The Never Aging Darkness

By: Rika Hitoshi

Chapter 7 - Home

Disclaimer - I do not own Fushigi Yuugi.

Byakko roared and fired at beam at the senshi who just managed to dodge it. Tasuki growled, "If he wasn' so damn fast this would be easy." Nuriko nodded, "The only one with quick attacks is Chichiri. But it seems Byakko is immune to him for some odd reason." Tamahome narrowed his eyes, "Well there must be something we can do. Just running around firing poor attacks isn't helping." Tasuki gripped the fan harder, "Yeah well your not doing much yourself, you pansy!" "Pansy?!" "Watch out no da!" Tamahome and Tasuki barely dodged one of Byakko's attacks. Nuriko looked over at Chichiri, "Why don't you try to get Kiki out of her zombie sleep thing." Chichiri blinked as Nuriko grinned. "Mitsukake doesn't really have an attacks to defend himself and Kiki. You might be a better help to them than with Byakko since your attacks seem to not hurt him. Now go before you get knocked out again." Chichiri nodded and ran back over to where Mitsukake was hiding. "Come on, we should move somewhere safer no da."

~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~

Kyandee smiled, "So, the miko is on the move. Well then we can't have that." She stood up and took the orb out of the staff. She held it out in her palm and it began to hover. "Byakko, follow the Suzaku no Miko's life force. Track her down!"

~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~

The huge tiger god roared and began to run after Kiki and the two senshi. Nuriko grabbed its tail and began to hold him back. "Your fight is with us kitty. Not with them. Now get back here and fight!" Tamahome grabbed on and Tasuki gripped the fan. "Alright, hold him tight guys, cause now it's my turn! REKKA SHIEN!!" Tasuki aimed the Tessan at the white tiger and the red orange flames burst out, burning the fur and skin of the god. Byakko roared in pain and turned around sharply, sending Nuriko and Tamahome flying into the nearby bushes. Tasuki stood his ground and glared at the beast. "I'm ready for ya!" The tiger roared and jumped into the air. "REKKA SHIEN!!!!!" the flames hit the tiger in the face and chest, sending it back down, yelling out in pain.

~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~

The demon witched frowned, "How dare they harm my gods. Stupid seishi, I'll make sure their stupid miko never returns to their stupid book world. She'll either die in the one she's in or get sent back to her own world and stay there!" Kyandee placed the orb back onto the staff and walked off into another room.

~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~

Chichiri and Mitsukake stopped running and sat on the ground. Chichiri held Kiki in his arms, "Come on Kiki, you have to wake up no da." Mitsukake quickly started a fire; the screams of Byakko could be heard still. "It seems that they are doing well. Must have found a weak point in Byakko." Chichiri nodded, "Or they probably got the chance they needed no da." Mitsukake looked deep into the flames, "Do you think that that woman, Kyandee, is controlling the gods?" Chichiri thought for a moment "It's possible, but how no da?"

~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~

Kiki opened her eyes; she could have sworn she heard someone's voice. "Who." Hori looked down at her, "Something wrong?" she shook her head, "No, I just thought I heard someone calling me, but it was probably just me." "Your probably tired, that's all." Without Kiki's notice the area around her was crumbling into empty darkness. There wasn't much space left, just around a mile or so in diameter. The five hours were almost up.

~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~

Tasuki's breath was heavy and labored. He used almost all of his strength to knock Byakko back. "Stupid tiger. tryin to take me on. all by itself. stupid." Byakko growled and stood up slowly, it's body jerking from the pain. Tasuki's eye widened, "How." the tiger's growls were low, but steady and sharp. It gave a small glance at Tasuki and headed off to where Chichiri and Mitsukake were. Tasuki started to run after it, but collapsed to the ground. Nuriko and Tamahome ran over to him. "Tasuki, Tasuki!" Nuriko shook him and he opened his eyes, "Stop it. you must stop. Byakko." he lost consciousness again. "I'll start heading after Byakko, you get Tasuki to a safe place." Nuriko nodded and the two split off in different directions.

~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~

Chichiri looked up, "Something's coming no da." The two stood. The trees were being crushed to the ground and a tip of Byakko's giant body could be seen. "We start moving, it seems he's looking for us no da." Mitsukake nodded and they started running through the forest. Byakko sensed their movements and roared and began to give chase. He wasn't as fast, since Tasuki's attacks damaged him heavily, but he was slowly gaining on the three. Chichiri and Mitsukake ran into an open glen. After looking around they chose an empty pathway and headed down it. All too soon they realized why it wasn't blocked. They stopped, just in time to prevent falling down a steep ledge. "Konan has way too many of these no da." Turning around they saw Byakko who had slowed down to a slow pace, his breathing labored.

"Byakko, halt!" Kyandee grinned and landed on the tigers head. "Hello Suzaku seishi, we meet again. Having fun with my little pet? You all have been giving him quiet a workout." She smiled and rubbed one on the tiger's ears. "Such a shame you ruined his beautiful coat, I'll just have to fix that, won't I?" Kyandee lightly tapped Byakko's head with staff and his wounds disappeared and were recovered with fur. "That's much better isn't it Byakko my dear?" the tiger growled, it's eyes still fixed on the three below him. "Now Byakko, kill them!" Byakko roared and aimed a beam at them. Chichiri quickly set up a barrier, which kept the attack at from hitting them. "This is why I hate monks. Byakko, keep at it, he'll fall soon enough and all three of them shall perish." Kyandee laughed and vanished. Chichiri put all his strength into the barrier. "Kiki, please wake up no da. You're the only one who can call on Suzaku's strength." Byakko roared and fired more power into the attack. "KIKI! WAKE UP!!"

~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~

Kiki jumped back, breaking the embrace. "Chichiri?" she looked around, "It was him, I know it. Something is wrong." Kiki looked over at Hori, "I need to get back to my friends. Tell me what do I do?" he frowned, "You must stay here with me. You can't go back! I need you more!!" Kiki stared at him as he advanced on her. "Your not Hori. Your not him!" she pushed him away and noticed the area around her break apart. "This isn't real and it never was!" Kiki gasped as a red light began to glow around her. "This, this is Suzaku's light. What's going on?" the light grew and filled the whole area.

~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~

Nuriko looked up from laying Tasuki down against a tree. "Suzaku." Nuriko quickly picked Tasuki back up and began to head towards the light. Tamahome saw it too and ran faster. He skidded to a stop to see the light coming from where Chichiri, Kiki, and Mitsukake were. Byakko had subdued his attacks and was growling. Chichiri put the barrier down and turned around. The light grew brighter and flashed. When it had faded Kiki was gone.

~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~

Kiki opened her eyes slowly and blinked as her sight slowly focused. She sat up quickly and looked around. "My room?" she got out of the bed and walked out. Sitting in two chairs were Miaka and Niko, Miaka asleep and Niko in a stupor. "Niko?" the young girl looked up at the mention of her name and the tiredness was gone. "Kiki! Your back!" Before Kiki could say anything her friend was squeezing her to death. "Nice to see you too Niko."

Niko stepped back, "We were so worried. Your mom and me. We have been reading about what has been happening to you. Actually your mom was chasing me when you all of sudden just landed on me. We dragged you back here and put you in bed." Kiki sat in a chair, "How long have I've been gone?" Niko grinned, "Only about a two days. We actually just got you back here last night." Kiki blinked, "Two days? Are you sure? I could've sworn it was longer than that." Niko yawned and plopped back into the chair she was sitting in earlier. "Your mom told me that time goes faster in the little book than here. Neat huh?"

Miaka yawned, stretching out her arms, hitting Niko in the face. "Kiki, your back!" Kiki tried to run but Miaka was already holding her tight. "Why must you all try to kill me!" Niko tried to stifle a laugh, but was finding it hard. Miaka finally let her daughter go. "I was so worried about you. Thank goodness you made it back here. Your father is still in there though. I just hope that they were ok with Byakko. I'm still worried about the others." Miaka stood up, grabbing the book. "I'm going to hold on to this for now. No need for you to return so soon, right? See you later." With that she left. "She just took my only way back didn't she?" Niko nodded, "I think so."

~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~

Kiki sighed, it had been three days since she had returned and everything seemed to be getting harder. She just stared into the ice cream that was slowly melting into a liquid state. Niko poked the young girl, "Hey Kiki, your not eating, what's wrong?" Kiki shrugged, "I'm not sure, but I'm always like sleepy and stuff, but I can't really sleep, I don't want to sleep, but I need to sleep. And god I just want to eat this ice cream, but I can't, but I really want too." Niko blinked, "Your thinking about him aren't you." "Who?" "That guy from the book." Kiki blinked this time, "Chichiri?" Niko grinned, "Yes him, and you can't say no because you said his name when I said guy and you know what that means!" Kiki frowned and stood up, "I told you, I would never break my vow and I don't plan too either. So quit being so nosey for once Niko!" Niko just stared at her and Kiki walked off as her ice cream melted into a creamy drink.

~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~

Kiki unlocked the door and walked into the apartment, closing the door behind her. She dropped her bag next to the small table with her phone on it; pressing the black button she started the message machine. "Kiki are you there? Its your mom, I have some news. The book has disappeared. I looked all over for it and I didn't leave it anywhere. Could you please check your place and if you find promise you won't open it until you tell me. Thanks dear." There was a loud beep and the monotone of "No More Messages." Kiki plopped onto the couch and jumped back up. Looking down she saw the book. "The book, but how did it get here?" She sat down and picked it up. "Sorry mom, no promises." She opened and expected to see the red light but nothing happened. "Why isn't it working?" she opened it and closed it several times. "Maybe it's on time release?" she opened it one last time and closed it, slamming it on the table. "Stupid book, your supposed to take me back!" she got angry and walked off, not understanding why exactly.

~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~~~*~ ~~*~~

Rika - Aya, I'm running out of ideas, the chapters keep getting shorter and shorter! Tasuki - Heh, figures. Rika - What's that supposed to mean?! :looms over Tasuki: Tasuki - Whoa! Back off! Rika - If anyone has any ideas please e-mail me at XtsuksasaChanX@aol.com I'll make sure you get recognition for your ideas and stuff and give you some cake! :points to a huge chocolate cake: Tasuki - Cake! :runs at it: Rika - :trips him: See ya! :Poof sound and both Rika and the cake disappear: