Jillybean01: See I'm back. Did ya think I would leave you for good?

Kita: Yes.

Jillybean01:...///ignores Kita/// Well I will try not to waste a minute longer. Considering that I'm slowly becoming a slave to this writing business.

Kita//grumbles and walks away/// sure sure.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything by Yuu Watase. I wish.

Chapter 13

"God I'm so bored. What does a girl have to do in order to have a little fun around here?" Kita, after having stolen god knows how much candy from the hundredth baby victim, was starting to get anxious for something more exciting.

"Well, you can always steal more candy…from more babies." Suggested a very slow (fake) Briko receiving a death glare in return.

"Sometimes I wonder how I ever fell in love with you Briko, you're so dumb." Kita was now pacing back and forth. (Fake) Briko made a pouting puppy dog face, "Ah c'mon love it's not all that bad." He slowly walked towards Kita whose back was facing him while she was looking out the window. He wrapped his arms around her as he rested his chin on her shoulder. "Just think of all the power we will bring together. Once you absorb your sister's powers then we will be able to control the four gods of the universe.

"We?" questioned now-evil Kita.

"After we are wed my dear," he whispered sensuously in her ear. Kita shivered in excitement as his voice somehow tingled her senses. But she couldn't help but feel that this was wrong. Deep down she kinda felt that this power thing was a little wasteful. This was pushed immediately out of the way, however, as (fake) Briko left her.

He turned as he stopped at the door. "Maybe you can think about the wedding preparations so you won't remain in this state of agitation. The wedding shall be held in five days. I'll send of some servants to assist you." With a wink, a smirk, and a skip he left an incredulous looking Kita in the room.

"Why, that little bastard! Who does he think he is…wait… five days?! Man I gotta get ready if I really want this!" Kita stopped moving around as she slumped down on a sofa-chair thing. "But do I really want this?"

Hona (the cat) was sneaking her way through the corridors of the Shabang castle with Kita's hairclip in her mouth. She stopped short when she heard a muffled scream beyond a door that said…DO NOT ENTER.

Hona hid behind a statue that had mysteriously appeared just seconds before and observed the door opening as Tenielle came out saying something like, …"You'll see. They will marry each other, 'you' will become king, she will gain power and I will be controlling you both as part of my evil plan of revenge. Mwuahahaha!"

Hona growled softly as she heard this man speak. She didn't like it one bit that he had turned Kita against all goodness and honor. But what she couldn't understand was that if that person beyond that door will become king, then wouldn't he have to marry, and since there is only one woman around, being Kita, wouldn't he have to marry her?!

If he is part of this whole plan then why is he trapped beyond this door? What's going on and why do I keep asking these questions??

Hona tilted her head in extreme confusion but had little time to think as the door was about to close behind Tenielle. She quickly scooted her way into the room unseen.

What she saw made her really really confused. Chained to the wall in front of her was a bashed and bloody…Lord Briko. She was about to quietly walk out unnoticed by all this…confusion until she heard a whimpered noise of hope. (A/N: whimpered noise of hope? What?)

"Wait! Don't leave!" the real Briko shouted. "It's me. I'm the real Briko and the other is a fake! A fake I tell you!"

This caught Hona's curiosity (oh no it killed the cat!) as she walked closer to him. (Real) Briko looked closely at her.

"Hey where did you come from? I don't have a cat. I don't believe anyone else in this palace has a cat either. Or maybe during my absence they started bringing in all these animals…maybe they…"

"Ahem," interrupted a peeved looking Hona.

"Erm…yes sorry. I tend to get carried away and I start to babble on." Hona put her paw as if to say 'It's alright. Please do continue with your tale of woe.'

(Real) Briko seemed to have understood this and went on with his story.

"We must stop Tenielle. Somehow he found a way to clone me and now he is using my look-a-like to rule my kingdom of Shabang for his own personal gain…"

Hona snickered at the name. Briko looked indignant but continued all the same.

"Now he has brain-washed or hypnotized this girl named Kita, is it?" Hona nodded becoming alert at her companions name. She knew something strange was going on.

"Yes, now Kita is to be forcefully wed in five days and she will be forced to fight to the death with her sister. If she succeeds then she will absorb the powers of her sister and summon the four gods. She will then be able to control these said gods. All the while being in the control of Tenielle. It's all part of his twisted plan for revenge."

As he finished his story Hona just looked up with an overwhelmed look on her face. This was way too much information to handle in one day. But one thing remained clear: she must try to save Kita. But how?

As if reading her mind, Briko answered. "You must go out and seek help. Find this other sister and warn her of this impeding danger."

Just at that moment the dungeon door started to open.

"Go!" shouted Briko. Hona saluted with her paw with a "Meowth!" and with an agile sprint left the dungeon. Again she went by unnoticed by Tenielle. (Luck!)

"To whom were you speaking with Briko?" demanded an ominous looking Tenielle.

Briko had to think fast.

"N-no one in particular." He answered. "Just to the flying spaghetti monster in front of us." He smiled with a mad gleam in his eyes.

Tenielle had demonstrated the classic and over-used anime sweatdrop. 'Senile at such a young age.' He thought. 'Well. This does make it much easier on me.'

"Oh before I go, Briko." Tenielle declared. "I must give you your daily dose of torture." He began to advance on Briko.

Briko just sighed, beginning to get weary of his punishment. "Well, if you must. But you should know something. I will not like it." As he screamed in pain he remembered a certain glisten in the eyes of that cat. 'No, that cannot be.' He thought. 'Can it? Hona was that you?'

"What are you doing?! You are not supposed to be here?!" screeched a woman who looked to be dressed as a priestess of some sort. "It's unholy for you to be near the shrine of the goddess you…you bandit!!"

The man with a striking resemblance to Tasuki pushed the Priestess aside. "Jeez, don't get ya knickers in a twist lady! I'm just payin' me respects. So shove off!"

The said Priestess looked very offended and very indignant.

"Just you wait until the Goddess appears!" she began. "Her wrath shall smite you down!"

The Tasuki look-a-like just yawned. "Are ye done yet? Ye are startin' to get on me nerves."

With a huff the Priestess left the temple but stopped short upon seeing a figure in front of her. Immediately she went to the ground in submission. "Y-your holiness!" she exclaimed. "Please do not become upset with me! I-I tried to get him out, but he wouldn't listen, you see and he barged right on in!"

"How many times do I have to tell you High Priestess Ellaine."

The High Priestess looked up in shock. Looking down with an amused grin on her face…was Kita. Well at least she looked like Kita, but she seemed much more in depth and aware than her. (what the heck does that mean?!)

"Please don't call me your holiness. And if someone wants to pray in this temple then so be it. I didn't even want this temple in the first place but Jirune insisted on it."

She began to repeat what her sister had told her. "We each need a temple to rejuvenate out souls when we are low on chi and energy. We also need to help those in need of our aide. We must not shirk our duties, Kitara."

The High Priestess Ellaine stood up. "But, my Lady." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "There is a bandit in there…" Her voice trailed off as she finally noticed what Kitara was wearing. "You're Holiness?! What are you wearing?! That is not the proper attire for a goddess such as yourself!"

Kitara quickly hushed Ellaine as she looked guiltily at her current garb of wear. Somehow she had acquired the taste of a female bandit on her adventures: long black pants with a greenish vest thing with a tight white undershirt that revealed a considerable amount of skin. Her long red hair was borne in an elegant braid, bright green eyes glistening with mischief.

"All right," she proposed. "If I get rid of this bandit will you not yell at me anymore? Your voice is making this weird screeching noise right now. It kinda hurts."

High Priestess Ellaine considered this for a moment and agreed, though she didn't seem too pleased. "Fine. But you must promise me to wear the proper robe and sash when you are to be purified in the future."

Being the smart-ass that she was, Kitara could not help but jump on this opportunity.

"Well, considering when I am to be 'purified', I will be naked. So I would not need to wear the proper robe and sash 'during' my purification. Am I correct?" She smiled.

Let's just say that High Priestess Ellaine was plenty irate. Ellaine was not the High Priestess for nothing. All who were to serve the goddesses were predestined even before they were born. They were hand-picked by fate according to their personalities, that matched with a part of the personalities of the goddess in question.

The personality that Ellaine had inherited, much to the dismay of Kitara, was her anger, her rage. When she became angry, man was she angry. It was Hulk worthy.

"You know what I mean you…you cretin!!" In her swell of anger she took her staff (where did that come from?) and hit it upon Kitara's head.

Now Kitara herself was angry. "Why'd you go and do that for you old bag of bones?! I'm your goddess for cryin' out loud!"

"I should be allowed to hit you with the way you are acting! You have certain responsibilities and I have to keep you in check!" Ellaine was just about to whack Kitara on the head again when Kitara quickly dodged her attack.

"Alright, alright! I'll get rid of this bandit."

As Kitara was walking towards the long corridor to the praying area of the temple she could not help but complain to herself. "Stupid High Priestess. Why did she have to be born with my wrath? Why couldn't she be born with my laid back nature or my sense of humor? She keeps gettin' me in trouble. Well it's mainly my fault, but I'm a friggin' goddess! Stupid hallway, why do you have to be so friggin' long. I didn't even wanna be worshipped in the first place…."

She stopped as she heard a man's voice ahead. 'That must be the bandit Ellaine was having a cow about.' she thought. 'Is that praying I hear? Why would a bandit be praying? And why would he be praying here?

She entered the room as the bandit, who (yes we've already been through this) looked strikingly like Tasuki, but his red hair was a little bit longer. The bandit had finished his prayer and was burning essence in respect and faith…I guess.

Glad that he was not sacrificing any animals she spoke up, startling the bandit. "They say this female goddess rules over the victorious battles of brave emperors and those who are well deserving. That she will fight alongside those who are worthy of her presence."

The Tasuki-like bandit did not turn around but continued the tale. "They also say tha' she rules over the communication of animals. Tha' she will speak and they will listen an' understand her words clearly." He turned around.

Kitara gasped. He was very, very good looking. But that wasn't all. She felt connected somehow. Her breath had been taken away.

He seemed taken aback as well, but that was for but a moment. He quickly composed himself.

"So are ye here ta get rid o' me too, lest I summon the undying wrath of this goddess that I've been hearing so much about?"

Kitara chuckled. She was charmed. "No. You have been deeply mistaken. I am merely here to ask ya what ya are here for. Though, it seems obvious that you were praying. Old hag wouldn't get off my back until I seeked you out..and there you are…Bye."

Kitara had no idea what she was saying just now, but she had the unsuspecting feeling that her cheeks were growing warmer.

"Wait!!" shouted the bandit.

Kitara stopped with a startled look on her face.

The bandit had just realized how loud he was and blushed. "Erm…I mean. I haven't got your name." He was putting on the tough act but he looked upon her with such uncharacteristic warmth for a bandit, that she could not help but grin wolfishly.

'What the hey. It wouldn't hurt to tell him my real name. I mean, only my close circle of priestesses know it.' She smiled again with genuine playfulness.

"It's Kitara" she blushed.

"Kitara." The man repeated. "What a beautiful name." Kitara blushed a deeper shade of red: if that was even possible.

The bandit, just realizing what he had just said, began to stammer. "I-I mean It's a good name… for a girl anyway."

Normally Kitara would become furious at such and such a comment but she couldn't help but laugh again. (Man there's a lot of 'couldn't help its' in this passage…if she ends up in bed with him, which she won't, she would have to look up and say 'I couldn't help it.')

"And you? What's your name?

The bandit seemed confused for a moment. "M-me name?" Then it dawned on him. (holy music)"Ah! It's Tsuyosa, the Legendary Mountain Bandit!" he boasted.

Kitara raised her eyebrow. "Legendary huh? I'll keep ya to that. She was getting ready to leave. "I'll be seein' ya." She walked out.

Tsuyosa was confused again. (he has been getting that a lot lately...confused) "Wait!" he shouted again as he ran along the extremely long corridor to the outside of the temple. Strange. He should have met up with her by now…she must be really fast…or is she?

Surprisingly she was no where to be found. 'The lass couldn't have gotten tha' far' he thought. But before he could search for this mystery woman High Priestess Ellaine came running at him.

"I thought I told you to get out!" she screamed.

Abandoning thought of this mystery woman, who technically wasn't a mystery woman since he now knows her name, he began to run for his life. All the while screaming, "I'm out ya old witch! Leave meh alone!!"

From the top of the temple roof where no human alive can reach let alone climb, Kitara watched on in amusement.

Kita woke up from her long nap. It had to have been long considering the fact that she had fallen asleep in the afternoon and now it was sometime in the late evening.

'Damn this place and its absence of digital clocks.' she thought. She had momentarily forgotten where she was at the current moment.

"Oh that's right. I'm in Shabang. In my room…alone." Thank god for that. It took every ounce of her energy to persuade (fake) Briko into keeping and sleeping in her own room. She told him something along the lines of "I wish to remain pure and clean before our wedding night." Which was totally untrue…sortof. She valued her personal space. "Hey maybe persuasion is one of my special skills! That would be sooo awesome."

Walking to her window, Kita looked up at the stars.

"What was that dream all about?" she silently asked herself. It's as if I were right there acting everything out as if it already happened. Like a flashback of some sort." She shook her head.

"I don't even remember doing that kinda stuff." She then blushed. 'I definently don't remember meeting a red hot bandit man named Tsuyosa. I would be marrying him instead." Kita began to drool a little but stopped as she looked up thoughtfully for a split-second.

'There was something about him though', she thought lest she were overheard. 'Besides him being hot, I mean. It seems now as if I really did know him. As if that stuff really did happen.'

Kita shook her head violently. 'It's not possible', she told herself. 'That was just a dream. A very vivid and a very detailed dream. Well it wasn't too detailed. If it were I would probably be in a hot tub with five different guys of equal hotness.' She sighed. "I really gotta stop thinking about this kinda stuff. I'm gonna get married soon and all I can think about is some red-haired bandit that probably doesn't even exist."

She looked around her empty room as she realized that she had reverted from thinking to herself to speaking to herself..aloud. "Why am I talking to myself? That's it I'm crazy."

With an extremely long sigh she went back to bed, her sleep undisturbed.

Back several miles away. Can't really say how many at the moment. A sleep disturbed Tasuki was muttering in his sleep. "Stupid old priestess hag. Why won't you leave me alone!"

Jillybean01: Wow this is the most I've ever written in a chapter. I'm exhausted!!

Kita: You just love getting' your kicks by torturing me don't ya.

Jillybean01: ///shrugs///

Jiru: What about those eyes that were following us?

Chichiri: ///jumps up/// Yeah they were scary, no da!

Jillybean01: How would you two know? You were too busy thinking about each other to notice.

Jiru + Chichiri: ///blush/// daaaaa….

Tasuki: ///runs in//// Get this lady away from meeee!!!

Ellaine: ///comes chasing in/// Don't think that you can get away this time bandit!!!!