." She bent down smiling once
more.
"I swear, the way he and Soi rock the boat, I should hope that he's not
Tomo's type. I also wouldn't be surprised if Soi drops out of fighting
in, oh, say *nine months*!" Nousatsu laughed. "Be waiting for me in the
morning, Tasuki!" And with that she rode off into the distance.
Tasuki looked after her for a minute or so. At first he watched in
disappointment, but quickly changed to thinking about her mission
humorously. "What a woman!" he thought. "Nakago will sure have a
surprise tonight!" Tasuki shook his head slowly as he thought about the
surprise Nakago would be receiving. "He gets all the fucking luck!"
Tamahome walked up to Tasuki. "So, what is she going to do?"
Tasuki turned back to camp. As he walked past Tamahome, he said
quietly,
"The same thing you obviously want from Miaka, which you are never
gonna get!"
Tasuki, for fear of his life, bolted for the safety of the rest of the
seven. Tamahome wasn't far behind him, yelling to Mitsukake that his
healing power would be needed in the morning.