I don't on Foogie-Woogie. Well, I do own Foogie-Woogie, but Fushigi Yûgi is not mine in any way, shape, or form. Please do not sue for the use of plot line or direct quotes. For you see, I am but a poor girl who can't afford to have her own stories published, and so posts on a free site like fanfiction.net.

Chapter Two: Archer of the Fortress

Three months passed quickly. Kori learned all about the bandits and their pasts, and all about anything here in this world that she needed to. She became exceptional with the bow and arrow, eventually beating out the one bandit who used bows and arrows. She learned that nobody liked Eiken, but they all gave in to the power of the tessen. She learned the names of every single bandit: one hundred and two, to be exact. She had even managed to fool every guy about her gender for the past three months.

"Kori!" Tessou called. He was one of the first bandits to become her friend three months back. She had befriended many quickly, and discovered that these bandits were really good people who just had bad occupations.

"Yeah?" Kori called back, aiming her arrow at a small hole in one of the trees. She fired and it hit directly.

"We jes caught sight o' a group o' three women! Ritsuku said all three o' 'em were hot!" Tessou replied. Kori rolled her eyes and slung her bow over her shoulder, following her ecstatic friend. She was the archer they always chose to do the kidnapping. She follwed her dagger-weilding friend as far as the opening path to find a woman looking over to where two women had fallen into one of their traveller-traps. The two fallen women stood up and Kori gasped. It was the Emperor! And the girl in the clothes Kori hadn't seen in ages had to be Miaka. It took Kori all she had not to laugh and squeal at the same time.

Ritsuku, before the woman Kori assumed to Nuriko noticed, drew out his club and knocked Nuriko out. He also knocked Hotohori out and Miaka followed. Aoi, Ikara, and Tessou, the three strongest out there, picked up the three and headed back towards the bandit dining room. They tied the hands behind their back and set them on the floor.

"Kouji, what'll happen to those three... girls?" Kori asked as she sipped her sake very, very cautiously. The bandits were nice guys, but many tended to get drunk quickly, including Kouji.

"One o' them'll go ta Eiken, and we don' know what we'll do with tha other three," Kouji stated, the alcohol he was consuming at alarming rates impairing him slightly. Kori nodded. "Now I gotta go check with tha boss," he slurred, then shook his head. Kori sighed and sunk into her seat.

"Hey guys! I hear talkin' in tha other room!" Osui, the highest position bandit in the room called. Everybody stood and headed in there.

"Well, y'all awake now?" Ritsuku asked, crossing his arms.

"W-Who are you?" Miaka asked cautiously.

"What? You ain't figgered it out yet!?" Aoi asked. "I guess I can fill you in."

"We're the bandits of Reikazukan Mountain!" Tessou cried joyfully. All the bandits, including Kori now, posed.

"We done took everythin' you got. That's yer toll," Aoi stated. Miaka and Kori both sweat-dropped at his grammar.

"Ah'm th' boss, so y'all just do what I say--" Osui was cut off as Miaka attacked him. She went to attack everybody, but Kori stepped out of the way just in time. The doors behind her flung open as the room reached absolute chaos. Kouji stepped out with a few other bandits behind him and smiled at Kori. He then hit Miaka roughly on the head and she stopped.

"Who's th' l'il pest!?" he asked and all five bandits sighed in relief. "The boss wanted one o' 'em," he stated, taking Miaka's elbow. "You're pretty fiery. Guess it'll be you, then!"

"Miaka!" Hotohori and Nuriko cried at the same time, but Miaka smiled and leaned in towards them. They leaned in, too, and Miaka whispered some stuff to them before Kouji pulled her away.

"This ain't no time for a meeting! C'mon!" he shouted. "C'mon Kori, help me here." Kori followed as he dragged her down the hall.

"Kouji, I don't think this is a good..." Kori began, but stopped and dropped the subject. They approached the boss's door.

"Knock knock!" Kouji said and Kori stifled another laugh. "Who's there? It's Kouji bringing the woman, as per your command. It's-Kouji-bringing-the-woman-as-per-your-command who??" Kori rolled her eyes.

"Kouji! This one is for me?" Eiken asked, sake flowing from his piggish lips. Miaka looked like she was going to faint.

"Grin 'n' bear it," Kouji whispered as he pushed her forward, closing the door. He sighed sympathetically along with Kori, who both stood guard.

A few moments later, they could hear Eiken's catcalls. Kori groaned.

"Tsk..." Kouji stated. "He's scum."

"I couldn't agree mo--Kouji?"

"Where is Miaka!?" Hotohori asked, a sword to Kouji's throat.

"She's in there! Let go of Kouji!" Kori cried. Nuriko grabbed her wrists, though, and threw her down on the floor. He then proceeded to bust through the wall. "Whoa..." Kori mumbled at Nuriko's intense strenght.

"Ha!" Nuriko laughed as he caused the wall to collapse.

"Miaka, are you all right!?" Hotohori called, gripping an injured arm. Kouji and Kori both stared disbelievingly at Nuriko's show of strength.

"Nuriko!! Hotohori... Hotohori!" Miaka cried, throwing herself into his arms. They continued a small conversation before they remembered Eiken. He held up his sword to the fat man and spoke.

"This girl is the Priestess of Suzaku!! Lay a finger on her and you die!!"

"You can't kill him!" Miaka cried suddenly. "So tell me--who has writing on his body!?" she continued, and everybody just stared.

"Answer her, now!" Hotohori added.

"Okay! Okay! Okay!" Eiken shouted. "Tasuki! He's the one!"

"Tasuki..." Miaka closed her eyes quickly. "He's the fifth. Tamahome! I found the fifth! So where is he?" Miaka continued, but blinked. Everybody blinked as a small gust of wind past by. Hotohori looked up, but Miaka was gone.

"Miaka!?" he asked.

"The woman's over here!" everybody heard, and turned to where the voice had come from.

"Gen... Genrou!" Kouji cried.

"Y-Y-Y'didn't tell me you'd be back..." Eiken uttered.

"Miaka!" Hotohori shouted behind him.

"It's been a while, Eiken!" Genrou grinned, revealing fangs. "I take a little trip an' suddenly yer the chief!? Even an ugly-ass bastard like you managed to find yerself an old lady." Genrou grinned again.

"No!" Miaka shouted. "I'm not his wife!" Genrou ignored her.

"She mine now!! You wanna get her back, it's you 'n' me. You win, y' even get t' be boss." He stated. "But tonight, her cute l'il ass is mine!"

"What..." Eiken stated. "That's not fair!"

"Cretin'!" Hotohori shouted. "Hand Miaka over now!"

Genrou just smiled. Kouji gasped as he saw Genrou lift a set of cards. He took Kori by the shoulder and pulled her out of the room.

***

Okey-dokie, so the chapters are getting a bit shorter. Don't blame me, blame the wonderful, creative, and intelligent creator *sighs of jealousy* of FY. Please review, and THANK YOU to Faeriesinger for the clumsy idea (sadly, that would make Kori exactly like me… well, in clumsiness, anyway)! Anywayz, I've got a bunch of chappies already, but mebbe in later ones you'll see less… perfection! Whoo-hoo!

Yeah… well… bye for now!

~Taryn Eithne *disappears in a puff of happy, bubbly smoke*

Dude… I post too often…