"...I really should have stayed on land," Suzume complained again, only this time out loud. Sighing, he started shuffling off toward the waiting room, mumbling as he went along. "I swear, I hate kids... Loud, annoying, creepy..."

Suzume's speech seemed to trail off after that. He was obviously annoyed, but tried his best to hide that fact. It didn't work either. With the way he was talking, it looked like too much more would make him snap, too. He seemed to be annoyed now, even as things were quieting down, which pretty much showed that the damage had been done.

Of course, there was hope in Suzume's head that things actually would quiet down now, despite the fact that they could just get louder.

"Please, just let me sleep! Just an hour of quiet! That's all I'm asking of you people!" Suzume thought desparately as he made his way through the ship.

OOC: Ever feel like you wanna hit people real hard for making loud, annoying noises for a long time in school or something like that? Yeah, that's how Suzume feels right now.

Ningyou smiles as the woman walks away. Then her smile gets broader at Suzume's departure. Walking up to Kurama she curtsied sweetly. "Genkai, I have come to speak with you. I have an offer that I beleive you will find most beneficial to your quest." The light in her eyes was deffinently not that of a young girls now. Rather though, that of the powerful daemon she infact was. She looked at Kurama as though his next move held the fate of the world in its hand. To Chi of course, it did. She had made her move. If all went smoothly she'd resurrect Talkatz no matter what anyone alive wanted.

The Adventures of Pyros+Moriko+Falcon: No Need for New clothes! Really. The lyin dog!
 

Pyros and Moriko arrived at the east gate, where a caravan awaited. The caravan was full of more cloaked servants, who were busy setting things onto wagons and waving palm fans on Hen Gen.

He was quick to get up however, and make known his gratitude. "Well, Splendid! You're here! A little late, but I suppose since it's your first day on the job, I can cut you some slack. Now, It's high time to get on our way. But first, let me inform you that you've dressed far too inappropriately for this job."
Pyros looked at his clothes, then back up at the man.

"Honestly, I had thought someone who knew so well the contract would be more considerate of it's rules! That armor is in no way fully functional! It only covers your shoulders, left side, and right arm! And your wife's clothing is entirely a banned shade! Tsk, Tsk. It won't do."

"Umm...I am not aware that i have ever mentioned her as my wife, and I do not think i have. She is not. No offense to her, but she is not." Pyros was quick to answer, just to clear that part up.

"Oh, so you're a kiss 'em and make 'em cry kinda man, huh? Well, that's fine by me, as long as you don't let your lustlife get in the way of your job."

"Wha?" Pyros pondered this, but then got back on track. "Hey! What exactly are we doing!?"

"What? You forgot already? We don't have time for this! The clock is ticking, and you're not even in proper dress! Come on, hop to! Change already! Wear these!" Hen Gen threw each of them a bundle of red clothing, and the two held the bundle, unsure of what to do with it.

But apparently Hen Gen never wanted them to be sure of anything, so as quick as a flash, the cloaked servants set up two tents. A stampede of servants carted and split the two into one of the Tents, where much yelling, screaming, and blushing commenced.

"Ack! Please don't touch there! I'm gentle! NO! The pants stay on!"

It was only at this point in time did Youji finally find himself amongst the others again, and what an unfortunate time it was for him. The Tayuumi he just saw off carrying a child (one that he hadn't seen before he noted) to the kitchen didn't really match with the image of the tempermental woman he had become somewhat accustomed to, and it left him speechless for a few moments. How...how can someone change personalities so quickly?

Though he was several centuries old, he retained no knowledge of this sort of thing. Perhaps, in his past lives, he might have, but that information was lost when he became the person he was now. However, after thinking about it for a moment, he came to one conclusion. "That must be her baby," he said, nodding in self agreement.

Deciding that that matter was settled, he took a look around and noticed all the paint that had splattered here. "What happened here? Where's the Sky Bandit?"

((Summary: Youji finds the others, thinks Yuu is Tayuumi's kid, and asked what happened.)

Yuu stopped crying and started sniffling. He used his arm to wipe his nose and looked at Tayuumi like a sad puppy.

"Are cookies yummy?"

Taken's hand flicked out and caught the talisman smoothly in mid-flight, before disappearing into his kimono along with the artifact. He said nothing, merely tucking the item away and nodded toward Kirakiri, moving to follow along wherever the demon in disguise led him.

"Yes they are, Yuu. Grandpa Takin makes the best tasting cookies ever. Don't you Takin?"

With a kind look and a smile Takin said, "Well of course I do! Come on, we're almost there!"

Tayuumi looked back at the sniffling child, her smile even broader, "See? Now come on, you can have all the cookies you want. Sky pirate captains need their food now don't they?"

Kurama looked down at the little girl.

"Really, little one? What is it you-?"

Kurama noticed something. The Raigaki was vibrating in a strange way. No other demon gave off this kind of revolution.

Chi kept smiling. "Well you see. I am not whom I appear. For now we can continue calling me Ningyou. I am rather fond of the name as well as this form. But I digress. My offer. See I want but one thing, to resurrect Talketz. Now most people would think this would put us on opposite sides. But I don't think so. See your actually going for the same goal I am. The only difference is that, when you bring him back to life you intend to slay him." Chi walked over to a railing and jumped up to sit on it.

"Now I could spend my time trying to kill you, and I do want to kill you. But I don't think I could manage that. Seeing as I cannot even touch your blade. So I propose an alliance. You allow me to be the one to reassemble Talkatz. And I in turn will peaceably accompany you along your journey. I'll help in any way I can, save one condition, I will not harm any sworn servants of Talkatz. Other then that my skills are at your service. I think you'll find that I am a much more useful ally then enemy."


OOC: that was an oddly hard post to write. Summary: Chi makes her offer to Kurama

"well... nuts. To think I trusted you little girl."

Garud looked over at Kurama.

"I don't advise working with her. It's stupid, and if she can get rid of you, she could go on to summon Talkaz anyway. You are basically going to be the only thing to stand in anyone's way. What if she has a plan to backstab you? With you out of the picture, Talkaz wins because he can hve his minions gather the pieces anyway."

Shrugging, he added

"We already have a kickass team. We don't need anyone else... ESPECIALLY SOMEONE WHO WONT FIGHT!"

(Summary: Garud advises against Chi's offer)

Ningyou looks over at Talkatz. "Won't fight? Who said anything about not fighting. You have to understand something about my own position. There are very few daemons left in this world that are faithful to Talkatz. A few are loyal out of love. But most simply fear him. Fear is not a good motivator. Especially when it is so hard to back up. but your right. I could very well try to kill you Genkai. After all your death would make everything simpler. I would be able to take my time and locate the body parts at my leisure.

"But I've been looking for the last 100 years. And as of yet I have not been able to locate any part of my lord Talkatz save the head. But if you intend to find the pieces, then you must have some idea. As for how you can trust me." Ningyou sat for a moment in thought. "I could take some sort of oath, though I don't know what oath I could take that you would beleive I would hold. Mayhaps I could swear on my lord. That is of course. If we have a deal."

Summary: Chi explains furthur her reasons for wanting the alliance.

Youji tensed up but bit his tongue as he listened to the one called Ningyou, knowing it wasn't his place to comment. He had no intention of simply letting someone like that person join their ranks. Tayuumi was bad enough, but at least she was willing to fight, and in the end wouldn't try to aid the very villain they were trying to destroy.

What skills could they possibly need from her anyway? The fact that she couldn't do anything on her own meant that she wouldn't contribute much (if anything) to the finding of the pieces. They didn't need her; in fact, they needed to be rid of her.

Kurama looked at the little girl, then motioned for Youji and Garud to gather near him. He spoke quietly, so as to keep the blood demon out of their conversation.

"I say we keep her."

The other two obviously were against it. Before they could speak up, Kurama hushed them.

"You know what they say about keeping your friends close, but your enemies closer. I'd rather keep this creature somewhere that I can keep on eye on her, than let her loose and not know what she's planning. Besides, you both know that we need the body to be complete before we can destroy it. And that creature needs the body complete as well, for her own reasons."

Kurama took a quick look over to the little girl.

"Besides, you guys act like she'd be able to kill me. Youji never sleeps anyway, so he can watch over me at night. Garud, I want you keeping as close an eye as you can on her, especially should a fight happen. And as for me....Don't worry any other time. My blade was made for the direct purpose of killing demons, especially ones as chaotic as that one over there. However, one last big thing."

The other two got in closer to listen.

"NO ONE tells Tayuumi about this. Never."

"Ahem..." Grim aped the motion he had seen other humans do to grab attention, although his throat clearing implied more that he was trying to eject a squealing trapped lobster than a polite cough. He, along with Chi, wasn't privvy to the conversation, but from the disgruntled look of the two non-Kurumas the flow of the debate seemed to be pretty one sided. "I couldn't help but overhear the mention of an oath as extra insurance in this whole ordeal of party managing. Now, I'm a bit experienced in the real of demon souls, and I have been able to devise a way to bond a demon's soul to a specific purpose, like Reaper here."

"Buh Grim-"

"Quiet Reaper." The huge human's mouth hung for a few seconds before slowly closing shut, obeying the command. "Now, I can construct a seal on this demon to help you, and if it doesn't it will lose its soul. Seeing as demons are very little without a soul, it should provide a reasonable safety measure in making sure all sides are on equal footing."

Of course, this whole spiel was complete bullshit. Grim realized he was in the same boat as this new demon, even if his section of the boat was relatively more concealed in direction, and wanted to recruit another member to his cadre. Keeping the newcomer alive with a fake oath that could be switched around once the locations of the body part were laid out on the table was merely his own form of insurance, establishing a base of trust with Genkai to smooth over any troubles the moronic bitch may have collaterally caused.

"Ok Kurama, we will do it your way."

Garud thought about the comment. He didn't like it. When it comes to demon souls, things got very complex. That, and the fact that he had no idea that it could be done. In all his years, he had never heard about it. He whispered to Kurama and Youji.

"I dunno. This... it should not be this easy to bind someone. I think that there is probably a weakness to this 'bond'. I think we SHOULD agree to it though, and supervise it. I have no idea what it is, but I might be able to work out if it's a legitimate spell or ritual."

Kurama nodded.

"Fine. Garud, you watch him put a seal on Chi. If anything, you'll learn how to do a soul seal in case it's needed at a later time."

Kurama rubbed his stomach.

"And now, I'm hungry."

Youji didn't trust any of them, but Kurama did and that was all that mattered. If it turned out that they were betrayed then he would simply do his self appointed duty, and protect Kurama. And maybe gloat a little.

Maybe.

For now though, he'd go with the plan. "Be sure to never let the Raigaki out of your reach, Kurama. It was lost for almost a thousand years, and it wouldn't be convenient if it disappeared right before we gather even a single piece of Talkatz, especially with one of his servants having openly revealed herself amongst our group."

Ningyou ran her fingers through her hair. "Well then, how do we go about this Mr. Grim." She said with a smile. Walking over and holding his hand. "Just like I thought, cold. Theres no blood in this body." Chi smiled up at Grim in a knowing way. "So do we need to draw a circle or mumble some words or what?"

OOC:Am I correct about Grims powers in this regard? Summary: Chi plays along.

Garud whispered to the other two,

"Not good. Did she just hold Grim's hand? Look, now I'm really starting to get suspicious. We KNOW that she is evil, but Grim? Hmm... it would explain a few things. It's just too co-incidental that he would know a binding ritual, and she would be accepting of it. Like you told me to, I will be there. I promise it. However, I'll make sure my summons are there to sort it out."

Garud cleared his throat.

"Gee, I'm rather hungry-like too. However, I will just go eat in private."

Garud nodded at Youji, and whispered,

"Okay, I'm going to go summon a stronger spirit form. Youji, keep Kurama safe. Oh, and don't worry, I won't tell Tayuumi."

With that, he walked off briskly, entering a private room. It seemed quiet and dark, probably used for storage. Garud placed his finger on the ground, and moved it in a straight line. Then, he changed direction. Eventually, he had formed a pentagram that glowed in the gloomy darkness.

"Earth spirit, I call you forth. Assist me to strike down my enemies and purge the word of the sin that is the demon race."

A faint glow resonated from the pentagram. It was slightly brownish in colour. The wind spirit faded out, going back to the place it was summoned from. Garud smiled to himself. He had time.

(EDIT- Summary: Garud whispers the suspicions he has of Grim, tells Youji to guard Kurama while he is gone, and then started to summon the earth spirit in it's second form. 1 post has passed!)

Kohaku approached Koyuki respectfully, continuing his speech, "I trust you have a rapid means of transportation? It is unlikely that Kurama will be remaining at the Barrier Temple for very long once he has the part hidden there." He cocked his head to the side, looking askance at the unconscious forms of Iori and Raikotsu.

"How remiss of me. Please accept my apology. No doubt you wish to set your forces in order first before going into these preparations?"

* * *

Kirakiri paused as Takin regarded him, the ronin obviously waiting to follow him. "It would be prudent to hide our tracks to and from this place. Please go on ahead with Sakiko and I will attend to this matter. I will only be a few minutes."

OOC: I can just imagine the exciting conversation between Sakiko and Taken - "..."

The fingers of Koyuki's left hand idly clenched and extended again as she "conversed" with Kohaku. It wasn't that she was displeased with his arrival, or his information, it was that Koyuki was grievously disappointed in the situation of her troops.

"No. I'm afraid not." Koyuki replies, in response to the query of transportation, "If I am to carry all three of these worthless wretches, transportation will be very slow indeed. Perhaps you have a better idea?"

"Please, Mr. Grim is my father." Grim joked. He planted a hand on Ningyou's shoulder and encircled her, so that she was facing forward and he was at her back. "Now, this should be relatively painless but might not appear so to those not accustomed to the practice, so I'd ask for cooperation in the form of not doing anything to interrupt the procedure."

After relaying the verbal release form, Grim extended the human shell's fingers and crakced them dramatically. He cleared his throat normally, then placed his palms on either side of Chi's head.

"And I begin..." Grim's closed his eyes, threw his head back, and then revealed his new pupils. He let his own soul take physical precedence for a moment, his eyes losing all color until they became two bottomless black wells, the flesh of his borrowed hands giving way to starkingly white bones and horrendously rotted hands. The semi-hilarious high tone he had utilized melted away to his real voice "...Now."

His hands stayed in place for a second before sinking into Chi's head as if they were sucked into quicksand. In a moment the blood of Talkatz was revealed to Grim, the storied history of his millenia-long existence laid out like a scroll. Grim's voice echoed across both of their minds.

<Do not attempt to speak or move. I am currently on the fence about the reawakening of Talkatz, but I do want to kill Genkai sooner or later and I can do that easier with some help.>

"Demon, I bind your soul to Genkai Kuruma, that if you shall break his trust or betray his alliance, your soul is forfeit."

<So just so we're clear, we're friends of a sort, just above 'enemy of my enemy' but a little below 'best buddies'. I will not claim to be your leader because it's hard enough to boss around Reaper reliably, but a little respect will go a long way, and you'll get the same amount. When I give the word shapeshift some sort of sigil on your forehead.>

"Show the mark of your bond, reveal the proof of your trust!" After the exclamation, Chi's forehead reddened until a rune etched its way across the flesh, before fading away.

<We'll have to speak later of course, under more cordial and two-sided circumstances. But for now we both have a free ride and become privvy to the information secured by Tama so long ago.>

Grim broke his hold on Chi, stumbling backwards as his features returned to their more human state. His fake voice returned. "And it is done. If he betrays you Genkai the mark will show itself and he will be rendered void. Now, where are we off to?"

(Grim mind-melds with Chi, they both fake a bonding ritual, and Grim wants to get down to business.)