Bags of food in hand, weapons and clothing equipped the nine of them set out to the Underdark.

They reached Lake Daioh. Kyo stopped and perked up his ears.

"Shh… listen…" he whispered.

"What is it?" Arma asked.

"Nin…jaaaaaa!" Kyo cried as unseen hands pulled him into the bushes nearby.

"Ahh!" Elvie cried, jumping into a defensive position. Rei whipped out her zanbatou.

"Steel yourselves..." she said, warily. A loud clunk came from the bushes.

"Shit…" a female voice said.

"Tie it up tighter next time, smartie!" another girl's voice said.

"Damn, I was sure I tied it tight enough!" the first voice said again.

"Who's there?" Lyrra shouted at the bushes.

"NOBODYS HOME! I mean… oh shit…" the first voice said again.

"Uh-huh-huh… not very smart, are they?" Elvie joked.

"Who you calling stuuupid..?" suddenly they saw a young kunoichi hanging upside-down from a tree. Elvie disappeared. A moment later, the kunoichi was hanging a few feet away from the tree, flailing in midair. Elvie reappeared, holding the kunoichi's leg triumphantly.

"Ha-ha!" she said.

"Anzokim… help!" the kunoichi called. A fox demon with maroon hair leapt out of the bushes and threw Elvie into a tree. Both the fox demon and the kunoichi fell face down.

"Oww…" Elvie mumbled.

"Thanx mushly…" muttered the kunoichi. Just then Rei pointed her blade straight for the kunoichi's neck. She needed to think of something, fast…

"Umm… you kill us and you doom all of Neverwinter…" the kunoichi stuttered out.

"Nice try. Let him go." Rei demanded, referring to Kyo.

"Give us your money, then." The fox demon taunted. Oza grabbed her leg causing her to fall forward.

"We are chosen guardians… Oxide, attack!" the kunoichi yelled. A huge flaming phoenix flew out of her chest and knocked back Rei, causing her to drop her weapon. The phoenix picked it up and dropped it into Anzokim's claws, then flew back into the kunoichi's shirt.

"Good job." She said. Daven grew to the size of a giraffe and picked up the kunoichi by her collar. She began to flail (again…) Rei paralyzed the fox demon (now known as Anzokim) with her hold person' spell.

"You picked the wrong enemy, girls." Rei snatched her weapon out of Anzokim's grip, then released her spell "Drop it, Daven." Rei told her brother. Daven shrunk back to his normal size (large dog). The group had them surrounded.

"Shit… shit." The kunoichi mumbled. Jiro jumped on her, yelling "I got her!"

"Jiro, you idiot!" Elvie yelled. The kunoichi threw him off.

"Haha… Kari shall be victorious!" she said, referring to herself. Rei threw another hold person spell at the both of them.

"Ahh! My nose itches! Itch it…" she tried to, but she couldn't move a muscle. Elvie stifled a laugh.

"I'm not planning on letting you go," Rei said, thinking deeply, "unless we keep you under guard. As price for your, er… stupidity… you will join us and aid us in our quest."

"But, Rei, they attacked us." Arden complained (sitting on Oza's back, as usual lazy bastard…)

"Well… you're lucky Dark isn't here!" Kari yelled, matter-of-factly.

"Who..?" Elvie asked.

"Shut up! I didn't give you permission to speak!" Rei yelled at them. She silenced them with a spell, "Think about it. Will you join us? Kari… Anzokim?"

"Were going to the Underdark!" Elvie said. Anzokim smirked.

"Kari… you thinking hat I'm thinking..?" she asked (in telepathy, of course).

"Whoa, you thinking bout tacos, too!" Kari said in a surprised tone.

"I am kinda hungry, but… wah! No not tacos! I mean, that Dark is there in the Underdark!" Anzokim replied, "They're totally screwed!"

"Yeah, then we can take their stuff and go buy tacos!" Kari replied gleefully. Rei then took off her silence spell, unaware of what they were planning.

"Will you join us?" she asked.

"Yes, of course we will!" Anzokim replied slyly.

"Yes, of course…" Kari smiled, allowing her demonic fangs to show. Rei flicked her wrist and the paralysis spell was gone.

"No mischief from you two. I am powerful enough to kill you." Rei taunted them sternly.

"Oh yeah, death! I love death! With some sushi too…" Kari sang.

"Oh-kay…" Elvie said. They continued to walk.

"Do you need a ride? You look tired, guys." Daven asked, growing big enough to carry them. They climbed on.

"Thanks!" Elvie smiled, climbing on with the others.

"Umm… where's Kyo?" Jiro questioned.

"Kyo!" they called.

"There!" yelled Arma, "He's stuck..?" Rei flew down to him. He had his horns stuck in a log and was standing upside-down on his head.

"Come… ON!" she grunted, lifting him out of the log with a jerk.

"Ouch…" he said, slowly.

"You okay?" she asked him with concern.

"I…" he began.

"Hurry up!" Jiro called. Rei looked up at them, then back at Kyo.

"Come on!" she said, flying off to meet them.

Lake daioh- lake that mew created. Supposedly got name from azumanga daioh…

kunoichi- female ninja

hold person- a spell that paralyzes most enemies on contact if they fail a will saving throw.