Bishounen Studios

Ancient China Part 4: Another Side, Separation, and Money

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Tamahome sat in a dark room. "Nakago-sama!" Soi called knocking on the door. "Come in, Soi." Tamahome said, his voice sounding strangely like Nakago's. Soi entered seeing Nakago, not Tamahome who was actually the person sitting before her.

"They escaped." Nakago stated. "Yes." Soi confirmed. Nakago gripped the wine glass in his hand so hard it shattered. "Nakago-sama?" Soi questioned. "Come Soi." he stated "We're going to find them."

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Kristi frowned. "This is boring." she sighed. "Tell me about it." Nuriko said. "Time to break out the sake!" Tasuki exclaimed pulling out a bottle of the alcohol he'd been saving. Yes, he saves. "There's kids with us, no da!" Chichiri exclaimed. But Kristi was already sucking out some of the stuff, like a baby with a bottle. "Tasuki!" Nuriko yelled. Kristi's went pale, and was suddenly dizzy. "Ooh" Kristi moaned before lying down and letting the world spin around her.

Tasuki laughed "'Didn't think she could take it!" Jackie looked at her sister "What's wrong with her?" she asked somewhat worriedly. "She'll be okay," Nuriko assured Jackie. Tasuki frowned at his bottle "Did she have to drink so much?" he asked. Chichiri threw a small rock at him, nailing his forehead.

"Ah! What was that for!?" Tasuki asked rubbing his head. "Now we can't move on until she feels better, no da!" Chichiri fussed. "Well fix it!" Jackie ordered "I have things to do at home, ya know." "She'll be fine!" Tasuki said pulling Kristi up by her arm. Kristi went green in the face and looked about to throw up. "Get her away!" Tasuki exclaimed letting her go.

Nuriko caught Kristi before she collapsed to the ground. "We're just going to have to wait." Nuriko told Jackie. "Well, why don't we make Tasuki stay with her and we'll move on." Jackie suggested. "Ya wouldn't leave me with that responsibility, would ya?" Tasuki laughed. "No, we wouldn't, no da." Chichiri stated.

"What!?" Tasuki asked. "I can handle it!" Tasuki exclaimed. "If you really think so." Nuriko said. "What? No!" Tasuki yelled, but Chichiri, Nuriko, and Jackie were already out of hearing range.

"Aww, great!" Tasuki kicked up some dirt. "Can... can.. can.. Can I have more?" Kristi asked. Tasuki blinked at her "What? You drinking got me in trouble!" Tasuki yelled. Kristi pouted "It would make me feel better and we could move on with Chichiri and them.." Kristi suggested. "No! You lay down!" Tasuki exclaimed. Kristi frowned and closed her eyes.

Tasuki poked her "I know you won't go ta sleep" he said. Kristi smiled and opened one eye "You know me to well.. It's like we're destined to--" Tasuki cut her off "We ain't destined fer nothin' 'cept maybe meetin' and movin' on." Tasuki frowned at her puppy dog sad expression. "An' dun gimme that!" he exclaimed.

Kristi just continued pouting "You're not very nice." she noted. She also made a note in her head that no one was spinning anymore, and now she was seeing blurry, and with that she closed her eyes. Tasuki took a swallow of his alcohol and moved to the other side of the clearing so he could let her rest. He flinched hearing rustling in the bushes "Jussa bobcat" he told himself aloud.

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"How much more walking do we have to do?" Jackie asked. "I thought we were rid of the whiners for a while." Nuriko stated. "It's not my fault." Jackie argued "I'm not used to walking so much." Chichiri huffed "We can stop for a while, no da."

"Really?" Jackie asked her eyes lighting up "Thank you so much!" She hugged Chichiri before finding a comfortable spot on the ground to sit. Just as she was getting comfortable they heard a loud crash. "What was that?" Nuriko asked.

Tasuki ran up to them. "You guys!" he said quickly. "Tasuki?" Nuriko asked. "Where's Kristi, no da?" Chichiri asked. "What was that noise?" Jackie asked. "Nakago is coming! Come with me!" Tasuki replied.

Chichiri looked Tasuki over, something was definatly out of place. "KAA!" he yelled suddenly attacking the Tasuki like figure. Tasuki changed to a being of black smoke and headed towards them. "Get down!" Nuriko yelled, partially tackling Jackie. The figure swooped over them. "What is that thing?" Jackie asked.

"I'm not sticking around to find out." Nuriko stated, grabbing Jackie's arm and running. Chichiri stayed behind them. "Go ahead, no da. I'll catch up."

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"Rekka Shinen!" Tasuki burned the men that had jumped out at him easily enough. "Ha, they insult me." he smiled. "Tasuki! Many many many men!" Kristi yelled hiding behind him. Tasuki turned to find 'many many many' men ready to attack. "C'mon!" Tasuki yelled grabbing Kristi and slinging her over his shoulder. And they're off!

Nuriko and Jackie ran smack into Kristi and Tasuki all of them falling to the ground. "Watch out!" Tasuki yelled grabbing Jackie and resuming his run. "You ran into me." Nuriko stated grabbing Kristi and pulling her behind him.

"No! Stop! NOW! I want TASUKI!" Kristi yelled. "Shut up!" Nuriko yelled pushing a few unfortunate men out of his way.

"Put me down you disgusting bandit!" Jackie yelled, ramming her fists into Tasuki's back. "Shut up, ya ignorant lil' girl!" Tasuki said before turning around and throwing her on the ground "Stay back! REKKA SHINEN!" there went half the men.

"TasukiTasukiTasuki" Kristi repeated over and over. "If you say Tasuki one more time I swear I'll--" Nuriko's sentence was cut off as the black smoke figure slammed into the two knocking them down.

"REKKA SHINEN" Tasuki finished off the rest of them. "Yea! I'm responsible!" Tasuki exclaimed turning to Jackie. "You!?!" he asked jumping back in surprise. "Yes, I apologize for not being my sister. I didn't mean to dissapoint you oh great criminal." Jackie said sarcastically crossing her arms.

Nuriko's eyes widened, realizing Chichiri wasn't around. "We need to get away from this thing!" Nuriko exclaimed. "TasukiTasukiTASUKI!" Kristi began getting louder. Nuriko rolled his eyes and grabbed Kristi taking off in the opposite direction of the dark being.

"Where's 'Chiri?" Tasuki asked sitting on the ground. "He was fighting..." Jackie's eyes widened "THAT THING!" she suddenly screamed pointing towards a dark mist. Tasuki turned around quickly and promptly 'oi'ed before getting up and running, just not before slinging Jackie over his shoulder. "Cretin!" Jackie fussed "I bruise easily, you know."

Nuriko caught up to Tasuki before long "Hey! I got your responsibility, right here." he joked gesturing behind him. Tasuki glared "Is this really the time ta get on my back?" he asked. "Hey, ya look comfortable." Kristi joked about Jackie, who promptly glared at her. "I'd much rather be off this criminal, but I didn't have a choice in the matter." she stated.

"Oh is that so?" Tasuki asked smirking "Catch, Nuriko!" Jackie screamed flying through the air into Nuriko's arms. "I HATE YOU!" she yelled at Tasuki. Kristi blinked realizing she was now stopped and being left behind. She turned to see the shadow thing right behind her "Eep!" she ran and jumped on Tasuki's shoulders "RUNRUNRUN!" she yelled looking back.

"Have you guys seen Chichiri?" Nuriko asked, now looking around a bit. "I figgered you guys might've found 'im" Tasuki replied. "You don't think Mr. Chichiri could be hurt do you?" Jackie asked. "'Chiri? Naw, I dun think so." Tasuki told her. " I didn't ask you!" Jackie yelled.

Tasuki held up his tessen threateningly "You wanna start somethin', lil' girl?" "Tasuki, stop. We don't have time for arguements." Nuriko stated. The shadow suddenly dived at them knocking them all apart like bowling pins. Kristi rolled into a tree "Owww" she said rubbing her head, she looked next to her to see Tasuki's tessen. "Heeheehee" she picked it up.

Tasuki stood up to come face to face with the dark thing. "AIEEE!" he yelled realizing his tessen was gone.

Jackie prepared herself for the pain of smacking into the ground... but the ground never came. She opened her eyes to find herself dangling from a tree. "Hello? Nuriko? Tasuki?" she called. "Tamahome." a person behind her stated.

Nuriko sat up to see Tasuki quite close to the dark thing.. he joked in his head about them being lovers, but shook thoughts away and hollared "Tasuki!"

"My tessen!" Tasuki yelled seeing Kristi with it in the corner of his eye. As much as Kristi wanted to save the day, and use it, she knew she'd screw up.. she -did- have a brain. She threw Tasuki the tessen, unfortunately... it landed under the dark thing.

Tasuki cursed and was knocked to the ground. "Tasuki!" Nuriko ran up to the dark thing, and attempted to punch it, but his fist sunk right through it and he was knocked back. Kristi tried to kick it, but was, being her weak self, knocked back into the tree. "Owww" she said rubbing her head.

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"Tamahome?" Jackie asked looking behind her. "That's what I said isn't it?" he asked. "Yes--" Jackie started. "I saved you." Tamahome interrupted. "Yes--" Jackie started. "Which earns me a little compensation don't you think?" he asked, interrupting again. "Mr. Tamahome--" Jackie started. "Which means money." Tamahome interrupted again.

"Yes. I know what compensation is, and I appreciate you saving me but truth is..." Jackie paused. "You're broke?" Tamahome raised a brow. "That's about it." Jackie said nodding. "Figured as much." Tamahome sighed "You're just gonna have to pay me when you get some money then. And that means, you're in my debt."

"In your debt?" Jackie questioned. "Clearly." Tamahome stated, brushing dirt from the top of Jackie's head. "Well how much money do you expect me to get?" Jackie asked somewhat angrily. "We're just going to have to see how much you can get, Now I don't want to push but... We really should get you started in money making." he was about to say more when he noticed her clothes.

"You read the book didn't you?" he said paleing. Jackie sighed "I don't know what book you're talking about, but I'm sick of being asked that!" she screeched. Tamahome sighed in relief "Good, so let's do business." Tamahome stated. "What do you mean?" Jackie whimpered. "We're going to town." Tamahome exclaimed tossing Jackie over his shoulder. "Hey!" Jackie yelled "I bruise easily!"

To be Continued

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Authors Note: We hope you're liking so far. We're working on the next chapter, so be patient ^^;; Of course -cough- to read it you might want to eh.. -in business voice- Hand over a little review? Yea, okay. Thanks.