Ello! OMG!!!! look! i updated!! and so quickly too! look at that! just LOOK at that! im amazed. you should be too! considering ive been responsible and have written not only this chapter but made the outline for the next TWO chapters! do you know what that means! FIRST a smart authoress and SECOND faster updates! (im sure you all care about the second part but fine...grr) lol. im jk! but yes im done rambling now! with out furth adieu i introduce our favorite bandit!!!

Diclaimer: i dont own fy!

-Chapter 3-

Don't Play With Fire...Or Was It Shadow?

Genro had been resting against a tree bored and plotting at how to get back at Eiken for stealing his tessen. He narrowed his eyes and then rubbed his temples as he started getting pissed off since he had no money on him what so ever and no one had even walked through the forest that evening to make some money. "Damn my luck sucks…" Genro cursed running a hand through his glistening orange hair and the moon's light revealed two fangs. His stomach growled in protest to not eating that day and he scowled this dampening his mood even more.

He then stopped his complaining when he looked in another direction. He heard the soft crunching of footsteps falling as the leaves beneath gave way to the pressure. He smiled in triumph and stood up. He was going to eat after all.

He approached the unsuspecting person silently and stopped dead in his tracks upon seeing his soon to be 'victim.' His mouth dropped and his heart pounded slightly faster. There stood a woman with raven black hair to her waist clothed all in black with a silver tie. Her body was perfectly curved and her skin was a soft milky color. Although she carried a threatening aura about her he didn't seem to catch on.

I sighed and shook my head, "Five minutes…" I mumbled incoherently to myself. "I left them alone…for five minutes…and they get captured by bandits…" I said shaking my head in incredulity at their foolishness in the tone of a mother trying to comprehend the reasons for their child's actions.

I finally stopped shaking my head and leaned against a shadow that supported me and I thought for a minute. 'I could go save them….nah.' I thought rolling my eyes. "I could have some fun though…" I said now smirking and ran the palm of my hands together impishly for a second before pushing off the wall and walking down a dark path inside my realm.

It took me very little time before stopping and opening a portal to step into a darkened forest. I smiled. I loved the forest. I continued walking and thought to myself, 'Mt. Reikaku…the mountain of bandits…Genro the 'Great Leader'…' I thought then chuckled silently. 'Also known as Tasuki…isn't Miaka going to be in for a surprise…' I asked myself but then stopped and with out turning my eyes looked to the corner and they narrowed slightly into silver slits.

'Why are you hiding?' I asked coldly in my head to my pursuer, in almost a mocking voice of how this fool thought they could hide from me.

Genro stopped again now mouth hanging open and had his hands covering his ears in shock. There wasn't a voice in his head! Hell no! It had left him alone for quite some time now and he had been perfectly happy with that. He wouldn't dare admit to the fact that he had actually once welcomed the comforting presence when RiRi had died. No…this voice…it was haunting him and seemed to always know where he was. There was no escaping the damn thing! 'It couldn't…' He thought to himself looking at the woman a few paces away. 'She couldn't be the one whose been speaking to me all these years!'

Then Genro did something stupid. "Oi! Women what the hell are ya looking at!?!"

My eyes widened slightly but then the moon's light reflected off my shining silver eyes piercingly as I garnished him. "Excuse me?!" I asked testing him.

"Ya heard me!" Genro said grinning at me. He could tell I was getting pissed off.

"You do not want to mess with me." I warned threateningly my stare becoming icy.

"And what if I did?" Genro said tauntingly.

"I just might have to kill you that's what!" I snapped back harshly.

Genro then began to laugh hysterically, "Y-Y-Yer…gonna...ha-ha…k-kill…ha-ha…me?! Yer a…ha-ha lil girl!!"

That was it! "You're going to regret that!" I whispered through gritted teeth in a dark voice my fists clenched and the shadows about me began to whisper. The temperature seemed to drop to near freezing and an indescribable wind spoke of secrets through the trees.

This seemed to shut the man up pretty quick because he looked up at the sky and you couldn't even see the stars. That was obviously not a normal occurrence. I scowled although I was amused to see this warrior tremble before me.

An elegant hand still its opaque color rose and moved just slightly. The shadows began to dance and finally my ballet had begun.

It was a quick paced battled. The speed of the seishi was a new twist to the game. But I always enjoyed a challenge. In courtship we spun circling each other testing slightly how far we could push the other.

He had a sword drawn and he maneuvered skillfully about the obstacles abstracting his path. But I had the counterpart to his dance steps and so forth I evaded each swing from the metallic ice that he dealt me.

I played a defensive role in order to bring more emotion to the table. I seemed to succeed because his golden eyes flashed with unseen fire as I yet again evaded what would have been a near fatal blow.

"Why don't ya fight back!" He hissed tauntingly. He was edging me on. I smirked but didn't respond. "Do ya even have a damn voice?!" He asked a little louder as the beat picked up and the world began to spin with us in our mesmerizing act.

He wanted me to attack? So…I attacked. I spun gracefully once in my solo capturing his golden eyes that now held confusion. I spun sweetly and the shadows crept up creating a whimsical approach. But then I was gone he didn't see a trace of me. It was when he felt piercing cold metal lay dangerously across his throat did he realize that I too possessed a weapon and that now his life dangled in my very hand.

He was panting hard and seemed still trapped in my hypnotic spell. His eyes were widened and he was trying to process what to do. I let the fear settle and permitted the world to stop spinning about us. I allowed him to experience the uneasy feeling that crept into the pit of his stomach. I allowed the shiver to creep down his spine and to allow the hair on his skin to stand on end in an eerie silence.

Then in a seductive tone I whispered into his ear, "I think…this little girl…just beat you. Do you want to apologize for anything…?"

He took a sharp intake of breath. My voice held a whimsical and surreal touch. Obviously he wasn't expecting the sound of a melodic enchantress. I guess he preferred a peasant girl's voice. Sadly I must have disappointed him.

I slid my shining star tauntingly across his heated flesh allowing the heat and cold to contradict them selves across his skin. I took a step away and he whirled around to look at me his eyes wide and startled. I took my free hand and waved from left to right now causing the darkness to vanish and the moon's glistening light shone back in its place. "Well…I think I'll let it go this time." I said casually. I couldn't really afford to kill a seishi.

Genro stood there mouth gaping open. 'What the hell was that?!' he asked himself astonished. He blinked his hazel orbs a few times and then smirked finding a new admiration for the woman a few feet in front of him.

I smiled impishly, "Hey…you wanna make it up to me?"

Miaka was threatening an oversized walrus that looked like it had just been pulled from the sewers…oh correction. That's Eiken. Either way it towered above her but the unthinkable happened. She was rescued! Who didn't see that coming? Well…I can tell you that they didn't see fang boy whisking her away so soon.

I leaned against the wall of a shabby little house looking bored as I waited for fang boy to get back. I seemed to have a prophetic soul because he just then sauntered into the room, a protesting Miaka slung like a sack of potatoes over his shoulder. That was how he dropped her too. I couldn't resist laughing as Miaka shrieked hitting the floor a look of daze crossing her face.

I have to give the girl some credit though. She sure can move fast because as soon as she heard me laughing she was up and facing me her mouth hanging open. "What are you doing here?!" She asked pointing a finger at me.

Genro raised an eyebrow, "Shadow ya know this imp?" He asked smirking. I had told him that was my name since he wouldn't shut up.

//Flashback//

"So...what is it you have planned?" Genro asked as he walked through the mountain's forest with me. He obviously wasn't too pleased with my lack of speaking.

"Just a little prank!" I said childishly my eyes containing mirth yet I continued to lead the way with out looking back at him.

He grinned, "Alright. But uh…what should I call ya?" He asked as he followed behind me.

"Just call me Shadow." I said nonchalantly.

"Shadow?" He repeated raising an eyebrow. I smirked to myself.

"Yes Shadow. That would be what you can call me." I said back still in a cool and collect tone.

"But ugh…that's not yer name." Genro asked pryingly.

"You asked what you should call me. You didn't ask for my name," I said back and he growled frustrated knowing I was right.

"Ok." He said nodding his head in defeat and we walked in silence. It was quite amusing the next few minutes because he kept waiting for me to say something, "Hey Shadow…yer not gonna ask my name?" He asked arching an eyebrow.

"Nah…I think fang boy works." I said looking back and watched him scowl. I smirked and turned back around.

"Don't call me that…my name's Genro. Call me Genro." Genro said determined as if repeating it would change my mind.

"But fang boy is just so cute!" I said teasingly and then laughed as he looked disgusted.

//End Flashback//

"Not really." I said carelessly but then looked past the blob that was blocking Genro, Miaka, to him. "So. You made sure they saw you just a little bit?" I asked arching an eyebrow.

"Yah yah…" Genro said brushing off the question.

"What is going on!?!" Miaka asked looking from me to him confused.

I chuckled, "We're just having some fun…" I said patting her on the head as I walked past her. Miaka looked indignantly at me as I did so causing Genro to laugh.

Two men were walking along the mountain path after this mysterious guy that had whisked off Miaka right as they had saved her. The first was actually an emperor in disguise. He was in common clothes and his chocolate brown hair was tied loosely and swung over one shoulder elegantly. His dark eyes holding a royal look and his sign for Hotohori glowed lightly upon his neck. He was glaring harshly at the ground revealing that he was truly pissed off.

The second man had a long purple haired braid with lavender eyes to match. He appeared more feminine then one would actually care to think. He was actually a cross dresser, he actually had much more of a bubbly personality compared to the emperor, who at the time was actually wearing men's clothes. His symbol was located upon his chest. It meant Nuriko and he didn't look all that much happier either. He finally spoke up, "Hotohori…do you have any clues on who that was that took Miaka?"

"No." Hotohori replied spitefully causing Nuriko to flinch slightly.

"You know…I wonder if this is connected to that girl." Nuriko began, "I mean you know she looked just as cocky as that guy when she stole away Miaka…" Nuriko said then added, "Although she vanished…that was creepy." He said but continued, "And the situations aren't all that different. Miaka was in trouble and just when we were about to save her they…well saved her slash kidnapped her…" Nuriko said doing little animated hand gestures as if that would help get the point across. It sounded over all more like rambling then anything.

"Nuriko…" Hotohori said calmly but his eyebrow was twitching slightly in annoyance. "The two really have nothing in common…"

Nuriko sulked at this but made no further argument on the subject. He sighed and continued to follow Hotohori up the mountain. This silence that followed only seemed to last for five extremely peaceful minutes before he spoke up again.

"How did that girl vanish?" Nuriko asked thoughtfully. "I mean I see that Chichiri could vanish…but he uses a hat to accomplish that…this girl just vanished into thin air!" Nuriko said making another comical hand animation. Too bad Hotohori wasn't looking at him or he may have found the sight rather entertaining.

"Not into thin air…" Hotohori corrected wisely. "But into shadow." He added.

"Shadow?" Nuriko repeated raising an eyebrow. His soft lavender eyes looked disbelieving and quite confused at the back of the emperor.

"Yes shadow. Were you not listening to Miaka at all?" Hotohori asked sighing trudging bitterly up the trail.

"Um…of course. It was quite surreal if you asked me." Nuriko replied picking up his pace to keep up with the emperor.

"Well then you heard the part where Miaka explained the girl was the Guardian of Suzaku. Hardly a girl of that status could be anywhere in comparison to the bandit that just stole Miaka. And she vanished in shadow. Remember Chichiri had explained that the Guardian of Suzaku was the Mistress of Shadow. So naturally she used the shadows as her teleportation. Did you not notice that the shadows wilted in her direction as if waiting for a command? They were on edge with her very presence." Hotohori explained as if he were schooling a young child and everything he was saying was common sense.

"No…" Nuriko said looking quizzically. "But it seems logical…" Nuriko added as an afterthought but recalling the image of the woman sent a shiver down his spine.

She had a cold aura about her. Her raven hair had blown slightly in the soft breeze playing with the long strands. The smirk that graced her soft pink lips appeared whimsical while her eyes were of pure silver appearing to have an icy touch. But it was her voice that had startled him the most. One that he vaguely remembered hearing. It was worthy of a goddess and sounded melodic. But when she had spoken to them it was as sharp as a whip only adding to her icy profile. The fact that she dressed all in black didn't seem to help either.

Was this really the Guardian of Suzaku? Nuriko sighed ending the conversation to relapse into the silence that Hotohori was enjoying. Silence of course is golden for one who is brooding.

Miaka sat upon a rug at one of the little hut while Genro and I sat at the other. Both of us were talking animadetly about our future plans when the strangest thing occurred. First there was a knock at the door and then followed the most peculiar one sided speech I had ever heard.

"Oi who's there? Aww Genro old pal its Kouji and he's here to wish ya back from yer travels! Oi why didn't ya say so come on in! I think I shall!" Kouji recited as he then entered himself. My lip twitched with suppressed laughter as Genro got up giddily and began a small ritual dance with his odd blue haired friend.

Miaka did little too behave like a civilian because she was rolling on the floor in laughter a few feet away. I sighed and shook my head. Soon the little dance was over and Genro and Kouji had a mini conversation as if Miaka and I merely didn't even exist in the same room as them. But finally Kouji seemed to see me in the background and oddly a crooked smile ran up his face causing me to arch an eyebrow and look at him suspiciously.

"Genro! I thought ya hated women! And look what ya have here?!" Kouji said scanning me over and I glared which immediately ceased his roaming and venturous eyes.

"I'm right here you know." I said back bitterly my silver eyes flashing warningly.

"Whoa…she's feisty too…" Kouji muttered behind his hand to Genro. Genro seemed to pale considerably.

"Hey Kouji I wouldn't mess with her if I were you…" Genro warned politely and like a good friend would. Although he referred to me as if I was ready to kill any who crossed my path…aw hell I was ready to kill all who passed my path.

Kouji looked at him his eyes widening with mirth for his next comment, "Don't tell me yer whipped!" Kouji laughed now uncontrollably leaving the rest of the occupants in the room in a haze and still trying to compute what he was saying. Genro's face turned a deeper shade of red then his hair and he seemed incapable of responding or for that fact functioning. So I did for him.

My mouth dropped at hearing him say that. "Excuse me! For him to be whipped that would require us to be in a relationship which I assure you we're not!" I said indignantly through clenched teeth and unknowingly a red hot blush was upon my cheeks.

"Oh…my apologies…" Kouji rolling his eyes and the overall comment was pretty much sarcastic. But he rose an eyebrow in confusion and he looked at Genro quizzically as to why I was present then and what was with my attitude and why the hell he wasn't doing anything about it.

Although personally I think the red upon his face may have actually inspired the raised eyebrow as well. 'Damn it Genro. That doesn't make it look suspicious.' I thought sarcastically but I merely let it go still trying to calm myself from the blush I knew was still present.

All the while a very enetertained miko sat watching us as if we were some comical street performers there for her entertainment.

"You guys are better then those sitcoms on T.V. I swear!" Miaka giggled.

The rest of us sane occupants in the room cocked our head a little perspiration falling down our heads in confusion and I'm pretty sure a few question marks blinked above our heads as we all looked confused in unison.

look arent you proud no cliffie! hahaha!!! yay me! ok im done gloating. sry im very proud of myself as u can tell. lol. well i hope you enjoyed the chapter! since i worked so hard on it! truly i did. i think ive reread it like fifteen times! no joke! so yah i hope you like it! truly i do! well im done now. lol please leave me lovely reviews seeing as they motivate me and that's what got this chapter up so quick!

To my lovely reviewers:

antyem13: aww well thats not very nice to ur readers! like i should talk lol. gah some pple are prob. mad at me for my lack of updates...oh no...better get on that...ack. lol. but yay a new reader! im so happy that you enjoy my lil story. i work very very hard on this and it makes me smile when nice pple like you review!! well tell me what you thought of the chapter!! please! and thankyou!!!

Solo's Orca: Look Tasuki! yay! i brought him in! yay me! and honestly i adore the way he came in. i donno what you pple think but it seems...fitting for two pple like that. lol. i kind of agree that kura would make a good priestess but then her life would be diff. and who knows how she would have turned out! lol. and i think there were actually some humorous parts in this chapter. at least i tried to make them funny. but my element really isnt funny...sadly. sigh. oh well! please let me know what you think of the chapter! please and thank you!

kristall: lol i meant tasuki. it was like rlly rlly late when i posted that chapter lol. so sry about mistyping that. i must have been on pluto or something. (no wonder i got so much writing done! XD lol im jk) yah so im glad that you enjoy the story! i hope you liked this chapter too! let me know what you thought of it! please and thank you!

DTMCC: devo!!! yay! my friend! n-n lol. yah so im glad that you love kura. i love her too! lol. she's prb one of my more well rounded characters. and she's just sooo much fun to write. i swear lol. i love this story and im glad that you do to! please keep up the reviews! i adore them very very much!! they make me smile and write faster!! yay! n-n please and thank you!!

Tayk: So how was that for an entrance! grand enough for you? lol. and yes it did involve kidnapping. oh your prophetic soul! (sry we're reading hamlet in english! lol) im glad you were so enthrilled with my updating! ur just too cute i swear! n-n and yer reviews just seem to get better as the story progresses lol. well please review! and thank you!!! n-n

so i come to the conclusion of my ramblings!! i hope you enjoyed the chapter and i look forward to hearing from you all!!! the next update should be soon!!! n-n

-miracle