"So, how do we get Hotohori's daughter back without Nakago blowing us to the next world?" Yui asked.

"We could charge in and ask him if he'll trade the kidnapped princess for Miaka..." Suboshi said brightly.

Miaka fingered her sword and tried to look as dangerous as she could. "What was that?"

The spazzed-out Seiryuu Seishi swallowed hard.

Tetsuya pulled out a calculator a note pad. "Well, we don't have enough for a ransom. That's for sure."

Miaka scrunched her face up, thinking. "We could charge him and overwhelm him with our strength and force."

Everyone stared at her for a few seconds.

They broke down into laughter.

"Ha ha ha ha ha! Oh, good one!"

"That's a great joke, Miaka!"

"Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha no da!"

"Yeah, anyway," Nuriko said, regaining composure slightly ahead of everyone else. "What are we going to do?"

Keisuke looked up. "A small group of us could try to sneak in. The rest could stay behind just in case the first team were to get captured or dead."

"DEAD! OOOOOHHHHHHHH!!!! CAN I COME??!!??!!" Tamahome shrieked joyfully.

Makoto stared at Amiboshi with starry eyes. "I'll stay with you..."

Hikaru looked around. "I think you two should come. And me. It's Keisuke's idea, he's the King of Thieves, so he should come. Chichiri should come too; we may need his magic. And maybe Suboshi... yeah. That leaves Miaka, Tamahome, Tasuki, Nuriko, Sakura, Yui, and Tetsuya."

"Doesn't that leave them underbrained?" Makoto asked innocently.

The insulted characters glared at Makoto. She hid behind Amiboshi.

"Well, how's that sound for a plan?" Hikaru asked.

"Suicidal no da," Chichiri said. "Let's do it no da!"

Keisuke nodded. "Just one thing, where's Nakago's place?"

"Uhhhhhhhh..." Hikaru began.

"Well... ummmmmm...." Makoto trailed off.

"You don't know?" Suboshi yelled.

Hikaru stared at the ground. "He... he's used his powers to hide his presence from us."

"We can't find him with our power," Makoto finished.

Hikaru raised her eyes. "We will find him, though, and then we will defeat him."

Makoto nodded. "We will."

"Or die trying," Hikaru added quietly.

Keisuke stepped forward. "We won't die. We'll be fine. I hope. The good guys never die. Uhhhh, right?"

"Let's go no da!" Chichiri said, casually changing the subject.

"Well, it looks like we part here, Yui-sama," Suboshi said. "Be careful, Seiryuu no Miko."

Yui actually smiled. "I will. Take care of yourself, Suboshi." Cautiously, she walked over to him and kissed him on the cheek.

Suboshi turned bright red. "I... I... I... I..." He lost all ability to speak except for the basic vowel sounds.

Yui laughed. Tetsuya looked less than happy.

Suboshi, however, was ecstatic. He nearly floated over to the rest of his group, his eyes very distant. "K...k..k..k..k..issss...."

"All right, let's get going, but first..." Hikaru's eyes narrowed.

In the branches above the group, there was a quivering. A branch fell swiftly and landed...

On top of the Warrior Miko.

"THAT'S IT, HIKARU!!!" Makoto shrieked.

Hikaru smirked.

Makoto's gaze swung to Keisuke.

"No!" Hikaru cried following Makoto's gaze. "Don't you dare hurt him!"

"I don't plan on hurting him. I plan on killing him."

Hikaru rushed to Keisuke and stood in front of him. "Please, Mako-chan, don't."

Makoto looked at the pleading girl. She loved tormenting people.

Keisuke was trying to figure out how he had gotten into the middle again. He was, needless to say, a little nervous. "Ummmmm, Hikaru, what is she going to do?"

Hikaru turned her determined gaze back to Makoto. "It'll be okay."

Keisuke nodded hesitantly.

"I hope," Hikaru muttered.

Makoto sighed. "It won't." She snapped and a pink feather appeared suddenly. By itself it began tickling the scared King of Thieves. Keisuke collapsed in a giggle fit; his eyes closed. Then he lay motionless on the ground, barely breathing.

"MAKOOOOOOTOOOOOOO!" Hikaru cried. She rushed over to the fallen Keisuke. "What have you done?"

"Oh, for crying out loud! I just tickled him till he passed out. He's really ticklish.."

Hikaru bent down to see how Keisuke was doing. "If you ever try anything like this again, Makoto, I'll make sure you and Amiboshi are never together. One way or another," she said, her voice low and menacing.

Makoto ran over and grabbed his arm defensively. Amiboshi looked surprised. "If you touch him..." The tone of her voice matched Hikaru's.

"Just don't try it, okay?" She returned her eyes to Keisuke, who was beginning to revive.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her voice losing the threatening tone it had just held.

He blinked his eyes. "I... I think so." He then looked sideways at Makoto. "I hope so."

Hikaru helped Keisuke to his feet and they turned to face everyone else.

"Anyway, like we were saying, good-bye and good luck," Yui said as she picked Miaka up off the ground.

"We're gonna need all the luck we can get no da," Chichiri said, for once in a rather serious voice.

The two groups began walking their separate ways.

Mean old Hikaru. Hmph. If she EVER touches him..... grrrrr.......

"Maybe we could ask the locals?" Suboshi suggested, his head still in the clouds from Yui's kiss.

"Not a bad idea, no da," Chichiri said, pushing his kasa off of his head...

"There's a village not far from here. Want to try there?" Makoto asked.

"Why not?" Hikaru said.

Not long after, they arrived in the village.

"Excuse me," Keisuke tapped a boy on the shoulder.

The boy turned around, his sky-blue tail whipping around his head.

TAIL?????

Yeah, a tail.

The boy was holding a chocolate muffin and carrying an old worn burlap sack. "HI!"

Keisuke backed away quickly. "Weird person."

Hikaru rubbed her eyes. Makoto half-choked. "Fiboshi?" they asked in unison.

"Yup! It's me! Muffin shichiseishi, Fiboshi!" the tailed youth said, happily.

Amiboshi, Suboshi, Keisuke, and Chichiri looked at Hikaru and Makoto.

"Don't worry. He's harmless," Makoto assured them.

Fiboshi looked around. "Have you seen my fellow Muffin seishi, Taiboshi?"

Hikaru shook her head. Taiboshi? This was new to her...

"Yup, he's around here somewhere, but he's a little less than smart, and he's oblivious to the world. There was one time, his sister had a horse, and he never knew. It's not that easy to hide a horse in a small house."

Makoto smiled and nodded.

"Fiboshi!!!!!" The voice came from a tall figure running towards them.

"There he is!" Fiboshi said. He turned around to face the new comer and waved.

"NOOOOO!" Makoto yelled, recognizing the figure. "He's not going to be in here! He shouldn't! He can't! He won't!"

Hikaru sighed. "You're right. Sorry, Taiboshi! You're gone!" She snapped and Taiboshi disappeared.

"Did you kill him no da?" Chichiri asked.

"NO! He's just somewhere else. Like where I sent Suboshi."

"Is he playing with my Legos? He better not be! Those are my Legos! MINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINE!" Suboshi was near tears.

"No, Suboshi, he doesn't have your Legos."

Suboshi sighed, relieved.

"Anyway," Amiboshi said, breaking the silence that had settled in, "do you know where Nakago is?"

"Hey! I do know where Nakago, god of war, is! He's just west of here. There's a HUGE temple and cave system in the forest. Can't miss it!" Fiboshi said, forgetting about Taiboshi already. "Maybe you can answer a question for me! Have you guys seen an extra Miko running around? I can't seem to find Muffin no Miko."

"Nope, sorry. We haven't. Maybe you can ask the other group. They went that way," Amiboshi said, pointing the way the other group should have gone.

Fiboshi smiled. "Thanks! I'll teleport there right now!" His form fizzled and he was gone.

"Weird kid no da," Chichiri said after the tailed creature was gone.

"Muffin seishi?" Amiboshi asked, bewildered.

"Fiboshi's like that," Makoto explained.

"I want my Legos!" Suboshi said, sniffling.

"Can we get going?" Hikaru asked, anxious to change the subject.

"Yeah, can we?" Makoto asked in full agreement (for once) with her co-author.

The male members of the group remained silently staring at nothing. Hikaru looked at Makoto, who nodded. Makoto took each twin by the hand; Hikaru took Keisuke's and Chichiri's hands. Together, the two girls led the bewildered males down the path until they recovered.

They seemed to be wandering, just as before, but that wasn't the case.

They were no longer grasping for leads. They knew where Nakago was. It was nearly time for the initial conflict.

"Da da daaaaaaaaa," sang Chichiri in a mysterious voice.


Um... okay.... This one was..... different. Hikaru-chan can't hit me if I say it diplomatically like that. ^_^

"Whatcha thinking, Yui-chan?" Miaka, Warrior Miko, asked, drawing her gaze away from Tamahome for a little while.

"I was just wondering if the others will be okay, and if they'll beat Nakago."

"I'm sure they'll be fine!" Sakura said, entering the conversation

"Yeah," Nuriko added. "They have Chichiri with them for magic. Keisuke with them for advice on sneaking and thieving. Amiboshi to keep everyone under control, and Suboshi is there as the human weapon that we all know and... uh... love." He paused.

"So don't @#%$ worry about them! Worry about us!" Tasuki added in his own charming language.

Tetsuya put his hand on Yui's shoulder. "Yup, they'll be fine. From what I've seen the two girls do, you should be worried about Nakago."

Yui smiled and was beginning to feel better when Tamahome opened his big mouth. "But they won't beat him."

"Huh? Why not?"

"This is called WARRIOR MIKO. Theoretically Miaka should be the one who can defeat the bad guy," Tamahome concluded saying the most intelligent thing he had all parody, or his whole life, for that matter.

"You could be right," Nuriko said hesitantly.

"But even if you are, they'll still all pull through, I'm sure!" Miaka said quickly.

Behind them and to each side was a thick forest with trees taller than most of them had ever seen.

"So, we go in, right?" Suboshi asked looking anxious to get started and destroy things.

"I... I guess so," Hikaru said hesitantly.

"Yup," Makoto began. "Boy, Oniichan has done well for himself. He's got his own castle. Let's go!"

"Aren't you worried about getting caught no da?" Chichiri asked.

"Not really. But if we do," she turned dreamily to Amiboshi, "maybe they'll lock the two of us together in a dungeon."

Amiboshi smiled nervously. "Maybe."

Hikaru, Keisuke, Suboshi, and Chichiri rolled their eyes.

"Well, let's go. We have the element of surprise, for now," Keisuke said.

The rest of them followed him inside. They crept slowly and quietly down the narrow, dimly-lit passages. Pressed close against the cold stone walls, they took a path of many twists and turns that led nowhere. But suddenly, they entered a large open chamber with a throne in the center. Around it were rows of candles that shed little light in the dark room.

Seated in the throne was...

"Chichiri, music please!"

"DA DA DAAAAAAAAAA!!!" Chichiri sang.

... Nakago. In his lap sat Soi, dressed even skimpier than usual in black leather and spiked heels.

"You did not heed my warning!" Nakago thundered. "Now you will pay! Soi! Tomo! Seize them!"

Tomo, dressed just like Soi (spike heels included), appeared behind them.

Suboshi brought out his ryuuseisui, but his efforts were futile. This was, after all, the temple of Nakago. There was a flash. Suboshi's ryuuseisui were gone.

"NO FAIR!" he cried.

"Hey! My flute's gone too!" Amiboshi exclaimed.

Chichiri and Keisuke were unconscious on the floor.

Makoto looked at Hikaru. They knew their powers wouldn't work here. They were in for it.

Soi and Tomo advanced on them, each of them grabbing two of the still conscious would-be rescuers.

"Oneeeeeee-chaaaannn! What are you doing?" Makoto cried as Soi flung her over her shoulder.

"Sorry, it's part of the plot," Soi explained as she and Tomo began to drag the prisoners to the dungeon.

"Hmph," Makoto grumped.

Was...

Was...

She looked closer...

"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"What now?" Hikaru asked from her place, chained to another wall.

"Wrong twiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnn!!!!!!!" Makoto burst out crying.

"Huh? What's wrong with me?" Suboshi, who had been chained next to Makoto, looked hurt.

There was no answer, just sobbing.

Hikaru stuck out her tongue. "Ha ha. Somebody up there likes me!" she said indicating the still unconscious Keisuke chained closely next to her.

Makoto sniffled. "Just shut up!" she yelled.

Chichiri was awake. "Hey, Mako-chan no da!" he called.

"What?" She looked up.

There was a POOF! and Makoto found herself looking at herself, or at least Chichiri masquerading as her.

"Will this help no da?" Chichiri asked, but the voice was that of Makoto.

Amiboshi looked scared.

"No, it doesn't!" Makoto sobbed. Her eyes took on a strange glow. She began struggling against the chains. "Almost there..." The wall rumbled a bit, but the chains didn't give.

Makoto sighed and pouted. "This isn't how I pictured being locked in the dungeon with you."

Amiboshi felt sorry for the obviously distraught girl. "Don't be sad. At least we can look at each other."

"Yeah..." she said in a far-off voice, her eyes dreamy as she gazed at the person across from her.

Hikaru sighed. "You know, this isn't so bad."

"Hmph." Makoto turned to face Hikaru. "At least Amiboshi's still conscious."

Hikaru shrugged. "Whatever."

Next to her, Keisuke stirred. "Owwwwww. That's twice I've been knocked out in one day." He blinked. "Uhhhh, why are we all chained up?"

Hikaru gave Makoto an evil look and cackled.

Makoto almost started crying again. Why? Why her?

"Nakago captured us no da," Chichiri explained.

"I thought he was your brother!" Suboshi exclaimed to the girl next to him. Makoto glared at him dangerously.

"I'd better explain this," Hikaru said, figuring Makoto was far too... uh... distraught. "See in life, they're related, but for the continuity of the parody, they have to be enemies. Nakago will not think anything of their relationship. He could kill her or us without a pang of conscience."

"Really?" Keisuke asked.

"No," Makoto said, beginning to recover. "She's lying to you... of course, really! Even if he is my brother, none of us can expect any mercy." There then ensued a brief muttered-under-her-breath dissertation, but only Amiboshi glanced her way, a little smile on his face at what he had heard.

Hikaru twisted her wrists in her chains. "So, we're pretty much stuck... for now, but we will find a way out of here."

Amiboshi nodded. "We will."

"No problem," Suboshi said, forcing a smile.

"We'll be out of here in no time," Keisuke agreed.

"That's right no da! Miaka and company are still out there no da!" Chichiri said.

"Miaka?" Makoto said skeptically. "We're doomed."

WRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGG TWWWWWIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now! I want the next part!

Kowai! Take me back! TokyoTower