Greetings! It's good to see all of you again! Wonder why I'm so happy and hyper today! Huh? Do ya? Do ya! Well! I shall tell you! It's because this chapter is so cute and funny and I had so much fun writing it! And of course even more fun thinking it up! Also! The four priestesses have gotten together and decided to review my story just to make sure I'm telling their experiences correctly. Unfortunately, Rika has decided to um…comment first. So…if you'd care to take a look at the review page…her reactions should be pretty interesting! - Yes…so…a lot of you had guesses on what attacked Urumiya…IT IS NOT A SQUIRREL! Seriously! What in the world would a squirrel be doing in Ancient China! Good grief! Also! It is not a chipmunk, chinchilla, or any crazy animal ya'll thought up! (evil grin) It's much better! This is the first time that I've allowed readers to actually influence my story but…when I read ya'll's guesses…I got the funniest idea that I decided to change it. Not that it's a major change…but Urumiya is not going to be a happy camper. Sorry Urumiya! Anyway! On with the RR's:

Silver: NOT A SQUIRREL! Not a chipmunk either! >P Dumb reviewers…but I bet that you at least like my little surprise. (steals Silver's sword and cuts the headphones in 2 before stomping on them furiously) What in the hell was that! What did I ever do to you! (glares at silver) And yes…I'm a perfectionist when it comes to my stories…(sticks out tongue)

YG: NOT A SQUIRREL! Or a chinchilla. Only you would think it was a chinchilla. However nice try. Oh. And its not an Easter bunny either you insane sugar-rush freak! - Mwahaha! You are a sophomore! How I pity thee! (laughs) Yes! It does suck. I had Acc. Chem. Last year as a junior in a class full of sophomores. That truly sucked beyond words. And I am not worried about your purgatory! Because I am the Conqueror of HELL! (maniacal laughing) And the only reason I haven't decided to conquer Earth with my minions like Hitler and Attila the Hun is because my friend Mae from Singapore is VERY scary and she has claimed Earth. So. Yes.

Shondrial: YES! You're right! It's not a squirrel! But you had inside info…so you still lose! (sticks out tongue) And Rika ends here. Sorry! But Aya needs love too.

Koneko: I'm not cruel! I just…had to end it there! (nods) Yes…Urumiya is fast becoming one of my favorites too! But I have to move on. Sorry!

Ladysakaya: You are now just…sakaya! How bout that? And thanks for reviewing! XD no…it's not a cat either..much less your cat! But my kitty-baby does the same thing! He's so bad! Lol I like the idea of a mini ninja but I'm afraid that's not right either!

ET: Hi! Thanks for the profile! I hope you understand that you probably won't be in it

until I'm about to introduce Hikitsu…or possibly right afterwards. But I shall get you in!

"AHHHHH!"

Rika was sleeping soundly when she felt the entire bed buck and shake. "Earthquake!" she yelled out, still half-dreaming, as she bolted upright and tried to get a bearing on her situation.

"Mmph mm momph mmm!" Urumiya shouted something intelligible as he shot out from under the bed. He was clawing at his face which seemed to have grown a very fuzzy gray beard.

"Wow...I didn't think you had a beard," Rika yawned. "It makes you look old."

Urumiya meanwhile was beating helplessly and running around the room. He obviously couldn't see very well because he slammed into the wall face-first and collapsed, writhing, on the ground.

Footsteps pounded on the stairs. The innkeeper who had gambled with Urumiya earlier that evening — or from the hints of gray in the window, last night — burst into the room. "What is the meaning of this!"

Urumiya finally pried something off his face and threw it in Rika's direction. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING!" Sweat was pouring down his face, and his breath came in great, hard gulps.

Rika became a little more alert as something landed hard in her lap. When it moved a bit, she forced her eyes to focus. It was fairly small, reminding her of the many cats Aya had around her house. It was light gray with a little bit of white around the face and arms and legs. And it also had a very long, very thin tail. Her eyes widened. "It's a monkey!" she screamed in delight and immediately picked it up and hugged it. The monkey didn't seem to mind this and wrapped all five appendages including the tail around her and hugged back. "It's adorable!"

"I repeat," Urumiya had managed to rise and was pointing at the monkey with an accusing finger. "What the hell is that?"

The innkeeper shrugged. "The other part of our bet."

"I don't recall including any type of furry monster!"

"No. It comes with this particular room," the innkeeper smiled cunningly. "I've been trying to get rid of the little bastard for years. But no one would sleep in here. Now he is yours." He turned and left the room, closing the door behind him.

"No way!" Urumiya growled, advancing towards the door. A sharp cry from Rika stopped him in his tracks.

"There is no way I'm going to let you throw out Zuri-chan!"

Urumiya felt a vein throb in his temple but turned around to look at his priestess. "Excuse me?"

"I know that innkeeper!" she cried with tears in her eyes. "He'll throw Zuri-chan into a pot and eat him!"

"Who is Zuri-chan again?" Urumiya was almost afraid to ask.

"Our new pet!" Rika announced proudly holding out the monkey to show him.

"No."

"Yes."

"Not under any condition am I allowing that thing to travel with us."

"Yes."

"We'll have to feed him!"

"Yes."

"He'll poop on your clothes!"

"Yes."

"He'll attack you in the night."

"Yes," Rika's face was firm and unmoving.

"He…" Urumiya sighed. "He's coming, isn't he?"

"Yes!" Rika smiled brightly and placed Zuri-chan on the bed.

The little rascal promptly ran over to Urumiya and climbed to the top of his head where he began searching for anything edible.

"I think —" Urumiya stopped as Zuri-chan's tail hit him in the eye. "I think I'll cook him and eat him myself." He made a wild grab for Zuri-chan, but the monkey was too quick. In no time, he had leaped off Urumiya's head and was settled safely and comfortably back in Rika's lap.

"Bully!" Rika stuck out her tongue. "You leave Zuri-chan alone!"

Urumiya's mouth fell open. "You're taking his side!"

Rika put a finger to her chin and paused, "Um…Actually…Yes! Yes, I am!" She flashed him a great big smile before putting Zuri-chan under the blankets where he promptly curled up and fell asleep. "Now. I'm catching up on the sleep I did not get. You…do whatever you want."

Urumiya glanced at the sky out the window. "But…it's dawn."

Rika answered sleepily from her position under the blankets. "Yes? And?"

"Well…Don't you want to go out and find the seishi?"

"Yes. And we will. Later on today."

"But…you don't want to go…like…now?"

Rika sat up again and glared at him. "Excuse me! Mister I-lost-the-bet-and-made-my-priestess-be-a-waitress-for-six-solid-straight-hours-after-making-her-walk-for-three-days-straight! I think I will be getting my full eight hours of sleep thank you!" She slammed her head back down on the pillow making Zuri-chan jump and squeak in his sleep.

"Chee…."

Urumiya stared at the small lump next to Rika with a mixture of disgust and hatred. "I can't believe the little sucker gets to sleep with her while I'm stuck on the floor." He turned and glared fiercely at the door the innkeeper had so hurriedly fled from. "Bastard…he knew the monkey would like her. What monkey wouldn't?"

With one last glare at Zuri-chan, Urumiya headed for his pallet to spend the rest of the night sleeping. When he got there, he noticed that his blanket was missing. Thinking it might have gotten kicked around in his struggle with Zuri-chan, he searched the room up and down. This time he was a little more careful about where he stuck his head of course. "Where is it?" Urumiya turned to the bed and poked Rika, "Rika…have you seen that blanket I was using?"

Rika stirred and turned to him, "Do wha…?"

"My blanket. Have you seen it?"

"The one I tossed you?"

"Yes."

"Oh. Zuri-chan is so small, I worried he'd get cold. So I'm letting him use it. See?" She pulled back the blanket to reveal Zuri-chan nestled in a little cave made from his blanket.

For the second time that night Urumiya's jaw dropped. "You're giving the monkey my blanket?"

"He's smaller," Rika explained, turning back over to go to sleep.

Urumiya stood over Rika for a few seconds in disbelief. He was being mocked! Surely she wouldn't actually give his blanket away to a monkey! But the deep breathing coming from the bed assured him that she would and had. And was having no trouble sleeping over it.

"This is unbelievable…" a small laugh escaped him. "Oh, well. Nothing to do now except go to sleep." He settled down on the floor once more and tried to find a comfortable position. Just before he drifted off to sleep, a thought came to him; and he laughed softly again. "I've been dumped for a monkey. A real, live monkey…"

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