Out of the corner of his eye, Nuriko saw the priestess go back into the inn with the bandit. He sighed. If only love were that easy for me… He looked at Hotohori, but the emperor was busy talking to Chiriko. Nuriko smiled, despite himself. He had doubted whether Tasuki and Yumi would get anything done, but in a matter of hours, they had found the fifth warrior of Suzaku, small though he might be. For at least an hour, it seemed, Hotohori and Chiriko were engaged in a conversation. It turned out that Chiriko was very intelligent. He had passed the first of the exams given to those who wanted to become top government officials. He had been studying for the second exam when he noticed the stars behaving strangely, telling him that the priestess would soon appear from another world. Nuriko sidled over and sat down in the shade of the closest building, distracting the prodigy's attention. Chiriko looked up at Nuriko with interest.

"You're Nuriko, aren't you? If this is Hotohori, and that's Chichiri," he indicated each in turn, "then that makes you Nuriko. The gay one, right?" Nuriko tried not to laugh. This kid wasn't so innocent, but then again, he had come across Tasuki first, and there was nothing innocent about that man.

"You could say that," Nuriko said, ignoring Chichiri's sigh, "But really, I just have a woman's heart!" Chiriko's eyes widened slightly.

"Oh, uh huh."

"Chiriko, how would you like to come with me to the palace at Konan, no da? We need to prepare for the ceremony, no da, while these other guys find the last two warriors, no da." Chiriko seemed to know that Chichiri just wanted to keep him out of danger until the summoning ceremony, but he played along with Chichiri.

"I know that I won't be able to fight to protect Yumi, so I suppose I can help out in a different way." He smiled at Chichiri. Nuriko could tell he was trying to hide the fact that he wished he could come too. He's a strong kid…

"Don't you worry." Nuriko said, "We'll be back in no time, and you'll be okay because Chichiri is staying with you anyway, right, Chichiri?" Chichiri nodded encouragingly, and Hotohori gave Chichiri instructions. Why Chichiri needed instruction, Nuriko didn't know. He guessed that Hotohori just liked to hear himself talk. Maybe Chichiri would look for warriors from the capitol, or they were arranging some way to keep in contact or something.

"Come here, no da." Chichiri said to Chiriko, and took off his hat.

"Just hop through here, no da, and we'll land in the palace courtyard, no da." Chiriko and Chichiri disappeared into the hat. Nuriko suddenly felt lighter, as though a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He knew it wasn't Chiriko's fault that he was so much younger than the rest of them, but he would feel terrible if Chiriko got killed before Suzaku was ever summoned. At least he'll be safe now. With a start, Nuriko saw that the sun was sinking into the horizon, causing the sky to turn into a beautiful array of reds and oranges. Nuriko saw Hotohori looking around, as though searching for something. Hotohori must have seen Nuriko watching him.

"Nuriko? Have you seen Yumi or Tasuki?" Nuriko hoped Hotohori didn't react too violently to what he was going to say. You can't interfere anymore, Hotohori-sama. They were meant for each other from the beginning. You'll just be hurt…

"Just after she introduced you to Chiriko, they went into the inn." Nuriko nodded his head in the direction they had gone. On the outside, Hotohori seemed completely calm. Maybe he will give up…

"We must find them. Just because we have found one more warrior does not mean we can start celebrating." He opened the door and walked into the inn. The common room was lit with a cheery fire roaring in the fireplace at one end of the room. Stairs were leading up to the rooms on the second floor. Nuriko could see the door to the room he had stayed in the night before. Nuriko looked around the common room for Yumi, but didn't see her. That must mean… Nuriko was about to tell Hotohori not to disturb the two, but Hotohori didn't need to be told. He sat down at an empty table and ordered a drink. When it arrived, he didn't drink it; he just stared into it. Nuriko wished he could do something to make him feel better, but he knew only too well that Hotohori would refuse him, as always.

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Tasuki sat across from Yumi at one of the small tables in the common room. He couldn't help but smile. It had been so hard to say it, but he knew it was true. He had never been in love before, but he realized that when he thought about Yumi… I get warm and fuzzy inside, I get all mushy. What can that mean, besides that I love her? Yumi, he noticed, was careful about what she ate and drank, so she wouldn't be getting drunk anytime soon. What am I thinking? Why would I need to get her drunk? He tried to banish the thought from his head. Yumi looked at him curiously.

"Tasuki, are you okay? You turned really red all of a sudden." Yumi asked, setting her hands in front of her on the table. Tasuki wasn't sure what to say.

"Yumi," he tried to sound off-hand. "Can we go somewhere else? Somewhere more private?" Yumi looked at him sharply, but she got up and he led her to the room she had shared with Chichiri the night before. She carefully set her bag down next to the nightstand.

"Um, Tasuki?" Yumi said nervously when he had shut the door. She was looking at the floor. "There's something I think you should know. Umm…" She looked afraid of him, unsure. He sat down on one of the beds and looked at her.

"I just want to talk, Yumi. I told you before that I'd never do anything to you that you don't want me to. It still applies." Yumi looked at him and smiled. He was glad to see that the fear in her eyes had disappeared. Damn, but I don't want to scare her…

Now that they were alone, he didn't know what to say. Yumi came over and sat next to him. He was surprised when she spoke up first.

"Last night," she began, "I learned that friendship and love can often turn to hate. Or so I was told, anyway." Tasuki was lost. What does she mean?

"But, no matter how intense the hate, love is what lingers. Even when it is painful."

"Is something bothering you?" Tasuki asked, wondering at this strange conversation. Women confuse me… did I really say that I love her? But he knew it to be true, however odd.

"Chichiri taught me that, and I thought I should pass along the message, because I figure he's not likely to tell you himself. It seemed important for me to tell you, and this room reminded me. That's all." Tasuki thought about it.

"What did you two talk about?" He decided that was a safe enough question. Yumi just smiled and leaned against his shoulder.

"I can't tell you that. It's between me and Chichiri." He decided not to probe any further into the subject. If she wanted him to know, she would tell him. Tasuki couldn't help but want to hold her again. Damn! Why does she have to get all close to me like that? I won't be able to resist… He pulled Yumi onto his lap as his will broke. For the first time, she did not stiffen when he did this.

"I hope Nuriko will be able to take care of the rest of them, especially Chiriko." Yumi said softly. Nuriko? I would put Chichiri in charge…

"I'm sure they will figure something out. We all know Chiriko can't come with us; it's too dangerous. But he IS one of the celestial warriors of Suzaku, and we should give him a chance like the rest of you." She said thoughtfully. Tasuki breathed in the scent of Yumi's hair, not really listening. How the hell did she get it to smell like fruit? It seemed Yumi had taken a liking to the little guy, Chiriko.

Yumi looked into his eyes. He wondered what she saw in them, she was looking so intently. Yumi's were a deep stormy blue now. Why they kept changing between different shades of blue and green and gray, he didn't know. Maybe its cuz she's from another world. She nodded slowly, answering his unspoken question. Can I kiss you? After a moment, he brought his mouth down to meet hers. She closed those mysterious eyes, and Tasuki let the moment flow through him, savoring every bit of it. Then, he bit her. She cried out and pulled back, confused. I couldn't help it, but I didn't even bite her that hard… She touched her lips. He could see a mark from his teeth, and a drop of blood showed on her finger. Ooops. He was just trying to come up with a suitable explanation when she laughed, wiping the blood off of her mouth.

"I'd say I could get you better, but you've got fangs, so that's not fair." Yumi said, still giggling.

"Tell me," she said, "what is your family like?" Tasuki thought for a moment and then said one word.

"Women." Yumi looked at him. He wondered what she wanted him to say.

"C'mon. You can elaborate more than that, right?" Tasuki shook his head and tried his best.

"I have a bunch of sisters. They're all bullies and they are all older'n me. It's because of them that I don't like girls, I suppose." He looked at Yumi, and decided he needed to amend that statement.

"Well, except fer you, o' course." She was quiet for a moment.

"What about your family?" He asked. She smiled slightly.

"My mom and dad are both good to me, and I have a little brother also. Of course, they all live in my world, so I won't see them again until I go back." Tasuki wished she wouldn't talk about going back to her world. Like before, it made him feel empty and lost.

"Do you think that maybe… maybe you could stay here after Suzaku is summoned? I'll take care of you, I love you…"To emphasize his point, he pulled the priestess to him and kissed her, first her lips, then the side of her neck. She sighed and pulled him close. He felt her run one of her hands through his hair. I wonder why she likes my hair so much… He could feel her breathing by the rise and fall of her chest. I can die happy… Tasuki had to exercise great strength of will not to push her down onto the bed, but it was hard. Only when she's ready… I can't force myself on her… Damn! I don't want to hurt her!

"Don't make any long-term plans yet." She murmured. "Kutou assassins might kill me tomorrow. Who knows? Just concentrate on right now. Maybe, when the time comes, you'll come to my world instead." She tilted her face up and opened her eyes. Then, Yumi stiffened abruptly, as though she had just remembered something, and tried to pull back from him.

"Do you want to see something from my world?" Somehow, he knew that wasn't what Yumi had just thought about, but he nodded anyway. A part of him wished she hadn't come up with a distraction. Yumi wriggled out of his grasp and stood up. He watched as Yumi walked over to her bag and rummaged through the contents.

"This is my spare school bag, so not everything in here is helpful to me now, but you might like to see some of it." She pulled out a thin, clear tube with a stripe of color down the center. Then, she pulled a… uh, square? out of the bag. She held up the items for him to see more clearly.

"This," she said, indicating the square, "is a notebook." She flipped it open to reveal paper with amazingly straight lines across it. The whole contraption could fit in the palm of his hand. He took the "notebook" and stared at it.

"What's it for?" He asked. She smiled and indicated the other item she had chosen. She pulled it apart and showed him the point on the end. If that's what passes fer a weapon in her world…

"This is a gel-pen. You use it to write. Watch." He watched as she took the "notebook" back and used the 'gel-pen' to scribble something onto the paper. The lines that she wrote came out as a bright green. She passed the little notebook back to him and looked at him expectantly. He looked down at the page.

"Can you read that?" She asked after a moment. That's writing?

"Umm… No. What does it say?" Yumi sighed.

"Yumi. That is my name. The kanji, anyway." He looked down at the scribbles again.

"Can I try?" He held out his hand and Yumi gave him the "gel-pen." A little awkwardly, he held it and wrote the correct way to spell "Yumi." He handed the little book back to her and crossed his arms over his chest proudly.

"You can write?!" Yumi asked, surprised. Tasuki smirked at her. Does everyone think I'm stupid or what?

"Yeah, I can write. That's how to write 'Yumi.'" He pointed to his writing. "Just because I don't do it often doesn't mean I can't, you know." Yumi looked down at her name blankly.

"I'm sorry, I just assumed that since most people can't read or write that you couldn't either. But I guess I was wrong." Tasuki nodded, proud of his accomplishment. For some reason, she laughed and put the "notebook" and "gel-pen" back into her "school bag."

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