The entire world was bright, too bright for my tired eyes and I was too weak to even attempt to lift my hand over them

All standard disclaimers apply for this fic; I do not own Fushigi Yugi, (grumble grumble) it is property of Pioneer and whatever company happens to own it in Japan. All attempts to sue me will result in nothing but a lot of half- filled notebooks, and well you can't do anything with those now can you?

This story is my explanation of why I think Tasuki and Chiriko get so closes all of the sudden. It's also my explanation, for what the hell happen to the other four Suzaku while they were in the desert trapped in Tomo's illusion. I mean jeez, was I the only one that checked their tape to make sure they bought the right one? …... Yep guess I was….alright then.

WARNING WARNING WARNING. Spoilers up ahead from Ep.1 to about 41. If you don't want to be told please don't continue

Desert Illusion

By SilverKitsune

The entire world is bright, too bright for my tired eyes, and I'm too weak to even attempt to lift my hand over them. Gods I can't even move. Everything is to big to large and to bright, far to bright. The sun tears into my eyes and stings horribly. My heart beats fast, slamming against my chest as if it's trying to escape.

//To fast.// My mind warns. //Your heart is pumping much to fast.//

 I'm so tired, my body so heavy, so tired and I can't move. The rational part of me, the part of me that is still a little functional because of my powers, realize that I'm laying on sand, not the hard wood bench I remember falling asleep on.

//Break the situation down.// The rational part of me says. //Where are you? What's happened? Where has Sairou gone? You need to remember, you need to get up// But I can't. All I can do is lie here in the sand, the world turning and the bright sun in my eyes.

Tasuki-

My head hurts like hell. No screw just my head my entire body hurts like hell. Not to mention the fact that it's f***ing hot. I moan as I pull my self upwards, feet slipping in the sand, my hair in my eyes. The desert's spinning.

"Awww hell."

It's back to the sand for me.  Damn it my blood is thrashing through my veins, even I know blood's not suppose to move that fast. I grit my teeth, unconsciously allowing my fingers to curl into sand. Then I throw up. 

Chiriko-

The Characters peel themselves off the parchment I had been reading, and float around my head. They cloud my vision, and flutter by my ear, like small delicate black butterflies.

How surprised I had been, how excited when Chichiri had shown me what a vast library the inn kept.  It had seemed like an eternity since I had studied, it is really the only thing I am good at, studying. I threw my self into those scrolls and books, using them to forget the worry I had for Miaka, my miko, Tamahome, who was with her, and Tasuki who had been a little to excited at the prospect of an unending supply of sake, and the pretty servant girl who served it.

What had happened, Suzaku above what had happened? Why was the world turning again? Where were the others? Where was I? My head rolls to the side, my eyes still closed, trying to block out the brightness.

Tasuki-

            Tamahome better never find out that I left half of my stomach in the middle of the damn desert. It's bad enough he already knows I can't swim, I don't really need to give my self another reason to flame him…well not yet anyway. 

Swim, water, I'd kill for a lake right now. My tongue darts out and I wince as I lick my chapped bleeding lips. Hell.

It takes a little bit, but the nausea passes after a few moments, and despite the screaming protests radiating from my body, I attempt to stand again.  The desert spins.

 "Oh not f****** this time" I growl forcing my self to stay up.  Even with the nausea gone I still feel like shit. Well, at least now I'm upright, and if I ignore the little black spots I'm seeing I can at least pretend like nothing happened. The desert, I'm in the f****** desert.

"What the hell happened to Sairou??" I scream.

No one answers.

"Chichiri??"

"Mitsukake??"

"Chiriko??"

No one. I shake my head, rubbing my eyes and pulling loss strands of red hair out of my line of vision.

//Oh I promise, I'll never touch another cup of sake again if when I look up I'm back in the room in Sairou, and not the god damn desert.//

 No luck. I'm still a little wobbly on my feet, so I sit back down

 The horses are to my left, both of them dead, I really didn't want to know for how long.

//O.K think you red headed idiot. What happened? What's the last thing you remember?……….//

************

//- Hey Chichiri grab a drink, plenty of sake for all!!!

-Tasuki be serious no da. Mitsukake and I are going to check around Sairou's boarders for Tamahome and Miaka. We need you to stay here in case they show up no da.

-Chichiri look I'm a bird I'm a bird!!!

-See if I try talking to you again. Chiriko is down in the library.  We'll be back by tonight.

-Here's some more sake for you sir.///

***************************

The rest of the night was….a little blurry, though I do remember having a short conversation with the old boss in between my tenth cup of sake. Or had it been my ninth?

He was pretty pissed that I dumped the whole lead the bandits load on Koji. Spirits, who knows, but back to my original problem.

For one thing I still hurt like hell, for another Chchiri and Mitsukake could be anywhere. Sairou had been huge, even larger then Konan's capital. They could be anywhere, but Chiriko. Chiriko had been in the library!! Right below me! He had to be somewhere close by. I pushed my self back up.

"Chiriko." I call

"Chiriko can you hear me?"

Oh man I've got to find him, if I'm hurting this much that poor kid must be dying.

Chiriko-

            Someone is saying my name, or maybe it's just my imagination again. The words seem far away and thick to my ears. I tried sitting up a little while ago. I couldn't even get my head up, and the nausea was so bad that I haven't attempted it since. 

What's that?  Something's coming toward me, it's too far away and blurry.   It's black, and red. I think I see red. Are there wolves that color in the desert? His highness had a scroll about the different wolf breeds in and around Kuto; I wish I had read it.

Tasuki-

Chiriko's right below the dune, flat on his back, and after I reach him I kneel down next to him. He looks at me, but hell I don't know if he even sees me.

            "Chiriko," I say, lifting him up a little. "Hey Chiriko, wake up."

The kid mumbles something, and stirs.  He blinks a lot, but at least he kinda recognizes me.

            "Tasuki-san," he mumbles,  "I'm cold."

            Cold? We're in the middle of the damn desert, and the kid is cold? This is bad. This is very very bad.

            "It's O.K Chiriko." I pull my jacket off, and cover him with it. Is that the right thing to do? Damn where's Mitsukake when you need him?

            "I'm not feeling that great either."

To be continued….