Hey guys! Well, reviews just keep coming in. Thanks a lot! I should really take this song off repeat. But I like it and I don't want to stop listening to it. I get weird like obsessions with songs and will listen to them over and over again. The current obsession is Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game". So…if this chapter is particularly angsty, blame the song. Or me. It shouldn't be that bad.

A fan pointed out to me that it makes no sense that Ryuuen is from the real world while all the other seishi are not. But then, in the series, does it really make sense that the all important miko are from the real world? Cause if you have a really logical reason, you can have a cookie. (But you're buying.)

And Teresa wrote an akugi for the last chapter that I thought I'd share:

When they notice Genrou listening to Houjun's story

Genrou: I, uh, yeah...
Nuriko: blinks in realization Genrou and Houjun, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes an adopted baby in the baby carriage!

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yugi.

Warnings: Cussing, angst. Ryuuen feels guilty…so what else is new?

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Somewhere Out There

Chapter Sixteen

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The sun had long since set as we rode along. I was sitting next to Miaka in the wagon, appointing myself as her temporary nurse until we reached a village and found a doctor. Kishuku was riding the horse that was pulling the wagon and he kept turning around to see how she was.

He's really worried about her…

Miaka coughed as Kishuku hit a bump in the road and the wagon was jostled. I kept a firm grip on the railing, trying very hard not to accidentally use too much force and break it off or something. I had a brief mental image of myself doing just that and tumbling out of the wagon.

Saihitei was riding his horse in stride with the wagon so that every once and awhile we would look up at the same time and exchange a worried glance. Konan wasn't the most advanced civilizations, what if their medicines didn't work? What if Miaka had something that no doctor could cure?

Not only would it be the end of Konan and it's salvation from attack but it was more then that. It would be the death of Miaka. I didn't think I'd be able to handle it. Nor would Kishuku. She was like an endearing little sister…but at the same time, I tried to remind myself that she had been chosen by fate to the Suzaku no Miko. She couldn't just die.

But you touched her…maybe this is the punishment that they give a miko whose touched a man.

I took the cloth off of Miaka's head and rang it out before re-wetting it and putting it back on her forehead. I didn't have any experience with treating sick people, other then entertaining Kourin. Miaka's eyes were closed but she wasn't asleep, she kept coughing and her brow was furrowed like she was in pain.

"I see lights." Houjun was ahead of us all on what would have been my horse. A wave of relief washed over me. Maybe everything would be okay now.

The stars in the sky were fading and it occurred to me that I'd probably be waking up soon. I pushed that thought out of my head and took a hold of one of Miaka's hands. It was clammy and I squeezed, pretending that I was just as brave as Miaka probably thought I was.

I didn't feel brave at all as we hurried towards the fading lights of a waking village and the slowly brightening sky. We got to the village and hurried in amongst the huts.

Kishuku and Genrou both started calling out at people who were just waking up and starting up work, asking for a doctor. They said that the doctor was at the far end of town.

I had to carry Miaka in my arms but she was light as a feather with my super strength. She was wrapped up in her blanket still. Saihitei was standing next to me and I felt better as we tried to get to the doctor as quickly as possible.

Kishuku asked a person walking by where the doctor lived and the person pointed towards a small house in front of us. He went up to it and walked inside.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" The others went in after him and Saihitei made sure that I got in without accidentally bumping Miaka's head or something and came in after me.

"Yes?" A pleasant female voice came from another room.

"We need a doctor." Kishuku called back.

"I'll be there in a few moments." There were some rustling noises and stepping into the room was a pretty blonde haired woman. She had pale blue eyes and she looked at us curiously, noticing Miaka right away. "Oh please, put her on the bed in here." The woman bustled ahead to another doorway, sliding it open. Inside were several beds, all of which were empty.

I put Miaka down carefully and adjusted her carefully. The woman began examining her, putting her hand on Miaka's forehead after removing the damp cloth. She then pulled the blanket back and put her head to Miaka's chest.

"Please breathe in miss." The woman asked politely. Miaka took a deep breath in. "Hmmm…"

"When the doctor gets here, make sure he doesn't touch her." Kishuku informed the young woman. "She's the Suzaku no Miko and she can't be touched by a man." I looked down at the floor for a moment in guilt.

"Actually…" The woman was hesitant. "I am the doctor."

"You're the fucking doctor?!" Genrou looked somewhat amazed.

"My name is Shouka; I'm pleased to meet you." The young woman bowed her head towards us. At that moment of course, I started to fade away.

"Oh great." Was the last thing the others heard before I was gone. Waking up in my bed I immediately knew I couldn't go to school, I had to stay with the others. Miaka was sick after all…we didn't know what it was.

The others might be able to handle it.

I should still go!

I shut off my alarm and grabbed a pen and a piece of paper. I wrote something to the effect that I had woken up sick and couldn't go to school today. I taped it to my door and then went to the bathroom.

Grabbing the bottle of aspirin out of the medicine cabinet, I congratulated myself on my quick thinking. I had access to modern medicines and it might help Miaka's fever go down! I ran back to my room, closing the door and taking two of my proscribed sleeping pills.

I clutched the aspiring bottle in my hands as I waited for the drugs to kick in.

Please let Miaka be okay, please let Miaka be okay…

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This time I did not almost get deposited in a fire. I was right back in the room. Shouka was staring at me with rather alarmed eyes. Saihitei, ever the diplomat, tried to explain.

"This is one of our seishi, Kourin is from another world." Saihitei spoke graciously.

"Oh yes…" Shouka didn't seem to really understand but nodded her head anyways.

"I brought aspirin!" I held the bottle out in my hand triumphantly.

"Aspirin?" Genrou and Kishuku chorused together in confusion. It was then that I noticed Houjun had a strange expression on his face. He seemed to be occupied with something and I wanted to know what it was. The look on his face said one thing to me: Something was wrong.

"It's medicine from my world. It should help with her fever and if she has a headache." I explained easily.

"She has all the signs of the plague." Shouka spoke up and I froze.

"Plague?" I questioned slowly. Shouka nodded her head.

"Yes, I'm surprised nobody has come in so far from the village." Shouka glanced at the window. "A plague has been haunting us, one that brings painful fevers and then death."

"Death?" Kishuku croaked.

Miaka can't die…she just can't.

"There must be something…" Saihitei trailed off, looking pained that there was nothing he could do personally to help.

"Let's try Kourin's medicine." Genrou seemed all in favor of this idea. "She's got music in boxes, her world probably has cures."

"Perhaps we should give it a try." Houjun added on but he still looked rather troubled. Was it because he had heard of the plague while he was traveling and had figured out that she might be infected by the plague?

"You are welcome to try." Shouka nodded her head. Her eyes struck me as rather sad. She probably saw stuff like this all the time being the town doctor.

I took the cup of water from the table next to the bed and sat carefully next to Miaka.

"Okay Miaka, I'm going to put this medicine in your mouth. Don't chew it, just swallow it." I instructed her. She opened her mouth obediently and I put the two pills inside. Then helped her take a drink of water so she could swallow them. She sputtered a little and I knew that she might have gotten a small taste of the aspirin.

The bottle slipped from my fingers (Luckily I had put the cap back on) and it rolled to Houjun's feet. He reached down and picked it up. I went over to retrieve it but he was staring at the bottle.

"What does this say?" Houjun asked, tilting the bottle towards me and I went to read it, having to lean over so that we were right next to each other.

"Are there any other doctors in town Shouka?" I heard Kishuku asking.

"Kourin, put this on Miaka." Houjun's hand moved and revealed an ofuda. "Make sure no one sees you." I took the bottle from him and the ofuda with one hand. I gave him a strange look, not quite understanding the instructions.

"No, there's no one else." Shouka answered.

"I was just making sure…in case Kourin's medicine doesn't work…to see if they could help us at all." Kishuku explained. "I didn't mean to offend you."

"I understand. I've seen enough people die of this illness." Shouka nodded her head. "It is very painful to watch, especially for loved ones." Kishuku blushed a little at being referred to as a 'loved one'. I went over, pretending just to be seeing if the medicine was working and I straightened the blankets, carefully putting the ofuda on Miaka.

She half opened one of her eyes. "Wha—?" I put my fingers to my lips and winked at her so she wouldn't worry.

"You returned quickly to us Kourin." Saihitei commented and I took a few steps away from Miaka so I wouldn't arouse suspicion. I didn't see why it was some big secret but if Houjun said to do it, I wasn't really going to question it.

"Yeah…I…" I tried to think of a good excuse. "I didn't have to wake up yet."

"We should let the patient rest." Shouka suggested. "Perhaps you would like to sit and have tea while she sleeps?"

"I think I'll wait in here." Kishuku answered. "But the rest of you go ahead." We left him alone with Miaka, we understand that he needed to be there with her. The others looked a bit tired and I remembered that they not had any sleep at all.

Just as we were sitting in the front room, Shouka opened her door to go get some water from her well. A cat came in through the door as though it had been waiting for her to open it. It was a white cat with brown paws and brown tipped ears and tail.

Shouka's reaction was surprising; she backed away from it as though scared. It was such a harmless looking cat that I didn't understand. It sniffed Shouka's foot and then began to hiss and growl.

"Is that your cat?" I asked getting up.

"N-no." Shouka's face was white. The cat backed up and went out the door. I don't know why I did this but I went after the cat. It was an urge that welled up inside me even though I heard the others call my name to try and stop me.

I wondered why it hadn't liked Shouka. She seemed like such a nice person. It was running along the street and I chased after the cute cat, wondering how far I would have to go.

It left the edge of the village and I hesitated for a moment. Then I saw it was going up a pathway. Maybe it lived there and I followed it, running and trying to catch up with it.

But the cat stayed just enough ahead of me that I couldn't just grab it. I was paying so much attention to the cat that I didn't realize that a house was right there until I nearly ran into it. Stopping short, I watched the cat jump through a window and into it.

Does the cat live here?

A strange curiosity made me go up to the window and look in. The cat was sitting there cleaning itself just inside the window. I was thinking about grabbing it, jut to claim victory at last but I stopped when I noticed a person was inside the hut and surrounded by jars.

What's he making in those jars?

Unless…

I thought back to Shouka's room where Miaka was and remembered the same sort of pots in there. Maybe this guy who lived away from the others was secretly a doctor! That would be perfect in case Miaka really did have the plague! The cat had led me to a doctor and suddenly I was very thankful I had followed it.

"Excuse me." I said through the window. The man started and turned towards me. His dark hair was hanging in his eyes and he looked like he needed a good shave.

"What do you want?" He asked gruffly.

"Are you a doctor?" I questioned. "Because if you are, my friend really could use your help. We aren't sure what she has…"

"I don't treat humans." He answered, turning away quickly.

"You can't just ignore a person when they're sick." I said, slightly annoyed. Maybe this person wasn't a doctor at all. In that case, why was I bothering? "Are you a doctor or what?"

"Go away!" He snapped crossly and I took a step back instinctively. Frowning I turned away from the house.

No wonder he lives way out here…big chip on his shoulder…

I heard a soft thud behind me and turned to see the cat. Yeah, now it wanted to come near me. I knelt down and held out my hand for it to sniff. The cat came over and gave it a few tentative sniffs and then licked it. It moved closer and I began to pet it.

"Come on, you don't want to have to hang out with that grumpy man do you?" I asked it. The cat sat down and looked at me in an uncanny sort of way. I felt uneasy. "Well, I'm sure he's very nice…" Then it occurred to me I was having a conversation with a cat. I reached out and scooped up the cat in my arms.

"Let's go see the others." I told the cat who only purred in my hands as I continued to pet him. I made my way back down to Shouka's house but just as I was about to go inside, the cat jumped out of my arms and ran off down the street.

What's with that cat?

It's like it's scared of something in here…

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I didn't change the song even though I was so tempted to play 'I Ran' by Flock of Seagulls while Ryuuen was chasing the best cat of all around! Will Miaka be okay? What was with Houjun during this chapter? Find out next time! Please review!