Bishonen Beware
Chapter 14
A day off and leaving from Konan
CAN: Sorry that it has taken so long. --; And that reminds me. On this summer, it is going to be two years when me 'n Lana met and started writing this fic! hugs Lana You are the best little sister.
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Lana screamed, holding her head in her hands when pain flared through her mind and body. Her world was filled with red light while everything started to disappear around her and Riina. Lana looked up when she heard Tasuki's voice.
"…It's gonna be a' right." She could barely hear his voice not to mention make out the words. 'Tasuki!' She thought when Tasuki reached for her and the world around her turned red and she felt like she was being torn apart. Lana looked around. She was flying through a crimson red space and noticed Riina being right next to her.
"Riina! What's going on?" Lana asked from the brunet. "Are we crossing to Miaka's world?"
"No idea." Riina closed her eyes and opened and closed her hands "Lana, can you feel it? The wood under your hands?" she looked at Lana in confusion "We're here, but on the same time we're still back in Konan."
"That would explain why this hurts so bloody much." Lana grimaced, hugging herself "It feels like I'm being shred into pieces."
"But it looks like the trip's gonna be over soon." Riina said and pointed at the white light they were heading at. "Heads up." She winced and both of the girls closed their eyes and readied for the possibly painful impact. There was a jolt that knocked the air out of Lana's lungs when the flying suddenly stopped. Lana dared to take a quick peak at her surroundings and to check to make sure she still had all her toes and fingers.
"GYAAAHH!!" she exclaimed, turning chibi, her hands and legs trashing in the air when she saw that she was hanging in thin air in front of a large, white building. 'Why is it that I always end up hanging in the air?!' It took her a second that to realize that she wasn't actually falling but calmly floating in the air in front of the windows. She looked Riina, who had turned SD and was pale as a ghost.
"We thank you for your choosing Air Suzaku, please watch for your first step." She said in a nasal announcer's voice and looked nervously of the ground, which was six stores away.
"RIINA!! How can ya joke with something like that when we're standing on nothing?!" Lana exploded at the older brunette as they moved closer to the window and smoothly glided through it into a quiet room. She would have smacked the girl if she could have reached her.
"It was either that or screaming. And it WAS kinda funny." Riina shrugged and took a deep breath of relief when they were safely inside of the building. They looked around in the room that was painted white. There were a couple of beds and a few curtains to separate them, giving some privacy to those who were lying in the beds.
"Is… this a hospital?" Lana asked.
"I think so, and look who's here." Riina said quietly as she walked around a curtain to stand next to a bed. There was a dark haired young man lying on the bed. He had so called oxygen whiskers attached to his nose and couple of bags of fluids was being attached into the back of his hand. There was room was filled with a soft beeping of a monitor, which followed his heart beating.
"It's Tamahome." Lana breathed, holding her hand on her lips. "Oh my Gods… What happened to him."
"Remember when Miaka and Taka were supposed to come to the book in the first place?" Riina asked. She had seen the second OVA dozens of times.
"Yeah. So?" Lana asked.
"So, they were being transferred into the book when some guys had just thrown Miaka from the school's roof and Tama had dived after her. Originally at this point Suzaku appeared and saved them from the falling by transporting them into the book. But now, instead of them being here, bang we're there because the transportation meant for them hit us. Are you getting my point? I think I saw Tama turning under Miaka when they fell to protect her from the impact. But this time there wasn't Suzaku to save 'em." Riina explained, looking at the seishi lying on the bed. There was a long silence.
"So… In other words… This is our fault." Lana wrung her hands. This was the first time somebody had gotten hurt like that because of her. Not to mention, that he was a character from her favourite series. 'No. Not just a character. They're all real persons.' Lana sniffled.
"This is nobody's fault." Riina hugged her comfortingly. "Except maybe technically Byakko's." she added. "Besides. I don't think he's going to die. Why else would we be here, hmm?" she gave a small smile "Don't worry. Tama's a tough guy. Remember when he fell off that cliff when Tomo attacked?" Lana nodded and took a breath.
"Why do you think we are here?" Lana sniffled and reached to pat Tamahome's hand, her fingers sliding through him. 'huh Now I know how Hotohori felt.'
"Beats me." Riina sighed, sitting down on the bed and brushing the seishi's hair, both of them happening to touch him in the same time. Riina and Lana jolted when a hot power sizzled through them. It was like it was draining all their energy from them and giving it to Tamahome."What's… going… on?!" Riina shouted, trying to break the contact.
Lana grimaced when pain soared through her chest and the jewel of memory she was holding slowly emerged from her and started slowly drifting to Tamahome, being absorbed into him. The same was happening for Riina and her jewels.
When they were finally able to break their contact with Tamahome both girls collapsed to the bed, being out of breath. The monitor was now beeping more strongly.
"ouch… That… hurt." Lana managed to breathe out between clenched teeth.
"Yeah. I think we just updated him." Riina gasped and then reached for her collar, closing her fingers around the Suzaku ornament and closing her eyes. 'Hope this works.'
Taka? Can you hear me? You need to remember who you are, Tamahome. So that you can live now, you need to remember your past. she called for Taka Trust in the love you and Miaka share and be yourself, Suzaku seishi Tamahome. with that, she broke the contact.
"Do you think that we can go back now? I just want to die." Lana asked. She could feel the wooden floor in Konan pressing her back and right now it felt like it was calling for her.
With that they were surrounded with red light. The trip back wasn't as pleasant as it had been when they came. It felt like someone had put them through a shredder and then glued back together. Finally it stopped and Lana could feel that she was lying on her back in darkness. At least she felt like solid this time.
"Riina?" Lana said weakly to the brunette lying next to her in the darkness, staring at the non-existing ceiling.
"Uh-huh?"
"If that red over-sized chicken ever does that again..."
"Uh-huh."
"I'm gonna quit."
"Uh-HUH."
"And if the big turkey is ever gonna make it hurt like that again…"
"Deep fried chicken roast."
"UH-HUH!"
With that, the both girls promptly slipped into blessed calamity of unconsciousness. They weren't aware that three figures had been kneeling worriedly right next to them and had heard their little conversation. Tasuki, Chichiri and Hotohori turned SD with huge sweat drops hanging by their heads as they watched the two now unconscious girls lying on Houki's bedroom floor.
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Her bed was all nice and warm. Lana sighed and turned to her side, burying her face into her large, fluffy pillow. She could sleep a couple more hours before her mom would come to kick her out of the bed. Lana curled into a ball and tugged her covers higher. She had seen such a wonderful dream too. There had been Tasuki and Chichiri and all…
She frowned when she felt something heavy and warm holding her covers down, by her feet. One of their cats must have come to sleep by her feet again. She gently poked the heavy lump with her foot.
"Caaaat… Go away… You're stealing all my covers" she groaned, not bothering to open her eyes. Then she sighed and snaked her feet out from under the covers to scratch the cat with her toes, hoping that it'd move. She frowned when her toe didn't find fuzzy fur but some soft and warm fabric instead. She felt it some more with her toes, opening her eyes. 'What the heck?!'
Lana turned to her back and raised up to lean on her elbows, as her eyes followed her leg and toes to see what she had been tickling instead of the assumed cat. Patting the soft fabric of pants confirmed the lump being a knee and Lana looked up to see Tasuki smirking at her amusedly.
"A cat? Thanks a bunch." Tasuki made a face "Did ya know that ya snore a bit?"
"TASUKI!! What the heck are ya doin' in my BED?!" Lana exclaimed, bolting up. When Tasuki turned bright red and quickly looked away, Lana looked down and peaked under her covers and also blushed madly. She was only wearing her panties under the blankets. She quickly pulled the covers to her chin and kicked the bandit hard from under the covers.
"TASUKI NO HENTAI!!!"
"ITAI! Stop ouch it ow you stupid ack woman!" Tasuki tried to protect himself while sitting in the bed. "I didn't do anything! The servants brought ya here and put ya into th' bed!!" he took his tessen and started poking back at the leg.
Lana stopped at this and looked the bandit suspiciously. "You swear? As a Suzaku seishi?"
"I swear!" Tasuki turned to sit his back on her "And here I thought that ya might want some company when ya wake up." He snorted grumpily, rubbing his thigh.
Lana fidgeted the cover, pulling it tighter around herself. "Sorry." She mumbled "It was… nice of you." She blushed a bit "Would you mind giving me a shirt or something?" she said quickly, wanting to change the topic.
Tasuki leaned towards a chair where were some clothes were folded in a neat pile. He grabbed something which he smoothly tossed over his shoulder, hitting Lana right in her face. It was a large peach colour morning robe made of silk which had simple white lilies in it. Lana quickly pulled it over and closed it tightly. Tasuki reached for the fruit bowl on the table, picking up couple of fruits. He turned around when Lana tied the robes with a tight knot.
"Want some?" he asked, showing her a peach before tossing it to her. Lana caught it in the air easily with one hand and sniffed it.
"This is good." Lana smiled between bites when Tasuki sat back to her bed, munching his peach. "So… Why were you sitting in my bed? Have ya been there the whole time I slept?" Lana asked, glancing the read head bandit under her lashes, noticing how Tasuki slightly stiffened before snorting and taking an angry bite of his peach.
"che Dun be stupid, red." Tasuki snorted "Chichiri mentioned that ya were coming around so I thought of checking how are ya. You two were in a pretty bad shape when ya re-appeared." He gestured with the fruit 'Can't tell her that I've been here since they brought 'er in. It's not like me to worry over some damn woman.' "Wanna tell me what happened? One moment ya were surrounded with Suzaku's power and then ya were gone. There was only red light and shades and few minutes later yer back, looking half dead." He asked, finishing his fruit.
"Mind passing another one?" Lana asked, shifting around to sit more comfortably. "We went to see Tamahome. Thanks. He goes by Taka now, by the way." She said when Tasuki put the fruit bowl between them, helping himself an orange. Lana took a handful of grapes before continuing. "When we saw him he was lying unconscious in hospital."
"Nani?" Tasuki almost choked to the orange. "Why?! What had happened?"
"No idea, though we had some wild guesses. We were sent there to give the stones for him, so we did. Give the stones, I mean. And Riina tried to tell him that he needs to remember who he was." Lana explained, popping a grape to her mouth.
"But those were inside of ya." Tasuki stated.
"Dun look at me. We just touched him and those jewels were sucked into him. I don't know how these things usually work." Lana took a pillow, threatening to smother Tasuki with it, but instead looked out of the window and frowned. "Ne… Speaking of which… How long have I been sleeping?" she asked instead.
"Few hours. I think the sun'll start settin' in couple of hours." Tasuki shrugged and stood up, stretching.
"Almost evening? No wonder I'm starving." Lana said.
"We're stayin' the night here in the palace an' leavin' tomorrow morning." Tasuki told her. "We need to find th' rest of the guys soon."
"Oh great. Back to the road." Lana sighed and made a face. She blushed when her stomach growled loudly. "Neeee, Tasuki. You wouldn't happen to know where the royal kitchens are?" She asked with a smug smile "I bet ya I could out sneak ya if we raided the kitchens…"
"Is that a challenge?" Tasuki smirked. Though he wouldn't admit it, he was happy to see the girl being her energetic self once again.
"Could be." Lana smirked back and jumped out of the bed, looking around for her clothes.
---- a hour earlier ----
Chichiri walked across the quiet corridors of the palace, heading to the royal gardens to relax and do some fishing when he came to Lana's room door. He stopped when he sensed that Tasuki was still inside.
'geesh How long is he going to be there?! She wakes when she wakes no da.' Chichiri sighed as he quietly opened the door and slipped in.
"DA!" he said quietly with a chibi voice and grinned at the bandit, who startled. 'He had dosed off.' Chichiri smiled "How is she? Still sleeping no da?" he asked.
"Yeah." Tasuki stifled a yawn.
"Then why don't you take a break and let her sleep no da?" Chichiri asked.
"nah I can stay." Tasuki said. "I'm not tired."
"Why don't you go and take a nap or hot bath no da? You'll know when she wakes up no da" Chichiri chided and tilted his head lightly when Tasuki looked at him questioningly "Just follow the shouting and running servants no da."
"Very funny." Tasuki made a face before turning back to serious "So what brought ya here?"
"Just dropped by on my way to garden no da" Chichiri shrugged "Oh, and before I forget, Houki asked us to join the late evening snack with the girls, if they have waken by then no da." He added.
"Okay. I'll tell Lana when she wakes up." Tasuki nodded.
"Then I think I'm off no da!" Chichiri said cheerfully "Just remember to behave you two, no da" he grinned before he shut the door behind him and leaving Tasuki fuming to the room. Chichiri smiled behind his mask as he walked. He couldn't resist teasing the hot-headed seishi every now and then.
He walked around a corner and realized that he was standing in front of Riina's room's door, which was on the way to the gardens. Before he even realized it he had quietly opened the door and carefully poked his head in. All the windows were closed and the room was quiet. He could only hear deep breathing of a sleeping person. Chichiri hesitated a second before he leaned in little more to see the sleeping figure. He let out a small mix of breath and sigh when he saw how Riina was tangled to the sheets, them only covering her from her chest to her thighs and revealing her bare legs and shoulders. Chichiri walked soundlessly across the room and next to her bed. Riina was sleeping on her side, slightly curled and light frown on her face, her lips pressed tightly together and her brown hair fanning around her face wildly like a tree in a storm. Chichiri looked at her carefully to make sure that she was still asleep, before he reached over to pull the covers to her shoulders.
Chichiri sat down at the edge of the bed, looking at the sleeping girl. 'Is she having a bad dream?' he pondered and without thinking about it, he reached to brush couple of stubborn strays of hair from her face. He hesitated before he lightly brushed her brow soothingly with his fingertips and tracing her face from temple to her cheek, lightly resting his fingers there. After a second of hesitation he let his fingers drift over a little more and traced the outline of her lips, feeling the soft breaths against his fingers before touching her cheek again. Riina let a small whimper and half turned to her back, nuzzling Chichiri's palm. Chichiri startled and was about to pull his hand away but stopped when he felt her calm breath on his palm and saw her frown slowly melting away and her expression relaxing.
Chichiri smiled softly under his mask, a warm feeling filling him at the thought that he had somehow managed to comfort her. Suddenly he realized what he was doing and thinking and quickly pulled his hand away, as if she had suddenly burned him. He mentally shook his head and quickly pushed his thoughts and emotions away.
'What's going on? Why am I being so worried about her no da?' Chichiri wondered 'It's only natural to be worried for your fellow seishi no da. Tasuki's giving me gray hair all the time. I would be worried if I wasn't worrying for them no da.' He explained, at least, to himself and straightened his back.
He couldn't stop himself from brushing her cheek one more time before he stood up. 'You truly are a confusing one no da.' He thought before he walked away soundlessly and closed the door behind him with a small click.
On the bed Riina opened her eyes and looked at the closed door, listening at the quiet steps rapidly disappearing. She blinked and slowly reached to touch her cheek, where Chichiri had rested his hand. She slowly blushed and a hint of smile touched her lips before she buried her face to the pillow. Soon she ran out of air and turned to her side, peaking out of the bed and looking around the room, noticing her pack on the floor next to her bed.
She reached out and with a small snort lifted it, swinging it to her side. She snuggled in to lie on her stomach, tugging the covers over her, and started digging through the bag, pulling out a notepad and after a little search a wine red pencil case. After a moment of searching and a quick glance around she carefully pulled out two thick boxes, one being blue and other one red. She slipped the red box, which had a golden phoenix on its cover, out of its covers and took a thin booklet from inside of it and started flipping it through with a thoughtful frown.
Some time later Tasuki and Lana stormed running into her room, arms full of food and banged the door closed behind them and leaned low against it, listening when a group of angrily shouting cooks ran past. When the voices had quieted the panting duo burst out into hilarious laughter, sliding down to sit on the floor and lean against the door.
"Hi guys. What's going on?" Riina asked in confusion, looking at them amusedly. She was sitting cross-legged on her bed, wearing similar morning robes like Lana had on. She quickly pulled her blankets over to cover the items spread on the bed and hastily shut the laptop, snapping it closed.
"Hi Riina. You're up." Lana managed to say in between her giggling. "Want some duck?" she held up a plateful of roasted duck and burst out laughing again, leaning against Tasuki.
"And some royal wine with it?" Tasuki laughed as they climbed up and into Riina's bed, spreading their treasures to the bed in the middle of the trio. There was two full bottles of wine with three cups, a big plate of duck, a large bowl of rice and vegetables, some delicious bread and some buns with jam inside of them.
"What did you do? Rob the kitchens?" Riina smirked at Tasuki and Lana, looking at the food in front of her.
"Well… actually… Now that you DO mention it…" Lana grinned, making Riina to sweat drop at this.
"And I won!" Tasuki grinned, opening one wine bottle and pouring some for each of them "I got two bottles of wine with me!" he showed two fingers "And that counts for more than a plate full of duck."
"Yeah, but I noticed the jam rolls and got them from right next to that fat cook." Lana showed tongue.
"But I had to pick a lock for these sweeties." Tasuki nyahed.
"D'oh. That was AFTER we had raided the kitchen." Lana attacked the duck and rice, while Riina took a jam roll and bread with meat on it.
"Kids kids kids." Riina grinned and took a sip of the wine. "This is quite good, though I usually don't like wines. So shall you two call it a tie, ne pups?" she winked.
"Suits me." Tasuki agreed, re-filling his cup and leaning on the wall.
"Who are ya calling a pup?" Lana elbowed her older sister playfully, munching rice.
"And who are ya calling a kid?" Tasuki made a face "What are ya? An old hag?" he chuckled.
"Older than you, boyo. Let's just say that I'm closer to Chichiri's age than yours." Riina smiled.
"che"Tasuki snorted "But that reminds me. Houki has invited us for a late evening snack later." He added as he took a sip of the wine. "I think we have couple of hours." He looked over as Lana choked to her rice and duck.
"gah And NOW you're telling us! cough cough" she wheezed. "And I don't have any suitable clothes!"
"We have two hours." Riina said to Lana "You know what that means kittling?" she smiled, wiggling her brows "We are in Japan, in the royal palace…"
"China." Lana corrected her. Riina looked at her for a second.
"What ever." She waved her hand "In the palace. Do you know what that means?!" she now beamed like a raising sun "The royal hot baths!!! Or hot springs if they have any…" The two girls stared at each other, slowly starting to smile evilly.
"I'll get the towels if you find the soap…" Lana said in a low conspiracy voice, leaning closer to Riina and glancing around.
"Deal." Riina also glanced around.
Tasuki stared at the suddenly empty bed and looked at the door when he heard a loud bang, seeing it swinging wildly on the empty room. Few seconds later both Riina and Lana were standing by the doors, Lana holding couple of large, fluffy towels and Riina carrying a bar of soap and some sort of bottle.
"Got everything?" Riina asked.
"Yup! And I also found a hairbrush." Lana showed the brush.
"And I found a bottle of some good smelling oils. So are we ready?" Riina said.
"Yosh! See ya later Tasuki." Lana waved as they started walking off.
"Bye." Riina also waved as they disappeared.
Tasuki stared at the door dumbfounded for a few seconds, sake cup on his hand. "What the hell just happened?!" he asked the empty room.
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CAN: sorry everybody, but I just could leave this scenery off… -crawls to hide under her bed-
Chichiri was lying on the royal hot springs, leaning on a large stone, relaxing his tired muscles from the walking and battles of the day. He sifted into more comfortable position, sinking up to his nose to the hot water. Chichiri was about to dose off when he heard female voices coming from the bath room.
'Must be the servants cleaning up.' He thought as he slightly stirred up. He lightly opened his eye when the voices came to the outside, where the spring was and bolted to sit up when he heard a loud SPLASH behind of him, sending large waves all around the spring.
"YAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!! IT'S HOOOTT!!!" somebody screeched from behind of the rock and he could hear somebody laughing. Chichiri stood up, looking over the large rock.
"Are you all right na no da?" He asked. The was a stunned silence when Chichiri stared at naked Lana standing on the water, which was reaching her to her hips, her back turned to him and Riina standing on the shore, a large towel wrapped around her. The large rock didn't reach Chichiri only but to his waist and he quickly hid behind of it at the same time that Lana dove down to the water, only her head showing up.
"Hi!" Riina managed to smile chibily as she used her powers and got Lana's towel for her, wrapping it around her when she stood up.
"What are you doing here? This is the men's side." Chichiri asked, his face red as he peaked over the rock.
"We thought that this was women's side." Lana blushed as she climbed up and thwapped Riina's arm, who was looking at Chichiri thoughtfully "You said that we could use this." Lana glared.
"che I only thought that I saw the character of mizu, I didn't say that this was ladies side. I can't read Chinese y'know." Riina snorted, making Lana to make a face. "So where is the ladies side?" Riina asked from Chichiri, smiling embarrassedly.
Chichiri bluntly pointed to his left. There was a large bamboo wall and the girls could see that the water was flowing under it.
"Okay. I think we can find our way from here. Sorry. And thanks." Lana hurried, dragging Riina with her. Once they had grabbed their clothes and stepped to the hall they looked at each others and busted out in hilarious laughter.
"Oh my gods, that was embarrassing!!!" Lana laughed as they walked this time to the ladies dressing room.
"Did you see his face? Priceless!!" Riina laughed, wiping tears of mirth as they dropped their cloth piles to the benches.
"I don't know which one was about to die from embarrassment first, him or me." Lana chuckled as they dipped into the hot spring.
"Hush, he still might be there. Don't tease the poor guy." Riina snickered, lowering her voice.
"Though it was quite a view." Lana continued, sensing through their seishi connection that Chichiri was still on the other side. Chichiri blushed on his side, wanting to sink under the surface.
"What view? There was a rock in front." Riina snapped her fingers.
"So? I saw you enjoying it anyway." Lana teased and nyahed.
Riina blushed, giving a dirty look for Lana and splashed water on her face. "Oh shut up…" this started a splashing war with no rules.
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Couple of hours later everybody gathered to Lady Houki's room, where a light late dinner was served.
"There was supposed to be some delicious jam rolls, which are the specialty of my cooks, served tonight but they told me that some hooligans had attacked the kitchen and caused a mess there." Lady Houki said, giving a small meaningful look for Lana and Tasuki. Lana and Tasuki glanced at each other and tried to look as innocent as possible.
The evening went smoothly. Tasuki and Chichiri sharing their memories of Hotohori with Houki, telling her of their adventures with the other seishi and what they had been doing after the war. Lana and Riina told them more of themselves, what they were doing (trying to explain the schooling systems and the idea of going abroad to study) and of their world, at least all the information they dared. At one point Lana let Hotohori borrow her body, and using her shape shifting abilities turned her appearance to look like him so that the ex-emperor could play with his son.
After the sun had set a long a go and Boushin had fell asleep in Houki's lap Houki looked at all of them. "It is late. You must be tired already." She nodded softly.
Chichiri and Tasuki stood up at this, understanding their cue and bowed at the empress. Riina followed the suit and nudged up Lana, who had dosed off.
"I shall give you horses and some equipments for you travel tomorrow before you leave." She said.
"Hai. You are too kind, your highness no da." Chichiri replied.
"Not at all." Houki said with a smile.
"Ne, Hotohori, are ya gonna stay here?" Lana asked, yawning as they turned to leave.
"Yes. We shall see you tomorrow morning." Hotohori nodded. Houki slightly raised her brow questioningly for Lana.
"He's staying." She translated, making Houki to smile and pinkish blush raise to her pale cheeks, and turned to leave.
Lana walked with Tasuki between Riina and Chichiri, carefully keeping Tasuki between her and Chichiri, as they headed towards the girls room. The first room they reached was Riina's.
"It seems that this is my stop. Good night minna." She said as she opened her door.
"Nights sis." Lana waved. "My room is the first one to the right down that hall. Hey, our rooms are right next to each others. Cool." Lana grinned.
"Great. Then I can listen your snoring through the whole night. At least I won't feel lonely." Riina smirked. "Nights." With that she slipped to her room, closing the door behind of her firmly.
"Do I really snore?" Lana asked from Tasuki, who just rolled his eyes amusedly.
"So what shall we do then?" Lana chirped cheerfully, latching to Tasuki's arm "The night is still young." She spun around Tasuki, so that she ended up between Tasuki and Chichiri and looped her free hand around the monks arm. "What do ya guys say? Shall we have some fun?" she asked.
"Sorry, but I think I also shall go to the bed, no da. We need to get up early tomorrow, no da." Chichiri chuckled at the redhead's enthusiasm of youth and patted her hand before gently shaking his hand free.
"awww What about you fangboy?" Lana asked from Tasuki.
Tasuki hmmmed playfully and said with a grin, "I dunno. I may have something better to do."
Lana mock glared at him and tossed her head, saying, "What could possibly be more interesting than spending time with me?!"
Tasuki snickered and replied, "Emptying the sake bottles that are still left? Ah, just kiddin'. Hey, where's yer egg by the way? Aren't you supposed to be hanging onto that thing?" He suddenly looked a little nervous. Tai-Itsukun HAD ordered Lana to take good care of the egg after all.
Lana just grinned and said, "No worries, Tasuki-kun. I had one of the palace servants warm up some blankets and made a nice little nest for it in my room after me an' Riina got back. It's listening to some of my music on my headphones right now!"
Tasuki suddenly grimaced. "Yeah I've HEARD that stuff you call music. That thing's going to hatch into a monster listening ta THAT crap."
Lana sputtered in rage. "Oh no, fang boy. Don't you DARE insult my music." she glared at him threateningly and raised herself up on her toes so she could look him in the eye.
Tasuki grinned sheepishly and replied, "Alright, don't get mad. Let's just go check on it, shall we?"
Lana watched him suspiciously for a few more seconds before nodding and going back to her normal cheery self. "Okay!" She turned and bounded happily down the hall, opening the door to her room with a cry of, "Momma's back!"
Tasuki stared at her as she dashed over to the egg, readjusting some of the blankets and restarting her CD, which she had borrowed from Riina, before changing her mind and taking it out. "Nah, Linkoln Park may be a little much. How about...... Ahah! Evanescence! Perfect!" she muttered to herself, popping a differant, black CD.
Tasuki grimaced as the lyrics for the song made their way to his ears, and silently prayed that it wasn't affecting the egg. He still wasn't sure how the thing that played music without any instruments worked, but he was willing to bet it had something to do with a witch, with what music was coming out of it.
No lost words, whisper slowey, to me.
Still can't find what keeps me here.
And all this time I've been so hollow, inside.
(I know you're still here)
Watching me
Wanting me
I can feel you haunt me now
Fearing you,
Loving you,
I know I'll find you somehow.
Right about then Tasuki had had enough. He walked forward quickly and turned off the music, earning an annoyed protest from Lana before he gave her a half-hearted glare and tugged her down to sit on the bed.
"That's it. This kid or whatever it is doesn't need THAT kind of stuff to listen to. You and I are going to have a nice long talk so this thing has some NORMAL influences." he demanded.
Lana rasied an eyebrow at him, and stated, "You're acting like this is our child. I'M the one who's supposed to be 'raising' it!"
Tasuki glared at her and reached over to pick the egg up and put it in his lap almost protectively. "Look Kittling, this egg is going to hatch, and the old hag said it was going to hatch according to how you treat it, right? I'd rather not have it hatch into a demon." he said flatly.
Lana sputtered and tried to grab her egg back, but Tasuki refused to let her have it until she agreed. "Fine, fine." she muttered in resignation. "We have a 'normal' talk. So, how's the weather been lately?"
Chichiri was walking towards his room when he heard a soft, rhythmic tapping coming from Riina room. He was going to ignore it until he heard a few soft curses and a smack.
Chichiri politely knocked on the door, before poking his head in and saying cheerfully, "Everything alright no da?"
Riina quickly shut her laptop and sat up before shoving a few things in her backpack and turning to Chichiri with a cheerful smile, saying, "Nope! Everything's fine! Just looking up some stuff."
"Right no da. Thought you were supposed to be asleep, no da?" he said, and Riina could have sworn he was smirking behind that damnable mask.
Riina laughed nervously and rubbed the back of her neck. "Er, right. Insomnia, ya know?"
Chichiri smiled and said, "Then perhaps you'd like to take a walk?" He held out his hand invitingly towards her, and a look of indecision passed over her face before she grinned and took his hand, saying cheerfully, "Okay!"
Lana yawned and curled herself up around her egg while Tasuki laid on his back nearby, fighting to keep his eyes open. "Ne, Tasuki." Lana muttered.
"Yeah?" Tasuki said, trying not to yawn. They had been talking for a good hour now, and both red-heads were starting to loose their energy.
"What's gonna happen if this thing DOES hatch into a demon? I mean, I'd feel really bad if it went on a rampage." she murmured, pressing her cheek against the warm red shell.
Tasuki grimaced and replied, "Let's just pray that never happens."
Lana gave a little snort and muttered, "People who say that you should just pray about things always really mean that they don't have the ability to control what happens."
Tasuki looked over at Lana and frowned, asking, "So?"
Lana looked a little annoyed and replied, "So I'm not as firm as a believer in fate as you, oh mighty king of bandits. I believe we can always control our destinies, and that when people say that the only thing that's left is prayer, they are just giving up. I believe you should just keep on fighting until the bitter end if need be."
Tasuki shook his head to try and clear it. "But in this world, prayers are sent directly to one of the four gods. Isn't that how it works in your world?"
Lana frowned. "Our world has so many religions and beliefs that it's- Well, let's just say I don't have a lot of faith in prayer. I pretty much think that whatever we do, whatever good things that happen to us, we make them ourselves. And if we die, it's our own damned faults. Sometimes I think people in our world just want to believe in a 'higher power' to have something to blame all their crap on. If someone really is watching our world over from the heavens, they've probably given up on us by now."
Tasuki looked at Lana in silence for a while, before saying softly, "So if ya don't believe that someone's up there, who do ya believe is taking care of ya?"
Lana looked up at him with a grim smile, and replied, "No one's gonna take care of me except myself. That's what I believe in. I believe in my own ability to save my own life." Suddenly she cocked her head to one side and looked at him thoughtfully. "Or at least I used to. Then here you came along, saving me just about every other time I turned around. You sure made me question myself, that's for sure. Ah well, I guess it's just this world. Here ya actually know the Gods are listening, even if they are bastards. Back in my world, I'll be able to believe like I used to again."
Tasuki frowned, than turned on his side to face her directly, and told her softly, "Even if ya do go back to yer own world, I'd still try to take care of ya." He grinned. "After all, what would ya do without me?"
Lana chuckled, then looked at him with a smirk and said, "So you're saying that instead of any God, or something like that, I should just believe in you now? That's a pretty tall order, bandit boy."
Tasuki grinned back at her, and stated, "What have ya got to loose?"
Lana looked at his eyes for a minute, then gave a half-smile and replied, "Eh, nothing I'd miss if it was gone. Alright, let's see how this works out. If I die, I get to haunt you though." Then she started to dose off, and she muttered to herself, "Dang, must be more tired than I thought."
Tasuki winced at the mental image and for a second doubt plagued him. He saw Nuriko, Chiriko and all the others. All the others he hadn't been able to save. Then he looked back at Lana, and threw caution to the wind, saying, "You got yourself a deal." Then he grinned, curling uncomfortably to the other end of the bed and falling asleep.
Riina and Chichiri walked through the palace, talking about nothing in particular.
"So, how long do you think we'll be in the palace?" Riina asked, putting her hands behind her head.
"Not much longer, no da. We'll probably leave-" Chichiri started to reply, but was cut off by a cheerful, somewhat shocked voice exclaiming, "Why, it's you to! Awful late to be going for a walk, isn't it?"
"Prime Minister!" Riina said, smiling politely at him.
Chichiri laughed, rubbing the back of his neck, and replied, "We couldn't sleep, no da. What brings you out?"
The Prime Minister smiled. "Ah, I love looking at the stars. I used to do it with my wife all the time. You're lucky you and your young bride have so many years left ahead of you. No need to rush anything. Ah, but here I am interrupting you. Don't be out too long now! I'll just take my leave..." he chuckled with a wink, heading back to the indoors.
Chichiri and Riina stared after him for a second, before Riina suddenly remembered. "Oh! He still thinks we're married!!!"
Both seishi blushed heavily, and Chichiri quickly suggested they go back in. "Not a bad idea." Riina chuckled, her blush fading away as they walked back indoors.
Tasuki and Lana talked for a while longer, both of them slowely falling asleep, when Lana suddenly frowned sleepily.
"T'ski, stop chirping, dammit."
Tasuki frowned back at her in annoyance, and opened his mouth to tell her it wasn't HIM chirping when both seishi suddenly froze and turned to the egg nestled between them.
".......Oh no. NO! Not YET!" Lana yelped, jumping up in agitation, looking around wildly. "It can't hatch YET! It hasn't gotten enough positive influence! What if-!!"
"Calm down, Red. It may not be hatching just yet." Tasuki said, trying to calm her down. This hope was quickly squashed when a tapping was heard from inside the egg, and a tiny crack appeared.
"EEK! RIINA!" Lana yelled in panic, waving her arms around.
"Lana?! What's wrong?" Riina said, bursting in the door with Chichiri right behind her.
Tasuki looked at the two of them, who were fully clothed, and raised an eyebrow saying, "Thought you two were going ta sleep?" He was ignored however, when another deeper crack appeared in the egg, and Lana went absolutely ballistic.
"Kyaaaa!!! What if a monster comes out?!?! Please little thing, Momma didn't mean to make you listen to the bad music, it's just what I listen to all the time! Please don't end up being some icky slimey thing, or-!!!" Lana started to rant desperately, but was abruptly cut off as the egg shattered and spilled its contents onto the bed.
"............."
"................"
"................"
"............... IT'S SO CUTE!!!!" Lana squealed. Lying on her bed was a small lizard, with ruby red scaled and small bat-like wings on its back. It was stumbling around, mewling pitifully, and Lana at once swooped it up into her arms, cooing at it lovingly. "Awwww, you're just so pretty aren't you! Look at him, Riina! Isn't he just precious?" Lana had gone from panicked to adoring in 30 seconds flat.
"Er, Kittling, are you sure it's safe to hold that thing?" Riina said nervously.
"Daa, I don't feel any evil energies coming from it, no da!" Chichiri informed them, looking at the tiny creature closely.
"Ya can't be too sure, with what kind of attention she was giving it." Tasuki said suspiciously, gripping his tessen just in case it attacked. Suddenly the four human occupants of the room went still as it's eyes began to open. Golden orbs blinked innocently up at the red-haired bandit, before it suddenly sneezed, sending a small fire-ball right at him
And with that, the ice was broken.
"Gyahhhhhh!!!!" Tasuki yelled, trying to put out the flames on his coat, while Riina and Chichiri held onto each other to keep from falling over in laughter. Lana simply looked down at her 'baby' with adoring eyes.
"I'll name him Chisuko!" she announced, cuddling her 'child' as it chirped happily.
"How do you know it's a boy, no da?" Chichiri asked between chuckles.
Lana sniffed. "A mother knows these things!"
Chisuko looked up at Lana and cocked his head to one side.
'Mama?' Lana suddenly heard in her mind, making her jump. She looked down at the red and gold dragon, and smiled brightly, hugging it close and replying "Yes!"
Then the dragon turned to look at Tasuki, who was dancing around and yelling curses.
'Papa?' it said next, questioningly.
Lana's jaw dropped, and she laughed nervously, blushing. All of the room's occupants were now staring at her. "Er why do you think that, sweet heart?" she asked.
'Heard Papa!' the little voice informed her. Lana looked confused for a second, before realizing that since Tasuki talked around the egg so much as well recently, Chisuko thought he was his Dad!!
Lana gulped nervously and looked at Tasuki with a sheepish smile. "Heh heh, well, looks like you're a Daddy..."
His reply could be heard throughout the entire castle.
"I'M A WHAT?!?!?!?!?!"
----------------------
After taking a good quarter of an hour to explain things (and calm Tasuki down), the little dragon in Lana's arms began to keen loudly.
'Hungry!' an anguished voice informed his 'Mama'.
"Oh dear. Does anyone know what dragons eat?" Lana asked hysterically as Chisuko's cries got louder.
"Meat! I'll go get some from the kitchens!" Riina yelled and ran out the door, followed closely by Chichiri.
Tasuki was about to follow them to help bring food back, but Lana grabbed the back of his shirt quickly, ordering him to stay. "Don't you dare! Help me calm him down first!"
"I don't know how to deal with a baby dragon any better than you do!" Tasuki shot back, looking at Chisuko distrustingly. "Besides! That thing tried to barbeque me earlier!"
Lana looked at him with desperate, teary eyes and pleaded, "Please! Come on Tasuki, just help me out here!"
"We've got it!" Riina yelled, her and Chichiri dashing back into the room, their arms loaded with everything from raw steak to pork ribs. "We didn't know what he needed, so we just got it all!"
Immediately Chisuko literally dived into the pile of food they had brought in and began eating all he could. After he had nearly devoured twice his body weight in meat, he calmed down and curled up on Lana's lap to take a nap.
"Thank God that's over." Riina gasped, falling over backwards. "Your kid's a bottomless pit, kittling."
Lana grimaced, and asked tiredly, "Is he going to be like this... EVERYDAY?"
"I hope not, no da." Chichiri stated, and laid down across the foot of the bed, exhausted.
"I'll second that." Tasuki muttered, and grabbed Lana's pillow, laying down and starting to snore.
"Hey! Waitaminute! You guys can't sleep in here!" Lana exclaimed, but was only answered by snores. "Ah well." she muttered. "I guess one night isn't too bad." This said, she curled up next to her fellow seishi's and her 'son', and went into the sweet oblivion of sleep, her last thought being, "Tomorrow morning is going to be interesting..."
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Hello everybody, and I am so sorry that it has taken so long to update this fic. -sweatdrops- Too long I'd say... Anywho. It's summer and now both of us have more time to write! -smiles- The best part being, that Lana is back on business! -heh- And she's taking over for the next chapter. But since she has to tend to summer school for June, it might take a while before the next chapter comes up. -sweatdrops and inces away- Patience people, please!
Tasuki: -shouts to Thatz- Oy! You'd better to make a use of that 'rod!!
Thatz: (Lana's muse) -evil grin- My pleasure... -mwhahahahaa-
Oookay... Poor Lana... Anywho. See ya guys on the next chapter! Have a nice summer.
paws-bells - -laughs- Well, if you thought that that chapter took long, wait until i put up the next chapter... I don't have a clue when it's gona be up... -sweatdrops- I think this is the longest chapter I've ever writen. -faints- And if I loose it now, I'm gona scream! -hah hah- And the guestions about of the egg finally got answered!!
Lana - Scouts.... Honor?.... I didn't know that you're a scout. -smirks and winks- But you really need ta start typing dear, people are getting impatient... -swallows and hides behind Lana with her muses-
Songwind - -giggles- Don't you know that randomness rules? And don't worry, i think I got your point. -winks- I know!! That Hoto/Boushing scene ALWAYS makes me want to cry! I think that's the only scene of which I'll give the points for Tama/Taka.
Atomic-Witch - Hellou! Nice to see you too again! -sweeps a bow- Thank you, thank you... I'm so proud of the little cliffie. -looks at when she's updating- Oh my. It seems that now the pace is updating 'bout once a month. -sighs- But don't loose your hope. No way we're giving up on this fic! We just happend to be a tad slow writers.. -eh heh heh- And yeah, I am/was having a small writers block, but i think Lana'll get it fixed. -eeps when Lana puts on an iron boot and tries to kick me-
Neko-ane - -takes a pose- One by one, I shall take over the world, i mean get the books! -eh heh heh- But anywho. I hope that you liked of the chapter! -smiles-
Rhapsody - And the finals are now over too! Poor you. I hope that you have gotten over that flue. -gives some mandarin tea and tuna sandwiches- Now you go and get better soon! I hope that this chapter cheered you up.
Utina'sBride - Hi yah! Nice to see a new face! I'm glad that you have liked of this fic this far. I'm sorry but the updates will be slow, but there will be ones! -grins- Just out of curiosity, how did you notice this fic? I mean it has been ages since I updated it...