A/N: well my pc died hence the lack of updates. Horribly sorry all. Anyways, onto the usual stuff Mirai's mine but Fushigi Yuugi belongs to the amazingly talented Yuu Watase. To ch8…

We sat by the newly lit fire, holding our hands out to the warmth the fire gave off. Mirai was as close to me as she could get, shivering with cold and pulling my tunic tightly around herself. I had given the small girl my shirt as soon as it was dry, not caring if I froze to death as long as Mirai was alright, but it seemed that no matter what we did the tiny girl just couldn't warm up. I looked down at her and frowned a little.

"Are you still cold?" I asked worriedly.

The girl nodded and looked up at me, her green eyes miserable and pleading.

 I pulled Mirai into my arms and held her close, rubbing her arms and hands in an effort to get her warm. "I'm sorry. This is the best I can do." I apologized "I don't have any blankets or anything and if we get any closer to the fire, you might get burnt."

"S'okay." she whispered "Houjun-san trying."

I gave her a wry smile. "Maybe, but trying isn't good enough for me. I've got to get you warmed up. If you stay this cold, you'll get sick. I haven't got any medicine for you and we're miles from anyone who could give us some. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you. You mean everything to me…" My voice shook as tears stung at the corners of my eye. The mere thought of something horrible befalling my tiny companion wrenched at my heart and made me cry.

"Be okay." Mirai reassured me "Houjun-san think of somethin'. Won't get sick, promise. Tomorrow, find people an' we be okay."

I passed a hand over my eye and shook my head, a half-smile making its way across my face." I hope you're right Mirai…I hope you're right."

Night fell over us and I gently lay Mirai's sleeping form on the grass next to me, lying down on my back next to her and looking up at the stars. Suddenly, a strange impulse took me over and I sat up again. I clasped my hands together and bowed my head in prayer. Bringing my hands up to my face, I touched the bridge of my nose with my thumb, the tips of my index and middle fingers brushing my forehead and my ring and little fingers intertwined. I closed my eye and breathed a prayer to Suzaku.

Please, I prayed Let Mirai be okay. Don't take her from me, Suzaku. I love her too much to lose her…

A brilliant red light shone from my right knee as I pleaded with Suzaku to keep Mirai safe. I broke off my prayer and gasped in surprise as the light coming from my knee started to fade and I could make out a character through the thin material of my trousers.

"Sho…" I breathed in awe "The symbol for 'well'…"

Why in the name of the four gods was I marked with a character? Could this mean what I thought it meant…Was I- could I be- one of the legendary Seishi of Suzaku?  No, I was being delusional. Why would Suzaku choose to bestow his favour on a murdering, evil man like me?

Stop this self-castigation Houjun! I told myself Suzaku chose you because he sees something in you that you may not realize you possess. You have to believe in yourself if you're to make any difference in the world.

 Vowing to believe I could make a difference, I lay back down and looked up at the stars. Just visible through the treetops I caught sight of my favorite constellation, two parallel rows of four stars, one row slightly crooked as the last two stars jutted out into the night sky around them. One particularly bright star shone between the rows, connecting them like a giant letter 'H'. I smiled as I watched the clouds drift over the tiny points of light and the middle star was lost between the wispy, shadowed forms. I found my eyes getting heavier and heavier as the heavens continued their mysterious movements and finally I drifted off into sleep.

A/N: well so ends another chapter because it's late and I have to get up at six am tomorrow. The next chapter (and possibly the chapter after that (final chapter) as well) soon.

Glossary of Japanese:

Seishi- celestial warrior

Suzaku- God of the south in The Universe Of the Four Gods

That's it I s'pose. Oh yeah, for you fy fans who noticed something funny about Chiri's constellation, guess who the extra star is, cause I ain't telling. See ya next chappy.

~Tenshi Kitsune~