TA: I'd really, really like reviews on this since I worked so hard on writing it, editing it then typing it out. And yes I worked hard because it's completely finished. I'm just posting parts at a time. So if you read it, please review it. And once again, I refrain from claiming any ownership to Taiitsukun, Tasuki, Chichiri, Boushin, Houki, Suzaku, Seiryuu, Konan, Kutou and their assassins and any other characters mentioned in here that belong to Yuu Watase.

~A bit later…~

Houki was leaning over a railing smiling as Chichiri walked up to her.

"Houki no da?"

"Shh, you'll startle them," she whispered.

"Them no da?" A childish laugh came from below the railing. Chichiri looked over it. Prince Boushin was playing a game with another little child. Looking closer…

"Kai-chi no da?" he whispered. A chibi tiger girl was chasing a chibi white fox girl. Another white fox girl, this one with a tinge of purple in her hair, was chasing the white fox girl too. A chibi Nimue joined Kai-chi and the young Prince.

"Kawaii no da!" It was easy to guess Tsunoiya was the tiger girl, but which fox girl was which? The tiger girl and fox girl tackled the white one. All three were laughing. Kai-chi and Nimue, racing each other and Boushin, joined the pile. Houki and Chichiri laughed along. Hearing the adults' laughter, the group looked up. Boushin waved to his mother. The white fox girl on the bottom of the pile tried to hide under everyone else. Tsunoiya snickered and nudged her. Chichiri smiled.

"Nikki, I need to talk to you no da."

"Oooh," cooed the tiger, the fox, and chibi-Nimue as the white fox reluctantly crawled out from under the pile. As soon as she was out, with a pop, there was Nikki.

"What is it?" she asked, blushing a bit as the five others went back to playing.

"Taiitsukun wants to send some of you back no da."

"What? Why?"

Chichiri gave his masked smile again.

'Because she thinks you all deserve to have some things from your time. She'll give whoever goes back enough time to grab a few things then bring them back no da."

Nikki glared at him.

"Don't…scare me like that."

"She told me to let you pick three people to go back no da."

Nikki looked over her shoulder at the four girls and Boushin.

"Tsurai, Nimue, and Kai-chi. Tsunoiya and I will stay here."

"Why me?!" Tsunoiya whined. She had heard and unchibified. The other three did the same with her complaint.

"Because you'd get nothing but saké and sugar…"

"SO?!"

"We need more than that Tsunoiya."

Tsunoiya pouted, but didn't argue further.

"It will only be for a little bit no da. Come on no da."

Nimue, Kai-chi, Tsurai, and Chichiri vanished. Boushin looked around.

"No play?"

"Play!" Nikki giggled and popped into the chibi fox girl again. As Nikki scooped up Boushin, Tsunoiya chibified and began to take chase. Boushin laughed.

"Tiger catching up!" he squealed.

"Hold on then Boushin!" Nikki shot up a tree nearby and alighted on a branch. Tsunoiya followed two hops then stopped. With everyone watching, her two front paws left the tree. The tiger fell off and backflopped onto the ground.

"Me….owww…."

Boushin giggled.

"Silly kitty."

Houki smiled.

"Perhaps…perhaps they were meant to be our seishi. Even if they do get drunk."

~A few days later…~

"We're back no da!" Chichiri popped into the throne room, Tsurai, Kai-chi, and Nimue behind him.

"Tsu…rai…" Nikki stuttered, eyes wide.

"CAR!"

The smallest girl in the group held a car over her head.

"We oughta be able to travel in style around here. Got it just before we came back." Tsurai placed it on the ground. Nikki eyed the car thoughtfully.

"Yeah…it's a nice car…" she grinned slightly, "but did you remember the gas?"

Tsurai smacked herself. Tsunoiya scooted up to Nimue, who was sporting a black trenchcoat.

"So…you get it?" she asked curiously. Nimue smiled coyly and opened the coat. It was padded to hold guns but instead there were about half a dozen saké bottles and some vodka.

"SWEET!"

"Suzaku…" Nikki groaned and rested her head on her hand.

"Nicked the jacket, used it to nick the saké. I also got chocolate, instant ramen, and a camera, plenty of film!"

"I got the car, my CDs and boombox, batteries, and your CD player and CDs too Nik. And I got a clock."

"Arigato Tsurai. What about you Kai?"

"Well…um…I got TP."

"Toilet paper?" Tsunoiya sweatdropped.

"You can never have enough!" Kai-chi protested, embarrassed. "I also got everyone clothes from your houses, and those party supplies."
"Party supplies?" Nikki raised her eyebrow.

"Hey, Nimue's birthday can't be left uncelebrated!"

"Party!"

Nikki smacked Tsunoiya. "Down kitty." She then turned to Tsurai. "Tsurai, this is neither the time nor place for a party, be it her birthday or not…"

"Nikki don't be so damned serious about this whole thing. Relax a bit. Your CDs and stuff are in the back of the car. That and your other request…"

"Arigato Tsurai!" Nikki picked up a plastic bag from the back of the car. Bag in hand, she ran off.

"Other request?" Tsunoiya asked.

"Pencil and her notebook. I brought some drawing paper and stuff for us all."

"Well…" Nimue started. "Anyway…anyone for saké?" Four hands, one belonging to a redheaded bandit who just walked in, jumped at Nimue's bottle.

~A bit later…~

Nikki sat in her room, pencil scratching in her notebook. It slowed to a stop as two voices passed into the room.

"Chichiri," Tasuki's voice groaned outside her room, "how much longer are those girls gonna be here? I don't think I'm gonna last much fuckin longer with that Tsurai around. I swear I hate girls!"

"I can't believe she tore both my masks no da……."

Nikki put down her pencil and walked over to her door, cracking it open a bit. Tasuki looked squashed and Chichiri held the remains of his torn mask in his hand.

"At least you're not being tackled by a short flying drunk! That describes all those girls."

"Tasuki, you can sometimes call yourself that you know," Nikki said, stepping out of her room. "At least the flying drunk part."

"Er, did you just hear that?" Tasuki asked nervously. Nikki nodded. "Aw shit don't kill me…"

Nikki laughed, then smiled.

"I don't want to kill anybody, especially you Tasuki. Why should I be mad? You were just giving your opinion…which can be proved wrong anyway seeing that I'm not drunk," she smirked. Tasuki smiled a fanged grin. "Thanks."

"No problem." Nikki turned to go back into her room as Tasuki and Chichiri began walking again. Nikki paused. "Oh, Tasuki?" The bandit stopped and looked back at her.

"Yeah?"

"I wish you'd rethink your opinion of Tsurai. She's really a nice person, and she really cares for you. Just give her another chance."

"What about Tsunoiya no da?" Chichiri asked. Nikki let out a light laugh.

"Let's just say, if we find Suboshi or Amiboshi, I pity them. And carry some extra masks with you when she's hitting the sake. But…um…" she blushed a bit. "I don't see why you would want to wear one anyway…" Quickly she turned and walked back into her room, shutting her door behind her. Tasuki nudged Chichiri with his elbow.

"Looks like I'm not the only one being flirted with."

Nikki's door opened a crack and Tasuki was engulfed with fire.

"Ow…"

"I'm not a flirt!"

"I still hate women…"

~That night…~

Nikki stepped out of her room, pulling her bathrobe close around her.

"Nik?"

"Gah!" Nikki jumped back a step. "Oh, Tsurai…it's just you….you scared me. What are you doing here at this time of night?" It had to be near midnight or later.

"I don't know…something just feels…wrong…"

"Yeah, I feel it too…"
"Me three no da."

Both girls jumped this time.

"You too Chichiri?"

"Na no da…"

Nikki shivered, still pulling her bathrobe. Kai-chi had brought her that and some purple pjs. Tsurai had a long T-shirt.

"I guess the others are still asleep…the feeling's passed…" Tsurai said.

"Same here no da…" But Nikki still shivered. It was not cold out though.

"Tsurai…" she whispered, "send an illusion of me walking into the room and going to sleep…" Tsurai looked at Nikki oddly, but took out the small green orb from a pocket in the shirt. Only a minute after the image had gotten back into Nikki's bed, a black figure slid out of the shadows, a long knife in its hand.

"A Kutou assassin…" Chichiri whispered.

"There must be ones in all our….rooms…oh my god…the others!"

"Tasuki!" The green ball fell from Tsurai's hands. The assassin's head jerked up as the image vanished and Tsurai shrieked. Stealthily and quickly, he moved up behind Nikki, her back being towards the doorway.

"Nikki! Watch out!"

She spun around just in time to be pulled out of the way of the assassin's downward swipe. Without stopping to think, her hands shot up and electrocuted the man. Needless to say he was dead within seconds. For a moment, she was in shock at what she had just done, but she knew there was no time to faint or panic.

"We have to go check on the others! That includes Houki and Boushin. Wake up every one of them. Once we're organized there has to be a thorough search of the palace for any other spies or assassins. Get everyone in the throne room as soon as possible," Nikki ordered.

"Right, I'll get Tsunoiya and Kai-chi," Tsurai said, running off.

"I'll get Tasuki and Houki no da."

"Um, perhaps you should get Tasuki and Boushin. Boushin doesn't really need to be woken up for this."

"You're probably right no da. At least I can pick him up without waking him no da."

"A simple mistake," Nikki sighed. They both took off for the respective rooms of the others.

A short while later, in the throne room…

"So let me get this straight, some da…er…" Tasuki glanced over at the now awake prince (Nikki would have been poking fun at Chichiri for waking him up had it not been under these circumstances) "some assassins from Kutou are in the palace trying to kill us?"

"Yeah, that's why it took me so long to get here," Tsurai said. "Kai-chi held the guy still while Tsunoiya gored him."

"What a way to go," Nimue said, yawning. Kai-chi nodded her agreement sleepily.

"It was good you three woke up," Houki said, "but how are we going to find them all?"

Tiger Tsunoiya growled.

Let me go. I can sniff 'em out. I can kill 'em. Tsunoiya thought-spoke with Nikki. After leaving Taiitsukun's palace, she could only talk with one person at a time.

"Alright Tsunoiya, You can go. Kai-chi," Nikki faced the still sleepy girl, "go with her. Tsurai, you and Tasuki make some rounds too." Tsurai's eyes lit up. Nikki shot a "remember what I told you" look at Tasuki. "We'll stay here. Check every room, especially our own. Get going." The four left the room, Tsurai practically floating.

"Play?" Boushin asked, looking up at Nimue and Nikki.

"No Boushin, no play now," Nimue said, taking a seat on the floor. Nikki looked at her watch and sighed.

"This is gonna be a long night…"

The sun rose over Konan's horizon before the four came back, Kai-chi and Tiger Tsunoiya returning only a few minutes after Tasuki and Tsurai.

"Well?" Houki asked, holding the sleeping prince.

"We found three," Tasuki said.

"Five," Tsunoiya added, turning human. " They've been dealt with and disposed of. The palace is safe now."

"What a relief no da…" Chichiri said. Nimue had fallen asleep on the floor.

"Bu what about the corpses?"

"Tsunoiya dug a hole and we dumped them. Tsu then covered them. May be a few bloodstains here and there, but they may come up," Kai-chi reported.

"Effective…"

"Only after I forced her NOT to eat the corpses."

"Ugh…" Nikki made a disgusted face. "Too much information.

"Na no da…"

"But I was hungry!"

"Cannibal!" Tasuki accused.

"Tiger," Tsurai replied. "Forget it, we've got a party to start getting ready for."

"What?" Nikki asked, giving a 'what are you talking about' look at Tsurai.

"Didn't Tsunoiya tell you? We're having Nimue's party tonight."
"Slipped her mind…"

Tsunoiya whistled innocently.

"Tsunoiya!"
"Whaaat?!"

~Later, in the afternoon…~

"C'mon Nik, you really need to relax. I'm sure this would help," Tsurai urged, dragging Nikki behind her.

"Yeah, I guess it would…do ya mind not dragging me though? I can walk."

"Sorry."

Tsurai had found a nice secluded lake a few days ago, and since Kai-chi had brought a swimsuit for everyone, Tsurai had suggested going swimming. Nimue and Kai-chi were still sleeping, and Tsunoiya was dead set against water now that she was a tiger.

"So where is this lake supposed to be?"

"Right through…" Tsurai pushed a branch out of the way and froze. Nikki was able to stand on her toes and peer over Tsurai's head.

"You sure you didn't plan this for another reason Tsurai?" Nikki smirked and poked her frozen friend. A large smile hung on Tsu's face. The lake, it was observed, was occupied by Chichiri and Tasuki, both also frozen in the water, staring at the two girls. "Sorry, we'll come back later," Nikki smiled, grabbed Tsurai's hand and started to walk off. Tsurai, on the other hand, had other ideas.

Being the stronger one, she dragged Nikki into the clearing around the lake.

"Hello no da," Chichiri said, shaking off his scare of the girls' sudden appearance. Tasuki was trying to sink.

"I told you I had a bad feeling about this…" Tasuki muttered. Tsurai lifted Nikki's feet off the ground to stop her from pulling her arm.

"Tsurai…"

"Aw c'mon Nik, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

"Don't you have a party to be planning for?"
"It can wait," Tsurai grinned, dropping Nikki. Nikki sighed.

"Tasuki, I thought you didn't know how to swim," she said, looking up at the men.

"It's been a few years. I've learned."

"He's also standing in the shallow water no da."

Nikki and Tsurai laughed. Tsurai then smirked and sat down….right on Tasuki's clothes. Tasuki stared from her to his clothes, then back to her. Tsurai grinned.

"You're gonna haveta move me if ya want your stuff," she chanted. Nikki looked at the situation and grinned.

"You know Tsurai, you might want to move back a bit," she said.

"Why? I'm fine right here," Tsurai replied. Innocently, Nikki walked up to behind her friend.

"Well, you never know. I mean, you're strong enough to fight anyone who wanted to push you in, but there's always the chance that…" Nikki quickly grabbed the robe Tsurai was sitting on and pulled it from under her. The small girl flew forward and fell into the water. Tsurai poked her eyes above the water and glared at Nikki. "Someone might go and do something like that."

"Alright! C'mere you!" Tsurai yelled and jumped for Nikki. With little effort she pulled her into the water. For a moment, there were just bubbles. Then a fish flew out of the water and hit Tsurai square in the face. Nikki popped up a few seconds later, a few feet away from Tsurai.

"Three points!"

The two girls started a water fight between themselves, one of them sometimes hitting the other with a passing fish or reed. Chichiri watched the two for a moment, then glanced over at Tasuki, and splashed him.

"Don't you start…"