New Years Party

December 31 2000

~*~*~*~

Kesu hummed softly as he stretched to hang up the lanterns that criss-crossed over the temple courtyard, glancing down to see Tanji sitting there, fiddling with a huge stack of CDs. Tanji flashed him another, to which Kesu shook his head. They'd been doing this for about an hour, and it was still very early in the day. Kesu was like that, he had to have his part done ahead of time.

"You've said no to everything I own," Tanji scowled even deeper.

"It's going to be a fairly nice night," Kesu remarked, reaching down for another lantern. "Not too cold."

"Yeah that's a totally discrete subject change," Tanji snapped, glaring up at his friend. "We need music."

"I don't like any of your music," Kesu smiled sweetly down at him.

"That's not what I was asking. I need to know if other NORMAL people would like them. We did tell people to bring their own, didn't we?" Tanji looked down and pondered.

Kesu slipped down and looked up at the string of lanterns that would glow softly through the night, "Just remember some soft stuff between all that noise."

"Why, so you can dance with Kino," Tanji snickered in that strange way of his without even smiling.

Kesu cast an annoyed look at him, stringing up another strand. He smirked, "No, so you can dance with Ty."

"Oh yeah, c'mon, I got over my suicidal spell, remember," Tanji rolled his eyes, sitting there with his elbows on his knees, fixing his ponytail. "Where is everyone else?"

Kesu looked around the empty courtyard, keen eyes skimming over each building and the entire garden. "They're around, probably getting ready, calling friends, things like that. Not sure where Kino and Ty are, perhaps Ty drug her to the mall or something."

"Hehe," Tanji's patented smileless snicker. "Yotaka's probably locking all the doors. Still don't see why she let you do this."

Kesu tucked a strand of silver hair behind his ear, gazing at the room where he knew Yotaka was, "Because... it's good for all of us."

Tanji gathered up the CDs and padded over to the table where the player sat, "You've got that damn mystical tone in your voice again, you're plotting something."

"It's going to be a bad year, we need to be prepared."

"Soooo, we ring in the new year with a party?" Tanji turned and glared at Kesu, totally confused. "Sometimes I worry about your sanity more than mine... sometimes," he padded over to Kesu, climbing up the other side and folding his arms, a sort of half grin on his face. Kesu blinked back to reality, canted his head and smiled at him. Tanji gently touched Kesu's jaw, a faint bruise there. "Can't hardly tell now. If those guys show up can I kick their asses again?"

Kesu giggled, turning away to string another lantern, "I don't think they'll be bothering me again, but there's always another group," he sighed.

"They're just jealous you're so pretty. Well!" Tanji jumped down suddenly, as if to distract from the fact he'd said that, "I've got something I gotta get from my room," he scampered over to the student's living building.

Kesu just shook his head and finished with the lanterns.

Sanjiyana glanced over the somewhat vacant courtyard. All that appeared to be around were the courtyard walls and decorations. She fumbled with a flyer in her hands that contained the directions of where a party was going to be. She believed a party is what she needed to loosen up a bit. After all, she knew she was still new to the temple and school.

Sanjiyana proceeded to walk deeper into the temple's courtyard and glanced at a guy putting preparations around. Slowly and somewhat suspiciously, she made her way up to him speaking to herself in her own mind.

I had better not do anything out of the ordinary. I mean, I don't know anyone and this is my only opportunity. First impressions, remember good first impressions.

Sanjiyana finally approached him and uttered her first words to anyone since she arrived to the new school. "H-hello? My name is Sanjiyana, and I found this in my mail. Is this the place where the party is taking place? It sorta looks like I'm one of the first to arrive." Sanjiyana made sure her words ran smoothly together to keep herself lacking in confidence and eyed the guy with her dark green eyes.

I hope I don't look funny. That's the last thing I need.

Sanjiyana stood quietly awaiting his reply with an unsure face.

Kesu turned his head at the voice, body following and bowing naturally in greeting. "I am Kesu Hato," he stood straight and then paused as his eyes met hers. He smiled genuinely, light green eyes shining. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

She looked vaguely familiar, more than likely just from seeing her around Touteki now and then. Or maybe it was just her striking appearance that touched that kitsune part of himself. He dusted off his hands and nodded up at the lanterns. "Yes this is the place, I just finished my part of the preparations. The announcement said afternoon, so really you aren't early," he laughed, catching himself rambling, tucking a strand of silver behind his ear.

"A few more things the other Kiro kids should be handling, get a few more people here and we'll have a party going in no time," his eyes darted over to Tanji, who was standing outside his door looking the girl over. "Don't mind him, Tanji's just... odd. So, I'm free if there's anything you'd like to see or talk about."

Sanjiyana glanced over to where Tanji stood and smiled. "Oh, I see. He looks a little odd...maybe it's just me." Sanjiyana smiled and turned to Kesu to speak to him directly.

She thought for a split second before continuing the conversation. On second thought, you look just as odd as he does. Oh, it's probably nothing. Sanjiyana shook the thought out of her mind and continued to speak to Kesu.

"I'm glad to come across you and your friend over there. I'm kind of new here and have only been attending Touteki for about a month. I've probably missed at least five days worth of classes." Sanjiyana scratched the back of her head nervously and giggled. "Would you by chance be kind enough to give me a quick tour of the temple?" Sanjiyana's mind tensed, and she wondered if she would be asking too much.

Maybe I'll be able to relax with a small walk around the temple… perhaps learn something new while I'm at it. Sanjiyana folded the announcement and placed it into one of her sweat jacket's pockets. She looked up at Kesu after putting it away, awaiting for his reply once more.

Kesu's eyes were perfectly happy, "I'd love to show you around. Yotaka, Keeper of the Temple, has many of the rooms locked for the party, to keep kids out of mischief I suppose," a sly little quirk flashed across his otherwise sweet expression as he walked closer to the actual temple buildings.

He pointed to the right, the first building, "There are Yotaka's chambers, and the tea room. This building past it is a sort of training hall for Kiro students, a place to study for school as well. Directly in front of us is the actual temple, which I'm sure Yotaka has completely sealed off right now," Kesu giggled.

Kesu turned to their left, toward where Tanji was standing, stepping up onto the walkway and striding toward his friend. "And this is where the temple students live," he paused in front of Tanji, looking down at his friend and straightening Tanji's headband. "Could you wear something other than black, just for tonight?" he whispered pleadingly.

"I like black," Tanji argued, pouting.

"I know you like black, but just wear something else, quit looking so... frightening. You might make a friend," Kesu smiled and continued past him toward the garden gate. "The garden surrounds the temple, this is the main path," Kesu continued playing tour guide, turning and smiling at Sanji in an inviting manner. "I enjoy walking the garden."

"I occasionally do as well," Sanjiyana eyes the garden in content. She spots a particular flowering plant.

"Do you see the flowers right there?" Sanjiyana points to the little white buds next to the garden gate. "Those are my favorite… Japonica." Sanjiyana feels her muscles unstress as she kneels next to the plant and smells its buds. Her 'spirit' becomes stimulated, and she begins to talk about the familiar things in her lifetime with her eyes closed.

"When I was younger, I used to play in them… at least that's what I'm told. I don't remember too much, but I do remember their fragrance is most soothing to almost any soul… or perhaps only to those that have an urge to guide." Sanjiyana stops herself abruptly, noticing that she may cause Kesu to speculate.

What am I doing? I have to be more careful. And I have got to learn to relax, at least relax to a limit. Then again, maybe I need to stop being paranoid. Sanjiyana opens her eyes and stands back up. She dared not to pull any of the plant's stems off. I wonder if he has the capability of understanding that anyway. Well, I'll find out.

Noticing how Kesu patiently listened to her, she decided to ask him a question. After giving the Japonica one last glance, she looked to Kesu. "Kesu? Do you believe in an afterlife? Or maybe not that but in spirits?"

Kesu smiled knowingly, nodding, "I did most of the landscaping, a great deal of it is of course natural, but my touch did the rest. There is a hot spring through the trees ahead of us, it feeds a pond to the north, keeps this part of the garden warmer. The eastern side is almost like a completely different world."

He slipped his hands into his pockets, crossing his ankles as he stood there, gazing upward at the branches overhead. She was asking a delicate question, and he had to answer it delicately, based upon his own and rather brief knowledge of her. Ah but that was when those old instincts served him the best.

Kesu looked down at her, still smiling, "I believe very much in spirits, of course. At essence we are each a spirit, and each of us on a path, a lot like this one," his eyes shift downward to the well-laid stone. "I have walked many paths," he didn't speak with self-pride, but with a gentle tone that bespoke a great deal of knowledge at the offering. He took a few steps down the path as if in a dream-like state, a small bit of fog creeping from the foliage to swirl around his feet, which was odd because the natural morning fog had long since dissipated.

"A completely different world? I can imagine. You did a great job on the landscaping." Sanjiyana looked down the stone path and the scenery beyond it with a bright smile (one in which she hadn't shown anyone in quite a while). She pulled back her long, black hair and tied it, to keep it from swaying in the wind. She took a few steps to advance Kesu and barely took notice to the fog at his feet.

"I believe you are right, however, when your path ends...who will guide you, then?" Sanjiyana spoke with curiosity, though in her mind she was speaking with a quizzing tone.

Sanji tilted her head to Kesu and leaned her weight onto one leg. "Can we visit the hot spring?" She looked up at him with her dark green eyes.

"Oh I have a great many years before I need worry about my path ending, and perhaps even then... well I've taken steps along the way," Kesu glanced back at the temple.

Tanji was trying to get his attention, pointing toward another figure. Kesu looked stern for an instant, pointing at her. He turned back to Sanji and laughed, "Of course we can visit the spring."

He stepped forward off the path, delicately through the plants as if there were an unseen path there. Warmth touched their skin as they passed through the stand of bamboo trees. The spring itself was actually about seven feet above the calm pool it slipped into, surrounded by beautiful and thick foliage.

Kesu folded his arms over his chest, posture relaxing. "The stream can be followed all the way to the pond, but its easier just to walk on the path. But when it gets really cold, this is our outdoor sanctuary. The plants here never stop blooming."

"I have traveled all throughout Tokyo, and I have not seen anything as beautiful as this." Sanjiyana eyed the plants of the sanctuary in full bloom. The sight to her was breath-taking. To her delight, the flowers danced in the serene breeze of the afternoon. "I'll probably be finding myself around here more often. It's very… peaceful." Sanjiyana knelt down to gaze at the flowers close-up. Each petal from each flower was very well defined. She stood up to look at the calm waters after she was done.

"I like it here." Sanjiyana smiled and looked to Kesu happily. She noticed his relaxing stance and became more comfortable talking. Sanjiyana noticed that some time flew by. "I suppose we should begin to head back. More people are probably arriving." Sanjiyana pulled her hair back once again to capture the loose strands that kept dangling down her face. The hot spring gave her chills of warmth down her spine.

One thing's for sure about this place. It's a perfect spot to meditate and train. Sanjiyana gave the place one last look around.

"You are more than welcome here," Kesu parted the bamboo trees for her to go ahead of him. "If it weren't for the party I could show you inside some of the buildings," he smiled that naturally pretty and charming way of his, head slightly tilted, silver hair tumbling over one eye.

Music was flowing from the temple courtyard as the two of them stepped back onto the path. "Indeed, looks like we have a party going on here. Either way, since I've been talking to you I can tell my little idea is at least somewhat of a success," Kesu winked and left the conversation at that, his long legs stretching to carry him with a proud stride into the yard.

Kesu smiled to the other students that had gathered, some temple kids, mostly ningen schoolmates. But a few of the strangers shone out like beacons, the air about them different - at least according to Kesu's senses, which had years of training. The boy nodded to himself, standing there at the garden gate, eyes finding the other three of the core. Maybe the future wasn't looking too bad after all

~*~*~*~

Tanji slipped back inside his room, sighing at his closet of clothes. Kesu had said something not black for the party.

"Yeah right, everything I own is either black or my school uniform. Black... school uniform... black... school uniform," he slumped at the options. "Yeah right Kesu!" he yelled angrily at no one, scowling.

"Not like I wanna make friends anyway, I got plenty of friends. Friends just turn into enemies," he grumbled and grabbed his long over-jacket to slip over his tank top. There, keeping warm and hiding his bandaged arms. So what if it was all black, it was him, it was natural, and it served its purpose.

He pressed his lips together as he looked at his sword, on its stand there beside the bed pallet with the matching dagger. Kino and Kesu had begged him not to wear it when they'd been making plans for the party. Guests would probably not take well enough to an odd little guy with red eyes wearing all black, let alone with a sword. He didn't really care, but Kesu and Kino did.

Tanji stepped out of his room as he was, sliding the door closed behind him. He looked around the decorated yard as he let his long hair loose for a moment, absently fixing the hair-tie. He sighed and looked down at his hands, shaking as they were.

Kino sat high up in her favorite tree pitying herself. She glanced to her crimson hair, once straight, now primped... the tight waves falling to her shoulders. Kino sigh and tucked a strand behind her ear, and grimaced as she looked upon her outfit. The red, velvet tank top was basically sleeveless, tightly fitting to Kino's slim form, and stopping a little after her bellybutton, supported by a slim, sliver chain clasped around her neck. It had an interesting asterisk pattern with rhinestones on the front. Then followed by well fitting, flared, velvet pants, also a deep red color. Kino begrudgingly picked at the rhinestones running down the sides, and then scowled at the silver sandaled heels.

"This sucks." Kino confirmed grimly, though obviously the mage had no idea how stunning she looked. "At least I got away from that tiger before she found her make up." She muttered to herself.

Alas, it was getting late though, and Kino figured that if people would see her like this sooner or later. Slowly, she slipped deftly down the tree, landing in the middle of the court yard. She was greeted by the sight of Tanji on the farther side of the yard. Two slender brows rose in contemplation, and then embarrassment kicked in.

"Uhhh...hi...Tanji..." Kino said quietly, flushing and looking down

Tanji stopped walking, he had to or his feet would have tangled. He caught himself with his mouth open, snapping his jaw shut, hopefully before Kino noticed. DUDE she was even more gorgeous than usual.

The little half demon did his best to quickly hide any shock, continuing toward her calmly, clasping his shaking hands behind his back. A girl was giving him the 'hey lookit the little funny looking guy' look, he was used to it.

He smiled, actually smiled at Kino, deciding that not saying anything about her appearance would probably result in less shades of red for her face, hopefully. "Hey Kino. I was just playing greeter since Kesu decided to vacate with some sort of odd girl, smelled like him kinda. Not doing all too well, am I?" he looked up at the courtyard, an apologetic smile on his face. "Sorry, but I'm the anti-social temple misfit."

Kino glanced up, and blinked at Tanji's smile. Now that was strange...

Hmm, Kesu running off with some weird girl, Kino suppressed a chuckle. Maybe that wasn't so strange. She shook her head abruptly, storing her thoughts far away.

"Temple misfit, Tanji? Aren't thy forgetting me?" the halfling ningen murmured softly. "Hi there..." Kino said in an almost friendly manner to the girl that was eyeing Tanji apprehensively, well, as friendly as a little shy thing like her could be. She had to try and represent the Temple after all, "I'm Kino Kanan, This is Tanji Hisaki-"

"-and I'm TygerShadow." Ty cut in, grinning.

"Oof!" Went Kino as the Jujinkai clapped her smaller friend's shoulder, rather tightly.

"You ran away from me." Tyger muttered angrily. Kino glanced back to Tyger sheepishly. Ty raised a dark brow, but then shook her head, smiling. "Like me outfit? Eh Tanji?" Tyger winked, Kino rolled her eyes.

Indeed, Tyger was wearing a thin strapped, silken, violet dress, that stopped before mid thigh.... way before... showing off her long, strong, dark legs with various dark purple strips lining them. Ty's long hair was pulled up halfway, a few locks framing her face, the rest falling in loose waves to her waist.

"I was just leaving," the girl replied, entirely ignoring Ty, turning on her heel and striding off.

"She was leaving," Tanji echoed, nodding at Kino, trying to look smaller, taking a few steps backward until he touched the refreshment table. He slipped a bottle from within his overjacket, glancing at Ty, emptying it into the punch bowl.

Kino cocked her to the side as the girl gave her an icy look. Ty stiffened visibly; she took things like that very personally, Kino kept her from charging. Eventually Tyger relaxed and smiled at Tanji's bottle, and nodded approvingly.

"Hey Kino, hate to leave you but I really want to find some guys unless-"

"No, please, um, be my guest." Kino said hurriedly, blushing again, sighing as Ty grinned and bounded away.

Tanji discretely turned and wandered, away from the crowd that was severely getting on his nerves, doing a wide circle and ending up at Kino's other side, not sure why but wanting to be near her. "Man I just wanna go hide somewhere," he muttered. "By the way," he whispered to Kino, "You look great."

Kino blinked as Tanji reappeared at her other side, and then glanced away and going a few more shades of red as he whispered his compliment. Knowing they were rare from someone such as him, Kino forced herself to get something out.

"Thanks..." She said, making sure to keep her eyes on the floor but not on her stupid sandals. Then a small smile passed her face. "Tyger made me wear it."

Tanji gave a little nod to affirm that he'd heard her, but couldn't get himself to say anything more, no matter how much he wanted to.

~*~*~*~

Kesu strode along the outer edge of the yard, furthest from that entirely headache-causing music. He chatted with those hanging around and not dancing, just being friendly and casual with the ningen from Touteki. He was smiling as he strode toward another group he recognized from one of his classes, but then stopped suddenly, features changing to frightened in a split second.

A group of ningen boys strode into the yard, some Kesu recognized all too well. It was that group, well most of the group, that Tanji had almost gone to the hospital over while defending him. Most of the group because the rest 'were' in the hospital.

Kesu thought about slipping into the tea room, it was just right there, but it was too late, they'd already spotted him. They surrounded him before he knew it, petting his hair and pulling at his clothes.

"Hey there pretty boy, mind if we crash your party?" the one that towered above Kesu leered down at him.

Tyger grinned and giggled as she danced away from the boy she'd been flirting with.

"Hey, where you going, baby?" The boy said, dismayed and trying to follow, but was stopped by the crowd.

"Oh, no where..." Ty winked. "I'll see you around."

Laughing to herself, she blended into the darkness, her form easily concealed. Hmm, now, she had his number...along with a few others... Ty just hoped she had a photogenic memory. Didn't want to call the wrong guy...But it didn't really matter. This was just for fun. Not anything serious.

"Hmmmm..." Tyger sighed as she took a long drink of the spiked punch. It sent a quaint little buzz up her spine, but not hardly enough to give a real kick. She lazily looked about, for any other eligible bachelors... and then she saw Kesu...surrounded by a bunch of tough looking boys.

Well, not tough to Tyger, but to anyone else, yeah.

Slit pupils dilated as they picked at her friend's hair and clothes, Tyger's eyes became cold amethyst stones. The black disappearing. A low and daring growl slipped from her full lips, now pulled in an angry snarl. Something very violent had just slipped in place of a happy teenage flirt... And that was a Jujin.

"What seems to be the problem here boys?" TygerShadow's voice, dark and thick slid over the music in a very powerful way.

"Ooh, what's this? A nice little pussy?" The leader of the bunch said in a leering way, making a great show of looking at Ty.

"Oooh, and what it this? A nice little dick?" Tyger said, coming close, an eyebrow cocked.

A look of surprise came into the boy's eyes, but he didn't know anything about Jujinkai. He slid even closer against Tyger's body, grabbing her and smirking evilly.

"Don't you know not to mess with the big boys? Four dollar hoe?"

And that's when the boy received the most powerful punch in his life. It sent him barreling to the floor. He didn't even see it coming. No one did.

Tyger's eyes winked in a coolly wild way. She had felt his jaw break. Knew he'd only be able to eat jell-o for six months, and not much else for a few more months. Knew he'd wear the most embarrassing kind of head-gear for at least two years. And she smiled at the other few boys, his 'pals'.

"If you thought that was tough, you ain't seen nothin' yet, huns...I suggest you leave, and never touch Kesu again." Her voice left no one to doubt that if they objected, she'd kill them. Or at least make them wish she had.

Two of the guys ran like a bat outta Makai, but the other four besides the one she'd punched were just either too stupid to realize what they were getting into, or had a death wish.

"This ain't none of your business, pussy cat."

Kesu rather abruptly found himself on the ground as the four LUNATICS decided to jump Ty at the same time. He coughed, rubbing at his neck which had been in a vice tight enough to leave marks. He sat there trying to catch his breath, hoping Ty wouldn't let this get too bloody, there was an entire crowd watching, and there was no telling who might jump in on which side.

The last thing they needed was a temple yard full of fighting.

"Hehehe...okay, if that's what you wanna do..." Tyger said, her voice sounded coy, but her grin was deathly, and eyes were that of a predator that had zeroed in on it's prey.

Tyger dodged one that leapt from the front, lifting her leg and tripping him, then she hit the one coming from her left flank in a powerful swinging kick, the momentum carried her to face the one from the right, she feinted a punch to the lower rib cage with her left hand, and then slammed her fist into the side of his face with the right hand. They both went down, groaning. The back attacker charged. Tyger rolled her eyes and jumped into the air above him, landing behind, and then delivered low arched kick to the shins, he fell on his back, knocking his head on the cement. He was out. The one from the front rose slowly, holding a bloody nose.

Tyger stood, four heaps that were once proud and prominent school football players, bleeding and moaning, in front of her. She brushed the dusk off her silk, violet dress and giggled. Ty held up two claws in the V-victory sign. "Are you sure you're ready for me? Hot stuff? I've got eight more of these babies." Tyger wiggled her brows provocatively.

The guy stood there, just absolutely dumbfounded. His buddies managed to scramble to their feet, limping, swaying, but generally getting the hell outta there. He looked at his fleeing buddies, back at Ty, at the blood on his hand, back at Ty...

... and then left a poof of dust where he'd been standing.

Tanji grinned at Ty, helping Kesu to his feet, "Good job."

"Thank you Ty," Kesu smiled softly, voice even softer, looking at the ground.

"Hehehe...No problem." Ty replied happily to Kesu, but had a slightly worried look on her face, this seemed like an on-going problem. Next time, she wouldn't just punch them once.

Tanji signaled the people near the music to start it up again, waving away the crowd, signaling them to continue partying. "Hey, Kesu, why dontcha go relax for a minute?"

"Yes, I think I'll do that," Kesu slipped smoothly into the tea room, obviously still upset.

"I gotta go ring the next bell for the new year... thing," Tanji remembered with a sigh, blinked at Kino, turned slightly flushed, and slipped his way through the crowd to the temple.

"Ooooh yeah, those bells..." Tyger remembered, scratching her chin with a now clawless finger, and glanced to Tanji in a puzzled way as he blushed.

Kino didn't notice, she was too busy watching Kesu with a concerned expression. She too figured this was not a first time happening. Orange eyes met black speckled violet ones, and then the two friends smiled at each other.

"That went rather well." Kino commented dryly.

Tyger grinned as quirked an eyebrow. "I'd like to think so, they were so easy..." Then she growled darkly. "They better not do it again."

Kino looked down sadly. "Don't kill them, Tyger."

"And why not? Not like they would pause for a breath if they had a chance." Ty snapped.

"So? What do we have in common with them?" Kino said, almost pleading.

Ty gave a sigh, and then shook her dark ringlets. "You're too soft Kino." The softie only shrugged. "Didcha know Tanji was blushin' when he looked at ya?" Ty said suddenly, a sly smile on her lips.

Kino's eyes widened and she blushed. "Did not."

"Did too."

"Did not. Why would he?" Kino looked up imploringly.

Tyger only laughed. "Okay, whatever you say, but I know what I saw..."

Kino shook her head and the two drifted into silence as they listened to the bells chiming.

~*~*~*~

Kesu leaned back against the door, closing his eyes. He heard her footsteps, felt the heat of tea, and her gentle touch as she lifted his hands and placed the cup there. Kesu looked down at Yotaka, managing a weak smile, but a tear slipping from his eye.

Yotaka reached up and brushed it away. "Come now, Kesu my old friend, those don't suit you."

"I'm just... tired of it," he sipped the tea.

She could hear the harshness in his tone, familiar as it was even if it didn't suit him as he was now. She took the cup and turned to set it down. He was pacing now.

"I mean, I'm 'how' old and I can't take care of myself? I've got Ty and Tanji fighting my battles. What's WRONG with me!?" he gave the wall a solid punch, knuckles cracking.

Yotaka stepped forward quickly, grabbing his arm and reaching up to caress his face. It calmed him a little. "You're the same, and yet you're not the same. I can't imagine how it feels to you, truthfully."

"It's frustrating... and confusing," Kesu sighed, wrapping his arms around Yotaka.

"Just as confusing as Tanji and Kino being halfbreeds, just as confusing as every teenager crosses that threshold into adulthood. It all comes down to finding who you really are. You spent so long thinking yourself this certain person, and now you are someone else."

Kesu closed his eyes and nodded, letting his forehead rest against her's as they listened to Tanji sounding the second bell. "I'm sorry I got angry, Yotaka-chan."

"Don't be, Kesu, it's a part of you, even if it has been hidden. Now, get back out there. There's still a party going on," she gave him a little nudge toward the door.

Kesu smiled back at her and slipped back out into the temple yard. He wound his way across the sea of dancing bodies, dancing now and again when someone caught him and moved with him, making his way to the refreshment table. He made small talk with some students from Touteki there, some he didn't know, none of which really caught his interest as a prospective Temple student. He told himself not to worry too much, the night was still young.

~*~*~*~

Kino and Ty still stood together, leaning against the wall.

"Having fun?" Tyger asked, boredom in her tone.

"Well...no...I thought you were though..." Kino began, glancing up to her much taller friend.

"Uugh, I just don't see any other guys that I'd-" then Tyger stopped as she looked over to the refreshment table, and then smiled. "Hey, lookie over there, next to the punch bowl." Tyger nudged Kino, who scowled and then looked over.

"Wha? You wanna dance with Kesu?" Kino asked, incredulously, orange eyes bright. "But I thought you-" Then she ducked, avoiding a swat from Ty. "Hey, watch it."

"No, not Kesu, Kino, HIM. Jesus, me flirting with Kesu..." Tyger rolled her violet eyes.

Kino grinned. "Well, you have to admit, it would be an amusing spectacle..." She glanced to the boy, and then looked away quickly. "I suppose he's good looking..." Her soft voice trailed off, shyly, color rose to her face.

Tyger arched a brow. "Suppose? What's to make you doubt it?" The Jujin winked and smiled. "Unless you wanna have him-"

Kino cast her an irritated glance. "I didn't mean anything, I just..." Kino shrugged, annoyance showing in her expression.

"Too shy, alas, good friend, when will you start acting like you're in high school?" Then Tyger flitted away, giggling at the now miffed red head. She went to the quite popular refreshment table, and slid up, next to her target. "Hey pretty..." Tyger cast a provocative smile, the black in her eyes twinkling

"Heya Ty," Kesu giggled at Ty's approach to the guy, rather like she was hunting him. He tried to motion toward Kino and the temple, but a shifting of people around him was making it hard. He stepped himself away from the table a little, leaning relaxed against the pillar that supported the walkway's roof, hands slipped into his pockets.

He debated seriously on dumping the punch, but everybody seemed to be enjoying it, most of them just loosening up and not getting plastered. Then again most of the Touteki ningen drank on occasion, weekend parties and such, so they weren't vulnerable to it. And speaking of the punch and the one who had more than likely spiked it, where the hell was Tanji?

~*~*~*~

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