Okay; I'm finally done this chapter…not much happens in this chapter, so you'll have to wait until the next one for some real drama 'n stuff! Mhahahaha!

Reader's response:

Saturnsaturn: Yeah, I know…angsty and sad. And yes, her parents are total bitches; I think I should kill them, but not yet. (cackles evilly)…by the way, when are you gonna update your story? I'm getting impatient here!

Pil-Z: Yes…of course. You should know by now that I like cliffhanger-type ending in my chapters! And thanks; I appreciate the compliments!

Xo Kurai oX: Well, here's your update…

Crimson Firefox: AHH! No; not again! I killed you again! Here! dumps the update on you in the form of water (Crimson Firefox wakes up): Ohh…strange… (Starts reading the story starting on the forehead) Hey; now you can carry the update with you wherever you go!

Aderine no miko: Wow…it is a cross between them! I never really thought about it; just that red hair would look really cool with blue eyes! And…yeah; I should really read your story once I find time…but unfortunately, I barely have time to even update…(sigh) stupid school!

Mtgranola: Well, here's the next chapter so read away! And of course, there's gonna be a cliffhanger; they're what make things so interesting!

Ming Drop: Yep…yep…yep…and like I told you on msn, haru's my favorite and then there's um…Kyo, Yuki, Ayame, (and for some reason, I like Akito too; dunno why)

Chichiri's Wanderer: Yep…evil, evil…by doing that…you just burned Chichiri! HAHA!...and yeah, well…I'll steal the tessen back and then I'd chain your arms and legs to a wall and have Chichiri sitting in a chair just far away enough so you can't reach him…haha! And then I'd laugh maniacally like I am now!

HAVE FUN!


Silence reigned over the apartment at those words. The only sound they could hear was the pattering of the rain against the window and the random roar of thunder. For another few moments, no one spoke. Then…

"…It's okay" Sai finally said to Yukari, who was looking like she was about to apologize, "It's not your fault Yukari"

"But…it's my father! Don't you even blame me in some way?"

Sai shook her head, "Besides…you ran away from him just to tell me…that's good enough for me"

Yukari stared at her, perplexed. If it had been her, she probably should have gotten mad and ordered her out.

"And Yukari, you do know that by running away, you've probably just gotten your father against you?"

Yukari shrugged, "I hate him anyways"

"Well, I guess you can stay here" Sai mused, "But what if Dr. Maeda sends people here?"

"Heh; that's where we come in" Nuriko said confidently, flexing his muscles, "Or have you forgotten what us seishi are born to do?"

"Seishi?" Yukari asked. The seishi exchanged looks, wondering if they should tell Yukari anything. But seeing as Sai was inviting her to stay, and the fact that she was almost directly involved due to her father, they decided to tell her. So, while Subaru, being the patient one, sat down and explained things to her, the others gathered around Sai, as if the mere action of standing around her would protect her from her. They had obviously grown very close to Sai over time that they had spent there.

"We have to make sure that they don't even get a chance to kill Sai" Hikitsu said. Tokaki nodded, "But…we can't stay with her all the time; we're human and we do have to sleep"

"Shifts?" Tasuki suggested. Subaru shook her head, "We're all too used to sleeping at night; we'd just fall asleep, and besides, if we don't any real sleep at night, we'll be useless during the day"

"I can use a spell, no da" Chichiri suggested, "Just a barrier to keep Sai in; and if someone actually penetrates it and takes Sai, it'll alert me"

"That's a good idea, Chichiri"

"I'll get right on it no da" Chichiri said, "I'll need complete silence and at least twenty minutes to perform the spell"

"Do I have to sit still?" Sai asked sullenly, her face taking on a grimace at the thought of staying put.

Chichiri nodded, "Yes, no da"

"Fine…" Sai said. She reached for the remote and turned on the TV, set the captioning on and muted the volume, "Spell away" she finally said, plunking herself in front of the TV. Tokaki and Hikitsu joined Subaru in explaining things to Yukari in the next room. The rest of the seishi joined Sai on the ground, careful not to disturb Chichiri's meditating state.

'I hate staying still!' Sai grumbled. It was as if the fact that someone was trying to kill didn't even affect her or something, 'Once I'm allowed to finally move, I'm drinking as much coffee as I can get my hands on, whether they like it or not!'


Yukari blinked at the information she had just received. This was all too much; was she expected to believe that these people were all from ancient China? No way; it just wasn't possible! No…way…

But then again…

Sai believed them and these three – Subaru, Tokaki and Hikitsu – had even demonstrated some of their powers…so it had to be true, right? No way could they fake teleportation, or an ice attack…

She blinked, "Okay; I believe you" she said. The three seishi gave a sigh, "Finally" they said in unison. Yukari grinned sheepishly, "It is hard to believe"

"We know, but usually, it doesn't take nearly an hour for us to convince someone"

The four of them stood up and headed to the main room where everyone was quiet and the glow from the television was the only source of light in the room. Amiboshi and Suboshi were sprawled on the carpeted floor, near the couches, asleep. Chichiri was leaning against the front of the couch, also asleep. Nuriko and Tasuki were watching whatever it was on TV. Sai was also asleep, in the center of the room. When the two seishi that were awake saw that the four had come in, they immediately indicated to be quiet, as if it wasn't obvious enough.

Tokaki and Hikitsu took the remaining spaces on the couch and immediately drifted off to a nice sleep. Subaru gave a yawn and headed to the large window seat and laid down there. Yukari went into one of the bedrooms, grabbed a pillow and laid down on the ground also, now a bit more comfortable than everyone else. Nuriko and Tasuki were somehow having a silent argument which was amusing enough to watch, but since everyone else was sleeping, nobody saw. Eventually, they too, got tired and closed their eyes.

Outside the apartment, a figure began to get suspicious of the sudden quietness, wondering if the group was a bunch of cowards and ran away. After all, if the figure had gotten the death threat, he wouldn't just be sleeping. But when he picked the lock and opened the door, it was obvious that was what this group was doing. Amazing, he thought, but quickly locked the door again in case they suspected something. Then he slid an envelope under the door and walked off, smiling to himself at nothing whatsoever.


The next morning, Yukari woke up first, then Subaru. Seeing as they were both hungry from last night's excitement, they went into the kitchen to make some coffee and food. Subaru gave a curious glance at an envelope lying near the front door and picked it up. It hadn't been there last night…

She opened it and read it over, her mouth opening to form an 'o' as the words registered in her mind. But before she could pocket it, someone grabbed it from behind. Trust it to be her husband, the one person you should never tell a secret to if you don't want it found out, "What's this?" he asked, reading it. His eyes narrowed in anger as he read it.

To Saiyami, Yukari and...the rest of you,

Pleased to announce that you are all top on my list to be killed. That includes you, Yukari. Daughter or not, you went against my wishes, revealed my plans to my enemy and you are a disappointment. I will shed no tears of regret when I kill you, you insolent excuse of a daughter.

-Maeda

Tokaki glared at the letter, as if it could burst into flames by having him stare at it. Yukari poked her head out of the kitchen, "coffee's ready!" she announced. She walked over, "What're you staring at?" she asked, grabbing the piece of paper out of Tokaki's hands. Before Subaru could stop her, she had already read the letter and when she was done, she crumpled the letter in anger and threw it at the wall. She stalked back into the kitchen, muttering something along the lines of 'stupid fucking sadistic bastard'.

"Whoa; such colorful language so early in the morning?" Nuriko asked, entering the room, "I'm impressed…I think you've almost beaten Tasuki in that area"

"Hey! Shut up!" Tasuki yelled.

"BOTH of you shut up!" Hikitsu ordered, "Some of us are still trying to sleep"

"Yeah!" Sai shouted in agreement. The twins, however, were completely oblivious to what was going on and slept on.


"Hey; you guys coming or what?" Yukari asked in an irritated tone a week later. She was in aggravated mood because the seishi and Sai had to go back to school and since she was in danger of being killed too, she was forced to go along, "I don't see why I have to do this…"

Sai nodded in agreement, "I don't wanna go…" she whined to Subaru.

Subaru shook her head, "You're going" she said, "Besides, don't you want to cause some trouble at school?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Sai's eyes lit up, "Yeah!"

"Then we'll go" Subaru said with a tone of finality and the rest of the seishi gave up trying to look for an excuse not to attend school. So, sighing, they either hung back with Subaru and Tokaki to get teleported or took the elevator down to the parking lot, where Sai's car was parked. While she drove, Sai began praying inside her head not to have another repeat of what happened the first time she took the seishi to school. She was still very paranoid that it would occur again…