"What the &%^$# is that?"
"It's a demon, na no da."
"We can't stay here it'll destroy the palace," Nuriko shouted.
"Everyone outside," Hotohori ordered. On their way out Hotohori and Kouji grabbed swords.
"We have to get the demon away from the city." Hotohori yelled. Everyone followed his lead as he started out of town. People quickly got out of the way of their way. And the few who didn't move quickly enough were pushed out of the way by the seishi.
"How far till we get out of town?" Jamie yelled.
"We're almost there, na no da."
Within minutes the group was standing on a dirt path that lead into the city. Kouji and Tasuki were yelling for the people around to leave immediately. But it wasn't until they saw the demon coming that they began to move.
Chichiri started by placing a protective barrier around the girls. But Hotohori was the first to attack and he managed to leave a pretty big gash in what would be any normal persons shoulder, a black liquid came from it's shoulder, spilling on the ground. Tamahome was next he moved quickly and got in some well placed kicks and punches. However he wasn't fast enough to dodge the flames sent by Tasuki's tessen.
"Oh sorry about that Tamahome," Tasuki shrugged. "Didn't see you there."
"That's not funny Tasuki!!" Tamahome yelled grabbing his coat.
"Genrou, Tamahome...Look out!" Kouji shouted. But was a little too late. Tasuki had pushed Tamahome to the ground and was almost out of the way. But the Demon was just a little bit faster and he caught Tasuki and sent him flying with one swipe of his paw.
After that it was like everything was going in slow motion for the six girls. Mitsukake was running to Tasuki, so he could heal him. Hotohori and Tamahome were attacking the monster again. Chichiri sent a blast of Chi at it. Kouji was swinging at it with his own sword. And Nuriko was hammering punches into the demon again and again. But none of it seemed to effect it. It had a taste of Seishi blood and now it wanted more. It threw off it's attackers like they were nothing, and ran towards Tasuki and Mitsukake with surprising speed, bearing it's rows of raiser sharp teeth. It swung and caught Mitsukake full in the chest.
MITSUKAKE!!!" several voices screamed. Then turned towards a very stunned Tasuki, and prepared to strike.
"TASUKI!!!!" Katie screamed. "IIIIIIIIIIIEEEEE!!!!!!" The girls turned towards a bright light emanating from Katie, or rather from her ears, where she wore the earrings that Tai'itsukun had given her. The demon stopped suddenly realizing that the girl was more of a threat now than all the men combined. Eyes widened as the wind picked up, the barrier created by Chichiri shattered and five of the six girls were thrown back by an emence build up of wind. It swirled around the girl immediately drying the tears that were running down the her face. She raised her hands in front of her. "LEAVE MY FRIENDS ALONE!!" she screamed, a wind blast coming from her hands. smashing into the demon and sent it back about 50 feet. The wind died down and Katie collapsed. Kouji was by Tasuki now helping his best friend to his feet. Chichiri transported himself to Mitsukake and sent the half dead healer to Tai'itsukun. Hotohori was back on his feet as well as Nuriko and Tamahome.
The demon struggled back to it's feet. Seeing the girl down it's eyes widened, and ran towards her.
"Katie!" Tasuki managed to get out.
"Genrou... Don't move so much."
The demon was almost on top of the girl when a fireball hit it in the eye. It winced in pain. As more were sent its way. "Leave my roommate alone, Bitch!" Sarah yelled flinging her nailpolish at the demon. The rest of the girls got to their feet.
"Imoto?" Heather bent down by the unconscious girl. Setting her hand on the girls head. She noticed a gleam coming from the malachite stone in the ring Tai'itsukun had given her. By this time the demon was up and very mad about the wind and now the small fire balls being flung at it. It roared. And everyone looked.
The demon roared again and dodging the annoying fireballs came at the girls again this time a little slower.
"Heather look out!" Hotohori yelled. The girl looked up from Katie to see the demon coming right for her. Hotohori wasted no time in launching himself at the demon, sword in hand. He swung and cut the back of the demons neck. More of the demons blackish blood spilled out and on to the ground.
Tasuki picked up his fan and swung yelling out the incantation. Fire engulfed the demon and it screamed in pain. Hotohori swung again and this time severed it's arm where he had struck the demon the first time. Heather was still bent over Katie covering the younger girl with her own body, her hand still on her head. Tasuki yelled out the incantation for fire once again and the demon roared, then fell to it's knees. Hotohori took the opportunity to cut the demons head off. The rest of the Seishi starred as the demon fell lifeless to the ground, right beside Heather and Katie.
"Heather!!" Hotohori and Shana said at the same time.
"Great, now they have everyone doing it." Tasuki snorted.
"Genrou, would you quit moving around you're &$#$* hurt." Kouji yelled at his friend.
Hotohori and Shana bent down beside Heather and Katie to make sure that they were all right. Heather looked at her ring it had stopped glowing. Then she looked at Katie who was flinching in her unconscious state.
"Ummmm," Katie moaned.
"Imoto?" Heather questioned. "Are you all right?"
"Huh?" She said opening her eyes. All the Seishi, Kouji and the girls were staring at her.
"Are you all right?" Amanda repeated Heather's question.
"Yeah, I had a dream that Jordan was teaching Earth Systems Science again. Man it was horrible." Everyone facefaulted except for Sarah.
"Who's Jordan?" Jamie asked, getting back on her feet.
"Super Asshole!" Sarah replied, posing with one hand above her head and one on her hip. Everyone looked over at the girl.
"Right," Kouji said.
"We should get back to the palace, na no da."
"What about Mitsukake?" Nuriko asked.
"I'll go see him, na no da."
With that the group, save for Chichiri headed back to the palace. Kouji helped Tasuki back to the palace while the rest managed pretty well on their own. Hotohori kept close to Heather the whole time though.
Once the group was back at the palace Katie and Amanda helped Kouji get Tasuki to his room.
"I *(%$(# told you already I'm just fine."
"Sure you are, that's why you're bleeding." Katie said, her and Amanda were helping Kouji get a bath stared so Tasuki could get the caked blood off of himself.
"I ain't *&^%$ bleeding anymore!" He shouted back at her. Amanda and Kouji let the two yell at each other while they carried in more water.
"Bakayarou!!" Katie yelled, stomping out of the room past Kouji and Amanda.
Kouji and Amanda looked at each other. "I'd better talk to Tasuki. You should try to talk to your friend." Kouji told Amanda. The girl nodded and headed out of the room and down the hall. By this time several bandits were sitting in the hallway.
"Is Genrou all right?" One asked.
Amanda shook her head `yes' and kept walking. Kouji waited till she was out of site, then went in to talk to his friend.
"^$#@*$@@% girls!" Tasuki cursed, easing himself into the tub of water. "%#** this is cold."
"You OK, Tasuki?" Kouji questioned.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be."
"I dunno, you just seem more mad than usual." Kouji started. "She was only trying to help."
"I'm not a ^$#*$@@& Baby, Kouji! I can take care of myself."
"I know, but did you have to yell at her..."
"She was %##**^$@ yelling too, Kouji."
"Genrou, she's just worried about you." The older boy started. "Didn't you see the way she reacted when that demon was about to tear you apart?"
Tasuki sat in the tub scowling. "What about it."
"Nevermind," Kouji said, getting up and walking to the door. He paused, "you'll never get it." With that he closed the door behind him. Out in the hallway he was greeted by his men and there he explained what had happened.
...............
Elsewhere
"Katie?" Amanda questioned. "Are you all right?"
"Yeah," the girl said. She was sitting down her back against a tree, and her knees pulled up to her chest. Amanda sat down beside her. "Why do guys have to be like that?" She said looking past her knees.
"I don't know. Maybe he's scared."
"Scared of what?" Katie looked up at her friend.
"Who knows? Maybe he's just an @$$."
"Ack! You said a cuss word." Katie said pointing at her friend.
"What, I can cuss too."
"But...but you cussed."
The two girls started laughing.
Nuriko looked at the two girls, "I thought so!"
"Thought what?"
Nuriko let out a yelp and turned around to see Jamie. "Don't scare me like that."
"Sorry," the girl smiled. "So what are you doing?" Jamie peeked around Nuriko's shoulder to see Amanda and Katie. "Eavesdropping?"
"Well you know." Nuriko shrugged, as he sat down, Jamie sat beside him. "So what are you doing out here?"
"Not much, thinking, I guess."
"About today?" Nuriko said, reading the girls mind.
"Yeah," Jamie forced a smile.
"Don't worry," Nuriko put his arm around the girls shoulders. And with the other hand picked up a big rock and crushed it with his hand. "I'm strong, I'll protect you." Nuriko proceeded in flexing and showing off his strength. Jamie sat, laughed, and occasionally applauded.
"What are they doing?" Amanda asked.
"Who knows?" Katie replied.
"I think its cute, don't you? Well actually yes I do. See that's what I thought."
Amanda and Katie turned around to see Kouji standing behind them.
"Why do you always talk to yourself?" Katie asked.
"It makes things more interesting, don't you agree? Yes I do. Yep that's what I thought." Kouji kept talking and Katie patted Amanda on the arm.
"I think I'll let you handle him." She said walking off in no particular direction.
"Where's she going. Oh she's just pouting cause Tasuki's being a &$#@(#@. Yeah that's what I thought." Amanda sweatdropped. "So is she gonna be OK?"
"Yeah I think so. She really likes him though and he doesn't seem interested in the least."
"Yeah I know. Tasuki's just like that. He comes from a very female dominated family. He's been telling himself that he hates women for so many years that he doesn't know what to do when he actually finds one he likes."
"What about you?" Amanda said sitting down.
"Huh?" Kouji sat down beside her.
"What about your family?"
"Ohh that, I don't have one. They died when I was really young. The Mt. Reikaku bandits are my family."
"Oh, Gomen nasai." She said lowering her head.
"That's all right. What about your family?"
"I've lived with my mom and stepdad since I was four, I only see my dad and stepmom once a year at most, my mom has always been there and supported me but my stepdad is another matter. I also have three older stepbros, Nathan one of my step brothers is the only one I've ever really been around though. He's your typical stepbro or in other words a pest."
"Wow, sounds busy."
"Yeah, I guess."
"Do you miss them?"
"No not really."
"Why?"
"Of course I miss my family a little, but I like being on my own."
"Ahhh, OK."
"So how do you like it here?"
"The city is magnificent and the bit of country I've been to is beautiful, I love the mountains."
"Really? Me too. Oh you probably already know that though. Considering that I'm a mountain bandit." He smiled.
"Daijoubu." She smiled back.
"What do you think they're doing?" Sarah asked. "Tamahome?"
"Yeah I'm here," he said peeking his head around the tree. "Are you sure we should be doing this?"
"*&^$ yeah," she said. "Look, they're so cute."
"Umm yeah, can we go now."
"Well I guess so. Where we going?"
"Ummmm I don't know."
"Hmmmmm, lets go this way," she said grabbing his left arm.
..................
Elsewhere
"How are you feeling Mitsukake-san?"
"Not bad, Chiriko." The big man said. "It's a good thing Chichiri was there to get me to Tai'itsukun's. Now where's Tasuki?"
"He's in his room I think."
"Thanks Chiriko, I'd better go heal him."
"All right, I'll see you later, Mitsukake-san."
"OK," Mitsukake saw Chiriko off then headed towards Tasuki's room. There were lots of bandits outside the younger Seishi's room. His men really care about him, Mitsukake thought as he walked into Tasuki's room. The younger Seishi was lying on his bed awake. When he saw Mitsukake he sat up in bed.
"Thank Suzaku, you're here. Everyone's going crazy. They're treating me like I'm gonna die."
"I don't think anything could kill someone as stubborn as you Tasuki."
"Yeah, hey wait a minute."
"Hold still." Mitsukake ordered Tasuki. Tasuki sat still as Mitsukake held out his hand and healed him. "There, you're all done. But you shouldn't move around a lot or you might reopen the wound."
"Thanks Mitsukake."
"Your welcome." He said then walked out shutting the door behind him.
.............
"So how is Mitsukake?" Hotohori asked.
"He's doing well your highness, na no da."
"That is good to hear and what about Tasuki?"
"Mitsukake just healed him." Chiriko said walking in.
"Chiriko, thank you for coming."
"It's my pleasure highness." The younger seishi walked to the table that Hotohori and Chichiri were sitting around.
"Now to discuss our plans for attacking Koutou and Gibralitern."
"The only problem is how to do that without involving citizens in the fight."
"Yes, that is a big problem, Chiriko."
"If we wait for them to make the first move, more people will probably die, na no da."
"Yes but what else can we do?" Chiriko asked.
"How can we beat Gibralitern without civilian causalities?"
"We probably can't, na no da."
...................
Katie dangled her feet from the tree branch she was sitting on, feeling the wind swirl around her. She closed her eyes and dreamed about going home.
"What the *^$#@ are you doing up there?"
Katie looked down seeing Tasuki her eyes lit up. "How are you feeling?"
"Fine, Mitsukake healed me, so I shouldn't have anymore trouble."
"Oh, hey Tasuki, if I jumped would you catch me?" Katie said looking off into the distance.
"Huh? Well yeah." He said scratching his head.
"Why?"
"Because we need you to fight the demon."
"We?" She said trying not to sound disappointed. But not quite succeeding.
"Well yeah, your friends and the other seishi."
"I see." She said, starting to climb down the tree.
"Hey, I thought you were gonna jump."
She forced herself to smile, "I changed my mind."
"Oh."
"Well I'll see you later." She said running off.
Tasuki just stared after her.
"Emmmmm....baka."
"Nuriko, what's wrong."
"That idiot Tasuki, can't he see that she likes him. And what does he do? He goes and messes it all up."
"Nuriko?? Is that you?" Katie said hearing his voice. She walked around the tree to see Jamie and Nuriko.
"Ohh..hi, well we should get going it's about time to eat, ne?"
"Yay, food." Jamie stood up and the three of them started walking towards the dinning hall.
..........................
"Hey we should go get some food, na no da." Chichiri put his hand on the Shana's shoulder but the girl said nothing. "You OK?" Chichiri removed the smiling mask. Shana nodded her head but she still said nothing. "You miss your home, don't you?"
"Kinda, but I'm more worried about the monster."
"I know how you feel, na no da. To tell you the truth I'm worried about it too but if we all stick together I'm sure we'll be fine, na no da."
"Yeah I guess. Hey Chichiri,"
"Yeah."
"Why do you say `na no da' at the end of most your sentences?"
"Oh well force of habit I guess, I've never really thought about it, na no da."
Shana started laughing and was joined by Chichiri not long after. "Come on." He extended his hand out to her and she took it. The two walked towards the dinning hall.
...........Back in the dinning hall............
"Are you all right Hotohori?" Heather's voice was very quiet and she didn't want to interrupt the Emperor but he really looked like he could use a friend right now.
"Heather, I did not hear you come in."
"Oh sorry for interrupting you. I can leave..."
"No that is all right. Please sit down."
Heather sat next to the young Emperor. "Are you OK? You look a little blue."
"I look `blue'?" He seemed confused.
"Oh I'm sorry looking `blue' is a saying in my world. It means that you are sad or look sad."
"Oh, yes I guess I am a little sad. I really do not want to fight. Fighting means that there will be deaths. I wish that there was another way to stop the Koutou army. I am sorry for depressing you with this." Hotohori sighed.
Instinctively Heather reached out and grabbed Hotohori hand. "No it's all right, this is something that everyone is going to have to deal with. You alone shouldn't have to carry all the burden."
"You have such a kind heart." Hotohori said looking Heather in the eyes. He gave her hand a squeeze then let go as the double doors to the dinning hall opened. Mitsukake and Chiriko were the first ones in the dinning hall. They were followed by Chichiri and Shana then Tasuki. Once they had sat down Kouji and Amanda came through the doors then Nuriko follow by Jamie and Katie, who were talking away. Sarah then came in dragging Tamahome along with her. Once they sat down dinner was served to them.
Document created with wvWare/wvWare version 0.6.7 -->