Sweet Suzaku I'm ALIVE!! ^________^ I can finally post again!! Hallelujah!! Missed me all? I missed you all too ^^ Thanks to all of you who've been waiting.

Okay, foreground time! This is probably going to be a slightly dark fic focusing entirely on Chichiri. There will be an original character in later chapters, but I don't think there'll be a relationship (maybe…) Anyway. This takes place a year after Tenkou was vanquished, at the palace of Konan. Chichiri has also found he can use Hikou's pendant for…well, I'll let ya read that yerself. But I'll say…..well, I'll say nothing and keep you all wondering!

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Crashing Tides

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Ah, spring in Konan. It couldn't get more beautiful, Chichiri thought. As usual, he was fishing, not intending for a catch of any kind. Indeed, he was oblivious to his pole. His eyes were on the landscape around him. The flowers in the imperial garden were in full bloom, their fragrances reminding him of the perfume Kouran used to wear. Cherry blossoms. The trees had sprouted with new growth and the leaves were already unfolding. Now his memory turned to when he and Hikou would pelt each other with the still rolled up leaves until the elders of the village warned them that without their leaves, the trees would bear no fruit. Not that it mattered much. More always grew back.

"Ah, Hikou. The troublesome days…" he laughed slightly, touching the pendant around his neck. Ever since the experience with his older friend's demon form, he had worn the headdress as a necklace. "We'd still have been troublemakers had Kouran not come along and drilled her logic of being good into us. I miss her. And you know I miss you too."

Yes, I know, his friend's deep voice replied. Any catches?

"Nothing no da. Never have, you know."

I remember. You would never catch a thing, and when you did you tossed it back.

"They weren't big enough."

You mean not as big as mine.

"Everything was always bigger for you, wasn't it no da?"

Everything. I think we designated THAT on that warm day in June when we were fifteen?

"Don't remind me no da. I can't believe Jusei sent Kouran to us after we told him to keep watch!"

You know he was as bad a pervert as I was.

"Remind me why I was friends with you…"

Luck, Ri. Just luck.

Chichiri grinned, removing his hand from the pendant. It was a month ago he'd discovered it. Hikou had sealed part of himself away within it before he had died for the second time. To bring up his friend, all he had to do was touch it and speak. In private of course. The others at the palace would give him strange looks until he explained. And that was something he didn't entirely want to do.

Well, back to the pointless task of fishing.

"Oye! Chichiri!"

The monk sighed as the bandit approached. Tasuki only came looking for him when there was something the bandit desired that Chichiri could get for him.

"Morning, Tasuki-kun no da," Chichiri forced a smile. Without his mask, smiling in situations he didn't necessarily want to smile about wasn't easy. "Do you need something?"

"Nah…" Tasuki looked out over the lake, coming to sit next to his friend. "Just wanted ta see ya again. Wanted ta….y'know…say goodbye."

Chichiri's good eye widened.

"Goodbye?!"

"Yeah." A serene smile spread over the bandit's face. "Decided last night I'd set out for Mount Reikaku. It's been great these past few years, hanging with ya and travelin' and all, but the guys…I miss 'em all too. Kouji, Reiku, hell, even Eiken. But not much. You know what I'm talkin about though."

"Hai no da." Chichiri let the fishing pole drop to the ground in front of him. "I wish I had a place to go back to. People to return to."

Tasuki hesitated.

"Well, you know you could give up the monkhood and come join up with me n my boys."

This made Chichiri laugh.

"I could never be a bandit no da!"

Tasuki smirked.

" 'S what my old man said 'bout me before I ran off, n lookit me now!"

"Hai, no da. But that's just not the life for me."

"Damn right it ain't. Your life's here. At the palace, with Houki n Boushin. Take care of 'em Chichiri. After I'm outta here, you'll be all they have left."

Now the smile came naturally.

"Alright. Take care of yourself, Suzaku seishi Tasuki."

"Same with you, Suzaku seishi Chichiri."

A quick embrace later, Tasuki was waving farewell.

"Don't get into too much trouble no da…" he whispered, moving to take a seat and resume fishing. "Oh give me a break no da…"

During the farewell ceremony, it seemed Chichiri had caught a fish. His pole was floating a short distance away in the water.

"Well darn it all no da," Chichiri sighed. He scanned the distance between his ledge and the pole. Perhaps he could reach it if he stretched. Gripping the edge of the land protruding over the water in one hand, he reached forward tentatively.

"Come on no da…" he hissed, teeth clenched determinedly. His fingers brushed the pole. "Got it!"

But who had what was the question, for the moment his hand graced the fishing pole, he couldn't pull away, and Chichiri was jerked forcefully into the water, one hand attached to the pole.

Panic flooded his mind the moment he was pulled under. He couldn't breathe, nor could he move upward. The water was black-dark, and he could no longer see the pole. Chichiri could have sworn the lake was only a few feet deep. Instinctively, his hand jerked up to Hikou's pendant.

Houjun, breathe!

"I'm underwater you idiot!!"

Well being underwater hasn't ruined your vocalization.

Chichiri blinked as the pole released itself from his hand and his body up-righted itself.

"Good point…WHAT'S GOING ON?!!"

Well maybe if you keep sinking you'll find out.

"……Someday, Hikou….someday…your sarcasm is going to get you in trouble."

It did many years ago. You should remember that.

"Heaven should have rules against sarcasm."

I'm not in heaven.

Chichiri paused, although he was still sinking.

"But then-?"

I'm in your necklace, fool.

"HIKOU!!"

As he shouted his best friend's name jokingly, a shiver ran up his spine and a sensation of something being torn away jerked at his fingers. The knot holding his necklace on came undone, and the pendant slipped through his hand, floating up towards the surface.

There shall be no magic here, mage of Suzaku, a voice echoed deep within the hollows of his mind.

"What?" Chichiri whispered as his feet touched a cold, sandy bottom. Around him was darkness. There were no plants, no fish, not a thing but sand within the ten feet he could see.

No magic. I will not have blasts shot at me.

"Who are you?!" Chichiri demanded. What could be powerful enough to take his magic away from him? A shadow appeared in the water, emerging from the darkness. Just before it came forth, it paused. All Chichiri could make out was two gigantic red eyes, each possibly as big as his own hands.

I am a demon. I have been trapped here for so many years…so many…

"So what do you want no da? If I can't use magic I can't free you."

I am aware. I did not summon you here to free me. Only those I summon can see my lair. I bring a warning for you, mage. A warning of something not even the gods are aware of. Only I. Nothing escapes me.

"A warning?"

Yes. Listen close, mage. I'll say this no more than once.

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"Oh yeah, Chichiri! I wanted ta give ya-" Tasuki blinked.

"Chichiri?"

The monk wasn't there.

"Oh, c'mon man, you were just here a second ago! I can't just turn mah head and you be gone. But then again, you are the one with the teleportation powers, but HELL! Where'd ya need ta tele-" Tasuki's eyes were directed to the water, where a familiar fishing pole had emerged. "port…oh no fuckin way…"

As if to confirm it, Hikou's necklace broke the top of the water next to the pole a moment later.

"Shit…CHICHIRI!!" For the second time in a month, Tasuki forgot his fear of water and that he couldn't swim, and dove in. Underneath the water, his eyes scanned for the bottom. The lake only went down ten feet, but it was a dark ten feet. His eyes glanced around carefully, the water stinging them. Blinking it out for a moment, he dove down further. There. Right under where the necklace had come from, a flutter of a cape. A familiar pattern. Light began to pierce the lake then, illuminating the sandy bottom. Tasuki had a clear sight of Chichiri. The monk's face was slightly blue, his eyes wide open, his body unmoving. Vines of seaweed were holding him down.

No…Suzaku don't let me be too late! Tasuki thought as he dove the rest of the way to his friend. Easily wrenching him out of the weeds, the bandit pushed off the ground hard. He was running out of breath, and patience was short with worry. A moment later his head broke the surface, Chichiri's with him.

"Shit, man, what the hell'd you do?!" Tasuki exclaimed as he pulled the limp body to the closest shoreline.

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"What?!" Chichiri exclaimed. "What are you talking about?!"

I believe I did say I wouldn't repeat myself.

"I know, I know, but I don't understand!"

Mage, you know what you must. Everything will become clear in time. For now, it is time for you to return to your world. I shall remain down here. Tell no one about this, mage, or it shall be the worse for you than what I have warned you of. Farewell, mage of Suzaku. The eyes began to vanish back into the darkness.

"Wait!" Chichiri cried. "I-"

Before he could continue, a jolt shot through his body, a tugging. A painful tugging. Then it stopped. And again.

Come back, you idiot! A familiar voice echoed in his mind.

"Tasuki?"

Come on, you can't just leave me like this!

Another tug, stronger than all the others. Suddenly, he felt like he was being yanked through the water at a strong speed. He closed his eyes tightly. It was painful. Water was filling his lungs. He couldn't breathe.

And then, he was on land. Water welled up in his throat. Leaning his head to the side, he willed himself to cough, the water receding from his lungs with each one.

"Chichiri! You're alright!!"

Chichiri opened his eyes. Tasuki was kneeled beside him, arms crossed defiantly over his chest.

"T-Tasuki?"

"Don't you EVER fuckin do that to me AGAIN! If yer gonna try and fuckin DROWN yerself, don't you ever fuckin do it when I'm fucking around!!" he practically exploded.

"I don't think I've ever heard you say that expletive so many times in one breath no da…" Chichiri grinned, breathing heavily. The air felt good, the sun warming the water off of him.

"Don't go and try to change the fuckin subject! I don't go diving into water ta save just anybody y'know! You n Miaka only! N Kouji. Nobody else, ya fuckin idiot! Just be fuckin glad you're fucking ALIVE because a me!"

He'd been drowning? Chichiri blinked. But he'd been breathing just fine.

Only those I summon can see my lair.

Of course then. Tasuki couldn't have seen the water demon. Only the shallow lake and him at the bottom.

"Gomen, Tasuki. I fell in when I tried to grab my fishing pole and I couldn't get back out."

"No fucking kidding, with the weeds grabbin ya like that! I thought you were fuckin dead already!" Tasuki's face changed from anger to relaxation. "Next time, be more careful."

Chichiri chuckled.

"And here I was telling you to be careful and I fall in no da. Thank you for saving me. I owe you my life."

"Yer welcome and yes you fuckin do! Oh!" Tasuki dove into his coat pocket. "Wanted ta give ya this." His hand emerged, curled into a fist. Chichiri held out his hand and into it was dropped…a single earring. The match to the one Tasuki was wearing.

"If ya ever wanna visit mah boys n me at the Mountain, show 'em that. It'll getcha in. All th' guys know these earrings. They get passed down through fights. And ain't no one beat me yet!"

Chichiri smiled, closing his hand around the earring.

"Arigatou, Tasuki-kun."

"Yeah, yeah. Just dun get inta any more trouble."

"I can't guarantee that no da. I'm a Suzaku seishi, remember?"

"Yeah…trouble does pretty much follow us."

Finally, the bandit departed, and Chichiri was able to retrieve his pole and pendant from the lake.

"Hikou, you okay?"

Of course I am. What about you? What happened?

Chichiri closed his eyes, then looked out over the lake again.

"I'm not exactly sure no da."

As he looked over the lake, he couldn't see it. All he saw were two giant eyes emerging from blackness.

All that you love, mage. All you love will be thrown into jeopardy, and life will be a game of survival. From the next moment you breathe air.

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So! Any guesses on what that demon could/should be? You're probably already formulating ideas in your head, but I'll divulge nothing! Why? Because it might spoil the next chapter! And we don't want that now do we?