Disclaimer: I do not own Tasuki, Chichiri, or Knei-Gong. They are creations of Watase Yuu (BTW, Ms. Watase, I'M MORE INSANE THAN YOU!!!). Tsing-Ka is also a creation of Watase Yuu; I just gave him the name. Karasuki, Subaru, and any other member names of the Byakko no Seishi were created by, well, whoever created those constellations! However, I got the names out of a graphic novel by WATASE YUU AGAIN!! Still, the characters themselves are mine. Rasconza and several of the Ligé-San bandits are totally, utterly, MIIIIIIINE!!
(A/N: Ah, Part 2! I needed to make new parts, because this is going to be less and less of a comedy but... Oh well! Don't worry, I'm going to keep the Watase-esque humor for sure :).
(I screwed up. GENBU's color is green; Byakko's is white. Therefore, please note the following:
(The black-robed dude's cheek should have been glowing white.
(Karasuki's weapon should have been white, too.
(And finally, these are my OWN versions of the Byakko no Seishi. I'm using completely different versions then the ones that appear in Fushigi Yuugi. Also, thanks to Lola for helping me pick out a cool, authentic Japanese name for Karasuki's weapons and to everyone else who's sent me those great reviews. ^^)
Tsuki no Hitokoro
~Assassins Of The Moon
oO;;
"Did the Boss just say... What I THINK he said?!" Knei-Gong gasped out of the side of his mouth. Miroka nodded dumbly.
Rasconza felt as if she were burning up. Everything hurt so much... Her mind, her body... But as long as she was right here, with him, everything would be all right...
"Tasuki, I..." She toyed with one of the necklaces around his neck, the one with the medallion. "I... I love you too..." She looked up at him and smiled weakly. "I'm just scared at the moment... And you'll let me be scared, right?"
He chuckled softly. "Damn woman, when did you get so submissive?" He grinned, then gave her a gentle smile. "Yeah, we all get scared..." He cupped her face in his hands. "I'll protect you... An' you keep my ass outta' trouble, too. Deal?" He brought his face closer.
Rasconza closed her eyes. "Deal..."
*AHEM!*
Rasconza and Tasuki whipped their heads away. "Whoever did that is gonna' have one HELL of a time explainin'..."
"Er, Boss," mumbled Tsing-Ka nervously as he stared at the wooden floor. "I'm really sorry an' stuff but... Where's the monk guy?"
Rasconza stood up, leaning on Tasuki's shoulder. "Y'mean Chichiri? I dunno... Yer right though, he'd prolly 'ave been here..." She turned to look at the still-flushed Tasuki and stifled a snicker. "Whaddya' think, Tasuki?"
"Ano... Oh, yeah." He stuttered. "You'd think he'd've come when he heard you yell like that..."
"Tasuki no da!! Over here!!"
"Speak of the devil," Tasuki growled under his breath. 'I'm never gonna' git a chance to do this at this rate...' "OK, he's outside, let's go!"
~*~
Karasuki bounded through the night. He'd failed to bring Shu back to his father, but he'd scared her. He had a feeling that "wild fighting spirit," of hers wouldn't be seeing any action for quite some time now...
He froze. Literally. Suspended in midair and unable to move his head, his eyes darted about wildly, searching for his invisible assailant lurking in the moonless night.
"I see you need to work on focusing your chi no da," a deep voice said quietly, almost scarily calm. A tall blue-haired man appeared out of the shadows. Karasuki knew by his dress that the man was a Bhuddist monk. He also knew, by the huge scar that closed his left eye permanently, that this man was named Ri Houjin.
Or Chichiri. One of the two living Suzaku no Seishi, and arguably the more dangerous of the two.
"What do you want, Suzaku Warrior?" A soft chuckle emitted from the calm figure. It wasn't cruel-sounding or mirthful; More bemused...
"Me? What about _you_? I'm not the one who just attacked his own sister in the dead of night..."
Chichiri tapped the butt of his staff hard on the ground. Once, twice.
*WHUMP!*
Karasuki fell to the earth
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm not here," Karasuki said calmly. "I'm back in Sairou." Chichiri smiled.
"No you're not. I know a lifeforce when I sense one." Karasuki grinned. Boy, was he bluffing. He knew how strong the Suzaku no Seishi were...
"Well done, for a birdie's toy," he stated quietly as the night wind whipped his silver hair about. Chichiri didn't flinch. Karasuki knew he was utterly wasting his breath on any form of insult, even to lower moral, to make the monk think he was stronger and more confident than the truth. This guy was too damn good.
"We needed my dear little ni-chan fer somethin' Subaru-sama is 'working' on..." Karasuki smiled. "We need all people who have connections to the Four Gods by blood.... Seishis or children of seishis, brothers or sisters or mothers or fathers of seishis... But I really don't have time for this." His hand reached into the pouch he had at his waist. "So I'll have you play with the Hanonigaishin!! Adeau!"
*BWZOOP!!*
The white disks that the lithe man used to attack Rasconza flew at Chichiri.
*Swoop! THWACK! Ch-CHANK! Shwoop!! THWACK THWACK!*
His staff a blur, Chichiri easily knocked aside all of the "Hanonigaishin". He watched the glowing disks follow the fleeing Karasuki into the night.
"Bastard," he mumbled under his breath as he slipped his mask back on. Still....
"Tasuki no da!! Over here!!"
A few minutes later, Tasuki stumbled through the mountain's shabby garden with Rasconza, Tsing-Ka, Knei-Gong, and Hwa-Miroka. Rasconza was a bit wobbely, so Tasuki was supporting her. The Phantom Wolf had one arm around Rasconza, holding her up, the hand of his other arm closed over hers, and a slightly ticked-off look on his face, as if Chichiri had interrupted something important.
"WHAT?" Huan-Lang hissed. Chichiri sighed. Something VERY important.
"Now's not the time to be angry no da. I need to know: When was the last time you heard from the palace of Empress Houki no da?"
Tasuki froze. "What the #$^! does it matter?!"
Chichiri solemnly took off his mask and stared into Tasuki's eyes, making sure he had the seishi's complete attention.
"I fear for Prince Boushin."
(A/N: Now, though this is fairly obvious, I'm going to state it anyway: When Karasuki refers to Chichiri's "dress", he means what he was dressed like, NOT an actual dress.... -_-;;
(Sairou is the Japanese name for the western kingdom, land of Byakko. If anyone can dig up the Chinese name for it, I'd be REALLY grateful...
(Oh, and Karasuki's weapon, the "Hanonigaishin," means "The Bitter Teeth Of Death". I actually got the idea for it while cleaing away coffee coasters from the table ^^;;;;)