Chapter Three In the middle of the park, the four sat down on the grass, thinking out their problem, not sure what was to be done to fix it. Martha sat snuggled up in Nakago's lap, while Kristin sat by Hotohori's side, brushing his long, dark hair. He still believed it to be horrible, but the rest thought otherwise, especially Kristin. Nakago put a hand to his head, and Martha sat up in alarm, seeing his pained expression. "Oh no!" she cried. "You look as though you're going to faint! Is there something wrong, Naki-poo?" "Must have. cheez its," he said in his low voice, fatigue sweeping over him. "Hm," Kristin said, "I guess we could go over to Justin's house. I'm sure they have cheez its. I mean, you can't have a graduation party without cheez its. You can't have any party without cheez its!" Martha cradled the general in her arms, who closed his eyes, forgetting his previous rep, only wanting his precious food in his stomach. He gave a tiny sounding "Hm." and passed out. "He's weaker than I thought," Hotohori said. "Perhaps we should go to your friend's party. Perhaps he will know the answers as to how we can get back to the world of Four Gods." "No," Kristin said, "I don't think Justin has a clue about the world of Four Gods. Let's just hope he has some cheez-its. I think I might faint from cheez-it deprivation as well." The two stood up, and Martha struggled to her feet, hoisting Nakago's body on her back. It was then that they heard the strangled cry from the woods again. "Why doesn't he give it up?" Kristin said, helping Martha to her feet. Hotohori was about to comment, when another more terrible noise wafted towards them. "Tamahooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooome!" The three froze in their tracks. Hotohori breathed out, "Tama. home? Isn't he one of the seven celestial warriors of Suzaku? That sounds like one of the seven constellations of the stars of Suzaku, so it must be him. But who.?" Martha whispered in a meek voice (perhaps from Nakago's weight on her back) "Miaka?" "No," Kristin answered, "Can't be. It can only be her." "You don't mean.?" "Yes," Kristin said, her voice grave. "Katie. She knows. Somehow, she knows!" "Who is this Katie?" Hotohori asked. Kristin shook her head. "We don't have time. Hurry! We've got to get to Justin's house. We'll go hide in the moon-jump thing." "Moon-jump?" Kristin grabbed the Emperor's arm, and they ran out of the park, with Martha running slowly behind. They passed through the lot full of cars, and down the street to the house that belonged to Justin. They ran through the garage, while teenagers and adults looked up from the table of snacks, staring at the strangely dressed man, and the one slung over Martha's shoulder. They ran to the backyard where the relatives and friends of the host of the party were all gathered together, chatting amongst themselves about how it looked as though it were going to rain. They ran for the little moon-walk, full of bouncing children, and forced their way in. The leader of the children's gang tried to prevent the girls from coming in, screaming in their ears, "No adults allowed!" But, when his eyes fell on the claw sitting on Nakago's lifeless shoulder, he panicked, and the moon-walk was free. Martha dropped Nakago, and wiped sweat from her brow. "Gee," she said, "He's heavier than I thought!" "But he managed to scare the kids away, even in unconsciouness," Kristin pointed out. "Perhaps we should get some cheez its," Hotohori said. "But how?" Martha whinned. "If we go out there, then Katie might show up and. and. oh, it would be awful!" Kristin sighed. "What are we to do?" She stared out of the windows of the moon-jump, starring at the unfamiliar faces walking around. And then, she spotted Caitlin. "That's how!" Kristin suddenly cried. She crawled over to the far window and called out, "Caitlin! Caitlin!!" The figure of her friend Caitlin bounded over to the moon-walk. She smiled, and said, "Oh! What are you doing in there? I thought you had gone to the park." "Quick," Kristin said, "I need you to get a bowl of cheez-its, and then come inside. Don't ask questions, just do it!" Looking confused, Caitlin shrugged her shoulders, and said, "Okay. am I going to be back in the loop if I do this?" "You will never be out of the loop if you can get those cheez-its to us, pronto!" Kristin said. Caitlin ran into Justin's house. A few minutes later, she emerged with a giant bowl of cheez-its, and crawled through the small door of the moon-walk, joining her friends inside. "So, what's this all abou." she started to say, when she spotted Hotohori staring up at her. Kristin took the bowl of cheez-its from Caitlin's hands, and thrust them into Martha's. Martha cradled Nakago's head in her lap, and being to force cheez-its down his mouth. Caitlin sat down in shock. "Okay. What did I just miss?!" she cried out. "We summoned them," Kristin said, "when Andrew and Phil came too near." "Ha!" Martha said, "Damsels in Distress, he says!" Caitlin looked down at the floor of the moon walk, her face going red. "Uh-oh." "What do you mean, uh-oh?" Kristin demanded as Hotohori looked on in amuzement. "I. I was going to follow you guys to the park, when Andrew showed up. I didn't feel like passing that gang of smokers in the parking lot, and I guess he thought you guys were in trouble when I mentioned the smokers, so." "It was you?!" Kristin cried. "You were the reason they came over like that?!" "I'm sorry!" Caitlin said. "I didn't mean to!" Kristin smiled. "Na, it's okay. It wasn't really your fault. I just felt like doing that for an added dramatic effect." "So," Hotohori said, "you are a friend of the priestess of Suzaku?" "Priestess of Suzaku?" Caitlin choked out. "Kristin. did you.?" "Shh," Kristin whispered loudly. A groan came from Nakago, and Caitlin backed away a few spaces. "But of course," Caitlin said. "Martha and Nakago. What a pair." Kristin's eyes darted from window to window in the moon-walk. Caitlin noticed her edginess, and asked, "So, why are we hiding in here? Is there something up? It isn't Andrew and Phil, is it?" "Far worse," Kristin said, and there was a sudden intake of breath from Martha. "What's wrong?" Hotohori asked, alarmed. Martha pointed a shaky finger towards the window behind Hotohori's back; the window facing the back door of the house. All three heads turned in the direction of Martha's finger to see that she was pointing at a skinny little figure taking timid steps out the door, peering about anxiously. "It's - it's," Kristin stammered, "K-Katie!"

DUN DUN DUN!!