Chapter 4 

	Makoto, Minamida, and Ariana all stared at the vast
 amount of food covering the table. Tasuki snorted, then 
sat down next to Chichiri. Tamahome sat at the far end of 
the table, as far from Miaka as possible. Miaka was next to 
Yui, and eating everything within her reach. Chichiri sat 
in his own spot, next to Tamahome. Fate and Willow sat by
 Tasuki. At the head of the table,  Houki sat with her son
 Boushin. 

	" 'Riana-chan, look at all the food!" Minamida 
squeaked. 

	"Yah, no kidding," Ariana replied. 

	"Food is good," Makoto said with a huge grin. 

	Tamahome looked up at Ariana, who was looking at 
him shyly. He smiled, "Ariana, why don't you sit by me." 

	Ariana's eyes popped wide open. She nodded, blushing
 madly. She walked slowly over by Tamahome and sat down.
 Tamahome smiled, then handed her a bowl of assorted fruit.
 Ariana accepted it and began to eat. Gradually, she calmed
 down and began to talk to Tamahome as she would with any
 of her friends. 

	Makoto sat down next to Minamida, who sat down next 
to Chichiri. Chichiri smiled at Makoto, who grinned back in 
return. Minamida, oblivious to this silent greeting, reached
 for a turnover and began to eat the flaky treat. Makoto 
pushed her wire-rimmed glasses further up her nose, glanced 
down at her bowl of cut up melons, and began to eat. Chichiri
 ate his food slowly, relishing every bite. 

	Fate and Willow were trying out anything and
 everything. If Fate had a bowl of chocolate covered nuts,
 Willow would try that and then share whatever she had,
 which for now was a bowl of assorted fruits. Tasuki just 
ate whatever was in reach. He wasn't picky. 

	Houki watched as the others enjoyed their meals. 
When they were slowing down, she stood up to talk. 

	"Ahem, I'm assuming you are all enjoying your meals."

	"Itadakimasu!" came the reply. 

	"Er, Miaka more than others, but...anyway...Now that
 Miaka and everyone else is here...I would say we should
 start planning your trip to Taitsukun's. I would assume 
that is where you want to go to...so..."

	Chichiri nodded, "You're right Emperess no da. We 
should probably head to Taitsukun's as soon as possible no 
da." 

	"That would be today then, because I can get 
everything you need by noon." Houki said. 

	"All right then, it's settled. We are heading off
 this afternoon," Tamahome said. 

	With that said, everyone went back to their
 breakfast. 
				*	*	*	*	
	Later that morning, Willow, Makoto, Fate, Minamida,
and Ariana were all getting their winter apparel that they 
had with them when they got sucked into the The Universe of 
the Four Gods. 

	Willow pulled on her heavy blue winter coat. She 
pulled the hood on and struck a pose, "How do I look, 
dahlings?"
	
	"Just gorgeous love," Ariana replied, as she put 
on her own purple winter coat.  

	Makoto laughed whilst putting on her heavy forest green 
winter coat, "Howz about me dearests?"
	
	"Blech!" Fate cried, laughing. She had on a black 
winter coat, and was putting on her own hood. 

	"That was mean Fate-chan," Minamida reprimanded,
 but couldn't help but giggle all the same. Her winter 
coat was a nice shade of grey that blended in well with 
whatever she wore. 

	All five girls put on their assorted back packs 
and over-the-shoulder bags, talking and giggling all the 
while. Once they all were bundled up, they headed outside 
toward where the others were waiting with their horses and
 supplies. It was snowing when they went outside, and of
 course, it was quite cold. 
	
	As the girls walked down the boardwalk toward the
 courtyard they were to meet everyone else in, they 
chattered on about anything and everything. Which, in 
their case meant they were talking about everything from
 broken noses to bras. (Note: This will NOT be a hentai,
 it's just that my sense of humor may get a liddle strange
 sometimes, so bear with me here.) As they walked, they met
 up with Yui and Miaka. They greeted one another then went
 on their way toward where their horses were waiting. 

	"Brr, it's cold out here!" Ariana muttered. 

	"No kidding," Fate agreed. 

	"I like the snow, but I hate the cold," Makoto said. 

	"I'm assuming this will be with us all the way to 
Taitsukun's," Yui commented. 
	
	"Great!" Miaka said brightly, "I love snow." 
	
	Willow groaned, "Me too, but like Makoto said, I 
hate the cold." 

	Soon enough, the girls met up with Tasuki, Tamahome,
 and Chichiri. Houki was standing under the roof of the 
boardwalk, little Boushin was at her side, hiding halfway
 behind his mothers beautiful skirts. Minamida glanced at 
the little boy and waved. The boy granted her a shy smile. 
Houki smiled at Minamida, who grinned back, then turned to
 where the Seishi were talking with the other girls. 

	"...So now we need to pair off for the horses,"
 Tamahome was saying as Minamida brought her attention 
back to the group. 

	Miaka and Yui voted to go together on a horse. That
worked out just fine, considering they are best friends. 
Fate decided she would share a horse with Minamida. Fate 
knew a lot about horses and riding them, but Minamida didn't,
 so it made sense that Fate pair up with her. Fate grinned 
mischeivously from her perch on the horse. Minamida had a 
mock-frightened look on her face. Fate turned around and 
promised that, until Minamida was used to riding, she wouldn't 
go fast like she normaly does. 
	
        Willow admitted that she had never ridden a horse 
before, so Tasuki decided to ride with her so she would feel
 a little more comfortable. (Willow is very lucky she can 
keep her cool, because if she couldn't, all her friends 
would be able to tell that she was feeling very, er, happy
 and shy about riding with the flaming haired bandit.) 
Tasuki turned around and told her to hang on to his waist. 
Willow obliged, glad that she wasn't blushing madly, like 
she wanted to. Tasuki turned back around and calmly waited
 for everyone to get ready. 
	
	Tamahome decided to claim Ariana as his riding 
partner, leaving Chichiri to pair up with Makoto. 

        (Unfortunately for both girls, they can't keep their cool 
like Willow-chan, so they were both quite red as they were
 helped up onto their horses. Ariana was red because she 
liked Tamahome, and Makoto isn't used to being so close 
with a guy so...) 

         As soon as Tamahome climbed up onto the 
horse, he turned to Ariana and gave her a reassuring smile.
 She smiled back shyly as Tamahome turned back around. 
Ariana slowly put her arms around Tamahome's waist.
She relaxed when she realized that he didn't care. 'Hmm...
looks like I could get used to this...'
	
	Chichiri climbed up onto his horse after he helped 
Makoto up. He settled down into the saddle, then turned 
around. "Are you ready no da?" Makoto nodded, then managed
 a small grin. Chichiri patted her on the shoulder, then 
reassured her that he would go easy on her. Makoto nodded
 again, then wrapped her arms around Chichiri's waist. 
Turning back around, Chichiri told everyone that they
 should head off now. 
	
	They did, leaving a flurry of snow in their wake. 
Emperess Houki watched alongside Boushin as they headed
 down the snowy path. 'Good luck to you all. And please, 
come back safely. I have no idea what Taitsukun has in store
 for you, but I think we all are about to find out.'

	Houki turned to her son, "Are you ready to go in 
dearie?"
	
	The young emperor Boushin, looked up at his mother 
and nodded. Together, mother and son walked into the palace, 
to prepare for another day in thier lives.