Chapter 19
Once again, the group was on the move, heading for a nearby city. Caitlin was near to tears when Tasuki said he was staying behind, for he was the new boss of the bandits. Caitlin decided not to ask about the old boss, though Katie was getting squimish about not following the plot line correctly. And now, more than ever, was she complaining about the rest of the gang's decisions.
"Why didn't you wait for me?" she whined. "You were supposed to wait for me so that I could be the one collecting the warriors!"
Kristin was mad. She couldn't say anything but growl, yelp, howl, whine and bark. She gave Caitlin "a look" and the gang stopped to rest as Caitlin pulled Katie aside so the two could talk in private.
"Why didn't you wait for me?!" she cried.
"Because," Caitlin said, "we want to get things right, not follow the way baka Miaka does things. Look at the situation, Katie. If we had followed the plot line, then Tamahome would be stuck in Kutou and Nakago would be hated by all. Right now, no one has a reason to hate Nakago, no one has a reason, in fact, to hate the Seiyru seven (still can't spell it right, what's wrong with me?!). At this rate, we'll be able to summon Suzaku before Martha can summon Seiryu. (ah, I think I got it that time!)"
"But what about Yui?" Katie asked.
"There is no Yui!" Caitlin said, hoping it was true. "You don't have any reason to go to Kutou, don't you get it? We're going to does this the better way! And if we get the ceremony right, we won't even have to go look for that dumb Shinzaho!"
"But how do I become Priestess," she whined, "Hotohori is on Kristin's side."
Caitlin was going to say that she had to get the warriors on her side, but closed her mouth to that. No, she said instead, "Gee, I don't know that one, Katie." Besides, Katie should have been paying attention to that Statue when it was telling her all of this.
Soon, the gang was moving again. Katie was in low spirits, mad that everyone had started off without her. She hung onto Tamahome's arm, who was still dressed in leather. He liked this new look on himself, and so did everyone else -- especially Nuriko. The gears in Kristin's mind were already turning when she heard Nuriko spectualating on Tamahome's new outfit. Of course! Kristin thought. If Nuriko can win over Tamahome, then that may be the key in getting Tamahome on her side. But Tamahome wasn't gay. could he be forced into it?
He seemed happy, though, with Katie hanging off of his arm. It was a risk, but Kristin was going to try and get Nuriko and Tamahome together. It was her only chance. And poor Hotohori! She thought. He was laying back in the Palace with Chichiri, hurt from that stupid Lone Wolf Warrior. Chichiri decided to stay with him for company, as the Officials, especially number 2, were getting on his nerves.
Caitlin only wished Tasuki was there, and she wished that Kristin could talk, so that she wouldn't have to be stuck with just the company of Katie. So, Caitlin began hanging around Nuriko during the trip to the nearest city.
When they reached it, they found it was deserted.
"This is terrible!" Katie squeaked. "Did we miss something? Aren't we supposed to." a fist to her head from Caitlin shut her up for the moment.
This is perfect, Caitlin thought, knowing that Kristin was probably thinking the same thing. And she was. They had forgotten that this city was where a demon disease dwelled, taking over people's bodies until they wished for death. Apparently there was a doctor here called Miss Shoka who could retrieve a person immidiately from death. Kristin, Caitlin, and Katie knew that Miss Shoka was actually a victim of the disease and had died a long time ago. She couldn't leave the city because of this, and simply haunted the residents, bringing them back to life immidiately after having them killed. The people, though, would come back in an altered state of mind, though. they became like zombies. The only other doctor in the city was Mistukake, a celestial warrior of Suzaku. Before venturing on, Caitlin hissed into Katie's ears, not to reveal him until he revealed himself.
"Do you really think we'll find a warrior here," Nuriko asked, noting the desolantness of the city.
Kristin nodded her head.
Caitlin said, "Uh. that's where the scroll is pointing us towards. Please, just bear with us. I'm sure we'll run into the next warrior."
"It's a shame none of those bandits was a warrior," Tamahome said, and Caitlin cringed. "You would've thought someone like them could make a perfect warrior. Of course, not as great as me."
Caitlin held her self together, trying not to slap him. She wanted to scream out, "Tasuki's five times better than you'll ever be!!" but didn't want to spoil anything. They still thought his name was simply Genro.
They stood there for a long while, trying to decided where to go, when Kristin had a wonderful idea. She put her head up in the air, and began to sniff.
"Look!" Caitlin said, "Kristin's going to sniff out the next celestial warrior!"
"Guess that's a good reason for being a wolf," Nuriko said.
Happy to finally be of help in her awkward position, Kristin lead the others around. Her nose lead her through the city, down the gray streets, and past the empty houses. She was hoping to avoid Shoka altogether, but that's when her nose picked up a wonderful smell. She lead the group right into a house, and found herself in a bowl of cheez its.
"Cheez its!" everyone cried out. An official snack time was called for, and they indulged themselves on the big bowl of Cheez-its. It was then, that Shoka came in. It had been her house. It had been her bowl of cheez its. Everyone looked up, embarassed at Shoka.
"My cheez its," she said softly in a moan.
No one said a word, but sweat dropped. Caitlin slammed her hands around Katie's ankles to make sure she didn't go near Shoka. There was no way she was going to get herself sick again. She was just going to stay put so that they could find Mistukake with ease.
"I'm sorry," Caitlin said. "We should be going now, shouldn't we?"
"Please forgive us," Nuriko said. "We thought this city was abandoned."
"Yes, it is abandoned," Shoka replied, coughing. "There has been a terrible disease around here, and I'm the only doctor. except for."
"You don't need to say no more," Caitlin said. "We understand. We are terribly in your way."
"Do you know where." Katie started before she got another knock on the head from Caitlin.
"We should get going," she muttered, and the rest all got to their feet, mumbling, "Sorry, sorry. We're very sorry we ate your cheez its."
Once outside, Nuriko sighed, saying, "I feel as though we should have given back something, you know? In exchange for the Cheez its we just had?"
Caitlin didn't know what to say, but Kristin saved the day, by whining, and leading the group away. Kristin sighed to herself. Shoka had been avoided! Katie wasn't going to get sick, and the Mitsukake was almost theirs!
Kristin lead them up the main street of the city, her nose leading her towards the outskirts of town, where she knew Mitsukake could be found. But Luck was not on their side. Rather, she was hanging out with Tomite at the moment. As Kristin lead the gang into the woods, the ground began to move under their feet, and suddenly, they were surrounded by living corpses.
"Oh, here we go," Caitlin sighed, watching Katie faint helplessly in front of zombie corpse. Caitlin pleaded in her mind for Tasuki as the zombies cornered them in.
* sorry about the abrupt ending, but I've got school to go to right now. Just think of it as a cliff hanger. Yay! Keep reading and martha keeps writing! *
Once again, the group was on the move, heading for a nearby city. Caitlin was near to tears when Tasuki said he was staying behind, for he was the new boss of the bandits. Caitlin decided not to ask about the old boss, though Katie was getting squimish about not following the plot line correctly. And now, more than ever, was she complaining about the rest of the gang's decisions.
"Why didn't you wait for me?" she whined. "You were supposed to wait for me so that I could be the one collecting the warriors!"
Kristin was mad. She couldn't say anything but growl, yelp, howl, whine and bark. She gave Caitlin "a look" and the gang stopped to rest as Caitlin pulled Katie aside so the two could talk in private.
"Why didn't you wait for me?!" she cried.
"Because," Caitlin said, "we want to get things right, not follow the way baka Miaka does things. Look at the situation, Katie. If we had followed the plot line, then Tamahome would be stuck in Kutou and Nakago would be hated by all. Right now, no one has a reason to hate Nakago, no one has a reason, in fact, to hate the Seiyru seven (still can't spell it right, what's wrong with me?!). At this rate, we'll be able to summon Suzaku before Martha can summon Seiryu. (ah, I think I got it that time!)"
"But what about Yui?" Katie asked.
"There is no Yui!" Caitlin said, hoping it was true. "You don't have any reason to go to Kutou, don't you get it? We're going to does this the better way! And if we get the ceremony right, we won't even have to go look for that dumb Shinzaho!"
"But how do I become Priestess," she whined, "Hotohori is on Kristin's side."
Caitlin was going to say that she had to get the warriors on her side, but closed her mouth to that. No, she said instead, "Gee, I don't know that one, Katie." Besides, Katie should have been paying attention to that Statue when it was telling her all of this.
Soon, the gang was moving again. Katie was in low spirits, mad that everyone had started off without her. She hung onto Tamahome's arm, who was still dressed in leather. He liked this new look on himself, and so did everyone else -- especially Nuriko. The gears in Kristin's mind were already turning when she heard Nuriko spectualating on Tamahome's new outfit. Of course! Kristin thought. If Nuriko can win over Tamahome, then that may be the key in getting Tamahome on her side. But Tamahome wasn't gay. could he be forced into it?
He seemed happy, though, with Katie hanging off of his arm. It was a risk, but Kristin was going to try and get Nuriko and Tamahome together. It was her only chance. And poor Hotohori! She thought. He was laying back in the Palace with Chichiri, hurt from that stupid Lone Wolf Warrior. Chichiri decided to stay with him for company, as the Officials, especially number 2, were getting on his nerves.
Caitlin only wished Tasuki was there, and she wished that Kristin could talk, so that she wouldn't have to be stuck with just the company of Katie. So, Caitlin began hanging around Nuriko during the trip to the nearest city.
When they reached it, they found it was deserted.
"This is terrible!" Katie squeaked. "Did we miss something? Aren't we supposed to." a fist to her head from Caitlin shut her up for the moment.
This is perfect, Caitlin thought, knowing that Kristin was probably thinking the same thing. And she was. They had forgotten that this city was where a demon disease dwelled, taking over people's bodies until they wished for death. Apparently there was a doctor here called Miss Shoka who could retrieve a person immidiately from death. Kristin, Caitlin, and Katie knew that Miss Shoka was actually a victim of the disease and had died a long time ago. She couldn't leave the city because of this, and simply haunted the residents, bringing them back to life immidiately after having them killed. The people, though, would come back in an altered state of mind, though. they became like zombies. The only other doctor in the city was Mistukake, a celestial warrior of Suzaku. Before venturing on, Caitlin hissed into Katie's ears, not to reveal him until he revealed himself.
"Do you really think we'll find a warrior here," Nuriko asked, noting the desolantness of the city.
Kristin nodded her head.
Caitlin said, "Uh. that's where the scroll is pointing us towards. Please, just bear with us. I'm sure we'll run into the next warrior."
"It's a shame none of those bandits was a warrior," Tamahome said, and Caitlin cringed. "You would've thought someone like them could make a perfect warrior. Of course, not as great as me."
Caitlin held her self together, trying not to slap him. She wanted to scream out, "Tasuki's five times better than you'll ever be!!" but didn't want to spoil anything. They still thought his name was simply Genro.
They stood there for a long while, trying to decided where to go, when Kristin had a wonderful idea. She put her head up in the air, and began to sniff.
"Look!" Caitlin said, "Kristin's going to sniff out the next celestial warrior!"
"Guess that's a good reason for being a wolf," Nuriko said.
Happy to finally be of help in her awkward position, Kristin lead the others around. Her nose lead her through the city, down the gray streets, and past the empty houses. She was hoping to avoid Shoka altogether, but that's when her nose picked up a wonderful smell. She lead the group right into a house, and found herself in a bowl of cheez its.
"Cheez its!" everyone cried out. An official snack time was called for, and they indulged themselves on the big bowl of Cheez-its. It was then, that Shoka came in. It had been her house. It had been her bowl of cheez its. Everyone looked up, embarassed at Shoka.
"My cheez its," she said softly in a moan.
No one said a word, but sweat dropped. Caitlin slammed her hands around Katie's ankles to make sure she didn't go near Shoka. There was no way she was going to get herself sick again. She was just going to stay put so that they could find Mistukake with ease.
"I'm sorry," Caitlin said. "We should be going now, shouldn't we?"
"Please forgive us," Nuriko said. "We thought this city was abandoned."
"Yes, it is abandoned," Shoka replied, coughing. "There has been a terrible disease around here, and I'm the only doctor. except for."
"You don't need to say no more," Caitlin said. "We understand. We are terribly in your way."
"Do you know where." Katie started before she got another knock on the head from Caitlin.
"We should get going," she muttered, and the rest all got to their feet, mumbling, "Sorry, sorry. We're very sorry we ate your cheez its."
Once outside, Nuriko sighed, saying, "I feel as though we should have given back something, you know? In exchange for the Cheez its we just had?"
Caitlin didn't know what to say, but Kristin saved the day, by whining, and leading the group away. Kristin sighed to herself. Shoka had been avoided! Katie wasn't going to get sick, and the Mitsukake was almost theirs!
Kristin lead them up the main street of the city, her nose leading her towards the outskirts of town, where she knew Mitsukake could be found. But Luck was not on their side. Rather, she was hanging out with Tomite at the moment. As Kristin lead the gang into the woods, the ground began to move under their feet, and suddenly, they were surrounded by living corpses.
"Oh, here we go," Caitlin sighed, watching Katie faint helplessly in front of zombie corpse. Caitlin pleaded in her mind for Tasuki as the zombies cornered them in.
* sorry about the abrupt ending, but I've got school to go to right now. Just think of it as a cliff hanger. Yay! Keep reading and martha keeps writing! *