Disclaimer: Neither TRC or xxHolic are mine but the Marvelous Ladies of Clamp. Story is all mine.

Pairings: Too many to even name. LOL

Chapter 18 – Quests and Guests

The teens were all busy examining each other's rings and questioning each other about their impressions, when Yuuko realized that their Guests would be arriving soon. It was time to reveal the price for the rings. Yuuko smiled to herself, Watanuki was quite right, he was NOT going to be happy about this, not at all.

"Watanuki our guests will be arriving soon."

"What? Oh yeah! Syaoran and his friends, I totally forgot what with everything that just happened."

"I suspected as much, before they arrive I need to tell you the price you will be paying for the rings you accepted."

"Ut-oh, here it comes, okay what kind of crazily insane mission are you planning for us this time Yuuko-san?"

"This will 'not' be just a simple walk the park like what you have experienced so far. This will be no regular mission, but more of a 'Quest' that I am sending you on."

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, WALKS IN THE PARK! Yuuko-san, you're being way too serious and you're really starting to scar me."

"Fear is not a bad thing, if it keeps you cautious it may even help keep you alive. But let me tell you about the 'Quest' you, Doumeki-kun and Aya-chan will be leaving on tomorrow morning."

"What about me Yuuko-san, don't I get to go along."

"I'm sorry Himiwari-chan not this time, your 'price' will be to stay behind and wait, as the others journey on their quest. While they are immune to your condition, the people in the places they will need to travel are not. It would be far too dangerous for those people as well as for you to travel with them at this time."

"Oh, I see, Yuuko-san." A disheartened Himiwari replied, once again she was left behind as the others went on an adventure it seemed to always be the price she paid.

"So where are we going Yuuko-san? And what are we looking for?" Aya asked.

"Mokona will be taking you to three different worlds in each world you will locate a special magical item. Mokona will be able to tell you if one is near."

"Mokona will go all Mekko, just like when he gets call from the white Mokona. See!" And Mokona gave them all a lovely demonstration of Mokona going 'all Mekko'. After his Mekko display Doumeki poured the Meat Bun some Sake in thanks.

"Drinking?"

"Why yes, thank you."

"CAN WE JUST GET ON WITH THIS, PLEASEEE!"

"My my, so impatient Watanuki, well as I was saying, you will be searching for three magical items. These items are for you to keep, they have always belonged to you. There is a forth one meant for Himiwari-chan, but her item is already here and secure in my storeroom. That is one of the other reasons she does not need to make this journey. The Items you will be looking for are a Staff for you Watanuki, A Bow for Doumeki-kun and a Dagger for Aya-chan."

"What are you not telling us''

"Why whatever do you mean Doumeki-kun." And to think she'd thought he was such a good boy too. Watanuki spoke for them all.

"Gee I don't know Yuuko-san, maybe because we know you and your conniving ways. Why not just send Fuuma to go get 'em? He likes doing this kind of stuff. What's your real reason for wanting us out of here?"

"Wata-chan, I'm crushed that you'd think I'd purposefully send you away."

"Of course, you would. Start talking."

"Humph, Fine but don't blame me if you get nightmares."

"Yuuko, my whole life was nothing but one great big continuous nightmare, until recently. Give me a little credit will ya."

"In that case, do you all remember the Demon Lord, The Eldorian that tried to take Watanuki on his Birthday? The one Aya-chan destroyed in such a dramatic fashion?"

"Well Yeah" "Kinda" "Hn" Were the various responses from the anxious faces.

"I recognized him, it he was Kell youngest half brother to Marantha."

"MA-MARANTHA! Oh Gods! NO!" Aya collapsed to the floor, wrapping her arms about herself shivering violently.

"AYA! YUKKO-SAN, WHAT THE HELL IS A MARANTHA!" Watanuki yelled while Doumeki went to their fallen friend, Doumeki gathered the Mage into his arms holding her close as Watanuki questioned the Dimensional Witch at his usual hysterical volume.

"Marantha is not a what, but a who, she is the 'Queen of the Dark'. She rules over all things dark, evil and malignant throughout the Dimensions, she makes the Spider Queen look like a sweet and innocent little girl. And by now either she or the mages she keeps under her thumb will have discovered not only which world her brother Kell was in when he was destroyed, but what he was doing, who attacked him and then who destroyed him. Kill is such a mild word for what our dear Aya-Chan did to him. She will have seen all three of you as you each touched or harmed him in some way. Seeing as that is the case, I figured a nice little quest to a couple of other worlds seemed like a good idea. Especially when her minions arrive looking for you, once they are unable to find you here, they will begin searching elsewhere, and by the time you will have returned here. Plus you will have all gained the magical objects I am sending you in search of."

"Ah, now that you mention it a little trip to another dimension or two doesn't sound like such a bad idea." The shaken Watanuki joked. Aya had calmed down and was listening to the conversation going on around her.

"Yes, we need to get much stronger, but what about Himiwari? Won't she be in danger? Ah, and didn't you say something about Guests?"

"Himiwari-chan wasn't directly involved with Kell's death, from what I have been able to see, Marantha has not sensed her presence. Likely because she is only looking for positive energies and Himiwari-chan possesses a negative power. As for our Guests," At this the Witch brightened. "Syaoran-kun, Sakura-hime, Kurogane-san and Fai-san are due here any minute. We should all go down into the garden to greet them. They will be staying here while you are traveling, that way you will be able to contact me thru Mokona, just as they have been doing while they traveled. Fear not all will be well." The group slowly headed down into the open area of the garden. Aya stopped Yuuko before joining the others.

"They are really coming here? I-I will be able to see him?" Touching the side of the Mages face and giving her a gentle smile, Yuuko replied.

"Yes dear one, you will be able to spend this night with him before you and the others leave on your quest. And he will be here when you return, so isn't that a good incentive to make sure you return safely?"

"Thank You Yuuko-san."

"No need to thank me, Fai and Sakura are good cooks they'll make decent replacements for Watanuki while you are gone."

"You are such a fraud Yuuko."

"Go, go on and go to him. He's looking for you." And Yuuko shooed the blonde haired blue eyed girl off the porch and out towards the milling group of friends. And a certain blonde haired blue eyed man.

"Yuui!"

Aya cried as she launched herself into the arms of slender blonde standing next to a rather imposing looking Ninja with dark red eyes.

"Fai!"

The two blondes embraced, holding each other as tightly as they could, whispering nonsense words of love and using their secret twin talk. Kurogane had been a tad surprised by the sudden appearance of the second blonde launching herself at the Mage. But it didn't take a genius to see who the girl was, the original Fai, the mage's dead twin reborn. Reborn as a female to boot. Hmmm, so this is what the idiot mage would look like as a girl, mused the Ninja, not bad, not bad at all, visions of Fai in a Kimono or perhaps a French Maids outfit flitted thru the Ninja's overactive imagination. He wondered idly if the girl had a Kimono or a few pretty dresses, other than the extra curves, they looked to be about the same size….

"It's-it's like watching a love scene, were both the players have the same face." Himiwari mused to her new-found friend Sakura.

"Wow, your right! It like watching Fai-Mommy, (that's what we call Fai-san) making out with himself, instead of catching him and Kuro-Daddy going at it." This caught the Ninja's attention alright.

"What the Hell! When did you see THAT!"

"Plenty of times, you two are oblivious when you're that into each other, Kuro-Daddy." Sakura smiled innocently at the glowering Ninja.

"Personally, 'I'm' surprised I'm not mentally damaged for life considering all the things I've seen when I've accidentally walked in on you two." Syaoran added.

"Damnit, I'm gonna kill that Mage!"

The Ninja was now blushing furiously for some odd reason he'd never realized the children had seen them together. Turns out that the real innocent of the group was the surly Ninja, the 'Children' had known all along that the Mage was attracted to the dark Ninja and they also knew when the Ninja had finally lost the battle to the charismatic blonde. The only battle he had ever lost was the one for his heart. Though Sakura had always thought he had never stood a chance against Fai-Mommy.

"Doumeki-kun, Kurogane-san, grab your mates and let's head inside to eat the lovely dinner Watanuki-kun has made for us all. I'm starving, I'm sure you are all hungry too, and then we can talk and drink Sake all night."

"You mean 'Mages', not Mates don't you Yuuko-san." Himiwari queried, Watanuki, Sakura and Syaoran looked to the Witch as well.

"Do I Really? Watch." Yuuko winked.

Doumeki had been watching the cooing blonde pair rather intently. Kurogane-san had already halted him once, with a hand on his arm to keep him in place. It was obvious that they were connected someway, somehow, but did that one eyed Cyclops have to run his hands all over her like THAT? And when they had started with the kissy stuff he had almost jumped out of his skin…. But he stood there, clenching his fists and grinding his teeth, she was HIS, ahem, cough cough, I mean ours. He could share her with Watanuki and Himiwari that was, well that was different. But this Interloper, Grrrrrrr. And the Ninja wasn't helping, why 'wasn't' he pulling his boyfriend off his woman.

So when Yuuko told him to get the Blonde Mage, he moved without even thinking, snatching her around the waist and pulling her up against his chest, his other hand capturing the back of her head as his lips descended on hers in a punishing and passionate kiss, showing her without a doubt to whom she really 'Belonged'. The Ninja for his part had quickly backed up Fai to the large tree that dominated the garden and pressing the slender Mage into the bark and was busy 'explaining' the same thing and in the same way to his blonde.

The Mokonas, Sakura and Himiwari were all vying for the best shot and angle with their camcorders or cameras, even Watanuki took out his Cell phone and snapped a few pictures. The Archer rarely lost his cool, this was Priceless. Yuuko smiled glancing up at the rafters the security system she'd installed last week on the outside of the shop, should be catching the whole scene as well. Syaoran just shrugged and went into the shop, whatever, just another normal day as far as he was concerned. He was starving where was the food?

"Kuro-puu, the children are getting hungry, we should go inside now." The giggling Mage poked the Ninja in the forehead to get his attention away from the neck that he was currently nibbling on.

"Damn, your right." He grabbed the slender male blonde by the waist and hoisted him over his shoulder and made his way towards the shop. As he passed the Archer and his Mage, he kicked the other Seme male.

"Hey, it's time to get inside, let's go." Doumeki in true Seme form, flung the girl over his right shoulder and fell in step with the Ninja. The two blondes giggled like maniacs the entire time until the men put them down at the table they were to share.

"Kimi-chan that was so Fun! No wonder you let Zuka carry you around all the time."

"What! I do NOT let that oaf CARRY me around all the time. Where do you get SUCH crazy ideas Aya-chan?" Watanuki stormed into the shop, the others followed snickering amongst themselves.

Dinner with good friends, family and lovers a night to long be remembered and cherished.

Can this happy memory bring them even closer?

AN: Really this was ridiculously easy to write they almost seen to write themselves... perhaps I am only the medium thru which they reach out to all of you.