Pyros winced at the bite in his hand...but did not cry out. It would only rile up the bird further. He looked around to see the spectacle the beast had made, and knew that if it remained there could be some trouble. Not wishing harm to the snapping bird, he calmly reached over to another table that had been vacated at it's sudden appearance.

He grabbed a large piece of meat and held it up for the bird to see. "See? See the meat?" He then started taking steps backwards, hoping that it would follow. "Come on, it's much bigger than what was in the soup, See? Come on giant bird, let's get away from the restaurant..."

The cloaked servant that remained snatched the meat away. "Stop your babying. It is not some pidgeon to be led away with worms!" The servant said in a surprisingly pretty voice. She threw the meat in front of the falcon. "It will only leave when it has eaten it's fill or if you've proved a sufficent threat, swordsman."

The servant walked over to the tables and left them before the Falcon.
"If you wish the bird to not attack, It is best to appease it first. Then perhaps it will consider listening to you."

The servant unfolded the robes and revealed an arm, covered in leather. Pyros nodded. "Oh, you partake in Falconry, I gather?"

"It is useful...at times. Also, be aware that there will be a bill for the meat used to feed the bird, and if you wish to pay for It, I suggest you be off to the east. There will be no further food for you here, as you can see. I will keep this magnificent creature from causing any harm."

"Blast." Pyros simply said. He turned to Moriko. "Well, forgive me, but I must do whatever this man has asked. I know not what I signed up for, but when I make a promise, I never break it. Even If i'm not sure I made one."

He sighed and scratched his head. "Well, while I have a duty, by no means do you, so feel free to go your own way. He wished for both of us, but I do believe he never actually referred to you in whatever contract this was. And I suppose he can't sell you if the agreement's broken if you're gone."

Moriko listened to Pyros' speech. At the end, she gave a low chuckle. "I think he would find it much harder to sell me than he might think. I'm not going anywhere. You'll get eaten alive by these people."

"Besides, I don't really have anywhere else to go. And I have to pay for the food I ate somehow. We'll work things out, don't worry."

"Let's find out exactly what it is this guy wants. I am growing impatient."

(Moriko agrees to stay with Pyros, saying that the merchant won't be able to sell her. She wants to know what's going on.)

Yuu decided to let the old man keep his foolish fantasy about being the captain. The old man was doing what Yuu had told him to. He was giving Yuu a present.

"Yes minion, take me to my present! I hope cookies are yummy."

A figure appeared just behind Takin and his two children as a deep booming voice pleaded with them, "THE GREAT SANJURO YAMADA WOULD ALSO ENJOY DELICIOUS COOKIES!"

He slapped his hands together excitedly crushing what remained of a ships banister to nothingness.

Yuu was startled by the sudden loud, booming voice. He jumped and fell off of Takin's shoulder, hitting the floor hard on his left shoulder. Yuu pushed hiself up and sat on the floor. With the sudden scare, loud noise, and pain, he could only think of one way to handle it. He cried, uncontrollably loud.

Garud blocked his ears because of the wailing. It drove him nuts.

"Kurama, do you think we should have brought that kid on-board, what if he jeopordises the mission? You saw what he did with those paint... like creatures. What if he can somehow make more? What would happen if he sets you on fire again?"

Taking a deep breath, the guardian sighed. It was too much.

"Nevermind. Hey, how long until we get to where we are supposed to go anyway? I figure I should prepare."

(OOC: If he's granted enough time, he'll summon one of the spirits in its the second form.)

OOC: To simplify things, I'll assume Koyuki knows Kirakiri. He does hire out his services after all.

Seemingly just seconds after Raikotsu and Iori had finished their duel with their mutual unconciousness, a voice called out from a carefully judged short distance away. "General Koyuki, I am Kohaku. Lord Kirakiri bids you greetings and has dispatched me to assist you with locating Genkai Kurama. I know the location of the island where the first part of Talkatz is hidden."

The speaker appeared human, with pale skin and hair and amber eyes. His lean frame was clad in simple clothes in hues of brown and green intended to blend in with the forest environs. Despite what he had said, his orginal purpose had been to keep a watchful eye over Kurama's movements. As Kohaku was incapable of keeping up with an airship however, Kirakiri, in his infinite wisdom, had also instructed Kohaku to assist the forces he knew were likely to be attempting to launch a premptive strike against the new wielder of the Raigaki.

* * *

On the island of the Barrier Temple, while Taken had fought and slain the last standing monk, Kirakiri had moved over to the one monk left alive. Taken had severed the monk's leg at the knee and while unable to fight, he still clung to life.

The monk was clearly in shock and, with the copious bleeding, he'd likely be dead in minutes. Kirakiri was not one for unnecessary risks though. No survivors meant no chance of secrets being revealed. One clean motion of Kirakiri's blade and the monk joined his companions in death.

Kirakiri flicked the blood off his blood and sheathed it before going around and claiming the talismans that would allow safe passage through the barrier. He straightened from the last of them and tossed a talisman to Taken. "We have what we came here for. Let us depart."

Ningyou looked at Yuu as though disgusted. "Some Great Sky bandit." She called down from Takin's shoulder. "Crying on the deck of an enemy ship. You should really learn to control yourself." Ningyou hopped off of Takin's shoulder and landed perfectly on the deck. Reaching out with one hand she batted the side of Yuu's head. "Stop crying this instant child."

"You leave him alone right now!" Tayuumi yelled at the little girl.

After a quick moment of staring at the familiar looking girl Tayuumi walked over to the crying boy.

She took off her gauntlets, threw them towards Kurama and said, "Take care of those."

After picking Yuu up by his underarms and placing him in her owns arms like a chair Tayuumi stared back at the little girl, "You should be ashamed of yourself! He is crying and you hit him! Whoever raised you did a horrible job!"

She looked back towards Yuu, his eyes filled with tears. Her previous look of calm replaced with a motherly grin.

"It's alright, Yuu. Come on. No need to cry now." she said while propping him up into a more confortable position.

"Hey, Grandpa Takin makes great cookies. You'll love them." She said while walking with Takin to his kitchen, still holding Yuu.

((Summary: Yells at Ningyou. Picks up Yuu and is nice to him. Follows Takin back to Kitchen))

Koyuki glared angrilly at the now-unconcious forms of Iori and Raikotsu. In addition to Anbu's momentary fainting, the dog-demon had watched the great majority of her hastily-constructed retinue fight itself into exhaustion in a single fight. A low growl escaped her lips as her displeasure rose like bile.

Koyuki however, was none so exhausted. She was feeling rather well, actually. Well enough to carry all three of them, if need be.

Chi was nowhere to be seen. The Kimonos had left, and Koyuki had allowed them to, knowing they did not understand the severity of the duel between Raikotsu and Iori. A duel specifically designed by Raikotsu to garner Koyuki's malice and contempt.

The day appeared to have no end to misfortune, when finally, a speaker from the shadows brightened Koyuki's day with a gentle ray of sunshine.

Intellegence.

A fortunate sychnronicity, as Koyuki was just beginning to ponder how she was going to find out what Kurama was up to.

"You have my thanks, Kohaku. Send Lord Kirakiri my regards for your timely arrival. Please, your information is quite welcome." she speaks, graciously welcoming the speaker.