A/N: It's chapter nine and this story's still going! Wow my best run yet! Cool. Anyways I'll try to get to the ship scene by the end of this chappy but if I don't, never fear ch 10 will pick it up and you won't be disappointed (I hope ^.^) at any rate I own not Fushigi Yuugi but Kyari is mine so paws off and now the story.

As Tasuki and Kyari continued their walk around the pond, the sun started to set sending rays of pink and red dancing over the glass-like surface of the water.

The peacekeeper smiled as she walked, looking at the water. "I've never seen anything like this." she breathed in awe.

"What? A sunset?" demanded Tasuki "You don't go out much, do you?"

"I live in a city." Kyari explained.

"So? Konan's a city. We see sunsets all the time."

Kyari sighed. "A big city, Tasuki, a really big city. With too many lights and too many buildings all around." the girl clarified "The only time I ever get to see the sunset dancing across the water like this is if I happen to be staring at the duck pond in the park before the street lamps come on."

"Street lamps? You mean a lamp with some kind of torch in it?" the bandit asked in confusion.

"That's right. Only ours are automatic." she told him " Plus, they're annoyingly bright and usually stationed right outside my apartment window no matter where I move."

"No matter where you move? How often do you move around?" Tasuki asked, making a face that showed half confusion, half curiosity.

"Pretty often. I keep trying to get away from people, but they seem to like following me around so I keep having to move away."

"Why do you hate people so much anyways?"

Kyari shrugged as she climbed onto a boulder and sat down to look over the water's darkening surface. " It's not that I hate people, per say. It's that they all seem to hate me once they get closer to me." she shook her head bitterly "Ch... I don't exactly blame them… I mean I hate me for cryin' out loud, they got every right."

Tasuki frowned and came to sit next to her. "I'm people and I don't hate you." he said softly "I don't think I could, even if I tried."

The peacekeeper gave him a small smile. "Thanks, but that makes one down and seventeen billion left. Seventeen billion is a lot of people y'know, it's not fun to have every single one of them staring at you every time you go out, to have them look down their noses at you whenever you say hi…but whatever. That's their problem."

"That can't be true! I don't look down at you! Neither does Chiri', or any of us for that matter! Not even Tama-Neko!" Tasuki cried indignantly "Why do you think everyone hates you?! You're not a bad person…I don't get it." he finished, voice softer now.

"Wait a bit you'll see." Kyari answered ruefully. "You'll find out just like the others did and then…" she trailed off, letting a tear slide down her cheek. " And then I'll lose the best friends I ever had or ever will have."

"Hey…don't cry kid. No matter what we find out, we won't stop bein' your friends." Tasuki said reassuringly "You're part of the team now, Suzaku Shichiseishi don't let each other down. Whether it's sharing a laugh or calming our fears we're all there for each other and now we're there for you too." He put his arm around the girl's shoulders and squeezed her arm lightly. "Don't you forget it."

Kyari looked up gratefully into Tasuki's sincere amber eyes and laughed softly. "How is it that a bandit I just met yesterday knows how to cheer me up when even my best friend of twelve years can't?" she mused.

Tasuki gave her a puzzled look. "How'd you know I'm a bandit? And I dunno but glad I could help."

"Your eyes. They tell me more about you than you can ever tell me with words." the girl replied " Don't worry I can't see your secrets or stuff like that. The only thing I can see is if you're a good person or not the rest I figure out myself."

"Oh. Cool."

"Yeah, I suppose." She paused for a second then said, "Suddenly, I'm really tired. I'll see you tomorrow when we leave alright?"

"You're not coming to the festival with us?"

Kyari shook her head. "Nah, you guys go. Have fun." With that she got up and started walking back to her room before Tasuki could protest.

Once she was back in her room, Kyari sat staring at the fireplace. Even though there was no fire lit she felt as if she were drawn to the dark space created by the wall. As she stared she soon found a pair of eyes staring back at her.

"What the!" she yelped starting backwards and nearly falling over the back of her chair.

In the place where the fire should have been, floated an aged old woman with a sour face and mystical clothing. Her ribbons flowed around her and she was staring at Kyari with eyes as cold as ice.

"Suzaku no Peacekeeper." she said at last, her voice gravelly "Do you know who I am?"

"N-not really." the girl stammered, settling herself back into a cross-legged position on the chair.

"I am the oracle of the four Gods, Taiitsukun," the old woman informed her "I was sent by Suzaku to give you your instructions."

"I-instructions?"

Taiitsukun nodded. "You have chosen to become the peacekeeper have you not?"

Kyari nodded solemnly.

"Then you have also accepted all the responsibilities that come with the title. They are as follows you must make sure that the Suzaku Shichiseishi are all alive and well until they find the Shinzaho. You must also make certain that the Suzaku no Miko is not harmed in any way during your quest. To properly do this you must know your enemies." She continued.

"Enemies?" Kyari asked, narrowing her eyes "What enemies?"

"The Seriyuu Shichiseishi. They are strong and very shrewd. Their Shogun, Nakago no seishi will stop at nothing to gain power and crush Konan in his fist."

"Is that it? You're worried about one guy?" the peacekeeper asked disbelievingly.

"This 'one guy' as you put it has more power than even Chichiri, who has received training from me." the old woman shot back "You must not let anything distract you from your duties, do you understand Kyari?"

"Hai. I understand." the girl said sitting up as straight as she could "I won't let anything happen to them, I promise."

"Good." Taiitsukun said approvingly "By the way, when I said don't let anything distract you that included blue-haired monks." she added giving Kyari a hard stare.

The girl blushed to the roots of her hair and nodded meekly. "H-hai" she squeaked.

Taiitsukun waved her arms and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Kyari's eyes flew opened and she sat staring at the ceiling for a while. "That was an interesting dream…" she thought "An old lady shows up to tell me to be careful and keep everyone safe…wait. Was it a dream?" she looked around the dark room and realized she was still in the chair by the empty fireplace. "Guess not. Well whatever it was I promised not to let anything happen to those guys and I won't." she thought sleepily. "Not after they took me in and accepted me as a friend without some kind of hidden reason." Her eyes crept shut on her again and she fell into her dreams once more.

The next morning Kyari found that she had been moved to her bed and vaguely remembered a pair of arms lifting her up and gently placing her under the covers, pulling the blankets up under her chin. She smiled at the memory and slowly pushed her legs over the side of the bed. She pulled on a fresh tunic and grabbed her bag, pulling the door open and stepping out into the morning air.

The sun was already up and it was shining happily down on the city and the palace grounds, warming everything it touched.

"Great day to launch a boat." she said to herself as she headed across the lawn.

She met Chiriko along the way and helped the boy to carry his things to the boat where everyone else was waiting.

"Hey where's Tamahome?" the girl asked as she noticed that the teal-haired seishi wasn't on the dock with the rest.

"He went to get his family Kyari-san. Nuriko and Miaka are with him as well." Chiriko explained "Hotohori- sama said that they could stay in the palace while we're looking for the Shinzaho."

"Oh, alright then." she hesitated a second then asked, " Do you happen to know anything about the Seriyuu Shichiseishi?"

"Only that there were seven of them and that the one known as Amiboshi deceived us all by posing as me when the others tried to summon Suzaku." Chiriko told her "You should ask Chichiri-san or one of the others, they would know better than I do."

"Thanks. " the girl said, nodding her thanks "I think I just might do that." She turned and went over to where Chichiri was talking with Hotohori.

"…We take the pass through Genbu we'll get there faster, no da." Chichiri was saying, "So really that's our best option."

Hotohori nodded. "I suppose so." he sighed "I only wish I could accompany you. It seems that I never get to leave the confines of my palace…"

Kyari whirled on her heels and started walking the other way. "Okay then… not going to listen in other people's conversations." she said to herself "Even if that was pretty interesting…No! Mustn't listen! Mustn't!" she forced herself to keep walking and kept arguing to herself as she went. Not paying the least bit of attention to where she was going, she stepped on something. Figuring it was just a rock she kept on until a voice yelled after her "Yeah sure! Step on me then pretend you didn't!"

Kyari stopped and faced the owner of the voice "Gomen Tasuki!" she apologized "I was caught up in an argument with myself."

The flame-haired seishi shot her a funny look, shrugged, and then turned to walk away.

"Wait! I have a question!" Kyari called, catching his arm "Who are the Seriyuu Shichiseishi? I mean what do they look like and stuff?"

"Well so far we only know of two of them. They're Nakago and Amiboshi, but Amiboshi got killed by accident after he tricked us into thinking he was Chiriko and messed up our summoning ceremony." he explained.

"How do you 'accidentally' kill someone?" Kyari demanded, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Well he let go of his flute when Miaka tried to save him." Tasuki told her "I think he wanted to make up for what he did to us. He deserved what he got if you ask me…"

"Nobody deserves to die." Kyari said flatly. She turned and stalked off to help Chiriko and Chichiri load up the ship.

Tasuki stared after her. "What'd I say?" he wondered.

A few hours later Tamahome came back with Miaka and Nuriko not far behind, he looked worn and his eyes were red rimmed as if he'd been crying. He spoke briefly with Chichiri and then wandered off to talk with Miaka.

Kyari's brows creased in concern and she went over to Chichiri. "What's wrong?" she asked "Where's Tamahome's family?"

" They were murdered by a Seriyuu Seishi named Suboshi, no da." Chichiri said gravely "Tamahome found them and he tried to kill Suboshi. Unfortunately, Suboshi escaped with the help of Soi, another of the Seriyuu. He seems to be all right for right now. I think all he needs is some time to himself."

Kyari shook her head sadly. "I will never understand why the innocent always have to get hurt just because some psycho feels the need for revenge." she said shortly "But I'm glad Tamahome's alright."

"Me too, no da. We should be casting off soon." Chichiri told her "So we're going to start boarding."

Kyari nodded. "See you later, then I'm sure you have better stuff to be doing than talking to me."

Chichiri gave her a catlike smile. "I always have time to talk, no da. I do have things to do though." he admitted "See you on the ship, no da"

As Kyari headed up the gangplank, she caught sight of Tasuki arguing heatedly with Chiriko, Nuriko, and Miaka. Curious to see what was going on she went over to the group.

"What's up guys?" she asked.

"Tasuki-san refuses to board the ship." Chiriko explained.

"I am NOT getting on that ship!" Tasuki said hotly "There is no way in HELL you can make me."

"See?" Nuriko asked exasperatedly "We tried everything short of carrying him on."

"Hmm.." Kyari put a hand to her chin as she thought for a minute. " I know!" she cried.

She went over to Tasuki and stood on tiptoe so she could reach his ears and whispered something.

"Really?" the bandit asked disbelievingly.

The peacekeeper nodded solemnly. "Yup. So c'mon and we'll face the waves together, alright?"

The flame-haired seishi considered for a second, then followed the girl to the gangplank. Halfway up the bandit stopped and looked down at the water splashing below him. His eyes widened and he turned to run, but smashed into a guard. The guard shifted the box he was carrying to his other arm and picked up Tasuki in the other.

"Lemme down, goddammit!" Tasuki yelled, trying to free himself from the guard's strong grip. The guard paid him no mind and only let him down once they were safely on the ship. 

Finally once everyone was on board, the others on the dock started pulling the gangplank down, ready to send the ship and all its passengers off on its quest.

Miaka gathered everyone in one place and took a few pictures of them all and then everyone went off to do their own thing.

Chiriko went to his room to read, Nuriko went off to the kitchens with Miaka not far behind, Mitsukake went to his room to set his things in order and Chichiri disappeared somewhere to meditate. Tasuki and Tamahome stood at the rail of the ship arguing and occasionally swatting each other. Kyari sighed as she headed to the back of the ship to be by herself. This may have been better than home but still… She shook her head to push back the darkness that seemed to be creeping up on her and sat watching Konan get smaller and smaller as they drifted to sea.

********* And so there's chapter nine for you! Longer than the others but that's cause I wanted to put up ten as well. (That didn't make sense but oh well ^.^)  Here's the glossary:

Shogun means general.

Shichiseishi means seven seishi (Shichi=seven seishi=celestial warriors)

Tama-Neko is Mitsukake's cat

So that's it for now and see you next chapter!

~Tenshi K.~