Hello again- How are you doing! I am doing fine…considering. Currently I'm SUPPOSED to be working on a research paper that's due Tuesday…but by now you surely know how easily bored and distracted I get, right? I actually am working on it…some….But anyways! I apologize in advance for this chapter being so short, but I couldn't find a better place to end it. Sorry! I also apologize in advance for the horrible mistreatment of the twins. T-T Forgive me, my love! But…I don't know. The Seiryu seishi are all so dull and Yuko decided they needed to loosen up. A lot. So blame her not me! Now…for reader response thingies…
Silver: Lol Yes, Tasuki is sneaky! It's a good thing Mieri's so understanding! And yes….I remembered that I hadn't said anything about leaving a hole so I went back and edited it…only it got edited in my version on my computer and not yours. So sorry for the confusion! And of course I'm AYA! Hello! The big sexy beautiful blonde! Duh! stomps off returns But you did guess first so here's your prize! hugs There! You officially got hugged by Aya! Merry Christmas! Oh, and Aya's not violent…she's just…aggressive…yeah…
YG: blinks Hyper, huh? Well…good luck with that…And YES! I am Aya. T-T You were only JUST behind Silver to pick that up! Your prize is….hugs her A HUG FROM AYA! Yes…you both got the same prize. Don't worry. There's enough Aya love for all! Only now…I'm afraid ya'll will run away because Aya gets….wild…" Thanks for the complements. I've finally started to read your story and review it so you have to promise to update lots!
Maeleana: Why thank you! I'll have to go over and read yours! I'll be it's good too!
Lolinia84: LOL if we remind you of you and your friends god help us all! I thought we were as crazy as we could get! Lol thanks for reviewing and don't sweat it if you can't review EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER…you can always come back later right?
"Fuck this!" Yuko announced as she plopped down. "I can't go any farther!"
Nakago stopped and looked back, "Do you need to rest, Lady Yuko?"
She glared up at him, "Damn right, I do! I've only been walking for two days!"
"I apologize," Nakago nodded briefly, "We no longer have access to the wealth of the Kutou Empire. At the moment we cannot afford any other means of transportation."
Yuko blushed a bit but refused to move, "I don't care what you do, but I'm stopping!"
Miboshi came down from his permanent position above her head. "Lady Priestess, Soi is not far from this place. If we continue just a little while longer we can rest along with her."
"But I don't think I can walk anymore!" Yuko rubbed her bare feet. Like Rika, she had been dressed for bed. Nakago found some more suitable clothes for her in an abandoned farmhouse, but shoes had been one luxury that they'd been unable to find.
Nakago seemed to come to a decision, "Amiboshi, carry her."
"Do what!"
"Your Priestess is tired," Nakago stated coldly. "Carry her so that we may continue."
Amiboshi looked to Suboshi for help, but his brother was too busy trying not to laugh. Yuko was no better. She had immediately jumped up and laughed cruelly. "Piggyback ride!" she laughed again.
Not happy at all, Amiboshi stooped down to allow Yuko to jump onto his back. When she was safely situated, he and the rest of the Seiryu seishi started in the direction that they felt Soi's life-force the strongest. It couldn't be too much farther now.
Yuko grinned maniacally―a habit she'd picked up from Aya―as she bounced merrily along on Amiboshi's back. "Thank you so much, Amiboshi, for carrying me! I thought I might, I don't know, die without your assistance."
"I ought to dump you on your butt," Amiboshi growled good naturedly up at her. "You weigh a ton!"
Yuko popped him on the back of the head.
"Ow!" he cried. "That hurt!"
"You shouldn't talk about a woman's weight, dammit!" Yuko scolded. "It's rude!"
Suboshi laughed somewhere behind them. "Don't hurt him too bad, Lady Yuko. We still need him to help us summon Seiryu. And his flute powers could come in mighty handy!"
"Oh, that's right!" Yuko paused. "You play the flute don't you…?" In spite of―or maybe because of―her slightly violent nature, Yuko was a great lover of music. It was one of the things that all four girls had in common. Mieri could play the piano with exceptional skill. The other three were natural born singers. "Play for me," she commanded suddenly.
"What? How am I supposed to do that!" Amiboshi asked incredulously. "I'm having enough trouble carrying you as it is!"
Suboshi cracked up again. "Guess you'll have to manage somehow, brother!"
"No," Yuko shook her head. "I want to hear you play really good! And you can't do that while carrying me."
"So you're going to walk?" Amiboshi asked hopefully.
"Nope. Suboshi's going to carry me!"
"Do what!" This time it was Suboshi who groaned.
Amiboshi chuckled. "Now that I can do!" He paused for a moment and allowed Yuko to slide down. Afterwards, he stretched his back a bit. "Man! We haven't even gone a mile, and my back is already totally sore!"
Yuko popped him again on the head and waltzed over to Suboshi who was looking less than thrilled. "Any more comments out of you two and I'll tell Nakago to let you be Tomo's playthings."
Both of the twins' eyes widened. "You wouldn't!" they exclaimed.
Yuko glared at them, "Don't count on it! Now let's go, Suboshi! Nakago and the others are getting ahead of us!"
Suboshi obediently bent down and allowed her to climb onto his back. "This is so unfair. Amiboshi was the one instructed to carry you."
"Quiet down there!" Yuko now popped Suboshi on the head. "Start walking! And you! Start playing that flute!"
Amiboshi smothered another chuckle and took out his precious flute. "What would you like to hear, Priestess?"
"How about something that instills energy in its listeners?" Suboshi mock-groaned. "I feel tired already!"
Yuko glared and was about to hit Suboshi again when Amiboshi interrupted with a smile. "All right! All right! I'll play, just don't kill each other!"
With that, he lifted his flute to his lips and began playing. The melody was soft and slow. Each note sounded pure and wrapped around Yuko like a blanket of music. She closed her eyes and just listened. Even Suboshi, plodding along beneath her, slowed his steps and seemed caught in the magic of the moment.
The end of the song came too soon for Yuko's taste as Amiboshi's music delicately faded away into the forest around them. "That was beautiful!" Yuko exclaimed once the song was no longer able to be heard. "Play another one!"
"Make this one a little more upbeat!" Suboshi asked. "I can't walk faster to a beat like that!"
Yuko turned to Amiboshi with a strange light in her eyes. "Come here!" she gestured impatiently. She whispered quickly in his ear, and Suboshi thought he caught some strange melody. But he couldn't be sure.
Amiboshi pulled back in surprise. "Lady Priestess!"
"Just do it!" Yuko urged. "He did make fun of you…"
Suboshi watched the two conspirators suspiciously. "What are you two―"
"Now!" Yuko cried.
Amiboshi brought his flute his mouth once more, but this time his song was a little more…unconventional. ((AN: Um…you know the Pony Express song? Yeah, that one-))
The beat caught Suboshi by surprise; and under the influence of Amiboshi's powers, he found his feet moving faster. Almost like…a horse's gallop?
"Heeyah!" Yuko had managed to grab a stick from a nearby tree and now brandished it. She swatted Suboshi on his butt. "Giddy up! Let's go! We gotta catch up with Nakago!"
Suboshi was so shocked by the blow that he bolted down the path. Amiboshi, trying not to laugh and ruin the song, ran to keep up with them.
Nakago and Tomo were walking at a sedate pace when two blurs shot past them. Miboshi―from his position in the air―informed them as to what was happening.
"Well, at least this Priestess isn't boring…" Tomo snickered.
Nakago sighed. "At least they're heading in the right direction."
Miboshi came down until he was at eyelevel with Nakago. "There is someone just ahead of them. I believe that the Lady Priestess will be meeting our next warrior very soon now."
"Good," Nakago quickened his pace slightly. "Maybe Soi can keep her company without Lady Yuko using her as a damn horse."
