p { margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1px } body { pont-family: "Times New Roman", serif; pont-size: 12pt; pont-weight: normal; pont-style: normal }

Keisuke and Tetsuya stood outside and waited for 14 seishi and 2 mikos to come outside. At the current moment everyone was writing down their names and putting the names in a hat. They had rented 2 big vans and everyone was going to see some fireworks together. In order to help form some new bonds between Suzaku and Seriyuu they were mixing everyone up.

Of course it was taking longer than it should. First they couldn't find a hat, then they could only find two pencils, and then finally when they were done, they had to find someway to get Ashitare out of the toilet, which he seemed to be extremely fascinated with for some reason or another. That's about the time Keisuke and Tetsuya decided to go outside and wait.


Eventually everyone came out of the house, Nuriko pulling a wet Ashitare by the neck.


"Ok," said Miaka, "in my van will be... Chichiri... Nakago... Tasuki... Nuriko... Amiboshi... Soi... Ashitare... and ...Tamahome."


"Nooooooooooo!" Cried Suboshi. "I want to be with my brother"


"I'll switch with you Suboshi." Suggested Nuriko, fully aware that Hotohori was going to be in the other van.


"Arigatou Nuriko sama!"


"Miaka continued in Yui's van is Nuriko... Hotohori... Keisuke... Mitsukake... Chiriko... Tetsuya... Miboshi... and Tomo. "


There were a few grumbles but no more changes were made.


"Lets go!"said Miaka enthusiastically.

Chichiri got into the drivers seat and everyone else filed in. Nakago pushed everyone out of the way and sat in the back seat. Of course Soi went in next right next to him. Amiboshi and Suboshi went strait for the middle not wanting to sit anywhere near Nakago and Soi. Tamahome looked at the remaining seats. The only possible way he could sit near Miaka was if he sat next to Soi, who didn't have to be one of his favorite people.


"Miaka, ladies first" He said pretending to be polite.


Miaka stepped in, looked at who she would be sitting next to, and grumbled.


'As long as Tamahome is here I'll be fine' she thought as she sat down. Soi was so engrossed in Nakago that she didn't even see Miaka sit down next to her.


"Has anyone seen Tasuki no da?" asked Chichiri.


Tamahome looked out the van door and saw Tasuki passed out face first on the pavement. Probably from drinking too much... again.


"Nuriko a little help here please?"


Nuriko picked him up and plopped him in the middle seat right between Amiboshi and Suboshi. They didn't seem to be too happy about this but Tamahome got in his seat and closed the van door.


Chichiri looked at the passenger seat beside him which was currently empty.

"Wait a minute no da, don't we have one more person in this van no da?"

Miaka looked around the van and counted heads.

"Yes, were missing one person."

At that moment Ashitare jumped into the seat beside Chichiri and closed his door with his paw.


Meanwhile at the other van Keisuke and Yui were arguing over the front seat and Mitsukake, Chiriko and Miboshi had already sat themselves down in the backseat in order to not involve themselves in any problems.

"Get in Hotohori." ordered Tomo.


"Don't tell Hotohori sama what to do!"exclaimed Nuriko.


"He's not my emperor."


"It doesn't matter, he's still an emperor."


"A dead emperor."


"Excuse me?"


Hotohori hadn't been listening to the argument. He had voluntarily gotten in, unknowingly and was listening to his own CD single.


'What a beautiful sound, there is nothing like the sound of my voice.'


"Ok now you get in." Tomo ordered Nuriko.


"No! Make me!"


"You will get in unless you want me sitting next to your precious emperor."

"Alright fine!"


"Good."


Tomo cackled happily and took his seat next to Nuriko.


"Why did you want everyone to go in first? If you're so special why didn't want to go in first?"


"I wanted the door seat."


"The door seat?"


"Shin likes a view of the ocean. It reminds him of home."


"Shin?"


Tomo pulled out his little clam and showed Nuriko.


"Shin."


Nuriko sweat dropped.

"Keisuke, you sit in the back. I want to sit next to Tetsuya, he's my boyfriend." Yui ordered.


"I knew him longer, and I'm older."


"He likes me better."


"No he doesn't he likes me better!"


"Does not."


"Does too."


"Does not."


"Does too."


"Tetsuya who gets to sit in the front. Me right?" Yui asked sweetly.


"Ok who ever gets into the front first can sit there now and the other person can sit there on the way back." Tetsuya replied, he really could care less who sat in the front but wanted them both to shut up.


Keisuke who was a lot closer to the van jumped in and shut the door in Yui's face. He them began making faces and sticking his tongue at her through the window.


She went to the back part of the van and looked at the last seat next to Miboshi all the way in the back.


"Tomo san, would you please allow me to sit in that seat and you can sit in the back?"


"Sorry lady Yui but if I go in the back I get motion sickness."


"You get motion sickness or "Shin" gets motion sickness?" Nuriko asked sarcastically.


"Shin is a clam Nuriko. Clams do not get motion sickness."


"Oh, they don't get motion sickness but they enjoy looking at the ocean."


"Are you being sarcastic with me?"


"No where ever would you get that idea?"


"I think you are."


"Maybe I am, what are you going to do about it? Tickle me to death with your little feathers?"


Yui gave up and went and sat down next to the bald little Buddha.


'This was not a very good idea. Stupid Miaka.'


The doors shut and the vans started off.


Things were surprisingly quiet in Miaka's van. Miaka and Tamahome were off in their own little world. Soi was gawking at Nakago as usual, and he was looking out the window and ignoring her, also as usual.


The twins couldn't talk to each other with Tasuki still completely knocked out between them. Every time they hit a bump in the road he switched which twin he was leaning against.


They hit a big pot hole and Tasuki landed hard on Amiboshi's shoulder after being on Suboshi's for about 10 minutes.


"Owwwww! We would have been better off with Nakago and Soi!"


Nakago snapped out of his day dream after hearing his name.


"What did you say Amiboshi?"


"Uh he said were almost there oh boy!" said Suboshi saving his horrified twin.


"Oh ok." replied Nakago.


He was pretty sure that's not what flute boy had said, pretty positive that it wasn't, but he was enjoying the peace too much to care and make a scene. This didn't happen very often, almost never.


The silence continued in the back however Chichiri was having a little problem up front.


"Uh Ashitare, I think it might be a good idea to put your head back inside the van no da."


Ashitare wasn't listening to Chichiri, first of all because he had not the slightest clue want the strange blue haired man was saying and the second reason and more obvious one was that his entire head and most of his upper body were out the window.


"Ashitare, you're gonna hit your head on a pole no da."


Ashitare kept his head out the window still ignoring the warnings.


Chichiri's main concern was not the health and well being of Ashitare, but of the health and well being of the other cars and passengers driving on the road.


"I mean it Ashitare no da. Come in right now no da."


"Keep it down up there." ordered Nakago "Some people are trying to relax."


Chichiri continued driving realizing there was no way he was going to get Ashitare inside the van until he managed to hit his head on a pole.


He didn't have to wait very long.

Meanwhile things were the complete opposite in the other van.


"Stop elbowing me you purple haired cross dresser."


"Why should I you deranged loser?"

"I mean it, you'll regret it."


"What? Are you gonna make Shin eat me?"


"I don't need Shin to deal with you."


Tomo grabbed a piece of Nuriko's hair and pulled. Nuriko continued elbowing Tomo and with is other hand also began pulling one of Tomo's long strands of hair.


"Owwwww!" shouted Tomo in pain. "Stop it!"


"I'm not stopping until you stop"


"You stop first!"


"No, you stop first!"


Keisuke who was beginning to go insane turned around.


"I'll count to three and you both stop. 1...2...3! Everyone let go."


They both let go of each others hair and rubbed their heads.


"Its lucky for you, brother of Suzaku no miko made us stop or you'd be in big trouble" Tomo taunted.


"That's it!" Nuriko reached into to Tomo's pocket and took his little clam.


Tomo gasped.


"Give me Shin!"


"No, get Shin yourself."


Tomo tried to grab it from Nuriko but couldn't get it back.


"Mr. Yui's boyfriend driver man Nuriko took Shin!"


"Whose Shin?" asked Tetsuya.


"Shin is not a who, Shin is a what. Shin is a nonliving inanimate object!"


Tomo looked as if he was about to cry.

"Shin is my friend and he is much better than you'll ever be!"


"Nuriko give him back the... I mean Shin" Tetsuya was really not in the mood to hear Tomo cry if his crying was anything like his laughing.


Nuriko reluctantly gave Tomo back his Shin.


"Nuriko I am never speaking to you ever again."


"Thank gods!" Everyone but Tomo, Nuriko and Hotohori (who was still listening to him self)said in unison.


Tomo gave them all an evil glare but then went back to looking at the ocean out the door window.


Back at the other van the peaceful silence had dicintgrated into complete craziness. Ashitare eventually hit his head on a telephone pole and began yelping. The noise woke up Tasuki who began yelling at Nakago for not watching him more carefully. Nakago then blamed it on Chichiri for letting him stick his head out the window. Miaka wasn't happy about Nakago blaming Chichiri so she began yelling at him and was then screamed at by Soi. Tamahome yelled at Soi which made Suboshi mad. Then Nakago told Suboshi to shut up and stay out of it which immediately brought Amiboshi into the picture, who began hitting people with his flute. And through all the madness Ashitare continued his yelping.

In the other van Nuriko had realized how much fun it was teasing Tomo and was trying to apologize so they could start making fun of each other again. Tomo was too stubborn and refused to give in to speaking to Nuriko so the van was quiet which everyone else was enjoying.


Once it was quiet Yui didn't mind sitting in the back anymore and looked out the window on her side. However, Keisuke still had something coming to him.


Mitsukake finally began reading a book on modern medicine he had borrowed from Miaka's house. For some strange reason he hadn't been able to concentrate before.


"Yay! Only 2.3657 more miles till we get there." informed Chiriko happily.


"Um, I'm sorry Chiriko san but from the location we were at 15.925 seconds ago when you gave that statement we had 2.3658 more miles till arriving." Miboshi corrected.


"No, Miboshi san I believe that you are the one that is mistaken."


"I don't think so Chiriko san I have been alive much longer that you have, and I am sure it was 2.3658 miles."


"Older does not always mean wiser."


"What are you implying?"


"That I'm right and you're wrong."


'Kill me now.' thought Mitsukake as he put down his book.


Luckily the van pulled into the parking lot of the park where the fireworks were being held before any more elbowing or hair pulling (not in Miboshi's case) could occur.


Everyone got out of the van and waited for the other van to arrive. It pulled up about 5 minutes later.


"Sorry if you were waiting long no da." Chichiri said apologetically. "We were having a few uh...complications no da."


"What..." started Yui.


"Don't ask no da, you don't want to know, and I don't want to tell you no da."


Once everyone got out of the other van, they took some blankets and chairs and found a nice big spot on the grass. It was still light out, the sun had not gone down yet and Mitsukake figured that since everyone was out of the compacted vans and had plenty of room the fighting might cease. He sat in a folding chair and opened up his book. He wished he had brought Tama-neko with him, he had decided not to after seeing that him and Ashitare did not get along too well.


It was quiet for a few moments before the madness returned. Miaka and Tamahome were arguing with Nakago and Soi, Tasuki had gotten control of Amiboshi's flute and was now hitting Amiboshi with it while Suboshi tried to get it away from Tasuki. Nuriko was following Tomo around trying to get him to talk again. Keisuke was being chased by Ashitare at the command of Yui. Hotohori left his music in the car but was wrapped up in looking at his reflection in the lake.


Miboshi and Chiriko were still arguing and went over to Chichiri and Tetsuya who were discussing the torture of the drive.


"Chichiri san, can you quiz me and Miboshi to see which one of us is the smartest?"


"Sure Chiriko no da, what should I quiz you on no da?"


"Everything" replied Miboshi.


"Ok no da. What is Pi ( not the chocolate kind) to the 8th decimal no da?"


"3.14159265" they both said together.


"Uh..."


Tetsuya took his scientific calculator out of his pants pocket and checked. They were right. (He just happens to be one of those people who take their calculators with them where ever they go.)

"Tetsuya san what's that?" asked Chiriko.


"Nothing, I'll explain later." he replied not in the mood to explain a calculator right now. "Continue Chichiri. They're both right."


"Ok how many days does it take the earth to revolve around the sun no da?"


"365" they said together again.


"Come one Chichiri you can give us something better than that!" Chiriko whined.


"Let me think no da. I'll make this last question really hard and who ever gets it right is the champion no da."


He thought for a moment.


"Any ideas Tetsuya san no da?"


They both thought how to stump the two little brain children. A question no one in the history of the world knew the answer to.


"I've got it!" Shouted Tetsuya.


The three looked at him in anticipation.


"How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie roll pop?"

"What's a tootsie roll pop" asked Miboshi.


Tetsuya ran over to the concession stand and bought two chocolate tootsie roll pops.


"This is a tootsie roll pop. In side is a soft chocolate center." He handed one to each Miboshi and Chiriko. "I want to know how many licks it takes you to get to the center."


"Now take off the wrapper and go when I say so. Ready go!"


They held the lollipops in their little hands and began licking fast.

As the little contest was occurring Mitsukake was just beginning to ignore everyone and read about a drug called Fluoxetine Hydrochloride.


'Lets see Fluoxetine Hydrochloride...used to treat depression...helps to lift mood...brand name Prozac... With these people I definitely need some Fluoxetine Hydrochloride.'


At that moment Keisuke ran right into Mitsukake's chair knocking it over. Just as he got up he was knocked down again by Ashitare. The rest of the arguing people stopped to watch for a second and then went right back to their bickering.


He stood up and looked at around at the people before him, all the mean faces, all the yelling, all the hate.


"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE? CAN'T YOU SEE THIS FIGHTING IS GETTING YOU NOWHERE?"

Everyone froze. Nuriko stopped chasing Tomo, Ashitare stopped chasing Keisuke, Yui stopped in her fit of laughter, even Hotohori had stopped admiring his beauty to see what all the commotion was about .When he saw it was just Mitsukake having a tantrum hissy fit he went back to himself. Chiriko and Miboshi kept scowling and licking their lollipops caring about nothing more than beating each other, but other then them everyone else was pretty frightened.

Mitsukake continued...


"EVER SINCE WE LEFT THERE'S BEEN NOTHING BUT YELLING AND SCREAMING AND CRYING AND HAIR PULLING AND CHASING. THE ONLY THING MISSING IS WHAT WE CAME HERE TO DO, BOND!"


He lifted his hand and began to bring down his fist on a nearby wooden picnic basket.


"Mitsukake STOP!" yelled Nuriko.


Mitsukake stopped his fist before it hit the table. Nuriko went over to the table lifted Mitsukake's hand and picked up the tiny clam that was about to be crushed.


"Shin!" Tomo shouted his voice full of joy.


He took Shin from Nuriko and gave it the biggest hug that a person could possible give a tiny hard clam. When he was done he looked up at Shin's savior.


"Nuriko you saved Shin."


"Well I couldn't let him be crushed, I love Shin, we all love Shin." replied Nuriko knowing that doing this before could have saved him a lot of time.


"Really?" Tomo squealed. "Arigatou Nuriko, me and Shin give you our gratitude .


He went over to Nuriko and gave him an even bigger hug then he had given Shin himself.


There was a moment of complete silence as everyone else looked on a bit disturbed but touched at the sight of Nuriko, Tomo, and Shin.


"One thousand five hundred and sixty eight!" Chiriko and Miboshi said at the same exact moment.


Everyone's glare besides Hotohori's, Tomo's and Nuriko's (who was beginning to suffocate) turned to the smallest of the Suzaku seishi and the smallest of the Seriyuu seishi.


Chiriko and Miboshi looked up at each other.


"Chiriko san, our wits are equally matched you are a difficult opponent."


"As are you Miboshi san."


They put there lollipop sticks into their left hands and shook hands in a truce.


"It's so beautiful!" cried Keisuke who then began sobbing on the ground being the usual over emotional Keisuke that he was.


Miaka was about to go hit her brother but decided against it.


'I don't want Mitsukake to start yelling again. Especially at me.'


At that moment the fireworks started and everyone sat on the blanket and looked up. Nothing but the sound of the cracking and popping of the beautiful lights was heard.

The warriors, mikos, and Keisuke and Tetsuya watched the sky for over an hour in complete peace. Even Ashitare was quiet.


The silence was surprisingly broken by Mitsukake.


"Is anyone else feeling water?"


Everyone else was but didn't say so, because they didn't want to leave.


They stayed as it drizzled, and as it rained and finally decided to leave once the down pour began.


They ran back into their separate vans and drove off.


Without Mitsukake to shut everyone up again Miaka's van returned to its original madness the moment Ashitare got his window open again (don't ask how)and annoyingly howled at the moon.


In the other van however the peace stayed. Miboshi and Chiriko sat their heads leaning against each other their thumbs in their mouth fast asleep. Yui silently held Tetsuya's hand in the front seat and looked up at the stars. Keisuke on the other hand sat completely still afraid that if he woke up the baby Buddha, the thumb sucking baby Buddha, he might get mad and poke him with his sharp pointy rattle. Mitsukake went back to his book and used the moon as his light. Which was completely full. He swore he could hear the sound of a wolf howling at it. Then he saw Ashitare sticking out the window of the other van and he was sure.

The only sound was the sound of Tomo's voice as he told Nuriko about the first time he found Shin and their life together so far. No one seemed to mind it. Its constant droning tone was somewhat peaceful. The subject helped too. Nuriko had snuggled his way as close to Tomo as possible after seeing how kawii he was with his makeup all smudged and coming off from the rain. Tomo was so absorbed in his story he didn't notice at first, but then smiled at Nuriko when he finally did. Nuriko smiled back. They were sound asleep in each others arms in five minutes.

Hotohori took off his head phones and looked around the quiet van.


'Today was fun. Nothing too exciting happened but I got a lot accomplished. Hey why is Nuriko so close to Tomo? Nuriko shouldn't be so close to Tomo. Nuriko doesn't like Tomo. Nuriko doesn't even know Tomo. Stop it what is wrong with you? You're getting paranoid. It doesn't matter how close Nuriko is to Tomo. You're not gay. You are not gay. Still Nuriko is way too close to Tomo.'


He turned away from Nuriko and Tomo and looked out the window. He could see his face reflecting in the darkened glass.


'Ah, now that is the most beautiful sight in the world.'

Disclaimer: I do not have any ownership of Fushigi Yuugi, Tootsie Roll Pops, or Prozac.

Hope you liked it! I would appreciate a review if you have the time. Thanks for reading!