My friend Hamatsu and I have joked around for years about the Courtney Cox bit. I was watching the first season of Friends that my friend lent me, and I just now understood the joke.

Yeah.

I think that will suffice for a disclaimer.

"All righty, you two," the man said. "We've reached the border. Once you pass this checkpoint, you'll be in Kutou."

"Thank you so much!" Hamatsu said.

The man left them there. "We're finally here!" Miyoko said. "We've got to see if Saissa's here. Now come on!"

"But… there are scary people!" Hamatsu said, referring to the guards stationed at the wall. "Oh, fine," she said exasperatedly, as Miyoko walked ahead.

"Keep up the good work!" Miyoko said to the guards, smiling as she dragged Hamatsu along.

"Hey! You can't get in without your transport papers!" one of the men said.

"Uh… yeah! Transport papers!" Miyoko said, flustered. Sweatdrops appeared as she searched through her bag for something she could use as counterfeit transport papers.

"Look at that get-up," another guard said, referring to Hamatsu's school uniform.

"Why are you still wearing your school uniform?" Miyoko said through gritted teeth. "We should at least try to be like the people in this world…"

"Yeah, didn't the boss say something about a girl from another world…" another of the guards wondered aloud.

"This couldn't be… the Priestess of Seiryuu?" the first guard asked in wonder.

Miyo's mind worked fast, doing double time for both Miyoko and Hamatsu. "Yessiree! She's the Priestess of Seiryuu! So we'll just be on our way…"

"I am?" Hamatsu asked, confused.

"Hold it! We need proof!" the guard said.

Suddenly, Hamatsu had an idea, which is usually a dangerous thing.

"Look! Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow in bikinis!" she yelled, pointing somewhere in the sky. "Oh, and Courtney Cox," she added for Watase-sama.

Both the guard and Miyoko hit Hamatsu. "What are you talking about?!" they both yelled.

"How do you know these American actresses, anyway?" chibi-Miyoko asked.

"I'm magic! Like Chichiri!" Hamatsu said happily.

Chichiri, hiding in the trees above them, rolled his eyes.

The guards suddenly froze. "C-c-can't move…" they mumbled.

"Now's our chance!" Miyo said, grabbing Hamatsu's arm. Suddenly a horse stood in front of them, decked out in full gear that was fit for a general's horse to wear. In fact, the guy riding the horse looked like a general.

"He's not from around here. He's got blue eyes and blonde hair!" Hamatsu whispered to Miyoko.

"But how can a young foreigner be a general?" Miyo replied.

"What's the problem?" the blonde man snapped to the guards. "Report!"

"G-g-general!" the guard stammered. "We can't seem to move!"

The general snorted. "A spell? How trivial…" Suddenly, the men could move again.

Chichiri stared in disbelief. Who was this guy??

"And who are these girls?" the general continued.

"This one claims to be the Priestess of Seiryuu, sir. And I guess this one is her servant…" the guard suggested.

Miyoko had a hard time keeping her mouth shut.

"Seiryuu? Splendid! You don't know how long we've searched," the general told Hamatsu happily.

'How can he just turn so nice all of a sudden?' Miyo wondered.

"Inform His Majesty that I'll accompany the Priestess of Seiryuu when we see him," the general said. "Come, Priestess." Hamatsu didn't know quite what to do, but got onto the horse as he beckoned.

"Wait! My servant has to come too!" Hamatsu yelled.

The general looked at Miyoko disdainfully. "She can walk."

"Walk?! Don't talk to a lady like that!" Miyoko yelled. "For Suz–I mean, Seiryuu's sake–"

"Transport papers?!" a familiar voice yelped. "You've gotta be joking! Let me through!" Miyoko looked back towards the guards, and saw Tamahome trying to get through. "Let me go! I'm looking for someone!" he insisted.

Hamatsu looked at Miyoko interestedly as Miyo thought, 'He came this far to find me? Even when he knew he'd meet certain death if he disregarded my wishes, cause I told him not to follow me?'

"All right, I'll walk!" Miyoko agreed, running ahead. She ran very quickly when she was nervous. Tamahome looked scary, and she knew he would be pissed off at her.

"She runs fairly quickly," the general said, surprised.

"Servants these days," Hamatsu said, nervously laughing.

Miyoko ran on. She could see what she guessed was the palace of the Seiryuu Emperor. 'All I had to do is call out to you, and you would've come flying,' she thought unhappily to herself. 'But I'll only be causing you trouble. Why can't you accept me trying to do something for you?' she thought furiously.

Tamahome saw the horses ride away. "Hamatsu?!" he cried. "Hey, Ha–"

"Sorry about my friend, no da!" Chichiri said nervously, holding Tamahome back. "He's had a little too much to drink. Thank you for your time! Good-bye!" he yelled at the guards, dragging chibi-Tamahome away.

"Chichiri! What the–"

"Shh!" Chichiri hissed. "It looks like the two of them are being led straight to the Kutou Emperor! Obviously we can't get in through the front gate. Look, let me handle this, no da!"