***********Chapter Thirteen**********
********A Night on the Town*********
************************************

Tasuki was taken aback. "Man, you clean up nicely."

"You don't do so bad yourself," Nousatsu commented.

He smiled. "Thanks."

"Are you going somewhere Tasuki?" Miaka asked.

"I heard there was a carnival in town. Are you planning to go?"
Hotohori added.

"Yeah, I thought I might drop in for a sake shot or two."

"Well then, maybe I could join you?" Nousatsu asked, trademark smile
lighting up her face.

Tasuki, to say the least, was amused. Somehow, even though he had seen
her fight, he could not picture her drinking dressed as she was now.
"She probably can't stay sober long, why not? It will be interesting to
have her drunk ..." He thought.

"Sure, why not. I know all the best places. . ." he went on as they
walked out of the throne room and out of the palace.

"Miaka, do you think she'll be safe with him? He can get quite drunk
you know," Hotohori said when they had left.

Miaka smiled, remembering how well she could protect herself. "I'm sure
they'll be fine."

"In that case, I'll set the time for the summoning for tonight. We need
all the advantage we can get."

"Good. I'll go tell all the others."

* * *

Meanwhile, Tasuki and Nousatsu were having fun at the carnival. Tasuki
couldn't wait to play his little joke on Nousatsu, so he suggested a
drink right away.

"Sure, why not? Which did you say was the best place?"

"Here, this one. Serves Konan's best!"

They went in and ordered drinks. Tasuki watched Nousatsu carefully as
she poured down her first shot. She didn't even look fazed. "Darn. This
is gonna be harder than I thought," he thought as she drank his own.

After about ten shots, Tasuki was beginning to feel the affects of the
drink. At fifteen, he didn't even feel it going down. At nineteen, the
bartender refused to serve him anymore. Nousatsu, the responsible one,
had actually been watching her intake and wasn't even slightly tipsy
yet. She looked over at Tasuki, thinking, "Yeahaaa. I'd say he was
finished."

"Time to go home Tasuki!" she said, paying the bartender and pulling
him up with her.

Tasuki, lead by Nousatsu, stumbled out of the bar. Halfway to the
palace, he sat down in a field and refused to go any further.

"You really had to much. You should watch your drinking."

"Yeah yeah, I know. Damn, my head hurts!"

Nousatsu smiled and handed him a phial. "Drink this, you'll feel fine
in a minute."

Tasuki drank, and almost spit it back out again. "What IS this stuff?
Tastes like,. . .tastes like crap that's what it tastes like!"

Nousatsu laughed. "Whatever it tastes like, it will clear your head.
Why did you drink so much? After about number fourteen, you looked like
you were forcing it down."

Tasuki swallowed, trying to wash the taste away. "Well, I was, really.
Just don't ask why."

Nousatsu laughed and stood up. "Come on, we have to get back. They
probably want to perform the ceremony tonight."

"Fine, fine. I'm comin' " Tasuki struggled to get up and going. He was
just beginning to clear his head.

Nousatsu laughed softly as she reached down and pulled his arm over her
neck. "Let's go."

As she slipped her arm around his waist for additional support, and
smiled at him once more, Tasuki felt his head swim again. Only this
time, it wasn't an after-affect from too much sake. . .