Disclaimer: I want to own Fushigi Yuugi and be rich through it, but sadly, I don't. Thanks for the reviews, Poruporu!

Chichiri

A merry fire was crackling in the forest clearing. Chichiri decided to cast a spell on them so that no one could recognise them. "I won't want you to get ambushed by the ignorant bandits no da. No doubt they would have a report about you both already no da."

"We're fine here. Women aren't that weak you know. Now go and ask Taisukun to try to help us in this situation. Double check your theory with her and come back with something that could help us. Miaka's baby's dying. That's why we've got to race against time and…"

"Miaka's baby…I thought it was a joke with the Shinzaho baby, no da! I've no idea it was real, no da!"

Crash!

"Next time, be sensitive around women! No wonder Kouran left you!"

"She kind of loved humorous men no da!" he called out after Nuriko, now clothed in a black cloak because of his disguise spell. He turned away, missing her cheerful, supportive wave of farewell. "I do not like being her substitute Tasuki, no da…I will be nicer to Tasuki in the future no da. Or had I been influenced by him? That's a frightening thought no da."

He disappeared through his hat.

Taka

Taka was moody. He had followed Mayo and Saori during lunch to Yui's house and heard them knock on the door. "Wait, just a minute!" he called out. "You wanted a connection, right? I could give one to you; I am Miaka's husband, don't you remember?"

Tasuki

Tasuki was unperturbed when he saw two people in black clothes sitting by a fire and chatting merrily. "You are both going to be in for it! Rekka…Shien!"

Nothing happened. "It must be a shield. These people must be Nakago's people. Humph, now I am really pissed off!" Tasuki muttered, growling. He disappeared into the darkness.

Nuriko and Miaka

Nuriko was telling Miaka about Nakago's latest conquest (besides herself), when a dozen bandits surrounded them. No, not surrounded, they pounced on them. Nuriko tried not to hurt them much, knowing very well that they were Tasuki's men. "Tasuki, where are you?" she shouted, hitting away three men away at once – domino effect. "Come on, face us!"

Miaka was captured by two bandits and she was screaming. Nuriko kicked them away and hugged Miaka close, staring warily at the others closing in. "Don't worry; I will protect you with my life. Tasuki, come out! I DEMAND AN EXPLANATION!"

"Right, I will face you two personally. Be honoured. The name's Genrou and I demand an explanation from you two instead! Why are you on our land? It is ours by right! And hand over your money! You have to damn right hand it over; my men are sufficiently injured!" Miaka and Nuriko looked around. It sounded so much like him, but where's he?

"Tasuki's here, and it seems like he did not welcome us," Nuriko said calmly. Miaka thought about Hikari hoped that she was on the road to recovery. Not that it could be helped. She was so young…it seemed like death was the only way.

"Come out, Tasuki! We need to talk!" Nuriko yelled, without letting go of Miaka, for fear that she could be injured, or worse.

Tasuki

"Oh, Kouji, I only spot a man and a woman. Where's the second woman?" Tasuki whispered behind him.

"They were uncloaked just now. I had no idea where the second lady went. But the women were astonishingly pretty for a bunch of travellers."

"Stop being horny and concentrate on the situation! Now, the man is very protective of his girlfriend. Looks like nothing was going to get her away from him…" Tasuki wondered. The voice sounded strangely familiar, one that he had heard a long time ago. A light melodious sound…must be the woman's voice, he reckoned. The man with the arms around her looked too manly in the cloak to produce sounds like these.

"Strange, I had heard this voice before, a long time ago, Genrou. It sounded like…"

"Who?" Tasuki asked eagerly.

"It sounded like by ex-ex-ex-ex-ex-ex-ex-ex-girlfriend! No, really! The first one I fell in love with! She was so pretty and I asked her whether she wanted to go out with me, but she was totally hard and said no…"

"Argh, Kouji! I am not talking to you any longer! I got two people to grab money from! And they did want me to make an appearance…and if they are Nakago's lackeys, I swear, I will crush them!"

"Not without your fan, you are not."

"Shut up Kouji!"

He left the tunnel and jumped down the cliff, landing with unexplained agility. "You two should get married you know! What's with the 'I'll protect you with my life' thing? You sound like my fellow Seishi, Tamahome! Unfortunately, I happen to know that he is unavailable at the moment, so you two lovebirds could stop wishing that you will be spared."

The man smirked, letting go of the girl in his arms and pushing her gently aside. "Try me, Tasuki, just try me. I expect Tamahome, or should I say, Taka, would be really disappointed in you if you killed me."

"Like hell he will!" Tasuki spat. Taka would be having fun in his world with Miaka. Tasuki knew that he won't touch the book with a ten-foot pole.

"First, I want to ensure the safety of the lady. Then, I will fight with you Tasuki, and know where your loyalties lie! And I had once believed that you actually loved the Suzaku no Miko!"

"How…did you know that? Yeah, I did, as a sister. But the water of Hikou's had twisted that love into something else entirely."

"No excuses, Tasuki. You are definitely not the Gen-chan I once knew if you insist on fighting with your own Seishi! And it's not the water anymore!"

"Since when did I do that? What the hell are you saying? Watch this, intruder!"

Nuriko and Miaka

What in the world had happened to Tasuki? She wondered, as she dodged the blow. "Wow, you are fast."

"Sure I am!"

Miaka felt arms snake around her wrists and yelled, "Reishun, help!"

They had planned on calling each other their other names and all…to think that Miaka could remember not to call her Nuriko…Her mind whirled fast and she turned to Miaka. She was captured again. "Why you…Tasuki, why did you take her? I told you to leave her alone!"

"Sorry, boy, rules are rules…and she would not be harmed. So hand over the money, Nakago's minions!"

Realisation struck through her like a knife through butter.

Tasuki

Strange…it sounded wrong to label them as Nakago's minions… Tasuki was totally and utterly confused when the man suddenly pounced on him, shouting in merriment, "Gen-chan! I thought you've changed to Nakago's side or something!"

"Who…are you?"

"Does Miaka's name ring a bell to you? What about Ko Reishun? Okay, what about the Suzaku Warriors? What about Nuriko? What about me?"

"What does that do? It did not prove anything."

The man sighed. "Does gay-boy, ghost-boy, Tama-kins, Gen-chan, Miaka-dear, Hotohori-sama mean anything? Wow, you've forgotten a lot about me ever since we've met. Got amnesia?"

Something seemed to click in Tasuki's head. "Oh, now I know…but isn't Ko Reishun a woman? Why are you a man now, Nuriko? You got tired of finally being a woman, or did you give up on Hotohori? Or, are you les in this life instead of gay, huh? Oh, I know, you got a sex change!"

Crash!

"I'll stay as a woman when I want to!" Nuriko sniffed indignantly. "Why does everyone think I am a man now? Usually people think of the opposite in my last life!"

"Maybe if you died without cutting your hair, the gods would give you back your woman-like reputation!"

Crash!

"It seems like I got back a blabbermouth I missed while being in heaven…it was so quiet and peaceful there…"

"What did you mean by that?"

"She meant nothing, honest!" Miaka piped up.

"How humiliating…let's get back to the bandit's camp," Tasuki muttered.