With a sinking feeling, he eyed the erlenmeyer flask and the little magnet whizzing happily around at the bottom. The solution had turned yellow, and the recipe said it was supposed to be purple.

When the distillation apparatus burst and spread its contents all over the lab, he fireballed the entire room and went off to hunt down Yaone, whom Nii had told him to babysit.

Dokugakuji watched the gigantic pod containing the Ox King like a hawk. If, by some fit of karmic endlösung, Lirin actually managed to work out the machinery and the magics, it was a safe bet that a muscular youkai in a bad drag outfit topped with a wig wouldn't please Gyuumaoh.

Doku forced himself to leave that train of thought and fondled the Seiten Scripture instead. It felt good.

The respite lasted only until he saw Lirin light up yet another smoke, stuff the bunny into her lab-coat pocket and smirk at her laptop screen.

Would this day never end?

Nii posed shamelessly on the rooftop, Gyuokumen by his side. The wind swept his brand new tails of red hair around and made his nipples perk up in defence. Jeans, leather, bare chest, jewelry and an appreciative, if puzzled, audience. What more could a man want?

He was mildly miffed that Gyokumen had refused to dress in nothing but trousers and a shoulder guard, but seeing Dokugaku in that dress made up for the disappointment and the hours spent in the make-up chair to get the ears and the nails done.

"Now give up the scripture, Sanzou-ikkou!" he commanded brusquely.

Sanzou saw the poseurs on the rooftop and grinned. "Oh, this will be good..."

Gojou grimaced around his smoke and finished loading the gun. It'd be impossible to move properly in the damn robes, so the revolver was his best bet.

Hakkai lit up another Hi-Lite and fought back a cough. "Woah, look at Lord Freakshow!" he drawled and tried hard to slouch.

Gokuu straightened his sash and tried to think ki-thoughts. This was gonna suck in all kinds of ways. "Ah, how nice of you to join us today, Kougaiji," he managed.

And then Sanzou took off his diadem.

"Kanzeon Bosatsu-sama! This is a disaster!"

"Shush. Look at my nephew go! Maybe he'll finally start evolving his potential; I'm sick of waiting."

"But this is WRONG! Role-reversal is all well and good, but this time you went a overboard. Switching the essence of the Seiten Taisei into Konzen, it's..."

"Are you questioning my superior judgement, Jiroushin?"

"Er." He swallowed, doom written all over his face. "Of course not, Kanzeon-sama. But..."

"No buts. Take your hat and cloak, and go. And don't forget to give Nataku the revolvers!"

Kanzeon lounged against Hazel's throne. "The normal schedule will resume tomorrow morning."