Hello- I apologize for the long wait, but this time I have good reason! I am grounded. Yes. Such a horrible fate. glares at parents However, I suppose I deserve it. I was supposed to bring my grades up…and didn't. So I suppose it is my fault. In a round-about way. Anywho…about my reviewers…I actually have some answers/comments for you this time! Oh! And one more thing! I'm taking a page from Silver Pain's book but if you want to be in my story send me your info and I'll try to fit you in. Realize that it probably won't be any major charie…thanks! And keep guessing as to who I am! NO ONE'S FIGURED IT OUT YET!
Silver Pain: Heehee! Still no guesses? Aw! I thought it was rather obvious! Guess I was wrong…;; And your charie will probably appear soon…As soon as I can figure out who it's going to be….
YG: Yes, yes. We are a lot alike aren't we? beams I guess I have a positive influence on them. But really there's a lot of subtle differences. Like Rika's more level-headed than anyone else. And Mieri is more "moral" oriented. And of course Yuko is…well…scary at times. And Aya is more of a crazy/rebellious chick. So see? There's differences…you just have to search really really hard-
Shondrial-Amonte: Yes…a whore. Deal with it! laughs So I hope you don't get too mad at me. Rika still has a long way to go towards gathering her seishi. She's the only one without any at the moment!
Emarista the Torturer: Hiya! And thank you for reviewing! Yes, yes! Soi is very confused…but I think it's very sweet the way she'll stand up for Nakago and stuff. Even he had reasons. And we ALL feel rather sorry for Rika. I meant to make that section longer…probably will go back and add some….But not everyone has it good right? Think of what Yui went through. And Mieri is a lucky little bitch isn't she? glares at Mieri However, even she will encounter some rough stuff….laughs evilly Ahem…sorry….
Mieri found herself flying through the air, only stopping as her butt hit the ground. And bounced. "Ow!" She stood up on slightly shaky legs as she rubbed said sore spot. "Dang! Could you have thrown me just a little harder! Then, I could have popped my back out of place, too!"
Chichiri stepped out of his hat and put it on his head once more, "I apologize, no da! I didn't think the landing would be so hard..."
"Well, we had no problem with it," Tasuki smirked behind his hand. "Maybe it's just you?"
Mieri flushed, "Maybe not!"
"Please don't fight with the priestess, Tasuki!" Nuriko chided. "It's bad for team spirit!"
"You know…" Tamahome paused. "I've been wondering...Why did we all come back in our original bodies? I mean, Nuriko and most of the rest of you were reborn, right? So how come ya'll are back to normal?"
Nuriko shrugged, "I think we need Chiriko for this one. Where is he? And Mitsukake and Hotohori, too."
"We're right here," Mitsukake announced coming around a corner. Hotohori and Chiriko followed behind him. "We heard the shouting."
"We need your help with something, Chiriko," Chichiri turned to face the smallest of the seishi. "Why were you, Nuriko, Mitsukake, and Hotohori brought back in your original forms, no da?"
Chiriko hesitated and thought it out, "Well, we know almost for sure that the blonde girl―"
"Aya," Mieri interjected.
"―Aya―was responsible for us all being brought back. And you say that this girl is our priestess?" Chiriko gestured to Mieri.
Tamahome nodded, "Yes. She was surrounded by the aura of Suzaku. There can be no mistake."
"She also had some pretty nifty powers that make it hard to ignore her, na no da!" Chichiri grinned happily.
"And Aya heard all about us through you, Hoki?" Chiriko resumed his questioning. Houki nodded. "Then all I can guess is that whatever god Aya called on brought back the Suzaku seishi as she thought of them in her mind. Since Aya had no knowledge of our reincarnations, we have been summoned back in the forms that Aya thought of us in."
"What about the other seishi?" Mitsukake added. "Like Seiryu? This girl didn't even know about them except in some vague details."
Chiriko threw up his hands, "I don't have all the answers! I'm just speculating as it is! I'm not sure what the Seiryu seishi look like, but I'm willing to be that it will be as we remember them. And I have a question of my own." Everyone paused. If Chiriko had a question, it was a serious matter. "What of the seishi of Genbu and Byakko? If Suzaku and Seiryu had their warriors restored, what of the other two gods?"
Everyone was silent. No one could think of what to say in the face of this new query. No one, that is, except Mieri. "Excuse me!" she held up a hand as if in school. "What in the world are you guys talking about! What did Aya do this time?"
"You know that you're our priestess?" Hotohori asked gently. Mieri nodded. "Well, we believe that each of your friends is also a priestess but of a different god."
"Ah," Mieri nodded her head. "That explains nothing!"
Tasuki snorted, "Are you completely stupid! You're our priestess, and they are someone else's priestesses! You've gotta help us summon Suzaku before anybody else summons their god!"
"I don't think we need to summon Suzaku," Chichiri disagreed. "There is as of yet no reason for us to. Konan is not in any danger. And neither is the world as a whole."
"Then why were you all brought back, and why was I dragged into this funky world?" Meiri asked hands on hips in a scary shadow of Aya when angry.
"We don't know!" Tamahome jumped up. "That's the problem! We just don't know! We're sitting here doing nothing while we could be gathering information!"
"Um, I still need a bath!" Mieri reminded them forcefully.
Houki hustled up at that moment in time to hear Mieri's plea, "You poor dear! They've totally ignored your needs haven't they? Well, you come along with me! I'm Houki, by the way. We'll get you a bath and then some food. You can sleep in Tasuki's room."
"WHAT!" the Mt. Reikaku bandit leader suddenly appeared in front of them. "I don't think so! Where am I supposed to sleep?"
Houki brushed aside his protests like cobwebs, "Oh, it's not like you haven't slept on the floor before! You can sleep on the floor in Tamahome's room."
"But he talks in his sleep!" Tasuki whined. "He's always counting money and stuff in his dreams!"
"Get earplugs," Houki advised before sweeping away a very amused Mieri.
Mieri began giggling before they were even halfway out of the room. "What is it with you people? You're all crazy!" She stopped for a moment and exploded into a fit of laughter. "You remind me of my friends!"
Houki laughed a bit, "Yes, I suppose they are all a bit…how should I say it? Off?"
Mieri nodded, "Yes. That's a good word for it." Her expression became a little downcast. "Aya would probably hit me. Then, Yuko would cackle. And Rika would get on to us for fighting right before she started a tickle war." Tears dripped slowly down her face. "I miss them. Where are they?"
Houki watched on in silence and pity. "I'm sorry," she finally said. "I don't know. If I did, I would tell you at once, Priestess."
"It's Mieri. Just Mieri."
"Very well, then," Houki bowed her head a little, "Meiri. Now, here is the bathing chamber. Take as long as you like. Ring this bell when you're done and servants will appear to take you to your room."
Mieri looked around the chamber that held four large stone tubs sunken into the ground. From the steam coming off the water, this was right on top of a hot spring. "Thank you," she murmured gratefully as Houki slipped out the door. In moments she was undressed and immersed up to her neck in the almost scalding water. She sighed and closed her eyes.
"I think this is the first bath I've had since leaving Takinawa…" She sat up suddenly, causing water to splash over the edge of the stone basin. "Now's not the time to relax! I've got to find out what in the world's going on!"
In no time at all, Mieri had her hair washed and had bathed. With a little trepidation, she rang the tiny bell that Houki had left her. Servants appeared like magic from all corners of the room. Luckily, they were all females. Mieri, conscious as ever of her nakedness, took the towels they carried gratefully and wrapped herself in them. She had but a small amount of time to enjoy them before they seized them and began briskly drying her off.
"I feel like a dog," Mieri grumbled as she stood still for her rub down. Soon enough, the servants threw the towels to one side and held up articles of clothing for her to put on. Mieri laughed nervously. "Make that a doll…" But she dutifully put on the clothing given to her. When all was done and the servants had gone, she looked down at herself in disbelief.
Her clothes reminded her of something worn by an Arabian mistress. It was silk gauze at the arms and legs and a good portion of the midriff. "Wah!" Mieri wailed. "How can they expect me to go out like this!"
"Don't fret, Mieri!" Houki was back and all smiles. "It's quite normal here in this land."
"That doesn't make me feel any less naked," Meiri whined.
Houki smiled gently at her. "It isn't to go out with anyway. You'll just be sleeping in them. I'll show you to your room."
Meiri nodded, covering a yawn. "That would be nice."
Houki led the way out of the bathing chamber and down several hallways. I'll bet Aya was lost within five minutes, Mieri snickered as she remembered that both Aya and Rika had spent some time at this place. I wonder how they liked the seishi…? Mieri laughed silently to herself and shook off that thought. I'm not sure I wanna know how they reacted to that red-head. What did they say his name was? Tasuki? She thought about Tasuki's accusations of broken noses and…other things…Maybe I should try and smooth that one over…
"Here we are," Houki finally announced with a flourish. "You're very own room!"
Mieri looked around the room in approval. She noticed a piece of cloth placed on one of the walls. "What's that for?"
"Um…" Houki hesitated. "That's where Aya…threw Tamahome."
"Ah," Mieri nodded. "She broke another wall?"
"Another?" Houki seemed nervous and amazed at the same time.
"Sure," Mieri waved a hand, "One time this guy was messing with her and kept touching her. She's not a touchy person. So when he wouldn't leave her alone, she got mad."
"Well," Houki smiled. "That certainly explains things! I'll leave you alone now. Have a good night!" She bowed before turning and leaving.
Meiri stood for a moment in the doorway to the room. A sudden rush of exhaustion flooded her and made the bed look ten times as inviting. "Time for bed," she mumbled sleepily as she stumbled towards the bed. A belly flop later, she was snoring quietly, lost in her dreams.
