Um, I received a review about Tasuki's mouth. Now, I'll admit that while Inuyasha will probably one up him in the foul mouth department, Tasuki is no saint. He swears all the time in the anime, so I was merely trying to emulate that. After all, he is a bandit and I didn't think they were much for eloquent language. I was not aware that the story's overall 'goodness' would be higher or lower depending on whether or not the 'f-word' is in use. Delphine Pryde, I agree, the bandit dance is awesome. Teresa, you're a smartass. Crimony. Sinful1: Nameless bandit guy huh??? Rubs chin craftily

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yugi.

Warnings: Tasuki swears in this chapter too. In fact, this goes for the rest of the story. Bandits! People! Doing stuff! And Nuriko!

Somewhere Out There

Chapter Nine

"We have to find my friends, you don't understand." I wished I could find away to tell the two er, bandits that we needed to do this right away so that I wouldn't fade away before hand. That would probably send them jumping but so? Miaka and Saihitei and Kishuku were probably worried and who knows where they were now? "So come on, we have to go back."

"This chick is a Suzaku no Seishi?" Kouji looked rather confused. "She's kind of…harmless looking."

"Well I'm not." I glared at the two. "So unless you people want to see the extent of my wrath, we better get going."

Suzaku better protect me. I'm his chosen one, so he's got to deal with it.

Not that I think it matters to these two.

Kouji and Genrou seemed to be ready to start drinking as Kouji had brought some sake for the two of them. But there wasn't time to drink. I thought urgently of Miaka, who couldn't defend herself in a fight; Kishuku, who would probably take out as many as he could if it meant they wouldn't touch Miaka; Saihitei, who I worried about most of all. Was that wrong to worry about him more then Miaka? She was our miko but Saihitei…I couldn't stop myself worrying about him. What if they somehow overpowered him? What if they were all dead?

The mental image that came when I thought of their bodies, strewn over the road was so terrible that I felt like I might throw up. How did I convince these two to take me back? I could just leave and they wouldn't be able to do anything about it but then, I didn't know where we were in relation to the carriage at all.

"You know…" I tried to think of what Genrou and Kouji wanted in life. "Saihitei, he's one of the Suzaku no Seishi that were back there." They stared with blank faces. Figures. "Emperor Saihitei."

"Holy shit, the emperor?" Genrou looked impressed and somewhat stunned. Kouji looked much the same.

"Yeah, and if you take me back, he'll reward you." I went on.

"Wait, why are you so important to the emperor?" Genrou looked slightly suspicious. "Is this a trick?"

"No, no trick." I lied. I had to think of something plausible; though you'd think one of the Suzaku no Seishi who were going to save the country from destruction would be good enough. It occurred to me that these two bandits weren't the smartest of the bunch. "Saihitei wants to marry me."

Please believe it. Please believe it.

"No kidding?" Genrou and Kouji looked really excited.

"Yes, if you brought me back, I bet he'd give you palaces and treasure and…" I searched for something to add to my invention. "And loads of sake!"

Saihitei is going to kill me. But I have to think of something to get them motivated!

"Yeah, we're not going to get very much bartering with Eiken." Kouji looked like he was thinking about this really hard. "So we give the emperor back his precious…?"

"The Lady Kourin." I decided to keep things simple.

"Okay, I say we take her back." Genrou told Kouji who simply nodded in agreement. I tried not to look too pleased with my devious ways.

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When we got back to the carriage, it was over turned. I ran towards it, panicking. Had they been kidnapped? Captured? What would happen to them? Part of me was so happy not to find them dead however that I nearly danced.

"Nuriko?" A voice I instantly recognized as Kishuku's called out from behind a nearby tree.

"Tamahome?" It was like we were spies with codenames or something. "Is Miaka alright?"

"Who's with you?" Kishuku stepped out and I saw his glowing symbol.

"Genrou and Kouji. They're exiled bandits." I answered. Genrou elbowed me and I rolled my eyes. "They want a reward for giving me back to Saihitei." I really wished I knew a way to communicate this to Kishuku without Genrou or Kouji knowing but since my seishi powers did not include telepathy, I was completely out of luck.

"Okay." Kishuku was obviously confused. "Come on, I'll take you to them." The three of us walked together but Genrou and Kouji were on either side of me like guards because as they said while we were walking, if it looked like an ambush, they were going to kidnap me again.

We went deep into the forest and finally I heard the crackle of a fire. When I got there, Miaka and Saihitei were sitting opposite of each other. Miaka was roasting something on a stick and Saihitei seemed to be making sure the fire kept going.

"I found her." Kishuku announced as we all came into view. Saihitei looked immediately up and Miaka dropped her stick and pounced on me.

"Kourin! Kourin! Kourin!" Miaka was hugging me so tightly that I could barely breathe. "I was so worried! I thought you…you…" She burst into wild tears.

"Oh Miaka, you should know better then that." I patted her back. "You think some weak bandits could take down Nuriko?" She smiled up at me. Then she looked at Genrou and Kouji.

"Hello! I'm Miaka, the Suzaku no Miko." Miaka bowed her head towards them.

"Miaka!" I knew Kishuku was not pleased with her for just announcing this fact. Come to think of it, neither was I.

"The Suzaku no Miko?" I thought Genrou's mouth was going to hit the floor. But at that moment I was distracted because someone was hugging me very tightly. It was the same pair of arms that had comforted me when I had first arrived at this world.

Saihitei…you weren't worried were you?

"Kourin…" Saihitei seemed unable to let go. "I'm sorry I didn't protect you better." My face felt very hot and I was glad it was dark. "I…"

"It's okay Saihitei." I told him comfortingly. "I'm perfectly fine, nothing bad happened to me." He slowly released me.

"So she wasn't fucking lying." Genrou poked his friend Kouji in the arm.

"What?" Miaka was confused and kept looking back in forth for an explanation.

"She told us that the emperor wanted to marry her and that if we returned her we'd get lots of rewards." Kouji said and I immediately looked down at the ground.

It was a ploy, it was just a ploy. That's what I'll say if Saihitei says anything.

"Oh yes, thank you for returning my lady." Saihitei seemed to be thinking quickly and I blinked in surprise. I looked over at him and Saihitei winked. "How can I repay you?"

"So you're seishi?" Genrou gestured at Saihitei, Kishuku, and I. "Eiken doesn't have any legendary warriors." He turned towards Kouji and after a few minutes of whispered discussion they turned back.

"Eiken tricked Genrou into leaving and then took control of the bandits." Kouji explained to us. "So when he got back, Eiken told him that he was the leader now."

"Couldn't you take out this Eiken guy by yourselves?" Kishuku didn't seem to like the two.

"Yeah, but he's got my tessen." Genrou explained. We all looked at each other, hoping the other one knew what was going on. "It's my tessen, the old boss left it for me. If you say the spell, it shoots fire. So you guys can help me get back my tessen and kick Eiken out."

"We don't have time." Kishuku spoke up. "We need to find the other seishi."

"Remember what the scroll said?" Miaka took out the scroll. "It said mountain. Maybe one of the bandits is a seishi! But how will we know?"

"I'm sure fate will bring us together." Saihitei told her comfortingly.

"I don't want you guys to get your freaking hopes up but I fucking doubt there's any seishi here." Genrou told us matter o' factly.

"We're not actually going to help them…" I trailed off, looking around at the others.

"Well," Saihitei looked a little bit uncomfortable. "Miaka has a point about the seishi. We should probably go and investigate. Besides, maybe there's an injustice that should be fixed here." He drew his sword and held it out towards Genrou and Kouji. "Do you swear that you will be an honorable leader of the bandits?" I saw Kishuku trying to smother his laughter at this question. I could understand where he was coming from. Miaka seemed a little confused.

"Yeah, yeah." Genrou waved a hand. Then he grinned, showing his fangs. "Obviously you guys are tough if some of our bandits attacked you before and you got away."

"It was ten of them and they were completely drunk." Kishuku snorted and Genrou glared at him for a few moments. Kishuku continued haughtily, "I took them out all by myself."

"Some of us are a lot fucking tougher then the others." Genrou amended. "So you guys help us out and we'll keep our eyes peeled for whoever the fuck that seishi guy is you're looking for."

"You're doing a great service to Suzaku." Miaka spoke up eagerly, I suppose she thought that this was suppose to make them feel better…or something. Instead they just looked at her like she had a jelly fish on her head that no one wanted to mention.

"I think Miaka and Kourin should stay here." Kishuku nodded his head at himself. He was looking at Miaka and not me but I still had to protest.

"No way!" I shook my head. "I want to go too."

"Kishuku!" Miaka protested, her hazel eyes going big.

"Miaka, we're going into the bandits' hideout." Kishuku tried to explain to her. "And if any of the bandits touch you…" He trailed off; a strange pained look crossed his eyes. "I won't allow that to happen."

"I don't see why that means I can't go." I gave Kishuku a defiant look. "Don't you remember? The only reason we found out we were seishi was because we were protecting Miaka and each other! So that means we should all go because then there's a bigger chance we'll find them." Kishuku shot a look towards Saihitei for help.

"Kourin's right." Saihitei looked firm. "We should all go. That means we'll have to be extra careful about Miaka." I tried not to look too triumphant.

"Let's get going." I pointed a finger into the darkness, striking a pose at the same time. "We can't wait around all night."

Funny that I said that. For at that moment, I began to fade right out of the world. Just as I was fading, I was greeted by the sight of Genrou and Kouji looking completely dumbfounded at the sight.

"Kourin!" Miaka exclaimed and I was gone.

Back in my bed. No! I couldn't be awake right now! We needed to go find the seishi! I hit my fist on my bed. Then I turned to the side angrily before spotting something on my bedside table.

It was the small orange plastic cylinder with a white top that held my prescribed sleeping pills. Take two. I grabbed it, opening it and then swallowing two pills down quickly.

Even if I can't sleep anymore…

I want to stay in this dream. So let me stay there.

I settled back down under my covers and closed my eyes, waiting impatiently for the drugs to take their effect on me. But I wouldn't have to wait long.

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Sorry the chapter's short! I'm so happy people like this story! . I keep going to the FY section and looking for good stories but maybe I'm picky, it's hard to find them sometimes. There's so many SI and OC character fanfics that it's kind of mind-boggling. I just want to write something different, you know? Please review and tell me what you think!