A/N: Okay so, a lot more was intended to happen in this chapter, but since it's now the Easter holidays, and we don't have much time to write because of exams and homework and all that jazz, here is first (somewhat uneventful) story of something which I guess we'll just call the Mangetsu arc. I'd say enjoy, but I know that's unlikely, so let's go with 'Try not to die!"

"...No. Not Choujuurou... anyone but him...!"

"He's having the Choujuurou nightmare again. Should we wake him up?" Raiga arched an eyebrow at the purple-haired man, as he lay sprawled out on the floor, twitching and shaking as if he were having a stroke.

"No, no. It'll be funny." Kyouki waved her hand dismissively, "Just think, in his head right now... Tatsuya is marrying Choujuurou."

"Wait, wait." Zabuza interrupted, attempting to stop the others from talking and drowning out the beautiful sound of Tatsuya's suffering. "This is where Raiga comes in."

"...why am I in the dress? Raiga... why are you my bridesmaid? ...no, no I'm not a woman... take the dress off Raiga." Tatsuya's facial expression quickly turned from displeasure into sheer horror, "NO, I... I meant put on some other clothes... RAIGA..."

"Here comes your favourite bit Kisame!" Zabuza grinned, whilst nudging his friend. Frankly, he wasn't sure which was more amusing to him, Tatsuya's suffering, or Kisame's.

"...I'm leaving." Kisame replied bluntly, standing up and storming out of the room. Not that the others blamed him, they would all have done the same if the next few words which escaped Tatsuya's mouth were about them.

"But...but I can't marry you... I love Kisame... what do you mean French Letters, Raiga?... why do the French need different letters?...They're not actual letters?...Frank...help me, Frank..."

"Why don't we get to be part of his wedding, eh?" Mangetsu gave Kyouki a rather disappointed look, to which she could only shrug in response. Although, as if right on cue, Tatsuya's unconscious mumblings began again.

"...why do I have to be married off?... the woman's the one engaged to Lucius Malfoy..."

"Lucius Malfoy?" she blinked in confusion, "Well, that's a new one..."

Several minutes of silence passed, whilst Tatsuya squirmed about – the others just laughing at his suffering, before Kisame re-emerged, wearing a disgruntled look on his face. "Take your god damn Canada 'porn' back!" he said, hurling what appeared to be a rolled up copy of the latest National Geographic, at Mangetsu.

"...Porn, eh?..." Mangetsu gave Kisame a bewildered look, before drawing his eyes down to the glossy pages that now lay in his hands. "...OH MY GOD, SHE'S NAKED, EH!"

"What's going on?" Tatsuya shouting, sitting bolt upright. "How did you get changed so quickly Raiga?"

"That was a dream, now shut up." Raiga hissed at the younger man, never once letting his eyes leave Mangetsu, "I think Mangetsu might have a mental breakdown sometime soon, and I don't want to miss it."

"How... how could she do this, eh?" Mangetsu could feel his eyes begin to well up with tears. "Pose naked for millions of people to see, eh."

"I'm sure it's not that bad, let me see..." Choujuurou said softly, attempting to offer some form of comfort to Mangetsu. Although it quickly became evident that his attempt had failed completely, when the only sound which resonated through the base, was that of Mangetsu's hand... slapping Choujuurou's face.

"Don't you dare look at her in her moment of shame, eh!"

"Kisame... what have you done?" Zabuza asked, gazing up at Kisame who just stood there, wide-eyed. By now, the fact that Kisame hated Mangetsu with every fibre of his being, was no big secret. And honestly, it would not have surprised Zabuza in the slightest if Kisame had set this whole thing up just to cause Mangetsu pain.

"What?" Kisame had the slightest flicker of sincerity in his voice, "I honestly thought he was into that kind of thing."

"My love for Canada has always been pure, eh!" By now, Mangetsu felt like he could hardly fight back the tears any longer. Without so much as another word, he turned and fled, slamming the door behind him. Leaving his cohorts sat there with completely vacant expressions.

After everyone's shock had subsided, Kisame found that he could hardly contain his laughter any more, to the point he barely managed to choke out his next sentence, "...He thinks the mass of land he pretends to go out with is a porn star... I should give him some Canada documentaries an-"

Although, the thing that actually prevented him from finishing it wasn't laughter. It was more, Kyouki's fist coming into contact with the right side of his face. "You are such a dick and I'm pretty sure Mangetsu would have wanted me to hit you for that." "I don't know, I missed out on the last ten or so minutes trying to figure out whether I was meant to punch you or not..."

"You can't hit him! You're meant to be in love with him...but I love him... You can't abuse your future husband even if I love him... wait, I'm confused." Tatsuya sighed, and strolled off into the corner of the room, where he began pacing back and forth whilst muttering to himself, "You have to marry Kisame, but I want to marry Kisame. I'm the one forcing you to get married, but I don't want to get married myself... but you have to get married... what should I do? Zabuza, help!"

"No."

"Anyway!" Kisame shouted, returning to his state of euphoria, "We should have a party, I'll go get drinks for everyone. Even you Choujuurou!... actually, not you Choujuurou."

"Doesn't your face hurt?" Zabuza asked, remembering that he too, knew what it felt like to be attacked by Kyouki.

"I'm way too happy to feel it." Kisame replied, grinning. Although seconds later the smile faded from his face, as he heard a voice which sent shivers down his spine.

"Ohh, I know that feeling, son."

"My face... suddenly hurts a lot more... Why did you punch me?"

"You had it coming." Kyouki grumbled, her fists still clenched, as if she were about to do it again.

"She's still as feisty as ever, eh son?" Erosame said to his son, his usual creepy smile plastered across his face.

"...I need to go look after Mangetsu."

"Oh? What's wrong with him? I miss his beautiful accent..."

"Kisame ruined his life."

"I didn't set out to do anything... it was just a lucky coincidence." Kisame instantly regretted saying this, when the left side of his face felt a sharp pain shoot through it. Indeed, Kyouki had punched him. Again. "WHAT THE HELL? AT LEAST HIT THE SAME SIDE!"

"Once again, you had it coming."

"...Maybe I should comfort Mangetsu." Erosame offered. Although it wasn't exactly clear whether he genuinely meant what he said, or if 'comfort' was a euphemism for 'molest', everyone seemed to have a fairly good idea...

"You just stay where everyone can see you." Kyouki mumbled, turning her back on everyone and beginning to head out the door. Although, the fact that Kisame's dad had returned made her ever so slightly apprehensive about having her back to them, thus, her hand never once left the kunai she kept in her pocket.

"Kyouki, you really should hurry up and go check on him." For a moment, everyone could have sworn they heard the vaguest hint of concern in Raiga's voice. "I think I can hear a rope swinging from the rafters."

"...I will deal with you all, later."

After more than two hours of Mangetsu sobbing on Kyouki's shoulder – resulting in her having to change her shirt at least four times, she began to wonder if comforting him was really the right thing to be doing. Although it would be impossible for her to beat up Canada, there was the slightest possibility that beating Kisame within an inch of his life might suffice. At least that way, Zabuza wouldn't be able to use the word 'comfort' as a euphemism for something else.

"I have to go see her, eh." Mangetsu finally choked out, after several hours of garbled nonsense.

"What?" Kyouki asked, slightly startled at the clarity of Mangetsu's voice.

"I have to see her," he repeated, lifting his head from Kyouki's shoulder so as to look her in the eye, "I thought maybe if I thought the whole thing through I could get over it. But no, I have to tell her it's over in person, eh."

"What do you mean you thought you could get over it? You've spent the last hour mumbling about how this whole thing was a massive betrayal of your trust... before that you were just screaming..."

"Well, now I've definitely decided that the relationship can not continue, eh."

"Okay..." If she were being entirely honest, Kyouki wasn't entirely sure that Mangetsu had the capacity to completely make up his mind on something. But, ever since the two of them were kids she had resolved to support him in whatever he did, and this was no exception, "do you want me to get the phone?"

"I can't break news like this over the phone. It needs to be in person, eh."

"And how are you going to get to Canada?"

"Didn't you once say you were an Airship pirate? Couldn't we just use your airship, eh?"

"It's er...in the shop..." Kyouki replied with a great deal of uncertainty, she always found it difficult to excuse her drunken behaviour, "I'll find another way to get us there..."

With that, she left the room. She had no idea how she was going to get them there, or indeed if she wanted to travel to Canada with a near-suicidal Mangetsu.

"Pack some bags, we're all going to Canada."

"What? Why?"

"Mangetsu needs to go there and he can't go alone. I can't go alone with him, I'll get us both killed. So you guys are coming too."

"Did I hear you say you were going to Canada?"

"Yes...what about it?"

"Well, I just happen to be conveniently passing by Canada on my way to find a treasure... of sorts, and I could use your help."

"Our help."

"Well... I certainly don't need all seven of you." Erosame's gaze shifted towards Kyouki, who completely froze on the spot. "Maybe just... the most piratey of you."

"I'm not going anywhere without the others." She replied flatly, "especially not with you."

"Fine. All of you can come." he sighed, sounding slightly defeated. Which didn't last long, as only a few moments later his eyes once again sparkled with perverted determination. "We might not have enough beds though, so you might have to share. I wouldn't mind letting you into my bed, it's nice and big and comfy."

"...I'll share with Mangetsu, Kisame can share with you."

"Are you sure...? My bed's more comfy."

"No, no, no." Kyouki smirked, fully intending to cause Kisame way more pain than a punch in the face could ever bring, "Kisame's the one who needs a good night's sleep."

"Tch" Kisame spat, avoiding all eye contact with her, "Are you sure you even need our help? Zabuza probably has it in his porn collection."

"What's a porn collection?" Choujuurou asked, only to be smacked upside the head by Raiga for being an 'ignorant little brat'.

"No, no. It's far too rare to be in any old porn collection!"

"Aha! You have clearly not seen my collection!" Zabuza announced, suddenly springing to his feet, a delighted look now painted across his face. "You should probably go check, just in case."

"I'm telling you it won't be in there. Now can we all just get ready and go?"

Everyone present took Erosame's word for it, and with that, they all parted ways. Unaware that for most of them, the next few days were going to be a lot more painful and soul crushing that usual...