FicWad

"Did she hurt you, Tsuzuki?" Hisoka asked as the men made their way through the jungle in the direction Byakko and Hy had taken.

"Nothing but my pride," Tsuzuki said with a smile, taking Hisoka's burnt hand and kissing it. "Looks like you got it worse than me."

"It's nothing," Hisoka said, blushing and withdrawing his hand. "It'll be healed completely in just a few minutes."

"I don't know how we'll ever catch up with the others," Watari said. Jarrett sighed deeply, coming to a stop.

"There is one who could help us, I suppose," Jarrett said, looking defeated.

"Who might that be?" Watari asked teasingly. "You don't mean who I think you mean, do you? But we have no way of locating him either, do we?"

Jarrett closed his eyes, muttering a summons beneath his breath, ignoring the scientist. The air became scented with the soft musk of earth and vegetation, as a flash of lavender light revealed a smirking Kokopelli floating above their heads.

"Couldn't do without me for even a day, could you, Master?" the little lust god asked with glee.

"What the --" Tsuzuki started.

"You mean he's your shiki now?" Hisoka asked in horror and disbelief. "When did you challenge him to a battle?"

Kokopelli stretched on his back contentedly in midair, placing his arms behind his head.

"Oh, we battled, all right," he said with a musical giggle. Jarrett cringed.

"I don't know how it happened," the dark hair poet said forlornly. "I wasn't under the impression that I'd won." Watari laughed, patting the chagrined shinigami on the back.

"So it was you I overheard that night, wasn't it? What were you two doing in Hy-chan's room?" Watari asked with a little squeal. "This is getting deliciously kinky!"

The veins on the normally calm man's forehead looked near to busting, as Jarrett took a deep breath.

"I went to check on Hy before I turned in for the night, and he wasn't in his room. I was waiting for him when -- well, when the incident occurred," Jarrett said. "Can we change the subject, damn it?"

"Kokopelli, can you help us find Hy and Byakko? They were chasing Mat-gwas and we got separated," Tsuzuki asked, coming to Jarrett's rescue. Kokopelli swooped to the ground before them, standing on his tip toes in front of Tsuzuki.

"I will if you kiss me," Kokopelli said, pink eyes sparkling. Tsuzuki's jaw dropped, a look of panic coming over his face as Kokepelli collapsed with mirth. "Just kidding! Of course I can!" Kokopelli said with a wink, and snapped his fingers.

A brightly plumed bird flew through the trees, landing on the diminutive shoulder of the god. The bird leaned its beak near his ear, fluttering its wings with excitement as it began to chirp.

"Uh-huh," Kokopelli said, listening closely. "She did? Oh, you've got to be kidding! I can't wait to tell Coyote!"

The conversation proceeded like this for a few minutes, Kokopelli and the bird gossiping, before the four men grew restless. Jarrett cleared his throat.

"Kokopelli? Hy and Byakko?" he reminded him with a stern frown.

"Oh, yeah," Kokopelli said with a little laugh, interrupting the bird's chatter. "Have you seen a big white cat and a pretty young boy chasing an unattractive rabbit?" Kokopelli listened to the bird's reply.

"Oh, I know! Aren't they sweet? I was just telling Badger the other day --" Kokopelli was cut off by a grunt from his new master, whom he gave a sheepish grin. "They went that way."

xxxx

Less than an hour later, the four men and the little god, caught up with the others. Byakko was looking down a small hole, scratching his head, Hy watching him with an expectant look.

"What now?" Hy asked, as the two men looked up and saw the others approaching.

"Tsuzuki! You're okay!" Byakko cried joyfully, knocking the shinigami to the ground as he leap into his arms. Tsuzuki laughed, pushing the tiger god off of him, and grabbing him by the collar before he went to pounce on everyone else in succession.

"What happened to Mat-gwas?" Tsuzuki asked. Byakko glanced back to where he'd been standing a moment before.

"He went down the rabbit hole," Hy said, staring at the opening in the ground. The others joined him.

"You wouldn't happen to have a potion that makes one smaller, would you, Watari?" Tsuzuki mused.

"Nope, just younger," Watari answered.

"Kokopelli, crawl down there and see if you can find him," Jarrett said.

"You've got to be joking!" Kokopelli said with a defiant sniff.

"But I'm your master," Jarrett said weakly, shaking his head. Hy began to laugh, causing the others to turn to him curiously.

"I'll be damned! I think I finally found a use for that dog gone Manauia after all," Hy said, slapping his knee.

"Manauia?" Tsuzuki asked.

"Armadillo shiki," Hisoka answered, as Hy chanted.

Suddenly, a figure appeared before them, uncurling himself and standing upright. The boy blinked and stared at them awkwardly, his long ears drooping on either side of his face and his thick suit of scaled armor creaking as he squirmed. He looked at them with large green eyes, filled with fright until they lighted upon Hy.

"Hi Hy," the armadillo shiki said, smiling shyly. "What happened to your face?" Hy walked up to him slowly and smiled.

"Amarok," Hy said gently, causing Manauia to back away from him slightly. "It's okay, Manauia. I need your help, okay?" At this, the frightened shiki seemed to brighten.

"Really?" Manauia asked. Hy nodded.

"Can you go down that hole there and chase a naughty rabbit out for us?" Hy asked. Manauia looked down the hole uneasily.

"I'm scared of rabbits," Manauia whispered, looking up at the disappointed look on his master's face. "But I'll go."

The boy transformed into a tiny armadillo, and scurried off down the hole. Jarrett turned to Kokopelli with a smug expression.

"Now see? That's how a respectable guardian spirit regards the wishes of it's master," Jarrett said. Kokopelli pouted, buffing his nails on his tunic.

"Find me a respectable spirit who's a demon in the sack, though," Kokopelli huffed, flinging his reddish braids over his shoulder. Hy looked at his partner, his golden eyes wide.

"But you told me --" Hy began.

"Don't ask," Jarrett grumbled, glaring at the lust god, who was pointedly ignoring him.

A loud thump and several squeaks rose from the earth, before a trembling armadillo pushing an irritated rabbit emerged from the hole.

"Well, you don't see that every day," Watari remarked, as Byakko scooped the rabbit up by the ears.

"But I could have sworn --" the tiger god said in confusion, as he lost his grip on the transforming god. Mat-gwas stood before them, cringing and wringing his hands.

"It's not my fault! It was an evil spirit, all dressed in white that took control of me," Mat-gwas cried, dropping to his knees before them.