AN: Fushigi Yuugi does not belong to me, only Sakura, but I went through this already. Oh, and just some random little things:

Sakura is semi based on me- she has a similar personality to me. And the whole violin thing is because I plan to major in music as a violinist, so I thought it would be neat to put that in. ^-^ Okay, now, on with the fic!

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It had a been week since Sakura had arrived in this strange new world. She told Taiitskun that she would have to think about her decision, begging everyone to understand. Mitsukake came back later that day, a little early, and healed her right away. She had befriended Miaka immediately, and the Suzaku seishi soon after, although Tamahome didn't seem to like her all that much. It was mid afternoon and Sakura was sitting in her room, idly plucking the strings of her violin, the bow resting on the dresser. A knock startled her and she turned to see Chichiri, one of the closer friends she had made here. She smiled.

"Ohayo, Chichiri!" She chirped, continuing to pluck. He smiled warmly and stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him.

"Sakura-chan, how come we haven't heard you play yet? You say your violin is so dear to you, no da. Would you mind playing?" He sat on the bed and removed his mask, something Sakura insisted on having him do whenever in private. Sakura shrugged.

"I don't know. I guess you guys never asked." She stopped plucking and picked up her bow.

"I'll play for you now if you want." She said almost shyly. She didn't know why she was nervous, it was just Chichiri. She had to do solos all the time at school. Chichiri nodded. She placed the violin between her shoulder blade and her chin and corrected her hand position. She silently tapped out a beat in her head and then began.

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Miaka sniffled as she wiped away the tears on her cheeks. She and Tamahome had another fight. This one was bigger than the others.

"Mi-chan? What's wrong?" Tasuki came up behind her. She turned to face him and forced a smile. She knew he hated it when she cried.

"Nothing. Just another fight with Tamahome." She sniffled again and turned away, her chin trembling slightly. Tasuki cursed silently.

"I'm sure you'll fix everything, Miaka. Ya always do." He smiled, although inside he wasn't so sure.

'Could we go back to the way we were, Tamahome? Will there be a next time?' Miaka hid her face in her hands and sobbed. Tasuki was taken aback by her sudden burst of tears. He hesitantly wrapped an arm around her shoulder and whispered in her ear.

"Shh, it's okay." Her cries subsided and Tasuki let her rest her head on his chest.

"Arigatou, Tasuki." She giggled a little.

"No problem." His breath tickled her ear and she blushed. They were close. Tasuki slowly began to lower his head. Miaka's eyes widened. His lips were about to meet hers' when a haunting melody made its' way to her ears.

"What's that?" She pulled away form his embrace, almost unwillingly. Tasuki groaned on the inside.

"What's what?"

"Shhh!" Miaka silenced him and began to walk off towards the sound.

"Miaka?" Tasuki followed her. Miaka stopped in front of Sakura's room and pressed her ear to the door.

"It's so pretty. And...sad." Miaka frowned as Tasuki came up next to her. She motioned for him to listen and soon, they were both leaning on the door.

"Oi, what are you two doing?" Nuriko asked as he stopped by the two.

"Shhh!" They shushed him and continued to listen. He shrugged and soon he too had his ear pressed up against the door. The pressure of the three of them leaning on the door caused it to burst open. The music stopped as three bodies came tumbling in, Nuriko on the bottom, Miaka in the middle, and Tasuki on top. They moaned.

"What are you doing?" Sakura giggled as she watched them untangle their limbs.

"We heard music." Miaka explained guiltily. Sakura smiled.

"I was just playing a piece for Chichiri. You could have come in." She shook her head and looked at Chichiri.

"If they're always like this I better be careful." She joked. Chichiri nodded, smiling.

"They can be nosey at sometimes, no da!"

"I just came by to tell you guys that lunch is ready." Nuriko informed them, finally remembering his task.

"Yay! Food!" Miaka jumped to her feet and raced down the hallway. Everyone sweat-dropped. Tasuki and Nuriko followed. Sakura and Chichiri stayed in her room as she put away her violin.

"Can I ask why it means so much to you, no da?" Chichiri asked quietly as they walked down the hall towards the dining room. Sakura tensed.

"Ano...I'm not really ready to talk about it." She admitted, watching her feet as she walked. Chichiri nodded. He knew how she felt, he wasn't ready to tell anyone about his scar yet either, only Miaka knew. The rest of the walk was silent, as was lunch. After Miaka had inhaled her tenth plate of food, she spoke.

"I'm bored!" She frowned and rested her chin on top of her folded hands. Sakura giggled lightly and Miaka eyed her wearily. Then, an idea popped into her head and she jumped up, shaking the table and startling everyone.

"Sakura!"

"Nani?" Sakura was picking the rice off her lap from Miaka's antics.

"Let's go shopping!" She chirped. Eight pairs of eyes fell on her. Sakura raised an eyebrow.

"I have no money and I don't like to shop." She shook her head and brushed the remaining rice off her lap. Miaka's jaw dropped.

"Doesn't like to shop!?" Before she knew what was happening, Sakura was being dragged out of the room by the Suzaku no Miko.

"Sayonara! We'll see you later!" She happily dragged the protesting Sakura out of the palace. The seishi blinked once. Twice.

"Are you sure it's wise to let them go off on their own like that?" Mitsukake asked, petting Tama, who had been with him on his trip. Nuriko nodded and sat back in his chair.

"It's fine! Nothing will happen." He closed his eyes and rested his arms behind his head. After a brief argument, they decided it was okay to let the go because they hadn't sensed any danger in the last week. Tasuki frowned as he looked out the window. He had a bad feeling about this. Before he could do anything about it, Nuriko grabbed his arm and dragged him off down the hallway, babbling about something to deal with rice balls and magic hats.

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"Oh! This last one, onegai? Onegai Sakura?" Miaka pouted as they stopped in front of what seemed to be the only store they hadn't gone in. Sakura groaned, but nodded. Miaka once again grabbed her arm and yanked her into the shop. A small bell sounded as they entered and Sakura almost choked, the smell of must and mold getting to her. Miaka hadn't noticed and she squealed as she pulled out a lavender kimono and held it up to Sakura.

"Sugoi! You have to buy it, Sakura-chan!" Miaka insisted. Sakura wasn't listening though. She was eying the old man who had came out from the back room and was now behind the counter. He smirked at her, one that sent chills up her spine.

"Miaka, let's go, this place is giving me the creeps." Sakura nudged the younger girl.

"Nuh uh, I'm having too much fun! C'mon, buy it!"

While Miaka insisted on her buying the dress, the old man stepped out from behind the counter, his eyes glowing an unnatural shade of blood red. Sakura gasped and quickly grabbed Miaka around the waist.

"What are you...?" She stopped when she eyed the man. Her eyes widened. Sakura looked around frantically. She spotted a glass window and sprinted for it.

"Hide you head!" She instructed as she shoved her shoulder through it. Miaka shrieked and did as she was told. Glass embedded itself into Sakura's skin. She winced and gritted her teeth as she fell onto her back, Miaka on top. She gently pushed Miaka into a sitting position.

"Are you okay?" She asked, checking for any wounds. The only she could find was a shallow cut on her cheek. Miaka's eyes were wide with fear as she nodded. Sakura helped her stand, then looked her urgently in the eye.

"You have to get the others. I can't do this by myself." She instructed.

"But I haven't paid for the dress!" She pointed to the lavender kimono that was still in her hands. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"Go!"

Miaka nodded and took off down the street, just as the old man stepped out of the building. By now a crown had surrounded them, whispering and muttering words of confusion.

"Just wait, After I take care of you, I'll go after the Suzaku no Miko." His palms began to glow the same red as his eyes.

'Hurry, Miaka.' She prayed.

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Miaka was gasping for breath as she reached the palace entrance. She sprinted in and no sooner than she had gotten there, did she run into someone. That someone caught her before she hit the ground. She looked up, her face flushed, as she continued to take deep breaths.

"Tasuki?" She gasped out. He nodded, confused. He had just gotten through with Nuriko's "rice ball-magic hats-and a cup of sugar trick" and he was still trying to figure out the point of the whole thing.

"Mi-chan, what happened? Where's Sakura?" He carefully wiped away the blood from her cut. She jerked away and hunched over, trying to catch her breath.

"Wewereshoppingandthisstrangemancmaeoutandattackedandsheflewthroughawindowandnowshe'shurtandfightingthisstrangeguyyougottahelpher!"

Tasuki blinked.

"Come again?"

She took a breath before starting again, this time the abbreviated version.

"Sakura jumped out a window and now she's fighting this old guy who has funny red glowing eyes!" She tugged impatiently on his sleeve. His eyes widened and he grabbed her wrist, pulling her with him as he ran into the palace.

"We gotta get the others."

'I just hope we're not too late.' Miaka prayed as they raced into the palace.

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Sakura coughed violently as she clutched her stomach. Blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth.

"You bastard." She rasped out before breaking into another fit of coughs. The crowd around them watched, stupefied. Sakura had tried numerous times to ask them to go get help, but they just stood there and watched. She slowly pushed herself up from her kneeling position and stood, swaying slightly. She knew she couldn't stand one more blast. The man smiled proudly.

"What an accomplishment for me! Nakago-sama will be so pleased I was able to capture you!" He happily clapped his hands together like a little child. Sakura winced, feeling her own blood seep through her fingers and down her legs, staining her school uniform.

"Now, I have to finish this." He stalked up to her. She tried desperately to get away, but tumbled to the ground, too weak to stand. He towered over her now, a content look on his face. He pulled out a small glass vial from his coat, a shimmering blue liquid inside.

"Open wide!" He uncorked the top and held her chin in his hands. She tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong. Tears brimmed her eyes as he slowly began to pour the liquid down her mouth. She tried to spit it out, but only succeeded in choking. Some of the sour concoction made its' way down her throat and she grimaced and began to cough violently, hunched over onto the ground.

"There there." The old man patted her teasingly on the back. She glared at him with bloodshot eyes.

"Rekka Shinen!"

A blast of fire hit the old man. He jumped away from Sakura and nursed his burnt arm.

"Sakura!"

Sakura looked up. Who was calling her? She could barely tell anymore. Miaka, Tasuki, and Chichiri ran to her.

"This is all my fault, if I had just been quicker!" Miaka sobbed into Tasuki's chest. Chichiri gently placed a hand on Sakura's arm. Mitsukake came up behind Tasuki and quietly mumbled something to him. He nodded and with Miaka still in his arms, he walked back to the others. Tamahome glared angrily at him. Chiriko watched from his spot behind the emperor, fearfully. The old man cursed and began to run away when a strong grip on his arm stopped him.

"Not so fast. First, what the hell did you do to her?" Nuriko growled, twisting his arm in an abnormal way.

"It's a power potion! A power potion!" He cried out as he yanked his arm free.

"Power potion?" Nuriko repeated.

"It will bring out her full potential! Just like Nakago-sama wanted!" He quickly ran off.

"Nakago!?" Hotohori glanced worriedly at Sakura. Now that Nakago was involved, they would have to take extreme precautions. The crowd was ordered to leave. They slowly began to separate under their emperors' command.

. Mitsukake kneeled down next to Sakura and Chichiri. He frowned. Numerous shards of glass were imbedded in her skin, some too deep to even see. She had many other battle wounds, many which dripped blood onto the dirt city street. Mitsukake raised his hand and it began to glow green.

'Warmth.'

Sakura thought as she passed out. Strong arms caught her and cradled her protectively to their chest. The group headed back to the palace, Sakura sleeping in Chichiri's arms.

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AN: Aww! Poor Sakura-chan! ::cries:: Anyway, I don't know if they have glass windows in Ancient China, don't really care ^-^

What plans does Nakago have for Sakura? What does that 'power potion' do? Will Sakura ever finish the song she started in the beginning of this chapter!? Stay tuned until the next chapter to find out!