I wrote this fic a few years ago, it was my first Fushigi Yuugi fanfic, and it's kind of short, but I like it that way. I wanted to write a story about the Byakko Seishi, but it was a little tricky since I don't really know anything about them. Anyway, the basic idea is that this is a little section of what happens to some of them when they're off traveling (I assume they travel…) It's a nice premise, but I didn't get to fully explore the ideas I had (mainly with the way the two kinds of waiting parallel eachother) so maybe I'll rewrite it someday. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it, it's really kind of a sad story if you know about Suzuno and Tatara-sama.

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Suzuno sat on the cold rocky floor of the cave, waiting. It had been several hours, and the storm outside had gotten worse. The thought of what danger Tatara might be in made her shiver more than the cold. Koki came over to give her a drink of water.

"Thank you." She said.

"Don't worry. He'll return soon. It's his job to protect you, it's our duty."

"I know, thank you." She drank the water, which tasted sweet like dew. It made her think of the tiny cup-shaped flowers that Tatara had shown her. She remembered how the flowers would catch rainwater, and how the birds would drink from them.

They had watched the birds together…

"I can't take it anymore!" Karasuki said, "All of this waiting! I'm going to go look for them."

"Karasuki, no." Subaru said, firmly.

"Subaru, how can you be so calm? Don't you care – they could be in danger!"

"Of course I care! Tokaki's out there with him! If I had it my way, they would have both stayed here with us, but you know they wouldn't do that. If we don't find the others…"

"Don't talk like that, please." Suzuno said quietly. "I know we'll find them. I know we will. Only two more Seishi and then I can summon Byakko… and then…" and then Tatara and I can be together, she thought. If only he'd return…

Subaru stood up and went over to put her arm around her miko. "Don't worry, Suzuno. It'll be all right. If anyone can do it, it's Tokaki and Tatara."

Suzuno wiped her eyes, "I know. You're right. I'm sure they'll be back, I know they're safe."

"It's just this waiting…" Karasuki said. "And this stupid cave, I can't stand it anymore."

"What should we do?"

"Suzuno," Koki suggested, "Why don't you tell us about your world?"

"My world? What about it?"

"What's it like? What do you do there?"

"I… I go to school. I spend time with my family…" She thought of her home, her father, the book…

"Look!" Karasuki shouted, "It's them!"

Tokaki and Tatara, soaking wet from the storm outside, entered the cave, carrying someone with them who looked wounded.

"Tatara! Tokaki!" Suzuno said, "Thank God! Are you all right?"

"We're fine." Tokaki told them, "But look who we brought with us."

Suzuno looked closely at the wounded figure, when she noticed something. "A symbol! It's another of the Byakko Shichi Seishi!" She gasped.

"Look!" Subaru said, as the eyes of the wounded figure opened.

Suzuno knelt down. "Toroki…" She said, realizing from the symbol that that must be this Seishi's name.

"Miko." Toroki responded, in a tired voice, "I've finally found you."

"But I'm the one who was supposed to find you." She said.

Toroki smiled. "You did."

Suzuno felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to look up into Tatara's eyes. Only one left, he seemed to say.

Yes, Suzuno thought, only one left to find, and then we'll be together…