Quicksilver�s Quill Offers
Arashi
mbsilvana@yahoo.com
standard disclaimers
Author�s Notes: Takes place Immediately After the 2OAVs.  A lot of people will flip when they see I've introduced a new female charecter, but give her a chance- I've researched her carefully to make a counterpart for our beloved Tasuki.... most people seem to like her.
Lyrics translated by Tasuki no Miko.  Used with permission.  Her site is located: http://tasukinomiko.dragonfire.net/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In a brawling battle let the sparks fly! Lekka Shinen
Make it through the sunny days, the rainy days, and the hard days

-Tasuki
Heart ni Kiraboshi Sakashitare!!  (Let the Twinkling Stars Bloom in the Heart!!)


    Her name was Ran Arashi, and she was well-named.  Her temper was like a storm, one that she could barely manage.  No man ruled her, and if she had her way, no man ever would.
    She was a pretty thing, but no one in their right mind would call her beautiful- though she might have been if she would have given herself the time.   She was a woman of medium height, with bright eyes and shoulder-length hair that looked like it was cut with a knife and wouldn�t suffer from the attentions of a comb.   Dressed in pants and a long shirt, many mistook her for a man, something she encouraged.  Most people didn�t notice Arashi�s physically appearance- her looks weren�t that remarkable when compared to her personality.
    To put it mildly, Arashi was not a weak woman.    In a man�s world, she had made her own way, forcing her way through the difficult demands of a society that did not look at women as anything other then breeding stock and housewives.   It had taken sacrifice, a lot of sheer stubbornness, and some luck to make it to this point, but she was finally ready.   Finally ready to redeem her family honor by finding the bastard who had disgraced his name and her own by running out on their betrothal.    �Soon, Shun�u,� she said.  �Soon you will regret the day you ever met me.�

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Tasuki sneezed.
    �Daijoubu, no da?� asked his companion, who happened to be about three feet tall at the moment.
    �What�re you doing?� Tasuki demanded of Chichiri.
    Chichiri sighed and returned to his normal height, removing his mask to reflect his serious mood.   �It�s a beautiful sunrise, isn�t it?� he asked, his voice lacking the characteristic high pitch squeal that occasionally drove Tasuki to drink- literally.
    Tasuki stood, looking out over the mountain.  Again, they had faced a challenging adventure accompanied by the rest of the extraordinary Suzaku Seishi, and triumphed against seemingly insurmountable odds.   Again he and Chichiri were alone together, after first Miaka and Taka departed for their new world, then bidding the rest of the seishi farewell, watching the rest of the seishi fade as their souls were taken to be reborn.   Tasuki remembered Nuriko�s cheeky, �You�ll be seeing us!� as he blew a kiss, but it was Chiriko�s secretive smile that still confused Tasuki the most.
    The two lone seishi looked back at the mountain only pure hearts could see, trying to ignore the presence of the hideous hag who loomed behind them.   �What�s left?� Tasuki asked sadly.   �I�m only nineteen, and I�ve already fulfilled my life�s purpose,� he said in weary voice.
    The two remaining Seishi looked back as soon as they heard Taiitsukun�s dry chuckle.   The chuckle seemed to come from her gut, and she looked like she was keeping a secret, which, knowing her, she probably was.   �What is it, ya old hag?� he demanded less then tactfully.
    Without seeming to move, she suddenly had his tessen, and whacked him firmly across the face, then dropped it in his lap as he sat on the ground, trying to stop his head from ringing.   �Don�t call me that, baka,� she said.   �I knew I should have waited to reincarnate Nuriko until I had finished talking to you.  Now I have to hit you myself.�
    �Talk to us?  About what?� Tasuki demanded.
    �You are, and always will be, Suzaku Seishi,� Taiitsukun said.  �The time may come when you are called upon to take that mantle up again.   But for now, it is time to return to your regular lives.�
    �Do you feel like wandering with me for a while, no da?� Chichiri asked Tasuki.
    The red head sighed.   �No.   It�s time for me to take up my responsibilities to the Mount Reikoku bandits.   Kouji has done a good job, but we all knew he was only the temporary leader.   Besides, I�m tired of traveling.   I think it�d be nice to go back to robbing merchants- you know, something easy.  You�re welcomed to join me if you want.�
    Chichiri smiled.   �Sound like fun,� he said cheerfully.   �Unfortunately, I think there�s still some roads I haven�t wandered down yet, no da.   But I�m sure my path will take me towards you now and then.   How about I walk you there, no da?� he asked cutely.
    Tama-chan peeped up from his spot within the kasa and purred cheerfully.
    �I guess that�d be a good thing,� Tasuki said, collecting himself and getting to his feet.   �Ja, shunkake obaba!   Hope I never see ya again!�  Quickly he took off at a sprint.
    It was only Chichiri who heard, rather then the expected retort, something even more frightening.   Taiitsukun was laughing- not chuckling, but full-fledged laughter.  Shivering with apprehension, he took off after his friend, not liking the possibilities.   If it was dangerous, the old magician would have told them to be cautious... but that didn�t mean she wouldn�t let them get into a rather uncomfortable position just to watch them squirm.   Deciding that telling Tasuki would be a futile endeavor, he kept his mouth shut, hoping that Taiitsukun was amused about something that was coming Tasuki�s direction, not his.   And if he was really lucky, it might even be something Chichiri could laugh at as well.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Three days later saw the duo at the base of Mount Reikoku, ready to make the ascent.   Tasuki was practically bouncing with Nuriko-like energy, causing Chichiri to sigh internally.   So far, nothing bad had happened, yet he couldn�t shake the feeling that it was only a matter of time.
    The two were stopped by the standard bandit patrol of five men, only two of whom were visible.   �Halt!  Who goes there!� the leader of this little group said rather melodramatically.
    �Baka!   Who do you think it is?   How many red heads do you know?� Tasuki shouted right back.
    The men advanced cautiously, checking out the pair carefully.   �It�s OK,� he said, signaling the rest of the men.
    What followed was an extreme display of male bonding, one which Chichiri watched with amused detachment.   After about ten minutes, Tasuki finally stopped dancing around.   �Why�re you all so nervous?   Something up?� he demanded, asserting his rights as leader.
    The first bandit wore a grave expression.   �We�ve been having some problems, especially if we go out by ourselves.   Someone is accosting our men, looting them, then leaving them tied up to a tree with a note stuffed in their mouths.�
    �Nani?� Tasuki demanded, feeling his infamous temper start to rise.  �No one�s seen the bastard?� he demanded temperamentally.
    �Iiee,� the other bandit confessed.   �Always gets them from behind, usually with a whip,� he said, shivering.   �Mao could tell you more about it,� he said, gesturing to a different man.
    The man flushed and came forward.   �Gomen-nasai, Genrou.   I honestly have no idea what happened.   One moment I was sitting in a tree, waiting to ambush the next person to walk by, and the next, I�m falling, and there�s something around my neck,� he said, indicating the raw marks that striped his skin.    �Never even got a look at my attacker,� he said in a disgusted tone.   �Some bandit I make.�
    Tasuki normally would have flown off the handle, but kept his anger in check.   �How many men have been attacked?� he demanded.
    �Eleven at last count,�  Mao said.   �And each of us got the same damn note,� he said, patting his pockets.
    �What does it say?� Tasuki asked, grabbing Mao by the collar and lifting him a few inches off the ground with his eagerness.  The man choked and wiggled out of the overly enthusiastic hold, landing heavily on his backside.
    �Here,� he said, forking a rather crumpled piece of rice paper over the his leader.
    Tasuki held it up, trying to find enough light to read by.  �Chichiri, could you help out?� he asked after a minute of frustrated shifting.
    �Daa!� the monk called, and a small orb of blue light appeared over the paper, shimmering in an eerie way.   The other bandits started praying to Suzaku for protection, while Tasuki ignored them.   He was used to the monk�s magic through long association.   Squinting, he read the flowing handwriting.   �Kou Shun�u- I wish to meet with you.   I will meet you at the next full moon at the Hanging Tree- come alone.�
    His eyes fluttered and the paper slipped from his hands.    �That�s all?� he asked.
    Mao nodded.   �We haven�t been able to find this Shun�u character the letter asked for,� the man said in frustration, only to be whammed across the head with a rather large metal fan.
    �Baka!� Tasuki snapped.   �Shun�u is my birth name!�
    �I thought it was Genrou,� Mao answered rather stupidly, provoking another solid smack.
    Chichiri had remained silent throughout the entire conversation, feeling a sense of resignation sink heavily into his gut.   This was obviously what Taiitsukun had been so amused about, and luckily for him, it seemed to be all Tasuki�s problem- something rather mundane, at that.   It looked like a challenger had come to take over the bandits.
    Still, Chichiri knew he couldn�t just head on his merry way, no matter how tempting the prospect seemed at the time.   Tasuki might be getting in over his head without being aware of it.   �Where�s this Hanging Tree, no da?� he asked curiously.
    Tasuki scratched the back of his head with his tessen.   �Back in my home town, that�s the place where criminals were hung.�   He frowned.   �Obviously this is someone from the past, maybe even my home town.  Can�t think of who, though.�
    The group exchanged glances, then proceeded back to headquarters.   �Full moon is tomorrow night, no da,� Chichiri said.   �You have wonderful timing, no da.�
    �The greatest,� Tasuki grumbled under his breath, wanting nothing more then to curl up in a piles of soft blankets and sleep for a couple of years.   It seemed that no sooner then one headache was solved, another one rose to take its place- usually with a vengeance.   He stomped towards the quarters he shared with Kouji, wondering exactly what the hell the Gods had planned for him next.   With a sigh, he collapsed into his blankets, barely remembering to kick his boots off and loosen his shirt.
    He was woken by someone prodding him with their toe.   �Oi, Genrou?� a familiar voice asked.   �Wake up!�
    Tasuki groaned and rolled over, looking up into Kouji�s face.   �Ya.... whaddya want?� he demanded sleepily, trying to get the gunk out of his eyes that had appeared while he slept.
    �Why didn�t you at least say hello last night?� Kouji demanded, kicking his best buddy a little bit harder.
    �Too tired,� Tasuki said, sitting up.   His hair was sticking our wildly, and he started to run his hands over it, smoothing it down.   �You got a comb?� he asked.
    Kouji shoved one towards his friend.   �There.    Mao tells me he told you of our little problems recently.    If you want, we�ll get a group together and go kill the obnoxious interloper.�
    Tasuki shook his head and started to pull his boots on, carelessly throwing the comb back.   �Iiee.   I think this is something I have to deal with by myself- besides, the message said to come alone, and that�s what I plan on doing.   Don�t worry!  Gen-chan will take care of it!� he claimed, exploding into a fit of grandiose laughter.
    Chichiri sighed as he walked into the room.   �Are you sure you don�t want anyone to come with you, no da?� he demanded.   �You have no idea what�s going to happen.�
    Tasuki shook his head, messing up the hair he had just fixed.   �Nah.   I�m telling ya, there�s no one in my past who can really cause me a buncha problems.   I just hope it ain�t one of my sisters.�
    They all laughed, and Tasuki set off for the long walk towards his hometown alone.
    Passing the time, he whistled cheerfully, trying to keep his thoughts off how lonely his life had become.   True he had his men back, but none of them truly understood what he was, not even Kouji.   The time he had spent with the Seishi had changed him, and he missed those hours of comradeship.  The sun was barely setting when he finally wandered back into the town where he had grown up.
    Tasuki leaned against the tree where criminals were hung from, holding his tessen in his hand casually.   His body was relaxed as he surveyed the area, looking for the person who had arranged to meet him.   After an hour he was fidgeting, showing his usual amount of patience.  He was about to storm off in a huff and find some good booze when it happened.
    There is an instinct that separates the true warrior from his less capable peers.   It is called many things, but the term most frequently used is �the sixth sense�- the knowledge that danger was imminent, and at that moment, he had that shiver run down his spine, warning him of impending disaster.   Without a conscience thought, he rolled to the side, narrowly missing the throwing star that would have grazed his cheek.  �Kuso!� he spat.    �Lekka Shien!� he yelled, launching a wall of fire in his attacker�s direction.
    Something snagged out and caught him around the waist from behind, jerking him off his feet.    He rolled with the force, getting ready to confront his assailant.
    Looking up from where he landed, he stared straight into a pair of the angriest blue eyes he had ever seen- eyes that were familiar.   �Arashi-chan?   Ran Arashi?� he whispered, unable to believe what was happening.
    Before him stood a woman of average height, though admittedly she didn�t looked very feminine at the moment.    She had silky black hair that had been cut off roughly, perhaps shorn off with a knife that left it with a ragged appearance.    Her clothes were those of a man, and she was slender enough that her slight curves seemed hidden by the loose dark cloth.  She carried a whip in her right hand which was currently tangled around him, but it was her eyes that frightened him most.   He had NEVER seen anyone so angry, and it looked like she was angry with HIM.   Not a good thing, to his thinking.
    �Hai, Shun�u-chan,� she snapped.    �Long time no see, baka yarou.�
    �What are you so angry about?� he asked, bluntly grabbing the proverbial bull by the horns.
    �As if you don�t know,� she said, lowering herself down so she was meeting him glare for glare.   �Shall I make a list, or will you try to strain that little bit of intelligence you have and figure it out for yourself?� she asked.
    �I thought we were friends,� he said, genuinely puzzled.  The two of them had been close when they had been younger, tearing around town and generally making a nuisance of themselves.   Shun�u had never liked girls, but for some reason, his Arashi-chan had never fallen into that category in his mind.    She was his buddy.
    �Uh-huh,� she said, not sounding at all convinced.    �Let me freshen your memory a little.   Think back to when we were ten.�
    �What about it?   You mean the time we tipped all the outhouses?   Or the time we threw your sister�s cat into the koi pond?  Or maybe the time-�
    Arashi smacked him upside the head with a firm hand.   �No, baka!   Remember what our parents were up to?�
    �Um, not really.   That was about the time that Kaasan got really sick and decided that she wanted to make sure Tousan picked out a good wife for- oh, crap,� he finished, suddenly remembering.   �They engaged us to be married, ne?� he asked, scratching his head.
    �And he finally gets it,� she said nastily.
    �Didn�t they forget all about that?� he asked nervously, trying to get the whip off of him.   She caught his struggles and tightened her grasp.   He could have broken free if he really wanted to, but that would have injured her wrists, and he disliked the thought of hurting her- she was his friend, after all, even if she was angry.   One thing that could be said for Tasuki was that he was loyal.
    She snorted rudely.   �I only wish.�
    �Uh.... what did kaasan decide?�
    She reached down and jerked the front of his shirt, shaking him to punctuate each word she said.   �She-� shake,  �decided,� shake, �that,� shake, shake, �the engagement stood!� she snapped, slapping him firmly across the face.   �Do you know what it�s like to have your fianc� run out on you?�
    �Would a �sorry� help?� he asked, trying to alleviate some on the tension around his waist.
    �We are way WAY beyond sorry, Shun�u-chan,� she hissed dangerously.   �Right now we�re going to get married.   I have the town waiting for us.  After that, we will talk, and if I have my way, you will spend the rest of your life regretting that you abandoned me�  She gave him an assessing glance, sighing.   �I doubt most brides dream of their grooms wearing travel-stained clothes, but I guess there�s nothing to be done about that.�  Then she shook her head and sighed again.   �And I suppose I don�t make much of a bride, either.�  Her voice was wistful and sad for a second, but then hardened as she snagged Tasuki�s wrist.   �Let�s get going,� she announced grimly.
    Tasuki had been stunned for a few moments before his brain finally kicked in.   �Nani!?   I�m not getting married!!!�
    Arashi looked at him, tightening her grip on him.   �I�m not particularly thrilled about it either.   But it�s a manner of family honor.  Besides, most people our age would be starting on a second child by now, not just getting married,� she said.
    The scenery stumbled passed as Tasuki tried to think of ways out of this mess.   �But I hate women!� he protested lamely.
    She stopped for a second.   �Great!    My husband-to-be is gay!� she said.   �Isn�t life just peachy?� she asked, yanking him along as she started to move down the path again towards the lights that were burning in the middle of the town.
    For Tasuki, it was like one of his worst nightmares had finally kind true.  �I am not queer!� he bellowed.   Here he was, being dragged through his hometown, getting ready to be married to his old childhood pal-turned-adversary.
    �Whatever,� she said.    �Right now the thought of sleeping with you makes me feel rather nauseous, so your sexual orientation problems don�t really bother me.�
    �Che, I don�t want to get married!� he protested vehemently.
    �Neither do I,� she said.   �But I�ve spent the last four years of my life tracking you down, and, dammit, you�re going through with it now.�
    �Four... years...� he stuttered.
    �Hai, baka!   It took me two years to track you down to Mount Reikoku, and just when I was preparing to come and make you fulfill your obligation, you hop off and start traipsing around with the Suzaku no Miko!    How come you never told me you were a Seishi?� Arashi demanded.
    �I didn�t know at the time,� he muttered as he was pulled into the town square.   All around him his family converged on him, and his mother claimed him first, squeezing him to her ample chest.
    �You�re such a bad boy!� she said.   �Poor Arashi-chan has been trying to find you for ages!�   she exclaimed, waving a finger in his face.    �But I�ll let her yell at you later!   Tonight�s the wedding!�
    Looking around at the assembled townsmen, Tasuki  felt more helpless then he ever had before.  There was simply no way out.   Looking into Arashi�s icy eyes, he felt his stomach drop in sheer terror.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    A day later, Chichiri was sitting with the bandits, sipping at a mug of sake and giggling as one of them, Byung-Joon, he believed, told an outlandish story about an encounter with one of the former Kotou warriors.   The men were drinking heavily, with the exception of Kouji, who kept glancing at the door every few minutes.
    �Daijoubu, no da?� Chichiri finally asked, getting tired of Kouji�s nervous shifting.
    Kouji leveled his eyes on the smiling monk�s continence.   �I just have a really bad feeling,� the scarred bandit said.   �I don�t think we should have let Genrou go on his own.�
    Chichiri was about to console him when they hear a stomping come towards the door, accompanied by fluent cursing.   �Seems he�s fine, no da!� Chichiri said cheerfully, as Tasuki swung into the room.   He was just about to tease the bandits when he got a look at Tasuki.
    �Daijoubu, no da?� he found himself asking for the second time in as many minutes.    Tasuki�s complexion was pale, and his clothes were somewhat ruffled.   His eyes looked like he was stunned, as though someone had taken a brick and hit him upside the head.    �Tasuki?�   Chichiri prodded when he got no answer.   �Did you find the person responsible for the attacks, no da?�
    Tasuki just nodded dumbly.   �And I wish I hadn�t,� he whispered, grabbing one of the sake glasses from his men, draining it, then attacking another.   �Oi, I with I hadn�t.�
    �Well, is he dead?   Where�s the loot?� Kouji asked, trying to figure out what was so wrong with his buddy.   There were no obvious injuries, yet Tasuki was acting like it was the end of the world.
    �SHE is right here,� a surprisingly light soprano voice came from the doorway.
    All the men in the room turned around to see a teenage female enter, once with short hair and flashing eyes, carrying a heavy sack.   She was garbed as a man, but that wasn�t what struck them   It was the way she was totally unafraid of any of them, stubbornly glaring straight ahead.
    �You-you robbed the men?�  Kouji stuttered, trying to find something semi-intelligent to say- which, for Kouji, could sometimes be a difficult thing to do.
    �Hai,� she said, placing the sac on the floor.   �Not much of a place you have here, Shun�u-chan.�
    �Who are you, no da?� Chichiri asked.
    The girl tossed her head back, got ready to reply, but then squinted as she caught a good look at his face, obviously surprised.    �My goodness!   You must be Chichiri!�
    �And who are you?� Kouji asked, finally taking his eyes off his drunken leader long enough to make a demand of her.
    Tasuki answered him.   �Minna, meet Kou Arashi.   Apparently she�s my wife.�
    The room went silent, then all hell broke loose, half the men jumping to their feet and asking for explanations, another few starting an impromptu party to celebrate their leader�s wedding, and one even going over to Arashi and started to inspect the merchandise.    He reached out a hand to check to see if she really was female, aiming for her chest.   With an angry �kiya!� she used that hand to propel him into the wall, knocking him unconscious.    �Anyone else want to try?� she asked the suddenly quiet room.
    Kouji stepped forward and took away the bottle of sake Tasuki was currently trying to drain.   �Wife?   Since when have you been married?� he asked, shaking his friend.
    �Since yesterday,� Tasuki said grumpily.    �Arashi was my betrothed when I was a little one, and it seems like our entire village didn�t forget about it.   Damn family honor,� he muttered.
    �And you�re the one who�s been attacking the men?� Kouji asked, letting Tasuki fall to the ground.
    She nodded, locking grim eyes on the second-in-command.   �I figured the quickest way to get Shun�u to show up would be to threaten his precious men,� she said.  �Though I can�t understand why,� she said derisively.
    �Hey!� Kouji spat.    He started to head for her, when a quick �swish� was heard, and she stood, holding a shuriken in her hand, ready to throw another.   Raising his hand to his cheek, he looked at her, awed.   She had thrown the first throwing star so accurately that it kissed his scar perfectly without breaking the skin.
    �Anyone messes with me, and I�ll castrate them,� she said firmly, and walked over to her new husband, pulling him to his feet by the scruff of his neck.   �So what do we do?� she asked.
    Normally this would have provoked a bunch of lewd comments from the bandits, but after her little demonstration of knowledge with throwing stars, they decide to leave it alone.   Tasuki, though, was the only one not cowed by her formidable personality, swearing at her between sips of sake.  Chichiri finally found the courage to speak.   �DO, no da?� he asked.
    With a sigh, she sat down on the table, picking up one of the abandoned sake glasses and taking a drink.   In contrast to her husband, she appeared cool and collected.   Tasuki was quite loudly getting drunk from his spot in the corner, swearing about no-good women and how they were snakes.   �Well, obviously I can�t stay here.    Some of the men might decide that their leader would be better off without me, and then I�d be forced to kill them,� she said matter-or-factly, in a voice that made the blood in Chichiri�s veins turn to ice.
    �Yeah?� Kouji challenged.   �And how do you know you can do that?� he demanded.
    �I have devoted the last four years of my life to hunting down this... societal reject,� she said.    �I knew he was a good fighter, so I had to train to become even better,� she said, snapping her whip threateningly with her left hand.   �Unfortunately, I didn�t anticipate that he�s end up being one of the Seishi.   I wonder why Suzaku chose HIM,� she mused.   �Guess it shows even Gods make mistakes.�
    Chichiri finally couldn�t take it anymore.   This woman was unlike anything he�s ever seen, and Tasuki�s reaction of complete and utter fear had been well worth hanging around for.    He burst into a fit of high-pitched giggles, drawing everyone�s eyes to him as he shrunk down.   �This is funny, no da!   Why wasn�t I invited to the wedding?� he demanded between wheezes of laughter.
    �Because if we�d taken time to track down his friends, he might have gotten away,� Arashi said dryly.   �So where am I going to sleep?� she asked the room at random.    �I�m dead tired from the trip- he didn�t even help me carry my stuff,� she complained.
    Kouji got a wicked grin on his face.   �Guess I�m moving out.   I don�t want to interrupt the newly weds.   Hey, Min, no one�s rooming with ya, right?   Mind if I move in?�
    �It�s not like that!� Tasuki sputtered, his face flushed from all the alcohol he had consumed.  �Like I�d WANT to sleep with that rack of bones!   She doesn�t even look like a female!    If I was going to sleep with someone, it�d be a woman that had breasts!�
    One second Arashi had been sitting on the table, calmly drinking.   The next she was on her feet, facing off against the leader of the mountain bandits.   �Yeah?   Well, you ain�t that much of a prize yourself!� she yelled.
    �Whaddya mean by that?� he demanded, coming shakily to his feet.
    �Look at you!   Leader of a rag-tag group of misfits, you�re a mess, and I bet you don�t even know the meaning of real work!  And I�m suppose to make a good husband of you?    I don�t THINK so!� she yelled, waving a threatening finger in his face.   �And to top that off, every other word out of your mouth is an obscenity!�
    �Yeah, well... how come no other man would marry you?   If you were such a good thing, how come they didn�t just snatch you up when I left?� Tasuki yelled, getting six inches away from her face.
    She stood on her toes so she could match him glare for glare.    �Because unlike SOMEONE I could name, I have a sense of family honor!� she shouted back.    �Our families made an agreement, and I intended to keep it, even though I knew it would make me miserable for the rest of my life!� she shrieked, her voice climbing to a truly impressive level.
    �I think it�s time the happy couple went off and celebrated their honeymoon, don�t you, Chichiri?� Kouji asked, even though his ears were still ringing.
    �Hai, no da!�  He waved his staff and the pack Arashi had dropped.   �Where do you want me to put her stuff, no da?� he asked.
    �You know, that cottage that�s on the outskirts might be the perfect place for the newlyweds,� Min suggested hesitantly.   �It�s far enough away from the main camp that the men won�t be able to harass the her, and they should be able to start their own family without too much interference from the rest of us.
    �Good idea, no da!� Chichiri said cheerfully as he started to levitate the bag towards the little cabin that Miaka had seen when Tasuki had kidnapped her.    Chichiri had been planning on heading on his way, but decided to stay for a while to watch the situation unfold.   Entertainment this good was hard to find, and he intended to enjoy every second of it.
    �But I don�t WANT to start a family with her!� Tasuki whined at his underlings.   �Traitors!�

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    The two newlyweds were abandoned at their new home.   Tasuki sat on the floor sulking while Arashi prepared a sleeping sack.   �This place could use some work, but it�ll do,� she mused.   �Maybe some curtains, definitely a table....�
    �I can�t believe you,� he snapped back.   �You�re just going to accept the situation?�
    She turned and leveled a stare on him.   �Shun�u-chan, I knew when I married you that I�d never go home again,� she said with a slightly weary edge to her voice.   �I�ve known for the past four years that our married life wouldn�t be a good one, but I�ve grown to accept that.   I�m your wife, and you�re just going to have to accept that,� she said.   With a yawn, she stretched.    �Now, if you don�t mind, I�ve had a very long day, and I would like some sleep.�  She removed her boots and outer shirt, and Tasuki averted his eyes and she slid her partially clad body into the covers.    �What, you�re a prude?   I never would have guessed,� she muttered sleepily, then succumbed to the depths of sleep.
    Tasuki stared at her for a moment, unable to believe what had happened.   He was used to having his life turned upside-down, but this time, things seemed more intimate.   The slumbering girl looked tired and oddly innocent so with a sigh, he slid into his own blankets, hoping to figure out some kind of solution to the problem he was now presented.
    The next morning he was awoken by the scent of food burning.   �Miaka, give it up,� he murmured without opening his eyes.   �You�ll never be able to cook and I ain�t eating it.�
    �Well, for one thing, I�m not Miaka, and for another, you ARE going to eat this,� a voice said dangerously.
    He opened his eyes to the unwelcome sight of Arashi leaning over hit with a spoon in her hand, waving a mess of... something at him.    �What is that?� he demanded, coming wide awake.
    �It�s breakfast,� she said with remarkable sangfroid.   �And you�re going to eat every bite.�
    �Like hell I am!� he protested.  �I don�t wanna die!�
    Her glare was icy.    �I need to learn how to cook.   Since it�s YOUR fault I don�t know how, YOU are going to be the subject of my efforts to learn,� she said.
    �MY fault?    Just how is it MY fault?� he demanded, struggling to get out of his blankets before she could start force feeding him.
    She sighed and started to talk to him like she was dealing with a temperamental child.   �Tasuki, if I didn�t spend the last four years TRAINING to bring you back, I would have learned how to do all these mundane little things.   Now I have to make up for lost time,� she said with exaggerated patience.   �So open up,� she said, waving the spoon in his face.
    �Mm-hmmm,� he refused, locking his lips together tightly and skittering backwards, trying to escape.
    She advanced slowly, watching his pupils dilate in fear.  �Tell you what- one bite and I�ll leave you along for the rest of today,� she promised, waving the concoction at him.
    He paused, considering his options.   �OK,� he said, snatching the spoon out of her hand.    She watched as he swallowed it with interest, and winced as he started to turn green.
    The spoon clattered to the floor.   �That bad, huh?� she asked rhetorically, as he raced for the door..   �There�s always tomorrow, I guess,� she mused.
    Tasuki raced for the main encampment, spitting to attempt to get the foul taste out of his mouth.   Not only was he married to a hoyden, but apparently the hoyden couldn�t cook.   Things were just looking brighter and brighter.
    When he arrived a few minutes later, he mentally steeled himself for a bunch of ribbing.   It wasn�t unheard of for the men to have wives, but it was the exception, not the rule.  And since his dislike of the female species (and he DID consider them a separate species) was legendary, the repercussions were going to be twice as severe.
    Sure enough, when he raced in with his usual speed, the men immediately started to rib him.
    �How�s the wife?�
    �What�s she like in bed?�
    �When you�re done with her, can I have her?�
    Tasuki fumed as he stomped over to the table that was laden with simple foods and picked up a few pieces of bread, stuffing them in his mouth.   Kouji walked over.   �The loving wife didn�t prepare you any breakfast?� he teased lightly.
    �She can�t cook,� he griped.
    �Surely it can�t be that bad,� Kouji said.   �She�s not ugly, at least.�
    �It�s hell,� he grumbled.
    Chichiri chose that moment to pop up in the manner only he could do.   �Daa!� he exclaimed.   �Where�s Arashi-san?� he asked.
    �Hopefully far, far away,� Tasuki muttered, taking a mug and pouring himself a glass of sake.
    �Drinking this early in the morning, no da?� Chichiri asked, concerned.   His friend wasn�t coping with his new marriage very well.
    �I think better with sake,� he pronounced.   �I need to figure a way out of this marriage thing.�
    �There�s no way,� Arashi�s voice came from the doorway.   She stalked into the room, glaring at the few bandits who wolf-whistled.   �We�re married, accept it, and help me figure out what they hell to do with my life.�
    �Nani, no da?� Chichiri asked.
    She racked a hand through her ragged bangs, trying to get them out of her line of sight.   �It�s quite simple, really.   At my age, most females would have a few children to take care of.   Since I doubt wonder boy over there is going to be particularly cooperative in helping me start that family for a while, I�ll need something else to do.   I hate being idle.�   Tasuki�s face was flushed bright red, and not just from the alcohol he had consumed.
    �I�ll help ya start that family!� one of the bandits generously offered, slobbering at her slender form.
    Tasuki glared at the man, and he shut up.   It wasn�t that he wanted his wife- no, he shuddered to think of her like that.   It was just he was having a hard time separating the friend he had spent so much time getting into trouble with the girl who now was quite determinedly remaking his life.  �I thought you said if I ate that mess, you�d leave me alone for today,� he said.
    She smiled at him quite cheerily.   �I am.   I�m not nagging you- I just need some suggestions on what to do with myself.   Otherwise I could just hang around and make a general nuisance of myself.�
    �You�re already doing a fine job of that,� Tasuki muttered.   Suddenly he had a premonition of disaster, and looking into Arashi�s eyes, he knew he had pushed her too far.
    WHAP!   The sound of flesh connecting to metal resounded in the room, and Tasuki had his senses knocked out of him.  Looking up, he focused blurry eyes on Arashi, who was brandishing his tessen in her hand.   �Hey!   That�s mine!� he protested.
    �Damn right it is!� she retorted, tossing it back to him.   �And you�re going to get it upside the head every time you insult me from now on- I�m only going to take so much from you.   I�M not the one who ran out on our marriage in the first place- I�ve lived the past four years of my life in HELL thanks to you, so I don�t have much sympathy for you right now.�
    �Um, Arashi-san,� Kouji ventured hesitantly, �how about cleaning up this place?   We bandits aren�t the best at keeping a clean house,� he said.   �It�s always been a woman�s job, ya know.�
    She sighed.   �Actually, that�s not such a bad idea, but there�s a problem with that.�
    �And what would that be, no da?�
    �My cleaning is just about on par with my cooking,� she said in a deadpan voice.
    None of the other bandits got this, but Tasuki whimpered.  �Anything but that!� he protested.
    �Well, now�s the perfect time to learn, no da!� Chichiri suggested cheerfully.    �You have the cottage to fix up, and Tasuki is going to be too busy looting to really do much work on it, so it�ll be up to you, no da!� Chichiri finished, trying to smooth the way a little for his friend.
    She nodded.   �Sounds like a plan.�   With those words, she turned on her heel and left, working her way deeper into the stronghold, murmuring something about trying to find brooms and cleaning cloths.
    Tasuki bowed down before Chichiri and started to thank him profusely.  �She�s out of my hair!�  he exclaimed eagerly.
    Of course, Tasuki was speaking to soon.   In less then an hour, another Arashi-centered conflict would come to the fore.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    The sound of feminine shrieking shook the foundations of the compound.   With a sigh, Tasuki turned his head to look at Kouji, who was carving a bit of wood he�s found intriguing.   �Do you think if I ignore that, she�ll go away?� he asked his best friend plaintively.
    Chichiri, though, frowned in concern.   �That didn�t sound like a scream of normal, healthy outrage.   That sounded like panic.�
    �Che,� Tasuki said with a shrug.
    �Did you tell the men to leave her alone?� Kouji wanted to known.
    �Nah... how much trouble can she get into anyway?� Tasuki asked, then immediately was bombarded by a dozen mental images.   �Shimatta!� he swore, leaping to his feet.
    Dashing away, he homed in on where the scream had come from with unerring accuracy, a feeling of queasiness growing in the pit of his stomach.   Sure enough, as he flung open the door, he was met by a revolting, though half-expected, sight.
    Eiken was leering at Arashi, who he had cornered.   She was holding out a few of her throwing stars defensively, but her eyes looked wild.   Her hair was even more disheveled then usual.   Eiken had a few cuts on his hands, but the evil smile on his face sent Tasuki through the roof.
    �Just what do you think you�re doing to my wife?� he demanded, unaware of his possessive reference to Arashi.
    Eiken blanched.   �Your- wife?   I thought she was just some whore wandering around!�
    Tasuki growled low in his throat.   �If it wasn�t for the debt Hakurou owed ya, I would�ve thrown ya out a long time ago.   Don�t press your luck any further.   Now get the hell out of her way and leave your grubby paws off her, you here?� he said.
    Eiken nodded and almost tripped in his eagerness to get out of the room.   Arashi flung herself forward, wrapping her arms around Tasuki�s waist so tightly that he thought he wouldn�t be able to breath.   �That man is so horrible!� she exclaimed.   �I don�t even want to THINK about what he wanted me to do!� she said, a few tears falling from the corner of her eye.    Then she seemed to get a hold of herself.   �What am I doing?� she said.   �I don�t even LIKE you!�  WHAP! She smacked Tasuki with his tessen again, sending him to the floor.
    As she stomped out of the room, Chichiri turned to Kouji.   �Now that really wasn�t fair, no da.   He DID save her.�
    �Welcome to married life, Genrou!� Kouji chortled.   �No matter what ya do, you can�t do anything right!�
    Tasuki just muttered under his breath.   It seemed he was doing a lot of that lately.
    So things went.   Chichiri left the next day, professing that his wandering feet were getting the better of him, but Tasuki was secretly convinced that the monk wanted to go find somewhere private where he could laugh his ass off.  To everyone�s surprise, Arashi actually proved to be quite proficient at cleaning, once she figured out how to do it properly.   She had forged a wary relationship with most of the men, though she detested Eiken and had taken an odd liking to the eldest, Aric.   Aric was a man who was retired from actively pursuing the career of robbing, but would still sit and hold audience and lecture anyone who would listen to him.   Arashi had surprising patience with the older man, often times sitting for hours on end, listening to him ramble on and on about his glory days.
    Aric was her only friend.  It didn�t seem to bother her, though as time went on, her temper became more and more frayed, something Tasuki would have thought impossible.   One night she was sitting in the main compound, listening to the men talk, a frown on her face.   �Tasuki, are you aware that every other thing you say is a curse?� she asked.
    Tasuki scowled at her.  �Yeah?   So what?�
    �I don�t like it,� she replied.   �It makes you sound like a barbarian.�
    �You swear,� he pointed out.   The other bandits watched, and one of them started to take bets on which one of the pair would win THIS fight.   The betting pool was proving to be a very lucrative sideline since Arashi had crashed into their lives.
    �Yes, but I don�t do it to excess.    Using curses when you�re upset is one thing; using them as your entire vocabulary is another.�
    Tasuki looked at her.   �I�ll do whatever the hell I want to!   You�re just a woman- what do you know?� he said, laughing and bouncing to his feet, heading out of the room to look for some plunder.
    He missed seeing Arashi�s eyes narrow dangerously, but Aric didn�t.   �You gonna do something about that?� the old man asked, scratching his grizzled face.
    Her voice was frighteningly calm.   �Oh, yes.   He�ll never know what hit him,� she said, a slight smile tugging at her lips.
    Tasuki woke up later that night with a disgusting taste in his mouth and heavy weight on his chest.   Opening his eyes, he saw Arashi leaning over him, smiling down into his eyes with relish.   In one hand she held a bar of soap, which she was attempting to shove in his mouth.    �Nani?� he muttered, trying to get her off of him, but she firmly planted her knees on either side of his waist.
    �I�m going to make sure you clean up your language, by hook or by crook!� she swore, attempting to reinsert the bar into her husband�s unwilling mouth.
    �GET OFF OF ME!� he bellowed, squiggling.
    With a sigh, she rolled off oh him.   �Every time you swear from now on, I�ll make you regret it,� she avowed.
    �While I�m ASLEEP?� he protested.   �That�s not FAIR!�
    �Whoever said life was fair?� she asked rhetorically.    �You�re a Seishi, and as such, you have powers that far outmatch my own, so I have to do what I can.   The only time I�ll get the better of you is when you�re sleeping.�
    He mumbled, grabbed his blankets, and tried to find somewhere else to sleep.   The bandits, of course, sent him right back to Arashi, not wanting her to come tromping in on them.
    The third time he woke up to the now-familiar taste of lye soap, he decided to turn the tables.   With a quick lunge, he grabbed her wrist and flipped her on her back, pinning her down.   �Time for you to get a taste yourself!� he snarled.
    Arashi squirmed, and he was suddenly very, very aware that she was female... a female who just happened to be his wife....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    In the next room, he could hear Arashi screaming and cursing his name, swearing that if she survived this, she was going to kill him.   Nervously he paced, exchanging glances with Kouji, he look at his closest friend.   After a particularly loud and frustrated scream, Tasuki blanched.  �I�m going to want to get out of here, aren�t I?� he asked nervously, twisting his hands.
    �Maybe,� Kouji answered.   �How long�s this been going on?�
    �Hours,� Tasuki said, very pale.
    Finally there was one last mighty shriek, and then silence.   For a breathless second, there was nothing, and the world seemed to stop, but finally a thin, shrill voice pierced the stillness with its first cry.
    Chichiri, who had returned for this occasion, popped out of the room, wiping some blood off his hands.   �Daa!� he said.   �It�s a boy, no da!�
    Tasuki raced into the room, eager to see his son.  Arashi was propped up in a bed, her face pale and sweat covered, her hair hanging limply around her cheeks.    Her eyes were soft as they looked down on the small bundle she cradled in her arms.
    �Shun�u, look at him,� she commanded, turning the child towards him.   For once Tasuki wasn�t going to argue with one of her commands.
    The fierce rush of love he felt surprised him, and he knew that he would do anything to protest this child -HIS SON- from anything that threatened him.  He felt a bond he never had before, something even stronger then the ties to his brother stars had been.
    Arashi looked up at her husband, her blue eyes fatigued.    �So what are you going to name him?� she asked.
    �Nani?� he replied, feeling stunned.
    A faint smile touched her lips as she pushed their son into his arms.   �I could come up with something, but I�m sure you have an idea already,� she said, tacitly acknowledging his more traumatic life.
    He reached out and accepting the child, protectively holding him to his chest.   The boy opened his eyes, which were the murky color that most babies had when they were born, and met his father�s own.  The eyes seemed so wise that Tasuki found a name springing from his lips before he was even aware of it.  �Dokun,� he said.   �The bravest person I ever knew was named Dokun, so I�ll name ya after him.   Kou Dokun,� he said firmly.
    �It�s a good name,� Arashi agreed.
    �I�m gonna go show him off to the guys!� Tasuki said, starting to head for the door.   Then he paused.   �If that�s OK with you.�
    She nodded.  �For a few minutes- then bring him back.   We�re both very tired,� she admitted, trying to stifle a yawn.
    �Hai!� Tasuki said cheerfully, though he was careful not to make any sudden movement for fear of jarring his son.   His eyes were serious as he looked back once more before exited.   �Arashi, no matter what else happens, thank you for him.�   Then he left.
    Arashi quickly fell asleep, a slight smile on her face.   She hadn�t done that badly after all.


Closing Remarks (or rather, the beginning ones):
What?   No �I love you�s�?   QS says not- neither is the type, and it�s doubtful that they do love the other- yet.    It might come someday, who knows?   (Well, I do, but that�s aside the point)
This story serves as a prelude to �Renaissance�, which is an epic story about the Seishi, their reincarnations, and the new challenge that awaits them.... Tasuki HAD to be married with children, so I created Arashi for him after careful research... most people seem to think he�d spend his entire time fighting with his wife, and I agree.   Arashi�s claim on him is the only way I can think of that he�ll have children while he�s still young.  At the time of Dokun�s birth, he is twenty-two.  I will shortly have some lovely pics of Arashi-chan posted on my site.... along with the rest of the cast of �Renaissance�.

________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com