Chapter 1: Preparations

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Ruaki leads Valgarv out of the very desolate and empty Temple of the Goddess of All and the Guardian of Life. Val's carrying a small box on his shoulders, a sulking pout on his cute lil' face. Ruaki shoves a small TV into Val's grasp.

Ruaki: There!! That's for the PSX. ^_^ Goddess knows that you'll never get the TV away from Duo-kun, Zel-kun, Suboshi, and X-chan. ^_^

Val: ::grumbling:: I STILL don't bloody see why I have to damn well go over THERE. ::curses:: Now I gotta spend the frickin' summer with that damn Mazoku, a death-bloody-god wannabe, and an freakin' erotic brat!! ::more cursing::

Ruaki taps him on the nose.

Ruaki: Language.

Val: ::mocks her, rolling eyes:: I'm perfectly capable of stayin' at the Temple by myself, ya know. I'm not some child.

Ruaki: Oh no. I WANT to come back to a nice, STANDING Temple. ^_^ Just be a good boy and go over to the Ifni no Miko's while I'm gone. Else... ::mischievous grin:: I'll ship you over to the Temple of Enigma or maybe to Nikki's place.

Val: O_o... I'm goin' I'm goin'!!!!

Ruaki: ::hugs:: Now you be a good boy!! Don't fight with X-chan too much, and PLEASE don't blow up anything. I've given you back your full powers cause I know Xellos too well, but I can NOT afford repairs on Steph's Temple as well as mine.....

Val: Yeah yeah yeah.....

Ruaki: ::another hug:: I'm gonna miss you!!

Val gets an impatient look. Ruaki wipes away a tear.

Ruaki: Well get going!!!

Val walks off to Ruaki's waving and various pieces of advice, such as to brush his teeth after every meal and to be sure to not mix his whites with his colors when doing the laundry.

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Val walks up to the Temple of Ifni, uses the full proof (well, as full proof as anything can get in the Temple) bishounen side door Zel showed him last time he was there, and entered into chaos.

Val: What the @#)(*$ is goin' on here?!

All the bishounen are running around pulling out junk and long lost belongings, piling clothes, overturning and pulling furniture towards a large pile in the center of the Temple while Xel oversees the whole mess. Steph comes out of the computer room (a first) dragging the whole computer desk, the shrines, and every other odd and bizarre thing that somehow found it's way into her domain. She dumps it all on the pile, dusts off her hands, looks around, and spots Val.

Steph: Val! We wondered when you were coming!

Val: Ruaki just left. She sent me over.

Steph: Excellent. We can start.

Val: Start what?!

Steph: Packing and cleanup, of course.

Val: For what?!

Zel wanders in carrying a pile of books.

Zel: For Germany.

Val: What?!

Steph: She didn't tell you, did she?

Val starts getting just plain repetitive (he got there a long time ago).

Val: Tell me what?!

Zel sets the books on (or rather, beside) the pile.

Zel: Steph's going to Germany for six weeks and we're going with her. She already has the plane tickets and everything, so all we need to do is get ready.

Val: Then why the pile?

Zel: So we don't forget anything. We'll go through it piece by piece and either pack it up or put it away.

Val: Whose bright idea was that?!

Xel pops in beside them.

Xel: Mine! ^_^

Val: Figures.

Xel: ::to Steph:: All done! ^_^

Steph: ::nods:: Okay. Let's start.

They quickly eliminate the furniture and cooking supplies, but come to blows over the entertainment equipment.

Suboshi: Why can't we bring the TV?

Steph: Three reasons. They have one, we need an adapter, and there's only three channels anyway.

Suboshi: ::sighs:: I guess that means the computer, the Sega, and the stereos are all out.

Steph: Yeah.

Collective sighs from all present.

Duo: ::hysterical sounding:: What are we supposed to do?!

Zel: Read.

Steph: Write.

Suboshi: Explore.

Xel: Sightsee. ^_^

Zel smacks Xel.

Zel: ::yelling:: We are not visiting the train wreck!

Xel: Awwww ... ^_^

They sort through the greatly decimated pile for their own stuff before doing some general Temple cleaning while putting everything back where it belongs.

Steph: Okay, we can only have one carry on apiece and we'll have to share suitcases.

Everyone looks at each other, then at Xel.

All: ::in unison:: I'm not sharing a suitcase with the fruitcake!

Steph: ::rolls eyes:: Then I will.

Xel: See. She likes me best. ^_^

Val smacks Xel.

Val: Ya nutbag! No one wants ta share with ya!

Duo & Suboshi: ::in unison:: Yeah! Dibs!

Zel: Val and I have one!

Xel grabs Val.

Xel: You're gonna help me pack! ^_^

Zel: Don't let him talk you into the dress.

Val: Wha -- ?!

Steph: ::yelling after Xel:: And no bombs!

Xel: Awwww ... ^_^

Xel drags a cussing Val off. The other bishounen also go pack (with far less noise), while Steph sends Rezo, Nosedive, and the MIB on their way with some final instructions. Chichiri and Tasuki choose this moment to wander in (for once).

Chichiri: What happened here, no da?

Tasuki: ::raises an eyebrow:: Xel found the liquor again, huh?

Steph: No, we're going on vacation.

Tasuki: ::big puppy eyes:: Without us?

Steph sweatdrops.

Steph: Ummmm ...

Chichiri: We don't have time, no da. We have to meet Koji, no da. We were just stopping by, no da.

Tasuki: Duh! What was I thinking!? Besides I don't think I want ta go anywhere with the fruitcake. See ya!

They leave. Steph waves and goes to pack. Later ... while packing ...

Suboshi: Ryuuseisui, clothes, flute, mallet, hair stuff, flyswatter, spare headband, candy, picture of Amiboshi sniff, picture of Duo ...

Duo: Sickle, spare black (priest) clothes, cap, hair stuff, guns, some other lethal weaponry, detonator, Shinigami remote, self destruct mechanism, portable piano, candy, picture of Suboshi ...

Val: Spare pants, jacket (darn the dress code), cape, spare headband, cherry toy, light weapon, candy, Mazoku repellent (this stuff better work!), picture of Garv, harp, picture of Zelgadis ...

Zel: Books, sword, spare tan clothes, cape, brooch, instant coffee, Mazoku repellent (better work for the money I paid), candy, soap, guitar ...

Xel: Staff, various torture/bondage devices, spare cape, clothes, dresses, my Val & Zel shrine, recipe book (handed down through the Mazoku generations), camera, camcorder, candy, flute, picture of Zelgadis, picture of Valgarv ...

Steph: Books, clothes, binder, paper, candy, CDs, CD player, tapes, tape player, passports, tickets, boarding passes, ID, blanket, keys, Advil, fics, money ...

Finally all the packing is done and they move out of the Temple (Steph locks up), pile into the car, say their good-byes to the odd looking edifice that is their home, and head for the airport.

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Chapter 2   |   The Harem Tales   |   Harem   |   Fanfiction