And it's time for the new chapter! I just have to slap myself so I'll stop acting like I'm tired. I'm not really tired, I'm just yawning because I'm bored. So that's why I should write a new chapter, so I don't feel bored! I planned out the rest of this story! I'm so responsible. Not really, because I've had this file open on my desktop for about two weeks.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fushigi Yugi.

Warnings: Angst, sadness, demons, other bad things!

Somewhere Out There

Chapter Seventeen

The others were a bit upset with me for suddenly running off. ("What the fuck did you run off like that for?!" Genrou had asked in an incredulous tone.) I tried to explain that there was something about the cat that made me want to follow it. I guess it wasn't a real explanation, but then again, I didn't really have anything better to say.

"We were just worried." Saihitei patted my hand comfortingly with his own.

"Oh yeah!" I snapped my fingers as I recalled my discovery. "The cat led me to this house outside the village." I noticed that Shouka looked distinctly tense all of a sudden. "There was this guy living there that was really mean, but I think he was a doctor! He had medicine jars and stuff…but he said he didn't treat humans."

"There's another doctor, no da?" Houjun raised his eyebrows. "I thought you said there weren't any others, Shouka."

"There aren't." Shouka's face looked troubled and her hand was gripping her tea cup so hard that her knuckles were turning white. "That man…he's very dangerous…some people say he's crazy."

"Who's crazy?" Kishuku came out of the room where he had been staying with Miaka. I supposed she was still sleeping, which made me feel a lot better, even though I hadn't realized I myself was feeling tense about that in particular.

"The doctor that Ryuuen found 'cause he chased a freaking cat." Genrou explained casually. "Hey Shouka, you got anything stronger than tea?"

"No…but I could send for something." Shouka gave him a small, uneasy smile.

"You can't possibly be thinking of drinking." I frowned at Genrou. "What if we need you on your toes?"

"Fine." Genrou grumbled, not looking pleased.

"What doctor?" Kishuku inquired, still waiting for a full explanation.

"The apparently crazy doctor that lives outside the village." I explained to the blue-haired young man. "I followed a cat and he led me there."

"You…followed a cat?" Kishuku looked at me strangely for a few moments, as if trying to decide whether or not this anomaly was due to the fact that I was from another world, or if I was just crazy. "Maybe we should go talk to this doctor…"

"That might not be such a good idea." Shouka looked hesitant and bit her lip. "He might endanger my patient's health…"

"He didn't seem like he was very generous." I added on dryly.

"Why don't the rest of you go, and Kourin and I will stay here, no da." Houjun volunteered immediately. I then remembered that he had been acting strangely earlier and I was curious to know why. Maybe if I got him alone, he could explain it to me. "To watch over Miaka, no da."

"We'll tell him we'll kick his ass if he doesn't help." Genrou immediately thought of a plan. I hit my forehead with the palm of my hand.

"As sure as I am that your way might work, perhaps we should try doing things in a more dignified manner first." Saihitei had a slightly concerned look on his face. Genrou's people skills weren't exactly the best.

"I strongly advise against this, or at least…wait until sunset, by then we'll be able to tell if the Suzaku no Miko needs further help." Shouka gave us a pleading look and we knew we should consider this idea.

"Alright, we'll wait." Kishuku finally agreed for the rest of us. "Until sunset. Maybe Miaka will be perfectly fine; after all, Kourin's world has amazing stuff!" It seemed to me that Kishuku sounded as though he was trying to force himself to be cheerful. I tried to put myself in his shoes and imagine what it would be like if Saihitei and Miaka's positions were switched. The thought gave me shivers, and I immediately had to push it away.

By sunset, Miaka still hadn't woken up. I wondered if it was partly because she hadn't been able to sleep much the night before, and now she was sick. Before he left, Kishuku was sitting next to Miaka's bed, and I could tell he desperately wanted just to touch her, to reassure himself somehow that she'd still be there when he got back.

I explained to Saihitei exactly where the cat had gone and he assured me that he'd be able to find it after the third time I told him my route. I guess I was paranoid, especially with Miaka lying in bed utterly motionless, looking so pale. It reminded me of Kourin, lying in that hospital bed with the tubes all around her…

I can't think of that now.

This is different.

Miaka's going to be okay.

The others left, and Shouka excused herself to prepare food in the kitchen. Houjun and I sat with Miaka. After awhile, I remembered the thing with the ofuda. I had to ask.

"Why did you have me put that ofuda on Miaka?" I questioned him, turning towards the always smiling mask that he wore.

"You can't feel it, no da?" Houjun asked me and then he looked down. "I wanted to keep it quiet…this plague…it's caused by a sickness demon, no da."

"A sickness demon?" My eyes bugged out. Then I laughed. "Well, in my world, stuff like that is caused by bacteria."

"It's not a real sickness, no da." Houjun's voice was low. "But I don't know if the demon knows it is causing the sickness or not…demons can be very tricky…especially this one, no da. It could become dangerous at any time if it knows that I know who it is…"

"Who's the demon?" I leaned in, looking over my shoulder as though expecting a huge scary monster to just pop up in the darkening room.

"Shouka." Houjun answered and my mouth dropped open. "I had you put the ofuda on Miaka to keep the sickness demon out; I can only hope it worked, no da."

"But Shouka's so nice!" I protested, still stunned by this news. "Why didn't you mention we were at a demon doctor's house before?

"I didn't realize until we met her, and I knew it was very dangerous to confront her, no da." Houjun made a motion with his hands to tell me to keep my voice down. "Remember the cat's reaction, no da?"

"That's right." The voice was Shouka's but there was a strange ugliness to it. We turned to see her in the shadows; she looked grossly pale with bluish veins appearing on the edges of her face. "That cat…" She was shaking with emotion.

"Kourin." Houjun said my name in warning, and I was on my feet and in a defensive stance almost immediately. I looked behind me. Miaka was completely defenseless in her current state. Houjun was pulling out an ofuda.

"Those won't work on me, monk…" Shouka shuddered and fell forward. "This woman's hatred is too strong…"

"She's possessed!" I pointed out in a yelp.

"We'll see about that, no da!" Houjun threw an ofuda and it slapped Shouka on the forehead. She gave a horrible scream and her back burst open, revealing a hideous red demon. It was still attached to her body, and I saw that her face was so sad that it made my heart want to break.

Why does she look so sad?

Sad or not, I was still being faced with one of the scariest things I had ever seen in my life, it shot tentacles at me and I turned, diving and rolling, grabbing Miaka and landing on the other side of the bed.

"Kourin!" Houjun called out to see if I was okay.

"I'm fine!" I yelled back.

"My ofuda won't work on this monster…it's feeding off a specific hate…" Houjun frowned. "This woman died in a state of sadness, no da…"

"Myojuan…I'm…sorry…" Shouka's voice was very weak, and she was clutching her arms, obviously in great pain.

Who's Myojuan?

"Kourin! Houjun!" Saihitei's voice came as a crash sounded from somewhere behind the ugly demon sticking out of Shouka.

"Saihitei!" I called back. The demon roared in protest as our fellow seishi came into the room so that we had the thing surrounded. Shouka was still on her knees, leaning over and clutching her shoulders, the horrible demon with its flailing tentacles sticking out of her back.

"Careful guys." Kishuku spoke in warning.

"Who gives a shit, let's fry this fucker!" Genrou whipped out his tessen, ready to set anything and anyone on fire that threatened the seishi and their miko.

"How did you know about the demon?" I asked Saihitei who had pulled out his sword and was helping me guard Miaka.

"We didn't. When we got to the doctor's house, he said that he wouldn't help us. Kishuku mentioned Shouka, and he said that it wasn't possible for Shouka to be our doctor because she had been dead for a year." Saihitei quickly explained.

"Shouka." A deep male voice spoke the name and Shouka's pale eyes widened.

"Myojuan…" The name escaped her lips. I looked at the doorway where a tall man was standing with dark hair and a grim expression. "You're here…"

"How did this happen?" The man asked her, and his tone sounded familiar to me. I did a double take as I realized that this man wasn't just some random stranger, this was the doctor!

He's this Myojuan guy?! What's going on?

"You were away…away to that village, trying to help with the sickness that struck there…" Shouka began weakly, a tear rolling down her cheek as she spoke. "But then I got sick…it was so painful, but I had to hold on, I had to see you one last time…but you never came!" Shouka's eyes opened and Myojuan looked away, obviously in pain. "You never came and I died all alone…"

He didn't make it back in time…how sad…

"I came as fast as I could." Myojuan tried to defend. "Just as I arrived, they told me it was too late. You had died moments before…"

"Why did you let me die thinking that you weren't coming? Why did you let me die thinking that there was no one to remember me or love me when I was gone?" Shouka was reduced to a sobbing heap as these questions came out. "I hated you for it…"

"Shouka…" Myojuan trailed off, looking up at her. "How can you think that one day could pass where I didn't think of you?"

I found myself sniffling and trying not to cry because the scene was so emotional. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to miss your loved one's last moments. I thought of Kourin and how I had been at her side the whole time at the end.

It didn't make a difference…

It didn't change the fact that she died…but isn't it better to be there at the end? Did Kourin know she would be loved and remembered when she was gone?

"End this…just kill me…" Shouka pleaded. The demon didn't seem to like this idea, and it shot its tentacles out at Houjun, who struggled against it, but to no avail.

"It's using Houjun as a shield!" Kishuku hit the wall next to him with a fist, obviously feeling frustrated. "That means we can't attack it head on!"

"Go ahead, just kill it!" Houjun clenched his teeth, waiting for the attack to be delivered.

"We can't just fucking kill you too!" Genrou protested angrily.

"Myojuan!" Shouka called pleadingly. We didn't know what to do. We were really stuck now. And then Myojuan was stepping forward, looking as though he had no idea what he was doing.

"Shouka…I've got to do something!" Myojuan declared, shaking his head and then looking up quickly. A green light started to glow from his left hand. He held out his hand and a suddenly that light flooded the whole room, temporarily blinding us all so that we had to look away.

When the light disappeared, the demon was gone; Houjun hit the ground but didn't seem any worse for the wear. On the floor lay Shouka's body, looking as though she was sleeping peacefully.

"Hey man, you okay?" Genrou went over to Houjun and helped him up.

"I think so, no da…" Houjun smiled at the orange-haired young man.

"What's going on?" Miaka was fully conscious and looked like she had awakened from a deep sleep. "What's this?" She took hold of the ofuda and pulled it off. "Who's that?" She pointed at Myojuan.

"It's a really long story…" I patted her on the head.

Myojuan seemed to be unaware of everyone else in the room as he knelt down next to Shouka, folding her hands gently together. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead tenderly.

"I know we've been a burden on you." Myojuan turned to the rest of us. "I never imagined anything like this would happen."

"If you don't mind…" Kishuku approached him. "Can we see your left hand?"

"I don't know what happened." Myojuan began hesitantly but then held up his hand for us to see. Miaka squawked in response.

"Mitsukake!" She instantly told us. "He's the sixth seishi!"

"Seishi?" Myojuan's eyes widened.

"The Suzaku no Seishi." I clarified. "There's seven of us, and when we've all been gathered with the priestess, that's Miaka there," Miaka waved for his benefit, "We have to summon Suzaku and save Konan."

"I'd like to bury Shouka first." Myojuan told us. "Before I go with you."

"Of course, no da." Houjun nodded. "We wouldn't ask you to do anything else first."

I wanted to be there for the burial, but at that moment, I woke up. Maybe it was too soon for me to go to a funeral. I spent so much time in this other world that I forgot that the real world needed me as well.

I wonder who will be there when I die…

Will it be the people I love most?

YES! I finished! It was slow going but I did it. So please review!