Disclaimer: I Do not own FY… or any other characters in it or other animes…

CHAPTER20:
New fest's here….so? Dance?

A few months later, the girls in their gang had just gathered in Arwen's apartment to Anya's surprise.

"Why she called us here I don't know." Nuriko said looking around at the girls gathered there. Ruby, Shouka, Miaka, Anya and herself sat there confused. " She just called us up and told us to be here now." She looked at her watch " but apparently she's late."

At that moment the door opened and Arwen walked in.
"Hey you guys. How are ya?"
"Waiting for you would be more like it."

"You're talking more like Tasuki everyday you know." Nuriko grinned earning a glare from Arwen. But she continued.
"Oh yeah. Sorry to keep you waiting, had to pick up something before I could come here." She sat down. "I, my dear friends, have a proposition to make to you, who here wants to have fun?"

The hands of all the girls shot up into the air.
"That's good then, am I right in thinking then that you will all accompany me to the Indian fest going on in the grounds?"
They stared at her absolutely clueless.

"Indian Fest." Nuriko repeated blankly.
"Yeah it's a four day fest where people from all over India come here to celebrate the Indian culture. It's a sort of cultural get together you know. It's a charity fest, all funds go to charity, I was just informed this by the angel works charity. So fun and good deeds at the same time. Who's in for it?" she asked.

Anya agreed at once.
"A little more information please. And this time in English if you could."
"Well, you see people from India come here and celebrate the Indian culture. See there are dance competitions, food, singing contests and all sorts of things there. Traditional boat races from Kerela. Everything. The best part of it the garba festival. It's not supposed to be held in a time other than Dashara an Indian festival, but they're holding the fest now and there's nothing more fun than dancing in the garba. Here, this'll tell you everything. Oh and it's a really big thing considering the space crunch and costs here and everything…"

With that the girls sat in front of the TV for the next half hour watching the tape on the fest that Arwen had brought.
They were all for it at the end of the tape.
Firstly the fun appealed to them, next came the dancing and the singing what added to that fun was dressing up in the Indian clothes.

"But will… uh- are we going alone?"
"That's up to us. I can make this girls only trip. We might be able to find ourselves good company of a few good gentlemen there or…we could invite the guys as well." She grinned mischievously. Apparently she and Nuriko were all for going alone.

"I'm not going without him." Shouka said quietly.
"Mitsukake is a definite Shouka. I'm not allowing you to go to that place being in your condition, and besides, we do need a sensible escort." Arwen nodded.

"Hey then I want Tory along with me."
"Fine then we'll call the guys along." Arwen sighed. "Jeez I thought we could meet a few other cute faces than the one's we see everyday. Sheesh. Okay girls… here's what we have to do then…"

"Where is she?" Julian was looking out the Window in Hori's apartment as the 7 guys had met there as the girls had in Arwen's apartment.
"I Dunno. I have no idea why she called us here. Do you?" Tory asked him, looking out the window from behind him.

"There she is look! But wait." He stopped short as he watched her walk out of her apartment.

Tory was surprised as well, "What're the girls doing there? And why the hell are they wearing those grins?" at this the rest of them walked to the window curious to find out why as well.

"She's coming here," Julian said quickly and they tried to look as nonchalant as possible when she walked in.
"Hello dears, sorry to keep you waiting." She smiled as she shut the door.

"I have a proposition to make to you guys. If you'll just co-operate." She went on to explain everything about the fest they had been planning. After playing the tape she turned to look at them, but then she seemed a little taken aback. It seemed the idea of fun had had lesser impact than it had with the girls.

Tasuki and Julian looked plain bored. Mitsukake was just his quiet self. Hori seemed to be lost in thought, Tory was looking at her blankly, and Taka and Chichiri were exchanging silent looks of amusement.

"Well. What do you say?"
"What about?" Tasuki stretched as he sat there on his couch.

"Duh. Going to the fest. Don't you think it'll be fun?"
They looked at her doubtfully. "What exactly is the fun part of it again?" Julian asked mildly amused.
"Well the dancing and the singing and the food. The events! The people." She said exasperated.
"I don't think so… Dancing…?" Taka shook his head.

"Come on you goofs can do your stupid little war dances and jigs, you can't dance for real is it?" Chichiri, Taka and Tasuki turned pink at this. Hori was shaking with silent laughter.

"You're no less Mr. Emperor." she shot at him. "You're supposed to have all the grace in the world. And that includes dancing." He stared feeling totally attacked.

"Is Shouka going?" Mitsukake spoke up.
"You asked the girls first?" Tory blurted out surprised.

She smiled. "I knew you'd figure it out. Yes I did and she agreed, so you'll definitely have to go." Mitsukake nodded. Then she turned to Tory. "Yes buddy boy I asked the girls first. It's your choice though. All of us are going. We can either go in pairs or singles. And the girls are more than pleased to go single. We might just meet a few interesting people there."

This caught Taka and Tory's attention. "We're going."
"You don't trust the girls I presume." She smiled sarcastically.
"Of course not. We trust the girls… we just don't trust the guys there. Besides I'm too close to Ruby for leaving her off with some guy like that."

"We'd like them safe thanks."
"Well. They are very capable of taking care of themselves you know. But anyhoo. That's three and the 5 of us…" she took out a pad and scratched down some names.

"Chichiri…won't you come. I don't mind about the other guys but… you promised me…." She looked up at him. "AS a sister…"
He sighed and nodded. She smiled pleased, "thanks that's four. That makes it a pair as well. So Nuriko and I are going alone huh. Fine." She wrote down more names.

At this Julian spoke up at once. "Alone? Are you serious about that? Then count me in missy, I'd like to have my girlfriend safe for some time too thanks." She nodded grinning.

The only other two left were staring at her helplessly. She smiled. "So that leaves you two. I hope you two have a great time hanging out with yourselves. We'll bring you souvenirs."

She got up packing her bag with that. Tasuki and Hori shot each other distressed looks before sighing.
"Arwen." They called out together.
"Yes?" she asked innocently as she turned around slowly.
"We'll go too." Hori nodded slowly with the look of total defeat.
"As long… as we don't have to wear those dress thingy's!" Tasuki added with stress.

"Don't be silly. Those dance outfits are ancient. The latest ones are so damn hot. You'll love them." she smiled completely satisfied with herself. "Especially what I cook up for you Tasuki." She winked at him and then looked at the others ignoring their surprised looks at her statement.

"Be here Sunday at 9. By the way. Hori Tasuki. Don't get worried cause Anya and I won't be home tomorrow. See you guys," she left muttering to her self "This is so cool we are gonna win this thing, yeah!"

The guys exchanged surprised glances.
"Well what was that all about Julian. Purr-lease! I'd like to have my girlfriend safe for some time too thanks. Couldn't ya get more soppy than that?" Tory laughed helplessly.

"Hey I wasn't kidding. The things I've heard about this thing. Thanks but that's the way I feel." He replied coolly.
"What have you heard about his place huh?" Taka asked getting pretty interested as Hori too.

"Look. It's just not safe ta let you girls go alone. One beauty and there's not just one ass drooling, hell no. five…. And the rest! Don't make me say it. Talk to the hand if you want to hear about it anymore!" he held out his hand, putting a stop to the topic.

Eyebrows raised they exchanged surprised looks.
"No chances that I'm leaving her go alone then." Tory nodded. Tasuki just looked plain bored.
"Well someone looks like he doesn't care about his close friend's safety." Julian said smoothly as he took up his drink he had abandoned before Arwen walked in.

Tasuki didn't reply but just shot him a bored look he wore before.
'Looks like maybe we're not that close after all." Julian went on.

He meant to say this specifically so he would have a shot at Tasuki get him at least a bit agitated. He was getting increasingly impatient and irritated that Arwen had taken to sticking with Tasuki more than she had even done with Hori.

"Look." Tasuki spoke up smoothly without the concern. "I know who is close and who isn't close to me, FYI Arwen and I are as close as we can get, and I'm not that concerned about her safety cause I trust that she'll use her brains unlike some people here and stay away from trouble especially in the form of a guy, she can handle herself fine thanks. And when she needs someone to protect her and keep her safe, I assure you I'll be there to do just that," with that he got up stretched and let out a yawn.

"It's too cooped up inside. I'm outta here," he walked out coolly.

Julian seemed slightly pertuirbed. But then something occurred to Hori that made him stare after Tasuki as he left.

I don't believe it. Can it be that the woman hating bandit and the basketball playing best friend are falling for the same girl at the same time. Suzaku I hope not.

When he got back later that day Hori stopped him on the way.

"What was that all about Tasuki?"
"What was what about?" he asked innocently.

"Don't play around. About this keeping her safe and stuff."
"Nothing, just voicing thoughts that's all. She just gave me this dude," he pointed to the light scar across his lips where she had punched him. "It still hurts when I think about it. I think she can handle herself just fine. That's all. Just like Anya," he added with a look.

This made Hori stand up right. "Now what made you say that?"

"Well nothing actually. I know you know Anya can handle herself just fine, but then again. You'll be there to keep her safe right? As a friend?" he added.
"Of course I-"
"Just like that." Tasuki shrugged and walked up the stairs to his room.

Sunday arrived faster than expected.

As told everyone arrived at Hori's place on time. Only this time she was late again. But hey they had quite a time just hanging out as usual. Again, late by half an hour this time she bustled in with papers in her hands.

"Well hello there miss punctuality." Julian put down his drink.
"Yeah, yeah, sorry again. I had some things to take care of." She plopped into the empty seat beside Tasuki that he called her to sit in.

She seemed to be holding onto chits of some sort. Fourteen in all. Out of them she separated 6 chits after reading them and again took only three from the six.

"Ruby Miaka Shouka. Pick one each please. Tasuki write down what I tell you." She held out the chits to the girls and then handed Tasuki a writing pad and pen.

They picked it up and the chits turned out to have different colors.
"Shouka- blue. Miaka Cream. Ruby- wow red." She smiled and Tasuki wrote down the names and colors.
"Why exactly are you doing this?" Nuriko asked as she watched Arwen sort the rest of the chits again, interested just like the rest of the gang.

"You'll see soon enough. Now each one of you, other than Taka, Tory and Mitsukake pick one." She held out the chits and took the last chit that was left for herself after keeping another apart. Again the chits had colors.

"What's the meaning of this?" Hori asked her looking as clueless as the others.
"What colors?" she took the pad from Tasuki.

"Anya- white. Julian. Gray. Nuriko- purple. Hori white, Chiri Turquoise. Tasuki black." She jotted this down.

"What about you Ari?" Anya asked still just as confused.
"Well," she read her chit and then smiled. "Black. You see they are for your clothes. These are the colors you're gonna wear." She smiled and got up pulling Tasuki up with her thrusting her bag rightfully into his hands.

"Uh Ari I have a question." Julian began but she cut him off. "Later Juls, we're already late. Now if you'll all follow me please."
She was leading them to school it seemed, but then a few blocks before they reached it she took off ahead and told them to meet her at the Audi.

When the finally arrived there it was dark, but then she suddenly turned on the light. It was the dance studio. And now she was bending over a music system.

"What's going on here?"

She didn't answer. But walking up to them she handed them each two pairs of dhandia sticks. One pair was plain while the other was decorated and in the color they had just picked.

"Use the ordinary one now. Use the colored one for the fest." She said pulling off her shoes as she gestured to Anya to do the same.

"Ooh now?
She smiled and nodded. Switching on the music, the Indian Dhandia music, the two began to dance in rhythm with the music, beating the sticks gently in tune with the music.

The gang indeed watched the dance entranced by it. It was nice to see and on the whole it looked as if it would indeed be a lot of fun learning and not only that it would also be very soothing to dance to the sometimes gentle and sometimes fast moving music.

The two burst out laughing when it was done.

"Oh that was so much fun, I haven't done it since I left daddy and Ranu as my partners." Arwen seemed to be extremely happy. Anya was all smiles.

"Well then," Arwen turned to the gang. "Ready to dance,"
"Uh just one problem Nadi." Julian nodded.

"We- um sort of well you see-" Miaka began and Taka completed. "See we don't know how to dance yet."
"Don't be stupid. I'm not gonna take you to a dance fest and expect you to give a lecture. Well if you do then I'll be a millionaire. Come on. It's easy." She got up from the floor where she had been sitting so far.

"With your partners." She said bending over her recorder again. But then they still stared blankly as she turned around.
"Oh for heaven's sake people!" she said exasperated. "With your colors!"
"Oh!" now the color thing made sense.

Julian spoke up as Tasuki walked to Arwen wearing a pleased grin.
"I have one question Ari." He glared at Tasuki who smirked at him while pulling Arwen closer to him.

"Yes?" she didn't seem to mind at all that Tasuki was holding her close into him by her waist.

"All of you have partners. What about me? We are in odd number here."

She thought for a minute and then frowned. "I see. Yes. For now I guess we'll have to adjust. I'll have to shift between you two unless…" her voice trailed off with a mischievous tone as she glanced from Julian to Tasuki wearing a smirk.

"No WAY!" both of them said at once. "Not a chance in hell I'm dancing with that guy." They said together making the others laugh as well.

"Well." She shrugged still grinning. "I guess we have no other choice. Let's dance." She pulled Tasuki with her first to start.

They had a lot of fun learning the dance. They had lunch and then practiced again. She noticed that though they were very reluctant once they were at it Tasuki and Julian were really good.

Julian was pretty pissed of when in the final Rus dance they stood in rows.

When Tasuki was opposite to Arwen he smiled at her and then again she looked up at him in a different fond way. They didn't break eye contact. Julian felt it better when he was opposite to her now, but then what Julian had felt when he was opposite to Arwen he felt now, the sooner he was in front of her the better.

The dancing continued so did the fun. But now not to mention the closeness…
"Girls." Arwen said finally as she pulled her shoes back on.

She threw them each a measuring tape. "You know what to do ladies. And gentlemen I kindly ask you to co operate with the ladies." She said as she headed towards Julian and Tasuki herself.

Confused the guys allowed themselves to be led away by the girls.

"What exactly are ya planning to do with that thing near me?" Tasuki asked as she unwound the tape and handed him paper and a pen.

"Measuring. Duh. Well I know your fits already anyways, but then shoulders and cuffs and then neck and chest…" she pulled him down by his collar and put the tape around his neck.

"Don't choke me fer it! At least in front of that goof." He hissed as he tried to breathe normally.
"Then you bloody tall idiot why don't you help me and bend over so I can measure. You know I'm that much shorter," she glared at him but he grinned.

"Now why would you be taller? That's what I like about you. Perfect for me to-" she cut him off turning red as she took the measurements she needed.

"I know, I know. Ya like it that I'm that much shorter, so you can put yer hand around my shoulder and hug me. Don't remind me of the tragedy."

Julian was helpless with laughter as she took the other measurements, but then he was scowling prominently when she pulled him down to re measure the collar size.

"Think it's funny do ya." Tasuki glared at him but then began laughing as she turned to him with the measuring tape. "Welcome to my world pal."

The girls came back, all giggly and the guys were as pink as they could get.
"This better be worth the trouble yer putting us through Ari." Taka warned her as Miaka still giggled just at the sight of him.
"Of course it is. But then hey. If you want to go shop for it yourselves…" she shrugged.

"Thanks but we rather that you did." Tory added quickly.

"Let's go girls."
"Where exactly are you off to now." Taka stood surprised as she stomped her foot hard, and glared at him.

"Abishtu! Vellila porche enge porenu kekkariye, ithu onnake nalla irruka? Arivillea?"()

They just blinked but then Anya was laughing hard.
"What?" Taka was totally dumb founded. "The language you just spoke in, was it Martian or something?"

Arwen herself laughed out at this. "No that was Tamil." She turned to Anya, "Numba ivalle itha vecche thittalam. Angeyum nariya Tamil kara varuva. Super kalakal a irriukum. Thittu jollyia irrukum." Anya nodded.(())

"What the hell did you just say? Explain. Ya can't talk in a foreign language and get away with it," Tasuki shot her a look at once.

"You talk in Japanese all the time I don't complain."

"You know what we're talking you little Baka." He nodded amused, "Now out with it,"

"Well nothing actually. It's a language from the down south. Tamil Nadu. I was angry because it's considered bad luck to ask as to where one is going just before they go, the work they are stepping out for won't be successful supposedly."

"Oh sorry. But then teach me. It may sound funny but I like it," Taka grinned.

She nodded after winking ready to leave.

Dhandia is a dance in northern India, called kolaattam in the south. Here there is fast moving music with good beats, sung or played and people dance with dhandia sticks, which are basically two thin stick, 30 cm long, wrapped with colorful ribbons or painted by hand. In the dance, the sticks are beat together in rhythm.

() this is Tamil, the language of the state of Tamil Nadu (lit, Tamil country)

(()) translation( not literal) we can use this to tease them. There will be a lot of Tamil folk there too, we can pull their legs, it'll be fun. We can scold them and they wouldn't even know it.

So there's one more down… there are strange things as you will see, but that is attributed to my strangnesses my precious….
There are impossible feats, but that's the fun with imagination isn't it? And BTW it was loads of fun imagining the emperor and the bandit dance with sticks… quite a lot of fun actually.

Kristall, again. Thank you so much my dear. Each word means so much to me… keep in touch… ( you know what I mean…;-)

Thanks so much you guys, keep reading., I need all your support… Domo.