Hello my faithful readers! Lol As you can see I'm back from my sabbatical…College life is so hard….T--T But I have been working on this faithfully—slowly….—but faithfully! So I've finally gotten enough time to work on it a lot. And this is the chapter I've come up with! laughs I know I was supposed to do Rika next…But…I'm having a little writer's block in that area. Poor Rika…she's only gotten one seishi…so the next time we visit Rika we'll probably spend quite a lot of time on her. I hope that makes you Rika fans feel better. Anywho. If you would, while reviewing, tell me which seishi you want to see in Byakko and Genbu! D Not making any promises but I need some ideas. Oh! Here's the Review Responses:
Silver: P You dork! You're never on! How can I talk to you when you're never on! whines greatly Hee! I'm so excited that I'm back to writing! I've missed it so…lol And Miaka's existence had a point…its point was to gather together a group of hott and sexy young men. That—I believe—is the most important thing of all. D And yes. When Yuko finds out that they've been tricking her…well. I'll let you imagine that one.
AM:Well…yes. By all accounts, Yuko should have noticed something. But I'm trying to keep my characters' reactions as normal as possible. And in my experience, if people aren't expecting someone to do something that bad, they just…don't think of the possibilities. They'll even ignore all the signs. Like when someone is murdered and the neighbors just "can't believe he would do something like that". Ya know? So…if you don't think this is a correct assumption let me know please! I really am OCD about these kinds of things…lol I was actually just thinking that I didn't make Tenkou creepy enough. He's trying to put on a good act for Yuko. I'll try and make sure that I add an aside later on where his full creepiness is revealed! And I'll try to tone it down some. Although that's Yuko's favorite word…lol.
Tenni:Oh! You weren't going on about it! Its just that I got a lot of comments on it. And I really wanted people to know why I did it. - And yes. Tenkou's plotting is freaking everyone out I think! Lol And as to what he's looking for…we'll see! But he IS looking for a very specific power.
Dimonah:Thanks! I'm glad you enjoy reading about all the seishi! Although some of the seishi are just unknown. I try to let readers know what information is fact and what information I've had to make up for the story's purposes. - Keep reading!
D8:Hee! I know! Blowing things up is the COOLEST power! I wanted it so bad! P But it goes better with Yuko's personality. So have it, she does.
Ayshia:Hee! Truth be told…yes! Rika and Chichiri are a potential couple…And romance scenes won't come up until everyone gets back together and has a chance to let their love bloom…eyes go all starry
Yuko!How are you doing lovely! Am I staying true to your…unique…personality? Lol Don't kill me! Anywho. You'll be coming up soon enough. Try to be patient until that happens…Once again…Don't kill me! Bye girl!
LT:Eek! You've been waiting a long time haven't you! Lol Here at last is your update. And yes. Yuko is a poor unsuspecting…glances back up at Yuko…gorgeous…lovely…bright…person…um…yeah…
Schectersona:Wow…what does your name mean? That's a mouthful! Glad I can just type it and not pronounce it…--...hee! Make sure you remember to breathe! At least once every chapter. At least. Anywho…here you go. The next chapter!
All four seishi immediately surrounded their priestess. "Hey!" Aya protested. Arashi threw her head up in defiance and tried to force her way past the other four animals. But they were having none of it.
"Get your damn horse under control, Aya!" Tokaki yelled as he pulled out his large hoop earrings.
Aya, with a few spoken words to Arashi, focused her attention to the immediate problem -- the bandits that were quickly making their way towards the small party. "I have weapons for a reason," she growled. "I can fend for myself, you know!"
Tatara cut a glance at Tokaki. "Will you stop trying to activate those? We do not want to get into a fight. If possible, we'll talk our way out of this one."
"And what if they don't want to talk?" Tokaki frowned.
Tatara took a deep breath, "I didn't say put them away."
Aya was furious with her seishi. She was not a child! She quietly drew her knives from her saddlebags. There were ten in all. No one had really expected her to use them. They were more a precautionary measure. Well, now the time had come; and Aya was not going to be told to sit in the corner like a good girl. She kept five in her hand, but two she placed in each of her boots. The last one she carefully --carefully! -- placed in her cleavage. No one was gonna come anywhere close to those without some broken bones to show for it.
"Subaru," Kokie spoke up, "Use your powers to make us appear old and useless. They will not expect a fight from a group of the elderly making their way to a friend's wake."
Subaru laughed a little. "Is that to be our cover story then? Very well. Although, I for one do not enjoy the thought of going back to creaking bones and aching joints." She closed her eyes and concentrated. The entire group shimmered as if lost in a heat wave. When they came back into focus, it was with an additional sixty years or so.
Aya let out a high-pitched scream. "Put me back this instant!"
"Aya, it's for ―" Tatara tried to explain.
Aya cut him off. "I don't care! There is no way in Hell that I'm going to be seen like this! I have wrinkles! And being old HURTS!"
The now much older Subaru sighed even as she struggled not to start giggling. Well…she hadn't exactly gone gracefully into her old age…"Calm down, dear. It's not like you have to stay like this. It's only temporary."
Aya glared. "And what happens if you're now so old that you decide to drop dead? It happens. I've seen it! What happens to me then!"
Subaru paused to consider that. She'd never really thought about it. "Well, you'd either return to normal immediately or…"
"Exactly!" Aya nodded firmly. "Now turn me back! Even Arashi doesn't like it!" Indeed the petite mare's ears were flicking back and forth at a furious rate. Her eyes rolled around and around as she tried desperately to discover what had happened to her mistress. Both looked horse and rider looked as if they were ready to pitch a full-fledged fit at any moment.
Subaru sighed. "Very well. But how will we explain your presence?"
Aya snorted, "Say I'm your granddaughter, here to take care of you during the long journey. I don't care!" She was starting to sound panicked.
Kokie grunted; and when he spoke, his voice was much deeper and had a gravelly tone to it. "It would be better to have one of us able to see clearly. My eyesight seems to have gone…"
Tokaki grinned. Becoming old had no affect on his lecherous nature. "I, for one, say that Aya goes back to being her normal, young, sexy self."
"Alright!" Subaru snapped. "I get the picture. Tatara?" She turned to the quiet ― now old ― man.
Tatara shrugged. "I am outvoted. I would prefer that one of us stay young as well, but it doesn't seem that we shall have the time." He gave a quick jerk with his chin, indicating the bandits. They were only a few moments away.
Subaru nodded tersely. She quickly summoned her powers and focused them on Aya. Within seconds, Aya was back to her normal age.
Arashi settled down quickly, and Aya moved out in front of her seishi. When Tatara made as if to protest, Aya gazed at him steadily. "Wouldn't it seem strange for the only person under thirty to hide behind her elders?" She refused to say anything more and turned back to face the threat that pounded towards them.
The riders finally arrived, bows at ready and arrows nocked. The six of them were quickly surrounded. There was a silence as if they were waiting for something. And then -- as they parted -- it became apparent that they were waiting for someone. A young man looking to be only about a year or two older than Aya rode his horse confidently through the path left by the men. His men. His eyes calmly scanned the group.
"So." His voice was smooth and effortless. "You wish to cross my desert? Rather impolite of you to barge in without asking."
Aya bristled. She looked around with exaggerated slowness. Her eyes were wide, her tone innocent, when she turned to face him again. "Your desert? I'm sorry. Maybe I'm missing something, but I fail to see your mark of ownership." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "How, then, can you claim to own the desert?" Behind her, Byakko's chosen Seven barely managed to restrain their groans.
The man seemed taken aback for a moment. "Why by the same right I claim anything else." He leaned forward in his saddle, causing the leather to creak and his horse to sidle closer. "By force. I live here, girl. And have for the entirety of my life. The Clan and I both claim this land as our own. And you, my dear, are trespassing."
Aya urged Arashi forward until the two horses were uncomfortably close. "We wouldn't be trespassing for long if some uncouth barbarians hadn't pounded up waving their little spears around. "We'd be on our way out of 'your' desert."
The man rocked back in his saddle. After a second he threw his head back and laughed. Aya gaped open-mouthed as he shook and tears ran silently down his face. "I don't think anyone has spoken to me in that tone of voice in years!" He turned around and spoke in a swift language that Aya couldn't quite catch. The man behind him laughed as well.
"What exactly is so funny!" Aya fumed. She gripped her knives tightly in her grasp. What was up with this guy!
He wiped his eyes with some effort. "We find it amusing that you think yourself in the position to make demands." The smile was gone from both his eyes and his voice.
Tokaki's hands tightened unconsciously on his weapons. He edged his own horse forward a few inches.
Cocking his head to the side, the bandit leader flashed them a feral smile. "So. You merely wish to cross my desert?"
Aya nodded. "I'm escorting my grandmother and a few of her friends to a funeral."
"And you are along because...?"
"I'm along to protect them of course," she sniffed. "They are pretty old..."
"Ah..." he lunged towards Aya, pulling her off Arashi and holding her in front of him like a shield.
Immediately, weapons appeared out of nowhere. Tokaki's earrings had somehow -- lengthened. They were now about the same size as Tatara's staff -- which had also suddenly appeared. Each end was sharp -- there was little doubt as to what his intentions were. Kokie's sword was also out and ready. Subaru, of course, had her strange needles at her sides.
Arashi reared, incensed that this man had dared lay hands on her mistress. Aya's voice cut through the near pandemonium. "Arashi! Chill out!" Arashi's feet hit the ground. The delicate mare snorted violently, dancing around, but not resisting the hands of two of the bandits. "Any harm that comes to my horse will be repayed two-fold on you," Aya promised darkly.
"For someone who is supposed to be protecting them...it surely seems like it is they who are protecting you. Care to explain?"
Tatara shrugged. "I don't believe it makes much difference either way. We apologize for intruding in your lands --" Aya snorted, but was thankfully ignored. "Let her go and we'll be on our way."
The bandit leader shook his head. "No, I'm afraid it makes quite a difference. Hand over your weapons, or..." he left the threat hanging in the air.
Subaru was the first to move. "I told you your big mouth was going to get you in trouble," she chided Aya.
Sticking out her tongue, Aya attempted a shrug. "I've never been known for taking advice from my elders."
The others soon followed Subaru's example and lay their weapons at the feet of the leader. Several bandits scrambled forward to pick them up. "Come. I'll show you to my home," he spoke to Aya. "Then maybe you will believe me when I say I own this desert."
Aya was scared stiff and was barely holding back tears. But it'd be a cold day in Hell before she'd let anyone know. Instead she rolled her blue eyes skyward. "Oh, please. I'm dying to see your collection of tents..."
