Chapter Seven: Tasuki's True Feelings Part One

Tasuki dove under the water in search of Miaka. He found her close to the bottom and caught her just in time. He swam to the surface and popped out of the water, holding onto Miaka tight and swimming slowly to the shore.

"I see them!" Amiboshi shouted, "They're headed for the shore."

"Well let's hurry and get down there" Nuriko replied rushing forward with Yui right behind him, and Suboshi right behind her.

Tasuki carried Miaka onto the shore and lay her down.

"Miaka!" he called, "Miaka wake up!"

She didn't stir. Tasuki listened to her chest.

"Oh no she's not breathing" he said, "She must have swallowed water. Hang on Miaka. Um" he looked at her and took a deep breath as he noticed her cold lips.

He knelt down and began to blow air into her. It took a couple times but finally Miaka coughed and rolled over spitting out the water. Tasuki smiled in relief but moved suddenly when he saw Nuriko and the others running towards them.

"Miaka!" Yui called as she ran over and knelt before her, "Are you all right?"

"Yui chan" Miaka said slowly, "What happened?"

"It's okay Miaka" Nuriko replied, "You're safe now. Tasuki saved you from the river."

"River? You mean the river below the crevice?" she turned to him, "Thank you Tasuki."

It's no big deal" Tasuki blushed a bit.

"Well it's a big deal for someone who claims he can't swim" Nuriko crossed his arms.

"I said it's no big deal. Someone had to save Miaka."

"But it was very impressive just the same" Amiboshi grinned, "Are you okay Miaka?"

"Yes I'm fine. Yui what happened with Ren Shigyou?"

The others looked at Yui in surprise but she shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh it was nothing Miaka" Yui lied, "He and I talked when you passed out, but then he disappeared when the others arrived."

"I passed out? Why?"

"I think these stones" Yui replied throwing them both into the river, "Were fake Miaka. He tricked us. We're lucky that the others got to us in time."

"Yea" Miaka nodded, "But this means we have to keep looking for them. Oh Nuriko" she turned to the man who was kneeling before her, "What about Taka? Is he all right?"

"I don't know Miaka" he stood up helping her up in the process, "We should hurry back and find out."

"Mhm" Miaka agreed.

"Miaka" Yui replied, "I think the warriors and myself should return to Kutou."

"Yui?"

"It's just. I need to gather with Nakago and the others to find the stone, right? So I need to go back there. I hope you understand?"

"Of course I understand Yui" Miaka nodded.

"Let's talk about that later Lady Yui" Amiboshi suggested, "Let's get back to Tamahome and the others first."

"All right" Yui nodded as the six of them departed the cave from where they were standing.

(Next Scene)

It took them about another twenty minutes till they spotted the exit. Miaka and Yui were leading the way, and once they reached the entrance Miaka spotted Mitsukake and the others surrounding Taka who was still unconscious.

"Taka!" she called out preparing to run to him but Nuriko pulled her back.

"No wait Miaka" Nuriko replied, "Don't go near him."

"Huh? Why Nuriko?"

"Because apparently, he can't be anywhere near you or else he feels pain."

"Why?"

"Let's go talk to Mitsukake. Perhaps he can explain it" Nuriko suggested taking her gently by the arm and leading her closer to the group.

"Miaka!" Chiriko smiled.

"Miaka" Chichiri smiled as well and hugged her, "Thank goodness. We were worried about you, you know."

"Thank you Chichiri, Chiriko. How's Taka?" she grinned a little but then frowned.

"I'm afraid he's not doing at all well Miaka" Mitsukake said standing up.

"What's wrong with him Mitsukake?" she asked.

"He's been infected by some sort of virus. Whenever he gets close to you or you touch him in some way, his body reacts badly to it. He experiences a deep pain that causes him to not function properly."

"Is there any way that we can cure him?" she said in a worried tone.

"I've been trying to find a solution to that. Perhaps we had better return to the capitol."

"Good idea. Yui can leave from there for Kutou" she turned to her friend who smiled.

"Aw man I didn't even get to see Koji and the guys," Tasuki grumbled.

"We can get there faster by using my cape you know" Chichiri replied.

"But it might be hard to move him in this condition" Mitsukake said.

"I've got an idea" Nuriko spoke up, "Tasuki how far is the bandits hideout?"

"Not too far from here why?" Tasuki answered.

"Well I was just thinking. That would be a closer place to take him right now, and you would get to see Koji after all."

"I like that idea better? What do you think Mitsukake?"

"Sounds like the right thing to do" Mitsukake replied, "Priestess?"

"Yes" Miaka nodded, "I agree. Let's take Taka there. Yui" she turned once more to her friend.

"I can't go with you Miaka" Yui replied.

"I understand. You go to Kutou and gather with your warriors. We'll see each other again when we have to find the temple."

"Right" Yui nodded, "You guys" she turned to her warriors, "Let's go."

"Wait Yui" Miaka called, "I have something for you" she placed it in Yui's palm, "Take this."

Yui looked at Miaka's ring in her palm and shook her head.

"No Miaka I can't. This is the ring that Tamahome gave to you."

"I want you to take it. And when we see each other again, you can give it back. This will be just a reminder to you of our friendship and in case something else goes wrong, you'll have it to remember it by."

"Miaka. I don't know what to say" Yui looked touched.

"Don't say anything" Miaka smiled, "Just keep it with you. We will see each other again Yui. I promise."

"Right" Yui nodded, "Miaka I" she started to say but hesitated.

"Hmm?"

"Never mind" she hugged her tight, "Good bye Miaka" then she walked over, got on Suboshi's horse behind him, and gave a wave before they took off.

Amiboshi turned to Miaka before getting on his horse.

"Miaka, I promise I will look after Yui for you" he replied.

"Thank you Amiboshi" she embraced him.

"Good luck to you and the others. And I hope that Tamahome feels better soon" he got on his horse.

"Good bye Amiboshi" she waved as Nuriko joined her at her side.

"Miaka, it's time to go" he replied.

"Mhm" she nodded following him and the others through the woods towards the bandit's hideout.

(Next Scene)

As Keisuke read the story he glanced up and looked at his friend who was still sound asleep. He sighed then turned back to the book.

"I can't tell him" he thought, "I can't tell him or Mrs. Hongo. That is if Yui actually goes through with it."

Tetsuya stirred and Keisuke looked over in a bit of a panic, but he just rolled over and went right back to sleep. Keisuke sighed and resumed his reading.

"The Priestess of Suzaku and her warriors arrived at the bandits hideout. There Tasuki was reunited with his best friend and they all placed Taka in a secure room where the Priestess watched as Mitsukake administered to him."

(Next Scene)

Mitsukake and Chichiri placed a cold cloth on Taka's forehead. From where she stood Miaka watched with Chiriko next to her. Tasuki and Nuriko stood close by in case Taka woke up again. Earlier he had risen and seen Miaka. At first he had been overjoyed to see her but once she had been seen he had started flailing again. Now his eyes were closed and Miaka watched helplessely near.

"There's nothing I can do" she thought sadly, "I can't get anywhere near him. Why did this happen?"

Suddenly Taka opened his eyes and Mitsukake looked at him.

"Tamahome, are you all right?" he asked.

"I think so. But I'm not sure" he replied slowly as Miaka listened.

"You're not doing very well at all Tamahome" Chichiri said, "I want you to try to remember what exactly happened to you in the other world, when you were attacked. Can you do that for us?"

"I. I remember being in the school and leaving the office. I bumped into someone."

"Can you remember who?" Mitsukake asked.

"It was a woman. A student I think. But maybe not. All I know is she knew about Miaka and the situation that was going on at her school."

"That's a start" Chichiri replied, "What else can you remember?"

"I remember being surprised that she knew about Miaka and then she did something."

"What did she do?" Mitsukake said.

"I. I think she bit me somewhere. My ear. That's right. She bit me on my ear."

Miaka gasped as Mitsukake looked at the back of Taka's right ear that he was pointing to.

"I see now. Right here. Do you see that Chichiri?"

"Yea" Chichiri exclaimed, "What is that you know?"

"I was right. It is some type of poison. Unfortuantely I don't have the medicine for this type of thing."

"Isn't there anything you can do Mitsukake?" Miaka asked.

"Well I" he started to say but someone was knocking on the door.

"Knock, Knock! Who's there? It's Koji! Koji who? Koji who's got some information for his old boss Genrou! Oh Koji come right in!" Koji entered in, "Thank you!"

"Koji what is it?" Tasuki asked pulling away from the wall in which he was leaning.

"The boys just told me about a place that has medicine around here" Koji replied, "It's located in a temple."

"Is that true?" Miaka asked her hands clasped together, "How far is this place Koji?"

"Not too far from here. About ten minutes by horse" Koji answered.

"Then I will go find someone there who can help us, and can find the antidote! I'll be back!" she dashed out the door.

"Miaka wait!" Tasuki called running after her.

(Next Scene)

Miaka ran down the road as fast as she could. Behind her Tasuki followed on horseback.

"Miaka!" he called, "Hold on!" he stopped the horse in front of her, "You're never going to get to the temple that fast by going on foot. Hop on!"

"Thank you Tasuki" Miaka grinned climbing onto the horse.

As they galloped Miaka held tightly onto him.

"You know I can't understand Tamahome. How he can let himself be tricked like that?" he replied.

"What do you mean?"

"How he could leave himself wide open like that for some girl. And how you could easily forgive him for something like that too."

"Stop it Tasuki" she said angrily, "Stop the horse. I want off!" she jumped off.

"What?" he stopped the horse, "What are you doing Miaka?"

"I'm tired of you making fun of him all the time" she replied, "First when he didn't have his memories, now this. You're his friend aren't you? Why are you treating him this way?"

"Miaka, I" Tasuki grimaced sheepishly but then noticed moving in the grass to the side of her, "Miaka look out!" he jumped from the horse and saved her from the serpent just in time.

"Tasuki you're bleeding!" she shouted when she saw his arm, that had been bitten by the serpant.

He growled and pulled out his fan.

"Reka Shian!" he yelled incinereating the serpent to ash, then he fell to his knees.

Miaka ran over and took his arm.

"Tasuki are you all right?" she asked.

"I think the poison is starting to spread" he grimaced with pain.

"Poison? I know what to do. Give me your arm."

"What?"

"Just give me your arm!" she said more firmly, "I saw this on a survival show once. Now hold on this may hurt."

"What are you going to do Miaka?" he asked.

"I'm going to suck out the poison. Hold still" she placed her mouth over the cut and began to suck on the blood.

Every few seconds she would spit out the blood on the ground. Finally Tasuki felt the poison released from him and she stopped. She tore off a piece of her shirt and wrapped it around his wound.

"There" she replied, "It's gone now" she gasped, "Wait a second" she thought, "Maybe the same thing can be done with Taka. Tasuki let's go back!" she called to him standing up and running over to the horse.

"But what about the temple?" he asked standing up holding his arm.

"I have an idea."

(Till Next Time)

Authors Note: Another two parter! But the part will be the last I will write for the day! Hope you're enjoying it!

Next Chapter: Miaka is able to draw out the virus that inflicts Taka, but new emotions are stirring in one of her warriors, and he may not be able to control them!