Fateful Dreams*(3/9)By Sakata Ri Houjun ~******************~ Despite Chichiri allowing the younger man to speed, it was dark by the time they had reached their destination. Tasuki parked the car outside the roadside motel and eyed his lover suspiciously. "Are you sure this is where we're supposed to be?" Chichiri didn't answer as he closed his eyes, allowing his body to slip into a familiar trance. His lover remained wisely silent as the former monk reached out with his ki, visiting each of the rooms in the motel until he felt a strong presence that reacted in a welcoming response. He smiled as his trance broke. "This is the place. Our friend is waiting." Both men exited the car, Tasuki waiting for Chichiri to take the lead since he didn't know where to go. The older seishi glanced at his companion with a grin and the former bandit simply shrugged back. His lover never told him whom they were meeting and he had a feeling he was in for a surprise. Chichiri knocked on the door lightly. Tasuki shoved his hand into his pockets, his instincts as a bandit and a thief filling him with an alert nervousness. He was anticipating whose face he'd see on the other side of the door. A feminine voice called out musically. "Come in." "It's locked," Tasuki responded after trying the knob. His heart was beating rapidly as he compared the voice to his memories, trying to recognize it. "Not a problem," Chichiri assured as he winked at his lover before gesturing towards the door with his fingers. There was a sight click and he opened the door. Tasuki watched as his lover disappeared inside the room and then winced as a high-pitched scream pierced the air. For a moment, he was afraid that the former monk had picked the wrong room. Then a shock registered through his body when he realized that the scream had been excited, not scared, and that only one person could make a noise like that. He entered the room to find Chichiri wrapped in the arms of a young woman, long black hair tied back in a braid. A pair of violet eyes locked onto him and the former monk was released as Nuriko screamed again. "Tasuki!" The former bandit braced himself as his old friend ran up and crushed him in an embrace. Pressed up against the former seishi, Tasuki noted that Nuriko really was a 'she' this time around and he grinned. "I can't breathe, Nuriko," Tasuki gasped as she squeezed a little too hard. She released him with a laugh and he rubbed his arms with a smile. "Damn. You're still too strong for your own good even without your powers." "You haven't changed a bit either, bandit-boy." She playfully tousled his hair and turned back to Chichiri. "But you're looking real good, Chichiri, even after having traveled with that uncouth idiot. Why have you been putting up with him in this or the last life anyway?" She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder at Tasuki who stuck out his tongue at her, still rubbing his arms. Chichiri blushed, but Tasuki didn't know if it had been Nuriko's compliment or her comment about their traveling together. "It's not as bad as you think." "But still." She half-turned and alternated her face from one old friend to the other. "Look at you two. I'd never thought I'd ever see any of the others." She giggled, her violet eyes sparkling. "I'm actually excited to be with everyone again." "Don't get too excited, Nuriko. We're on a mission, remember?" Tasuki crossed his arms as she sat down on the bed. "Yeah, yeah. I know." She sighed and then smiled as her eyes took on a dreamy look. "I wonder if Hotohori's available this time around." "Nuriko, this is serious." Chichiri sat down next to her and she glanced over at his guiltily. "Miaka's in danger even though she doesn't realize it yet. The others will be waiting in Japan for us. Have you done as I've asked?" "I made the travel arrangements, like you requested. It wasn't that hard with my connection." She began examining her nails, looking very pleased with herself. "Travel arrangement? Connection?" Tasuki was confused. "Nuriko helped in making certain we have a flight to Tokyo." "Our flight leaves in ten hours. It was the earliest I could get." She laughed. "Would you believe how many men were willing to give up their seats for me?" "Now why would they do that?" Tasuki sneered. Nuriko looked up with a menacing scowl. "She's a novelist, Tasuki," Chichiri explained. "A celebrity." Tasuki took a step back. Now that he thought about it, he did see Nuriko somewhere before. As a thief, he wasn't up to date on the world, but he did read some. He had seen an oddly familiar face, her face, once on the back cover of some book, a fantasy novel. The eyes were a bit different and the hair darker, but it had seemed that he knew her from somewhere. Tasuki had dismissed the idea at the time even though the picture had haunted him afterwards with an odd feeling of deja vu. He grinned at his old friend and sat down on her other side. "Makes sense. You always did have a rather vivid imagination." He patted her leg. Nuriko widened her eyes. "Are you hitting on me?" Chichiri snickered while Tasuki frowned. "Fuck no. I hate women, remember?" "So you hate me?" she blinked furiously, her eyes filling with tears. Chichiri covered his mouth as he started to laugh harder. "You hate me!" Nuriko wailed as she covered her face, shoulders shaking. "Shit," Tasuki cursed as he flicked his eyes up to see tears streaming down his lover's cheeks, face turning red as he muffled his laughter. "What's so funny?" "You are," Nuriko replied as she looked up, her eyes shining with laughter instead of tears. "You really haven't changed a bit." Tasuki snarled, flashing his hangs as Nuriko straightened up, letting her laughter out. HE shoved her and she bumped against Chichiri who was sent flying off the edge of the bed. He lay there on the floor still laughing and gasping for breath. Nuriko shoved back, knocking a distracted Tasuki from his seat. HE glared up at Nuriko who had fallen back on the bed, holding her sides in laughter and then glanced at his lover who still hadn't stopped either. Tasuki stood and turned his back on the two. "That's right. Laugh it up. It's nice to know that you missed me, Nuriko." HE stalked out the door and headed to the car. "Tasuki...Don't go," Nuriko gasped between laughter. "We're sorry...We didn't mean...," she broke off in another fit of giggles as Chichiri finally stood. "I'd better go bring him back. He looked pissed enough to drive off without us." "Hey, Chichiri." He turned to look at his friend whose eyes still shone from their earlier merriment. "It's just like old times again. Despite the seriousness of all this, it will be good to be with the others again." Chichiri nodded as she glanced at the door with a small grin. "You'd better go get Tasuki. You were always better at calming him down than I ever was." She tilted her head a moment and then winked. "You two deserve each other." The former monk balked, mouth dropping open. "How did you..." She shrugged. "Lucky guess. The look on Tasuki's face when his eyes were on you..." She placed a finger next to her own eye. "Believe me, I know that look well. Don't worry though. I won't let Tasuki or the others know." "Thanks, Nuriko." Chichiri walked out the door and into the night to find his lover.