(Heh, just wait . . . ~KA)

Hotohori pondered. "Run your tessen through the dishwasher."

"NANI?!" Tasuki's eyes went wide. "But . . ."

Suboshi cackled. "Rules of the game say . . ."

"Shut up, you little Seiryuu psycho!"

(Now, now, be polite. Don't make me come down there and kick some ass. ~KY)

(No being mean to my Shun-chan. Well, okay, being mean to him is allowed, but it's a privilege reserved solely for us! ~KA)

Suboshi squeaked. "But Kouri . . ."

(Oh, now you're going to be nice to me? ~KA)

"No, but I'd rather they were mean to me . . ."

(HEY! ~KA)

(The kid's got a point . . . I mean, what was that last thing you wrote about the twins? That was really nice of you . . . ~YA)

(Heh . . . ::looks guilty:: ~KA)

(They lived happily ever after in the end! All of you shut up! ~KY)

Grumbling, Tasuki went into the kitchen and dumped the tessen in the dishwasher. He surveyed the buttons, then pressed "fragile." Then he went back to the others. "That better not damage my tessen!" he warned them.

"Tasuki, what's a little water going to do? The thing can throw flames," Nuriko reminded him.

"Shut up!" Tasuki glared around. "Suboshi!"

"Great." Suboshi glared back. "Dare."

"Gimme your yo-yo thingies!"

Suboshi eyed him disdainfully. "They're called Ryuuseisui."

"I don't give a fuck, gimme the damned things!"

"What are you going to do with them?"

"No asking questions." Tasuki attempted to imitate his voice. "Rules of the game say . . ."

Suboshi gave him a look of death and handed the Ryuuseisui over.

(You know, Shun-chan, this wouldn't happen if you would stop trying to be macho and just said "truth" once in a while. ~KA)

Suboshi glared at the ceiling, but knew better than to comment.

Tasuki went outside and swung the Ryuuseisui around his head until he had enough momentum, then let them fly upwards.

Suboshi let out an alarmed squawk as they landed in telephone wires. "Hey! How'm I gonna get those down?"

Tasuki shrugged. "What the hell do I care?"

(We'll call public service later. ~KY)

"That doesn't do me any good now!"

(That's nice. Go back to the game and quit whining. ~YA)

Suboshi wilted. Knowing not to irritate the least benevolent of the authors – well, the least benevolent in his direction anyway – he looked around the room for a new victim. "Tomo . . ."

"Can't you pick someone else for a change?" Tomo snapped.

"No. Truth or dare."

Tomo rolled his eyes. "Dare."

Suboshi smirked.

(::faints:: ~KA)

(THWACK!! ~YA)

(Somebody get the spatula! ~KY)

(I'm awake, I'm awake . . . but he smirked!!! ~KA)

(Damn. ::puts down ice water:: ~YA)

"Dump your precious clamshell down the garbage disposal and let me flip the switch to run it."

"Hey!" Tomo cried indignantly. "But . . ."

(Poor Chuin-chan . . . ~YA)

(Ano, neechan, wasn't this dare your idea? ~KA)

(Shut up! ~YA)

"It was?!" Tomo looked up at the ceiling, wounded. "But Yume, I thought you liked me . . ."

(It's not my fault! It wasn't my idea! ~YA)

(Yes it was. ~KA)

(Well, okay, it was. But don't worry, Chuin-chan, I'll make it up to you later. ~YA)

(How? ::hides under table:: No, don't tell me. ~KA)

(Didn't need that picture! ::runs:: ~KY)

(Hey! Who's being hentai now? ~YA)

"You know, you can make it up to me by not calling me that," Tomo remarked.

(::pouts:: ~YA)

Reluctantly, Tomo allowed himself to be dragged into the kitchen, where he even more reluctantly put his shin in the sink and watched mournfully as Suboshi shoved it down the drain and gleefully flipped the switch.

"Sucks to be him," Tasuki said, looking at the dishwasher to see how much time was left.

Tomo looked around. "Soi, I think it's your turn."

Soi sighed a touch melodramatically. "Truth."

"Did you enjoy trying to seduce Tamahome?"

Soi raised an eyebrow at Tomo. "Would you enjoy trying to seduce a lump of clay?"

"Now wait just a minute!" Tamahome protested.

Miaka looked indignant and war-like. She stood and opened her mouth to speak.

(Siddown and shuddup! ~KY)

Miaka's eyes went wide. She sat. Even she knew not to mess with the authors.

"Okay, that answers that!" Soi said pleasantly. She looked around the room. "While we're on the subject of Tamahome being a lump of clay . . . Miaka."

"Huh?" Miaka looked around dazedly, still frightened from her near brush with Author Power. "Uhm, truth."

"Admit to the room that Tamahome is a lousy lover."

Miaka blinked. "But I don't have any basis for comparison . . ."

(What was that little deal with Amiboshi? ~KY)

(That never happened. ~KA)

"I didn't!" Amiboshi protested. "Shun-chan, don't look at me like that! I didn't, not at all!"

(Sure, and you just had to be topless, right? It's part of the healing process, huh? ~YA)

Amiboshi whimpered. "All of you, stop looking at me like this!"

(It's okay, we forgive you. After all, Miaka is a testosterone vampire. It's understandable. ~KY)

(Yeah, look what happened to Tamahome. He used to have a personality. ~KA)

(And a much cooler personality, at that. ~YA)

(::imitates Miaka's voice:: Oh Tamahome... glug glug... I love you... glug glug... ~KA)

"Answer the question," Amiboshi said, sounding irritated, hoping to get the focus off of himself and onto a very red-faced Tamahome.

Miaka was about ready to die. "Okay, fine . . ." Miaka said, inching away from everyone. "Yeah . . . kinda . . . I'm gonna go hide now."

"You can't, you have to pick someone," Tasuki cackled. Tamahome had passed out in mortification.

"But I wanna run away!" Miaka whimpered.

(Siddown and shuddup! ~KY)

"Okay . . ." Miaka looked around. "Yui-chan!" She glomped onto her friend.

"Oh God." Yui paled a little. Well, at least Miaka's too brainless to be malicious . . . "Uhm, truth."

"Do you think Nakago's a good kisser?"

Yui stared at her. "Do you?"

"I asked you the question."

"Um, what did you say earlier about having no basis for judgment?" Yui asked hopefully.

(Not a chance. You kissed Tamahome and Suboshi. You have basis for comparison. ~KA)

"Come on, I have to be a better kisser than him," Suboshi said.

Yui looked around fearfully. "It's like trying to compare apples and oranges," she complained.

"What the hell does that mean?" Tasuki asked.

"Well, Nakago is very . . . skillful . . . but Suboshi sort of made up for that with enthusiasm . . . lots of enthusiasm. Apples and oranges. And a lump of clay."

"Ohhh . . ." the light dawned on the room.

Both Suboshi and Nakago seemed satisfied with her answer, so the game continued.

Yui looked around. "Chiriko, you've been so quiet there in the corner, trying to hide."

Chiriko inched out, looking nervous. "Truth."

"Did you want to do all that studying, or did your parents make you?" Yui asked, genuinely curious.

"Well, it made sense . . . my seishi power being wisdom and all . . ."

"But did you want to?" Yui pressed.

"They made me!" Chiriko pouted. "I wanted to be an artist! I could draw pretty pictures and . . ." His eyes began to fill with tears. Mitsukake hugged him.

"You're only thirteen," Mitsukake said comfortingly. "You still have time to be an artist."

"Yeah, really, get a grip," Tasuki said.

Chiriko glared at him. He looked around to see who hadn't been picked yet. Chichiri was sitting on the couch, looking extremely small. "Chichiri-san . . . truth or dare?"

Chichiri looked a little nervous. Well, there are worse things than being picked by Chiriko. "Truth no da."

Chiriko looked at him curiously. "How do you get away with wearing the same outfit all the time? Do you have a lot of them, or do you just do laundry a lot?"

"Um . . . magic na no da."

"Chichiri!" Tasuki said warningly.

"Honestly! Every morning, it's magically clean no da."

(Damn, that's a handy little spell. ~YA)

(Yeah, will you do my laundry? ~KY)

Chichiri sighed and looked around. Well, nobody else is going to be brave enough to do this . . . "Nakago-sama."

Nakago glared in his general direction. "Dare."

Chichiri thought quickly. "Go out into the road and flag down the first car that comes by no da. Then ask for directions to Sesame Street."

Miaka perked up and began singing. Yui joined in. "Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street . . ."

The rest of the seishi looked on in horror.

(::falls over and dies laughing:: ~ All of us friends ^_^)

"I. Am. Not. Singing," Nakago stated.

"You don't have to sing no da, just ask," Chichiri said.

Nakago stood, lifted The Puppy ® , and stalked out of the room.

"This I have to see," Miaka said, rushing to follow with Yui hot on her heels. Tasuki and Tamahome trampled each other in their hurry to get out of the room. Nakago walked into the road. The remaining players gathered in the driveway to watch.

An '82 blue Ford Escort came rolling down the road. Nakago waved in as dignified a manner as possible. The car stopped and Inuhoshi stuck his head out.

(WAIWAIWAIWAI!! ~KY)

(Are you happy? Your boyfriend has a cameo. ~YA)

"Um . . ." Inuhoshi surveyed the scene before him, recognizing Nakago. They're writing one of their fics, aren't they. "Hi. Don't kill me."

Nakago imperiously ignored the request and asked, still trying to be dignified, "I require directions to Sesame Street. You will direct me now."

"I will?" Inuhoshi considered.

Nakago scowled, his symbol beginning to glow blue.

"Oh, for Pete's sake. Don't do that forehead-glowy thing on me. I'll tell you how to get there if you teach me the whole world domination thing."

(I see the title "World Queen" in my future . . .~KY)

Nakago glared. "I have performed the dare. I shall ignore you now."

Inuhoshi blinked. "Damn." Some fic this is. I don't even get to take over the world. With that, he drove away, out of the story.

(Hmph. ::pouts:: ~KY)

"Let's stay out here for a while," Nuriko said, sitting down. "It's nice out." The others agreed.

Nakago surveyed the crowd before him. "Nuriko."

"Hai . . ." Nuriko pondered. "Dare."

Nakago took off The Puppy's ® dog collar. "Puppy, stay. Stay."

(I thought his name was Killer. ~KY)

Nakago studiously ignored her. He walked over to the Suzakus and fastened the dog collar around a very nervous Nuriko's neck. "Stay like that." He attached the leash to the collar and handed it to Hotohori. "A gift to his majesty."

Hotohori looked at the leash as if he wasn't quite certain what it was.

Everyone else was cackling.

Nuriko curled up at his 'master's' side and sulked.

"Now, now, you can't pout, you have to pick someone else," Hotohori reminded him. Nuriko looked around with narrowed eyes, obviously in the mood to roast somebody. "Amiboshi."

"What'd I do to you?" Amiboshi asked, wounded.

"You're an easy target. Truth or dare?"

"Um, t-truth. No. Dare," Amiboshi stammered.

"Is that your final answer?" Nuriko asked, trying to look disappointed so Amiboshi would think it was a good idea.

"Uh, yeah." Amiboshi fell for it.

(Sucker. ~KY)

"Good!" Nuriko grinned widely.

Amiboshi's face fell. "Uh oh."

"Do a strip dance, right here, right now. You can stop at the boxers."

Amiboshi turned an odd shade of green. "What the hell do I know about strip dancing?"

"It's more amusing if you don't," Nuriko answered.

Amiboshi whimpered.

(Poor Amiboshi. ~KY)

(Kou-chan, this isn't my fault. ~KA)

(Nope, it's mine!! ::muffled cackling:: ~YA)

(Yeah, like you're disappointed, Kouri ~KY)

(I never said I was, just . . . poor Kou-chan . . . ~KA)

(She says through the drool. ~YA)

(We'll have the spatula ready. ~KY)

(I hate you all. ~KA)

Amiboshi did his valiant best. It was kind of sad.

(::drools anyway:: ~KA)

The Suzakus died laughing. The Seiryuus looked on in mortification. Suboshi hid.

"Pathetic," Tomo muttered.

"That's not my Aniki," Suboshi mumbled. "That's not my Aniki . . ."

"You know, Amiboshi, I could give you lessons," Soi offered.

"No, no, I'm all set. Really." Amiboshi grabbed his clothes and ducked behind a tree to get dressed. From behind the tree, he called out, "Mitsukake! You haven't gotten anything yet!"

Mitsukake sighed. "Dare."

Amiboshi considered. "Talk for five minutes straight about whatever comes into your head."

Mitsukake blinked. "I'm not sure that's possible."

"Do it anyway," Amiboshi said, reemerging fully clothed. He sat back down, as far away from the others as possible.

Mitsukake opened his mouth and began to speak. Five long, painful minutes later, filled with much stuttering, muttering, and mumbling, he trailed to a halt. "Is that long enough?"

Yui looked at her watch. "Yup!"

Mitsukake sighed in relief.

"Let's go back inside," Tasuki said. "I wanna see if my tessen's done." The group got up and went in. Tasuki made a beeline for the kitchen and was relieved to find his tessen undamaged. He hugged it, mumbling, "My poor tessen wa . . ."

Mitsukake eyed the room. Who hasn't gotten anything for a while . . .? "Suboshi."

Suboshi looked surprised to hear his name from the healer, but shrugged and said, "Truth. How bad can it be?"

Mitsukake pondered for a minute. "Have you ever really just wanted to haul off and deck your brother?"

Suboshi blinked. Amiboshi stared. "Ano . . ." Suboshi said. "I'll answer if he does too."

"That's not part of the game," Soi reminded him.

Amiboshi shrugged. "It's all right, I'll answer." It appeared that nothing could shake him after his last dare. "As long as he goes first."

"Well, maybe . . ." Suboshi squirmed. "When he's being all, y'know, responsible and stuff . . . it gets on my nerves after a while . . ."

Amiboshi rolled his eyes. "Of course."

"What about you?" Suboshi looked nervous.

Amiboshi shrugged. "Sure. You think it's been fun looking after a six-foot stick of dynamite with a two-inch fuse?"

"Hey!" Suboshi cried. He tackled his brother and the two immediately began to scuffle.

(Look familiar, Kouri-chan? ~YA)

(Hey, we never fight, neechan. ~KA)

(You are so full of shit! ~YA)

(I am not! Don't call me a liar! ::scuffle breaks out:: ~KA)

(Baka! ~YA)

(::gets out hose and gets both of them in the ass while they're not looking:: ~KY)

(HEY! ::tackles Karasu:: ~KA)

(::tries to fend them off with hose and fails miserably:: ~KY)

(::three way scuffle begins::)

(Ten minutes later...)

(Ahem anyway . . . we're done now. ::brushes herself off:: ~KA)

(::straightens clothes:: Really. ~KY)

"Would you two cut it out?" Tasuki asked Suboshi irritably. "You're supposed to continue the game."

Suboshi looked up for a minute, then stuck his tongue out at his brother one last time. "Fine, fine. Tamahome! Has anyone asked you anything yet?"

Tamahome looked around. "I suffered enough from the Miaka question."

"No you didn't," Suboshi said, smirking. "Truth or dare?"

Tamahome rolled his eyes. "Dare."

Suboshi's smirk got even more evil. "Let Nuriko give you a makeover."

"NANI?!" Tamahome thought fast. "But Nuriko's on a leash!"

Hotohori sighed. "I suppose I could be magnanimous enough to give him a break for such a good cause."

Tamahome whimpered, then promptly got dragged to the bathroom by Nuriko. The others sat around in idle conversation, listening to the twins continue to bicker, until Nuriko and Tamahome came back out.

(MUAHAHAHAHAH!!!!)

"Tama-chan kawaii!!" Soi cried, grinning.

"Oh dear Lord," Hotohori said.

Nakago covered The Puppy's ® eyes.

"Obake-chan, you make such an ugly chick!" Tasuki cried.

(Think hot springs . . . ~YA)

Tamahome turned an ugly shade of red. "TASUKI! Truth or dare?!"

I really better not say dare right now, Tasuki thought. "Uh, truth."

Tamahome narrowed his eyes and pointed at him. "Are you or are you not sleeping with Kouji?"

Damn it! Tasuki glared, then a thought occurred to him. "Of course."

Everyone squeaked, eeped, hid, or sweat-dropped.

Tasuki smirked. "Stop lookin' at me like that! Bandits' quarters aren't the best, ya know! How many beds do you think we've got? Sometimes you've gotta share!"

A sigh of relief passed through the room.

Tamahome glared. "I meant, are you and Kouji – "

"But that ain't what you asked!" Tasuki cackled. "Too late! No second chances!" He looked around the room, extremely pleased with himself. "Hotohori-sama! While we're on the subject, would you ever sleep with Nuriko?"

"Don't I get to pick truth or dare?" Hotohori asked hopefully.

"No!"

Hotorhori looked at the ceiling.

(No, you don't. More fun this way. ~KA)

(Gomen, Sai-chan. ~YA)

Hotohori sighed, then shrugged. "Of course. As you pointed out, sometimes beds are scarce."

"Let me rephrase," Tasuki said. "Would you ever have sex with him?"

Hotohori paled.

"Hey, you can't do that!" Tamahome cried. "If I can't do that, then you can't do that!"

"I didn't ask a second question. I rephrased."

Tamahome looked at the ceiling. "Tell him he can't do that!"

(Sure he can. ~YA)

"WHAT?!"

(He's not a lump of clay. ~KY)

(Yeah, we like him much better. Now get on with things. ~KA)

"I hate you people."

(Don't insult the co-authors! We'll smite you! ~KY)

"C'mon, answer the question," Tomo cackled.

Hotohori paused. "I suppose nothing is absolute . . ."

Nuriko collapsed in a heap on the floor.

Everyone else sweat-dropped.

Hotohori looked around the room in consideration. "Miaka, I think it's your turn."

"Um, dare? Be nice to me, Hotohori . . ."

Hotohori grinned. Nah . . . "Spend twenty minutes in the kitchen, without touching the food."

Miaka's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates.

(No pun intended. ~KA)

"And when you leave, you can't bring any with you." Hotohori shook Nuriko. "Wake up, we might need you to enforce this one."

Twenty long, painful, shrieking minutes later, Miaka was dragged out of the kitchen in tears. She looked around, eager for revenge. "Chichiri, come with me!"

"Nani? This isn't my fault no da . . ."

"Come with me anyway!"

"Can't I at least choose a truth no da?"

"No! Miko rank! Pulling rank! Let's go!"

Chichiri whimpered and allowed himself to be dragged out of the room. He and Miaka emerged a few minutes later. Chichiri's bangs were bright green.

"Chichiri, what on earth . . ." Mitsukake asked.

Chichiri pouted. "Our co-authors were apparently dying their hair bizarre colors and left their dye behind no da . . ."

(::gives a toss to her entirely green hair:: It looks good on you, Chichiri-chan! ~KA)

(Wow, I'm glad we left that in there when we were done with it! ~KY)

(Hey, my hair is just as brown as it always is. ~YA)

Chichiri sighed and looked around. I suppose it's no worse than having blue hair . . . "Um, Yui." He picked a name at random.

"Uh, dare." She also picked at random.

Chichiri shrugged. "Burn your textbooks."

"Those things are expensive!" Yui protested.

"Tetsuya can buy you new ones," Miaka pointed out.

"Hey!" Suboshi cried. "Who's this Tetsuya guy? Where is he so I can beat him up?"

Amiboshi patted his shoulder. "Down, boy."

They began arguing again.

(Did they ever stop? ~KA)

(Well, probably not really. ~YA)

Yui tried again. "Isn't this a fire hazard or something?"

"Nah, there's a fireplace," Tasuki said. "Besides, what do we care?" His eyes lit up. "Can I light 'em? Huh? Can I can I can I?"

"Sure no da," Chichiri said.

"Tasuki-chan, you're how old?" Nuriko asked.

Tasuki glared.

Grumbling, Yui piled her textbooks in the fireplace.

(Ano, why does she have those on her anyway? ~KA)

(Remember that truth last time about whether she studies because she doesn't have a life? ~YA)

(Oh yeah . . . ~KA)

"LEKKA SHIEN!!" Tasuki cried gleefully, frying the books with one blow.

Yui, looking irritable, surveyed the room. "Nuriko."

"Haven't I had enough trouble for one night?" Nuriko asked with a sigh.

"Like you're disappointed to be Hotohori's pet," Tasuki cackled.

Nuriko calmly tossed him into a wall. "I don't think another dare would be wise, so truth."

Yui smiled. "Actually, Tasuki, you just gave me an idea for a really good one."

"Great," Nuriko muttered.

Yui smiled at him. "What are you hoping Hotohori's going to do with his . . . new toy?"

Nuriko raised an eyebrow. "Hoping or expecting?"

"Both."

"That's not fair!" Nuriko looked up.

(Whine, whine. ~KA)

"Oh, fine." Nuriko sighed. "As to what I'm hoping, I can't say it because there are minors in the room. For expecting, probably a blanket and a place on the floor by his bed. Maybe a couch in his room, if I'm really lucky."

"Oh." Yui pouted. "That's not interesting at all."

Hotohori looked down at Nuriko. "I thought it was interesting enough, thank you very much."

Nuriko sulked and decided to do something really mean. "Soi!"

Soi gave Nuriko the look of one who has been much put upon. "A dare, I suppose."

(Last one, Nuriko. Make it a good one. ~KA)

"Oh, I intend to," Nuriko said with an evil smile. "Give a five-minute, full-tongue kiss to . . ." He looked around. "Tomo!"

Tomo squeaked.

Soi gagged.

"Rules of the game say . . ." the room chorused in unison.

"Please make him remove the makeup first," Soi said.

"Why should we?" Nuriko asked.

"Because if you don't, I'll puke on him!" Soi cried.

"Hey!" Tomo protested.

"Oh, shut up, you don't look so pleased about this either," Soi snapped.

"Am I supposed to be? I think your boyfriend is cuter than you!"

Nakago sighed and focused his attention on The Puppy ® .

A few minutes later, a makeup-less Tomo emerged from the bathroom and closed his eyes tightly, trying to pretend he was anywhere other than where he was. Soi, looking slightly green, proceeded to do as she was told.

"So," Tamahome said when they were done. "Is that it?"

(Well, is everyone happy? ~KA)

Tomo and Soi both shook their heads in unison and cried, "NO!"

(Come on, guys, think about it. ~KA)

They thought.

"I'm still unhappy," Tomo decided.

"Me too," Soi said.

(Oh well, we can't please everyone. ~YA)

Nakago considered. "I suppose I might as well be pleased. I got to watch all of you make fools out of yourselves."

Chichiri fingered his bangs. "I got to get you to make a fool out of yourself no da."

Hotohori gave up and pulled Nuriko into his lap. "I suppose I'm happy."

Nuriko didn't answer. He had fainted.

Chiriko looked around. "I guess I got more of an education . . ."

"I didn't think it was that bad this time," Mitsukake said.

Tamahome glared. "Seeing as I'm still dressed as a woman, I'd have to disagree."

"I had a great time!" Tasuki cackled.

(Yeah, he made out like a bandit! ~KA)

(::THWACK:: ~YA)

(::rubs head:: Itai.... gomen, I couldn't help it! ~KA)

(::knocks her on her ass:: Yeah, and we couldn't help that either! ~KY)

The twins looked up from their scuffle. "It wasn't so bad," Suboshi said cautiously.

"What are you talking about?" Amiboshi protested. "I had to do a strip tease! It was bad!"

"Not that bad!"

The scuffle broke out anew.

Miaka looked around fearfully. "I plead the fifth . . ."

"What's that?" Hotohori asked.

"Never mind . . ."

Yui looked mournfully at the ashes in the fireplace. "I suppose this round was better than the last one. Not by much . . ."

"I still say getting kissed by me wasn't that bad," Suboshi grumbled.

(Hey, if she isn't happy with you . . . ~KA)

(Don't finish that statement. ~YA)

(So everyone is pleased? ~KY)

There was a chorus of nods and head shakes.

(Oh well, good enough. ~YA)

(So is this it? ~KA)

(Regrettably, I think this is it. ~YA)

(Karasu-chan, would you like to proclaim the end? ~KA)

(Hell yes! I declare the story over. ~KY)

The End.
Until round three.
Hell yes.

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