Chapter 10

Understanding

Can miles truly separate you from friends...

If you want to be with someone you love,

Aren't you already there?
-Richard Bach

It was the dawning of a new day, and Ally was standing outside in the dewy grass holding a bow with arrows strapped to her back. She attentively looked for a nearby target and found that a closer one would be a better starting point for a beginner archer. Taking a firm hold of the intricately carved wooden bow and reaching over her shoulder for an arrow she awkwardly positioned it onto the string.

This simple task alone was harder than it looked, sure she had seen people do this in the movies but that was because they were either computer animated scenes or highly paid actors that had been practicing with a bow for months. Ally grinned when the picture of Robin Hood came to mind however despite her desperate attempts to procrastinate and not go through with this, she simply gave a sigh and thought through the process. She had done a little bit of archery in gym class, but she could barely remember any of the pointless tactics her teacher had lectured on how to use a bow and arrow. 'Should have paid more attention to that old bat.' She grunted while trying to find her shooting line. A firmly planted tree that was about ten feet away was her target, it's wide trunk practically taunting her to miss as she concentrated.

Ally was doing this task in order to prepare herself for whatever may lie ahead in the near future; Emperor Hotohori and the other Suzaku members apparently had held an important meeting and had decided that going to search for Ally's purpose would be wise rather than staying in Konan and waiting to be attacked. Despite the fact that Konan was a safely guarded place and offered the girl sanctuary, it would only be a matter of time until word let out and the ears of enemies might hear. Nobody can keep a secret for that long…at least until temptation or desperation grabs hold. Hence a new journey was plotted out and Chichiri and Tasuki were the two that would accompany the girl on her journey, (seeing as how they're the only ones who are really alive, and where would the story be without them?). Sure Chichiri the monk was powerful and had many abilities that could make a shiver run down the spines of even the toughest of warrior's, and Tasuki the bandit had enough expert stealing techniques and fire abilities that could rob Konan of its wealth within minutes…. Ally however felt a little uneasy being seen as the poor misguided female of the group, even if she did have some crazed and unfamiliar power within her. That foreign magic only appeared when thoughts turned to desperation and came out when there was no other choice but to use it, then once it had served its purpose it would silently retreat after stealing her life energy and sleep until it should be roused from its slumber. If they should cross paths with the angry camp full of bandits and Tasuki or Chichiri were to be captured again, she would need to know how to wield an actual weapon other than a tiny dagger and her strange power.

The dagger she kept with her at all times just in case her life were to suddenly be thrown into the face of danger. After the incident with the shape shifter that had stolen a tiny fraction of Amiboshi's chi, she had kept a close distance away from the actual Kaika. The boy's life force had been slightly drained from the amount of time the shape shifter had taken on his form; nevertheless Mitsukake informed them that he would fully recover in a few days. It had been a week or so since that had happened, and Kaika was still unconscious thus it seemed that he was taking his time in the healing process.

During the meeting the Suzaku senshi debated on whether or not to allow Kaika to go with them, but Ally could see concern hiding behind each and every one of their eyes. Amiboshi had been given a strong dose of memory loss potion and had forgotten his past and his family, and had slowly become the young man known as Kaika. In spite of this fact the senshi feared the slightest chance of him remembering that he was a Seiryū warrior and had schemed against them in order to foil their plans of summoning Suzaku. Ally had been apprehensive when fate suddenly guided her to meeting him on the road, his younger twin brother had not wanted him to enter into battle because of his kind heart, and Ally would make sure that his wish came true.

After the mishap with the shape shifter Ally had begun to realize that the beast had used Kaika's chi, which also resulted in personality, appearance, and emotions. So if that was true…then Kaika really was in love with her. She couldn't believe that their simple encounter had triggered some sort of interest within him, she wasn't pretty or tall and glamorous, she was just a bookworm who always found some way of getting into trouble. So how on earth had he fallen in love with her when she wasn't the least bit interesting?! Besides…her heart was already beating for another….

The arrow was now pulled back against the string until her thumb was grazing her jawbone, the fletching at a 90 degree angle and her concentration focused mainly on the center of the tree trunk. She took her aim and relaxed her hand from the wrist up; her fingers were now in control of the position of the arrow as the metal tip faced its mark. She was just about to let go when a voice spoke in her hear,

"Lift your elbow."

Panicking she released her grip on the arrow and let it fly towards the mark, it whistled as it cut through the air until metal met wood. Ally smiled slightly when she realized she had actually hit the tree, however it was a few embarrassing inches to the right of her imagined bull's-eye. Cursing under her breath she slowly turned to meet her instructor and unexpectedly found Kaika standing right behind her! He returned her startled glance with a warm smile as he fingered the feathers of the arrows that were strapped over her shoulder. "Nice shot, you did well for a beginner."

"Hardly." She snorted while turning her attention back towards the tree who's aura seemed to be scoffing at her to the point she was tempted to have it Rekka Shinened. Kaika must have took note of her frustration because he chuckled slightly then urged her to try again, this time she positioned it the same way she had before only Kaika stood behind her and slightly adjusted her movements until she had her target completely centered. Ally ignored the warm male figure standing right behind her and strained to focus, the arrow now in perfect aim.

"Now let go." He whispered into her ear and nearly caused her to go off balance, she kept completely still, rigid as a stature until she finally released the arrow to meet its destined mark. There was a clear snap and when Ally looked up to see if she had screwed up the shot again she gasped. In the very center of the tree an arrow protruded from its trunk. She gaped, stared at Kaika, then gaped again.

"T-there's no way—!"

Kaika laughed at her flustered expression until she quickly ran over to inspect the arrow as to make sure it wasn't some kind of illusion. "Where did you learn to do that?!" She demanded while pointing to the remarkable shot for emphasis.

"I taught myself."

"No way." She grinned in disbelief.

"No I really did teach myself. It took a lot of practice but I eventually got the hang of it, because I was the one who had to hunt for food for my family."

Ally turned her attention from the amazing arrow to Kaika who stood there with his hands on his hips, richly dressed with his golden hair glowing orange in the sunrise. He must have had such a hard time when he lost his memory…. To just suddenly wake up one morning and find yourself living in a small village with a mother and father that willingly takes you in as their own. Without a trace of memory about his past or who he really was…how did he feel about that?

She returned to reality when he cocked his head and gave her a curious look, as if he had been talking to a statue.

"Er…it's amazing that you learned how to hit the mark precisely in one shot. But…I have to wonder…can you split your own arrow in two?"

"Is that a challenge?" He raised a questioning eyebrow with interest as she approached him, a sly expression plastered across her face. She was grinning like the Cheshire cat when she handed the bow and arrow to him.

"A challenge? Why would you think that?"

Within a flash Kaika had the arrow readied into a striking position, pointed directly at the ideal target. Ally blinked as the arrow zipped right past the tip of her nose and hissed through the air, spinning until it had completely sliced its way through the protruding shaft! She pretended to hold up a 10/10 sign while Kaika turned and gave her an innocent smile.

"I'd say that hit the mark."

"So would I." Ally laughed as she playfully poked him in the ribs then took notice of the position of the sun in the sky; it was now mid-morning and nature had opened its many eyes and now drank in the light the new day offered. She began to shiver from the cold breeze until a warm fluid cloth was wrapped around her shoulders. She recognized this smell…it was….

"Da!"

"Chichiri!" She smiled out of relief when his forever smiling face came into view; he had perhaps just saved her from an uncomfortable scene with Kaika. The monk looked at the tree now pierced with three arrows then at Kaika who looked as if he were about to ready an arrow and point it at Chichiri. However he just smiled at the young lad and tightened his hold on Ally's shoulders.

"Good morning Kaika no da! I seems you two have been practicing, and making progress no da."

"Yes, Kaika was showing me how to properly shoot an arrow. You should have seen him split the shaft in two!"

Amiboshi blushed slightly at her praise whereas Chichiri simply looked stunned. And for a fraction of a moment his aura seemed protective yet worried but then it disappeared as quickly as it had come and regained its usual calm and blissfulness.

"That's amazing Kaika! You are quite the archer no da."

"Thank you Chichiri, it's an honor to work with Ally and help improve her skills, I am indebted to the Suzaku senshi after all."

Ally couldn't help but get the feeling that Kaika was building up to something, as if he were using the excuse that he was indebted to them so that he could get close to her. Chichiri nodded in concur until she could feel the tension forming in the air between them, and the only way to get out of this was to use her acting skills. Either she let them slowly enter a battle of wits or she interfered. Following the more fun rout she suddenly allowed herself to wobble slightly as she shivered under Chichiri's wonderfully warm kesa. She felt all eyes turn to her as Chichiri asked softly,

"Ally? Are you ok no da?"

"Yeah…I just feel really cold. Do you think we can go inside now?" 'Tasuki would be proud' She grinned to herself while imagining his fanged mischievous smirk, so far her ability to foil someone's plans had never failed, that is… until Chichiri caught on. He gave her a look of complete understanding, his lips slightly upturned in a sneaky smile that clearly revealed that he knew what she was playing at. Then without any delay Chichiri scooped her up into his arms causing her to slightly squeak as his hands cupped the skin underneath her knees and back.

"Your wish is my command no da!" He smiled chibi-like and continued to carry her up the stone steps, leaving Kaika to his bow and arrow with a slight spark of jealously flickering in those blue eyes.

Once inside the palace Chichiri lowered Ally to her feet but didn't necessarily let go of her shoulder. She quailed underneath his touch as he began to guide her down the hall at a normal pace until he whispered,

"Thanks for getting me out of that no da."

"Oh." She murmured still regaining her composure after suddenly being carried into the palace by Chichiri. Heat radiated from the skin in between her shoulders and the backs of her knees; even under the thick material of her jeans she could still feel the warmth of his hands slightly cupping the sensitive flesh. "You're welcome." His hand faltered slightly in the hold of her shoulder as they continued their walk until she took a daring chance and met his masked eyes, becoming quite surprised when she saw that Chichiri was grinning slightly in a boyish sort of way that made her heat suddenly make a daring leap in her chest.

"You could feel the tension too couldn't you no da?"

Nodding in concur his grin widened into a teasing smile that almost seemed to be mocking her, they stopped in their tracks allowing Chichiri to continue his game. "You've become rather sneaky no da."

"But of course, I can't let you and Tasuki have all the fun now can I?"

Chuckling at this he then placed his hand on top of her head and patted the silky chestnut hair affectionately as he used to do many times. Before anything else out of the ordinary could happen Tasuki took this direct moment as his cue and skidded down the hallway towards them, catching Ally into a gruff bandit-like hug.

"Hiya lass!" He exclaimed with a friendly smile as he caught her in a headlock and ruffled her hair to the point it went static. In response to this she opened her mouth and became close to biting him on the arm until Chichiri simply shook his head.

"Tasuki I think she wants you to let her go no da."

The bandit blinked, looking dumbfounded for a moment as if the monk had spoken in a foreign language, then his amber eyes flickered with recognition as they turned their attention to the girl in his arms.

"She's gonna bite me isn't she." He replied coolly as he looked down and found her pearly whites about to sink into his tunic. Innocently batting her eyes she then grinned as the bandit shot her an untrusting glare that spoke volumes more than fury. Despite his usual attempts to reach for his tessen and chase her down around the palace in a game of hide and seek, Tasuki simply used his cat-like reflexes and tossed her over his shoulder in an unexpected rush until she was positioned onto his back and caught her legs. Ally blushed slightly when the bandit gave her a triumphant fanged grin, seeing as how she was now straddling his waist and her arms latched around his neck for support. "I knew ye wouldn't be able to resist me."

"Idiot, you forced me into this position." She snapped back defensively while trying to tighten her hold around his neck in case he did something drastic.

"Aw come now, ye know ye like it."

"Au contraire my friend, I am rather uncomfortable with you smelling like sake."

He snapped her yet another lethal glare while she caught Chichiri trying to hold back a smirk as well as a series of giggles. Going into defense mode Tasuki experimentally began to wriggle his fingers in his hold on her legs, and wouldn't you know it…he had found another one of her weaknesses! While biting her bottom lip in order to keep from laughing and admitting defeat she thought to herself, 'Two can play at that game!' She instinctively squeezed her arms and slowly began to deprive the bandit of oxygen until his face turned pink.

"Oye! Alright lass I give up!" He coughed, as she tasted the brilliance of sweet revenge. Chichiri could only watch as the two of them exchanged deadly glares that he knew would soon turn into a game of 'who's better than who'. Meanwhile he simply sighed and tightened his hold on his staff, ready to smack either one of them if they took this game of theirs too far.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Kaika remained outside after being deserted by Chichiri and Ally, it always seemed as if the senshi were with her, watching over her and making sure she was all right. Anger brewed up within him as if he were an angry teakettle just beginning to boil over, his face flushed as he shakily readied another arrow. He couldn't stop it! He couldn't just let her go! After all she had been the one to show him that there was more to life than just staying in a sheltered village, there was more out there in the world…and he wanted her to see it all with him. The arrow was released with a sharp twang as it whistled through the air towards the target. Sadly it missed the center by a good three inches, he frowned at this until his thoughts turned from the weapon to the girl who had been wielding it only a few minutes ago. She had basically mastered the art of archery within minutes, whereas the task had taken him years to master. The girl was much more than she seemed…so mysterious and shy yet understanding. Like a sacred cave of emotions that just waited to be discovered, longing to be found and cherished.

Kaika tightened his hold on the next arrow, nearly snapping the thinly carved wooden shaft in the process. Chichiri…. Those wicked emotions of hatred returned, fire blazed throughout his veins as his ocean blue eyes danced with anger. That monk was always interfering whenever he and Ally were alone. He just wanted to tell her how he felt, but somehow he couldn't help but feel that she was trying to evade him, always avoiding any uncomfortable topic of discussion. No matter, Kaika had to tell her, he just had to tell her how he truly felt…and he would do it tonight when Chichiri finally left her alone. This time when the arrow was released…it hit the very center of the tree, right on target.

----------------------------------------------------

Tasuki continued to hold Ally captive as all three of them wandered about the palace, exchanging conversation and laughing at each other's jokes…however something was wrong. Ally would look behind them as to make sure someone wasn't following them, and each time there was nothing, not even a servant. 'But still….' It never hurt to be prepared. Ally's thoughts turned towards the dagger that was kept away in the tie of her belt.

After about an hour of this Ally was finally released from Tasuki's piggyback ride and allowed her to dismount onto firm ground. ' Every body just wants to carry me today.' She thought to herself until the bandit wheezed for a few seconds as he caught his breath, acting as if he had ran a marathon.

"You ok Tasuki no da?" Chichiri asked already regretted the question, knowing exactly what sarcastic remark the bandit would say next.

"She's heavy!" He gasped slightly until catching sight of Ally who had her back turned to him and her shoulders firmly set as she stood perfectly still. 'Uh oh' Chichiri gulped as he took a wide step to the left, avoiding the line of fire that should arrive at any given moment. Ally slowly began to turn, perspiration shimmering on Tasuki's brow as he realized what he had done, whereas Chichiri just stood back against the wall and waited for the full impact the come. Out of nowhere she suddenly turned around and gave both men such an innocent face that they exchanged worried glances. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and her turquoise eyes shimmered with sympathy tears until she slightly lifted the hem of her shirt, revealing a good glimpse at her flat abs.

"But Tasuki…do I…do I look that heavy?" She whispered, keeping a straight face whereas both bandit and monk were blushing as madly as ripe tomatoes. As a cat might envy a mouse for its quickness, it would still manage to get caught once the cat had learned its weaknesses, and Ally apparently had done just that. For she had Tasuki trapped securely under her paws, however…Chichiri she still had yet to chase after.

"S-stop it Al yer scarin' me!" He blurted as she lowered her shirt and contently began her way down the hall, leaving both bandit and monk flabbergasted and speechless. "Woah." Tasuki sighed heavily after Ally had disappeared around the corner and was out of earshot. "I'll say, no da." Chichiri had expected a very different response to Tasuki's insolence, and seeing her perfect creamy skin was something he had not intended. His conscience was partially fantasizing yet cursing at the fact that he had allowed himself to fall so willingly into her trap. At the first sign of trouble he should have left, he should have fled, he should have….

"Oi, Chiri ye all right?"

His attention quickly snapped into the present as he looked up at the bandit who was curiously waving his hand in front of his face.

"Yes, I'm fine Tasuki no da."

"Ye were thinkin' about her weren't ye?" He smirked, giving Chichiri a dirty look that clearly spoke what his roguish mind was insinuating.

"Not at all Tasuki." He replied sternly, "I was actually thinking about what could have happened if she had lost her temper." Many more reprimands waited to be spoken, however Chichiri merely swallowed them back and kept them to himself. Ally was not the type to be teased unless she was doing so in return, however in his experience with Miaka he had learned that girls don't like hearing about their weight.

-------------------------------------------------------

Ally retreated to the sanctuary of her bedroom, still blushing furiously from her audacity towards Chichiri and Tasuki. 'I swear I'm gonna kill that rascal of a bandit.' Just the thought of manipulating his fiery blast with her unknown power and aiming it towards Tasuki made her grin. Seeing the expressions on both their faces had been an event within itself, and she would savor their own embarrassment for quite some time to come. If only her best friend Kate had seen the look on Chichiri's face….

Her mind immediately turned from the tracks of mischievous and wandered into the worried district within a split second. Sitting down upon the bed while feeling the soft cushion sinking underneath her, she felt the silken sheets met her sensitive touch. A sorrowful pain seemed to echo throughout her like a droplet of water in a stilled pool. Home…. It seemed like forever since she had last thought about it, her family must be so worried about her. 'How were her parents doing anyway? Or her big sister? How much time had passed since she had come into the book of Fushigi Yugi?' She had thought back to the time where she had desperately wanted to go home and had almost done it, if it hadn't been for Tasuki she would never have stayed here. But why was she here? Chichiri kept reassuring her that the answer would show itself in time…but so far her purpose was still hidden from her. Her path was a blind one, her feet just following the pull this world had on her body and soul.

Ally rubbed her left temple where a consistent pain throbbed; thinking about two worlds at once was tiring and making her only more frustrated. Unable to comprehend any other agonizing thoughts or disappointments she grabbed the soft sheets and curled up within the bed, shutting her eyes at the mid-day peacefulness. Hardly anyone was making noise in the corridors, unless it was Tasuki, and the gentle hymns of nature lulled her tired mind into an irritable sleep. Unaware of the situation she would confront later that evening.

She dreamt of strawberries, she loved strawberries, and how you would pick them in the hot summer sun and their ripe juice trickled down your chin when temptation took hold. Her family always went strawberry picking…that's probably why she dreamt of it. Only this time…she was crying…. She bit contently into the strawberry without a care in the world until the fruit turned into a mass of salty water and fell from her fingers. Every strawberry that she touched from that point onward turned into liquid berries that swelled with watery tears. 'What the heck is this?' Ally thought out loud as she ran through the fields, the sun turning cold until it was replaced by the pearlescent moon. The plants began to die and wither away until she was standing amongst nothingness, her world turned black as water began to flood underneath her feet, rapids reaching up to her thighs then her waist within seconds. 'The water's rising!' She whispered horrifically as thousands of voices cried out. They weren't calling out to her…they were someone else's voice…someone familiar….

"Give her back! Giver her back to me!"

"I told you I wasn't letting go this time."

"I love you! I've always loved you! I'm sorry! Don't go! HIKO!"

"I can't do it…I can't bring myself to kill him again…I can't…."

These…are Chichiri's words, the exact ones from the anime! But why am I dreaming about this? Is there something I have to do? Is the past still hurting Chichiri?!

Ally sat upright in such a rush that she hardly realized that it was now dark outside, the early hours of the night fading into the distance along with the beautifully painted sunset, which still loomed upon the horizon.

Hopping out from underneath the warm blankets she hurried out of her room, heart beating at a fierce rate as she dodged corners and hurried down a series of hallways. With a sudden yelp she collided with an unexpected figure and felt herself being caught by the shoulders before she could fall backward from the crash impact. It was Amiboshi! He stared down at her for a moment in astonishment until those ocean blue eyes softened when realizing who had ran into him.

"Good evening Ally." He said politely while releasing his hold on her, she smiled in return at his kindness however her mind was in a completely different zone, focusing mainly on finding Chichiri. In spite of her sudden urge to break away and run as quickly as possible in the opposite direction her plans were foiled when he took hold her hands and began to lead her into a familiar direction of the palace.

The imperial gardens where glamorous at this hour, plants and flowers slightly outlined by the orange light the setting sun gave off, and the soft trickle of fountains chimed in the background as Kaika kindly gestured for her to sit down. 'Uh oh…the time had finally come.' She groaned inwardly as he turned to face her, eyes serious yet nervous as he cleared his throat and began his way down a complicated explanation of how he felt.

"Ally?"

"Kaika." She replied calmly, making sure she kept her voice firm yet soft in order to give him the courage to continue…much to her dismay. She honestly had no reason to listen to him spouting words of endearments when she already knew that he loved her. But this was the first time that a boy actually cared about her and had the gall to admit it out loud to her face, so she would be patient and listen since she could only imagine how nerve racking and nervous you would feel when professing your love to someone…especially when the thought of admitting her bottled up feelings to Chichiri crossed her mind.

"For the longest time…well at least since we met, I've slowly begun to realize just how much I have neglected the life around me. You opened my eyes and showed me what the world is all about, and just how much one can care about another."

Ok…so it wasn't agonizingly painful to hear him say this, but it just felt so wrong, it felt as if she were going behind Chichiri's back and listening to someone give their heart to her freely. Whereas she would not give hers in return, she would keep it guarded and safe within her breast, and lock it away until it should find the opportune moment. 'Oh Chichiri…right now would be a good time to appear out of nowhere.'

---------------------------------------------------------

Ally and Kaika were not alone in the imperial gardens; in fact both Tasuki and Chichiri had been discussing their journey plans while watching the sunset. Old habits took hold and both senshi hid behind the untrimmed foliage of the garden when they saw Ally approaching, awaiting the scene that was about to unfold. Chichiri gazed out from behind a prickly rose bush and winced when a couple thorns decided to bite at his hands. The conversation could clearly be heard due to the silence of their surroundings, and it wasn't necessarily the type of discussion Chichiri would have expected nor approved of. An unmistakable feeling overwhelmed him…a feeling of the past that had been locked away along with his own heart…. Jealously.

"Even since you left the village…I–I couldn't stop thinking about you. You ruled my every thought during the course of endless days and night. The place upon my forehead where you gave a farewell kiss still burns; I don't think I would have been able to live without seeing you again, and I know I can't live without telling you my true feelings."

Chichiri could hear Tasuki fumbling around for his tessen and quickly shot the bandit a look that clearly spoke they should not interfere. He set his features in frustration then avoided the monk's gaze while turning his attention towards the scene that lay before them. Chichiri could hardly believe it himself, the boy had clearly fallen in love with Ally…but how did she feel in return? How would she respond to his emotions? Would she accept them and rejoice…or would she….

"I love you."

The oxygen became lodged within his throat, his lungs unable to process the demands his brain was giving him. Chichiri couldn't do anything now…it was all up to Ally, if he jumped in now to saver her he would either ruin her supposed feelings for Kaika or come to her rescue. It was a chance he really wasn't willing to risk, not when it was Ally's life and had nothing to do with him. He just continued to look out through the roses, staring at the girl's blank face until her lips curved slightly into a smile. She patted the space on the bench next to her, gesturing for him to sit down. Kaika did just that, his face completely flushed after spilling his entire conscience to the girl he loved. With her hands gently cupped together in her lap, Ally kept her gaze downcast as she thought about what she was going to say.

"Kaika…I thank you for your courage to tell me what was on your mind. I'm sure it's a huge weight off of your chest."

"Yes it is…but my worries will be banished only if you tell me what you feel in return."

"Bastard." Tasuki swore ever so softly as Chichiri watched the bandit itch to grasp his tessen and fry the boy to a crisp. Thankfully neither Ally nor Kaika heard Tasuki's whisper and continued to look into one another's eyes. It was a face Chichiri knew only to well, if there was one emotion he could read on someone's face…it was disapproval and sorrow. She did her best as to avoid her lover's gaze and continued her own explanation, though Kaika might not have favored what she was about to say.

"I can't return your feelings Kaika, I'm sorry that I can't make you happy or live my life with you…but I am from another world. And to fall in love is forbidden to someone like me, a certain distance must be kept between me and the people who live here. Even so…my heart belongs to another."

'What?' Chichiri gasped in surprise as Ally raised her face to meet Kaika's expression, her eyes fearless yet sad as she kept her head up, chin out in a prominent stance that made him smile slightly.

"Atta go lass!" Tasuki snickered to himself until Chichiri nearly smacked him upside the head, if they were discovered now they would be so dead! The monk kept himself from sighing heavily as he turned his attention from the noise-making bandit to Ally. She gently rose from the bench and made to walk away, however it appeared that Kaika wasn't finished with her yet. The foolish boy had been rejected yet he was still persisting! Chichiri's blood boiled as he watched Ally being pulled into an embrace that Kaika did not deserve, she looked frightened…almost sad.

"Is that all I have in return? This is your reply?"

"Yes." She whispered so sorrowfully that it struck a sympathetic cord within Chichiri's heart. He wanted to be the one to embrace her, to tell her that everything would be all right, but Chichiri didn't deserve such happiness…or such a connection.

"I won't let him…I won't let him take you from me! He's already meddled enough!"

"Kaika what are you saying?" She asked incredulously while pulling away from the embrace and backing away.

"You love him don't you? That monk."

This certainly caught Chichiri's attention, no matter how much distance he had been trying to put between them…that barrier suddenly crumbled and his heart exposed. Was it true? Did she really love him? Is that why Kaika had been so cold to him lately? Ally didn't respond to this accusation, she simply continued to back away until her feet sought the sanctuary of the stone steps. With that she ran leaving everyone behind as her feet helped her fly back into the safety of the palace. Both Tasuki and Chichiri exchanged awkward glances whereas Kaika tucked his hands into his pockets and sat back down upon the bench, apparently he had a lot to think about. At this point…Chichiri's woven hat came in handy.

------------------------------------------------------

The soft sensitive muscle that beat within her chest swelled with sorrow, she had never wanted to extinguish someone's feelings like that, but it had to be done. Kaika would have been living a dream, and even if she had said yes…there was very little chance that they would have withstood time and space to be together like Miaka and Tamahome. Even if she did love Chichiri with all her heart that didn't necessarily mean that he loved her in return…besides…she would only hear the dreaded words of the gods as she pleaded to stay, "That is the one wish which cannot be granted." How could she let her guard down and fall in love? Now that she had realized her true feelings for the celestial warrior she cursed the day she came here. All she wanted to do was go home and get as far away from this place as possible. She had easily given into the lighthearted and secretive monk without even a second thought…she had willingly been snagged within his innocent grasp. Like a butterfly snatched from a flower and now encased within a pair of cupped human hands that promised safety.

Sitting down with her back against the corner of her room near the round open window, she sighed while wrapping her arms around her shoulders. The night air felt chilly and unwelcoming as its soft breeze entered her room and caressed her face. Countless thoughts buzzed about her brain like a dizzying cloud of bees, each leaving their own sting upon her mind until she closed her eyes and curled up, wanting to be left alone. 'What do you want me to do? What can I do? Chichiri…help me….'

A/N: Another chapter up! This one took awhile because of a busy week at school, so I shall try to update every Saturday at the very latest. Otherwise I'll update every middle of the week. The quotes within this chapter are not mine; they belong to the anime Fushigi Yugi. Hope you enjoy this story and PLEASE REVIEW! They really are a confidence booster and help me write the next chapter! )

19