Disclaimer: Fushigi Yuugi belongs to Yu Watase, therefore I am only borrowing it. I made up Jade Stevens, Tara Robinson, Taran the hawk, and the altered storyline.
Chapter 11: Illness
Hotohori burst into Shoka's house, carrying Miaka. Nuriko was close behind with Jade and Tasuki, who had Taran on his shoulder. Shoka looked at the girls strangely. "What's wrong with them?" she asked. She gasped. "Do they have the Shikkonki?!?" The three seishi nodded. "Lay them down! Threre's not much we can do for them." she pointed to two beds along the wall. Jade squirmed slightly in Nuriko's arms. "Let me down! I can walk!" she protested. The surprised seishi let her down. Hotohori looked at Miaka, who had also insisted on walking. "We must find them a doctor, and fast!" the emporer cried. The five quickly went off in search of medical assistance. Shoka watched them leave, smiling thinly.
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Jade stopped, attempting to catch her breath. Tasuki noticed and walked back to her. "Jade? Ya can lean on me if ya want." he said kindly. She nodded thankfully and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. He supported her as the walked forward to the group. Miaka suddenly dove forward onto a fish a merchant had dropped. She wasn't the only one who wanted that fish, as they quickly discovered. An old man also pounced on the fish, resulting in a major scuffle. Everyone sweatdropped. "I thought she was sick!" Tasuki remarked. The man ran off, clutching the fish. Miaka took off after him, yelling. The other four hurried after her, watching as she stopped in front of a small cottage. Taran, who had fluttered over to Nuriko's shoulder, let out a loud screech and dipped his head. Jade looked over at the hawk, then noticed a cat in the window of the house. They went over and looked in the window. Inside, the man was mixing different herbs. "That must be the healer the other doctor told us about!" Nuriko said. Without hesitation, Tasuki stormed over and kicked open the door. "Hey you! Can you cure th' Shikkonki? We have two people who have it!" he shouted. The man gave him an evil look. "I don't treat humans anymore. Get out." he said quietly. The redheaded seishi was not one to give in easily though. "You better heal them, or I'll flame ya!" he growled, drawing his tessan. Nuriko shot him a warning glance, and he regretfully put it back. The man roared "Get out!!! I don't treat people anymore! GO!!!" With that, they were thrown out. Jade muttered curses as she shoved Hotohori off. "What the hell was that guy's problem?!? Dumbass!" she glowered. Nuriko rolled his eyes. "Jade, just get yourself up and we'll go back to Shoka's." Jade attempted to push herself up again, but fell down instantly. "My legs won't move!" she gasped. Nuriko scooped her up worriedly. "We have to get you two back to Shoka's!" The others supported Miaka as they ran back to Shoka's house.
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The healer glanced at Jade and Miaka, who were in bed with extremely high fevers. She shook her head. "I'm afraid there's nothing I can do for them. The only thing left to do is to kill them. I can revive them instantly." The three seishi looked at her, astonished. Tasuki asked worriedly "Ya mean we have to kill 'em?!? We can' do that!" Then, he noticed Jade sweating feverishly. She let out a gasp of pain, and flinched spasmodicly. He sighed. He couldn't bear to see her in so much pain. "Hotohori, you kill Miaka an' Jade." he said quietly. The destressed emporer asked them to go outside. After they left, he drew his sword and held it above Miaka. His arms shaking, he lowered it slowly. Miaka opened her eyes slightly. "Go ahead, Hotohori. I don't mind. Do it quckly, so I don't die slowly." she whispered. Hotohori bit his lip. Dropping the sword, he pulled her into his arms. "I can't kill you! Even if it's small, if there's any chance of you being healed, I'll take it. I'm going to go find a doctor!" he whispered. Laying her back down, he opened the door. Tasuki and Nuriko fell in, muttering softly. The emporer looked down at them. "We have to find them a doctor! We can't kill them!" The other two seishi got up and followed him quickly. Shoka walked in and looked at the two girls. What good hosts! The Priestess and Celeste Warrior of Suzaku...
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Nuriko ran in and grabbed the healer they had visited earlier. "You better heal our friends! Otherwise, I'll bash your head in!" The healer remained stubbornly silent. Tasuki turned away. "I can' believe we left 'em at Shoka's alone! Some warriors we are!" he snorted angrily. The healer quickly whipped around. "Did you say Shoka?!?" The redhead nodded. "Yeah, we're stayin' at her place."
"But...Shoka's been dead for a year!" The seishi gasped. "WHAT?!?" Nuriko yelled. "I was her doctor. She caught the Shikkonki disease a year ago. I wasn't able to heal her, so she died. That person can't be Shoka!" the healer explained. The three seishi took off running.
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Shoka pulled out a dagger. Standing above Jade, she held the weapon high. The girl below her opened one eye slightly. "Stab me with that, and I'll kill you." she growled. The healer backed off, surprised. "You should be thanking me! You'd be rid of the disease, and I could revive you! Why are you so stubborn?!?" Jade chuckled dryly. "I'm the Celeste Warrior, I have to have spunk. To answer your question, I don't want to die because I have people to live for. My friends, Nuriko, Chichiri, and Tasuki, Tara, the other seishi, the country of Konan, and Suzaku. You can't kill me." Shoka stared at her. "Jade-san..." Suddenly, her eyes glowed red. "You're mine now!" she hissed. Red tentacles shot out of her body and wrapped around Jade. Screaming out, the Celeste Warrior tried to transform into a tiger, but found herself too weak. Shoka started crying. "I'm so sorry Jade..." A red demon burst out of her body. "MUAHAHAHAHA!!! I have you now!!!" the demon screeched happily. Taran charged forward, beak open. The monster batted the hawk away easily. Jade could feel her body being slowly devoured by the demon. 'I can't let the others down...' she thought to herself. Using what strength and sheer willpower she still had, she cried out "TASUKI!!! NURIKO!!!"
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Tasuki stopped dead. He turned to Nuriko. "Did ya hear that?" he asked. The purple haired seishi nodded and ran faster, pulling the redhead along with him.
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Miaka watched in horror as the demon sucked Jade's life force out. The auburn haired girl had stopped moving after she had cried out. Suddenly, Tasuki, Nuriko, and a strange young man ran in. The redhead saw Jade wrapped up in the demon's tentacles, horrified. He pulled out his tessan. The demon laughed cruelly. "If you try to kill me, you kill the girl! Do you want that?" Tasuki immediately dropped the tessan and stood helplessly. The man stepped forward. "Shoka! Release her now!" The healer raised her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Myojuan..." she whispered softly. Myojuan glared at her. "Shoka, how could you?!?" The blond woman turned away. "When I was sick a year ago, you were away. I knew you would come back, I never gave up hope. But you never came!!! I died waiting for you! The demon found me weak and angry, so it was able to take over me easily. Now, I seek revenge!" The demon wrapped its tentacles tighter around Jade and snickered evilly. "The Celeste Warrior...she is very strong, but I was still able to sap her of her chi. She will soon be dead, and she will be my new host!" Miaka stepped forward. "Miss Shoka, please don't... mister Myojuan was your love, wasn't he? He may not have been there when you needed him, but I'm sure he wanted to be. Please don't kill Jade because of this, she didn't do anything! Please, miss Shoka..." Shoka looked at the Priestess, then at Myojuan. "Please...kill me...otherwise, this monster will devour Jade! Please, Myojuan!" Myojuan stepped forward. "Shoka...I will release you!" he cried. He held out his left hand, which glowed a brilliant green. In a blinding flash, a beam of green light struck the demon. The monster shreaked and dropped Jade. Shoka smiled weakly. "Myojuan..." The demon disappeared, and Shoka fell, dead. Myojuan picked her up gently. "Shoka..." Tears sprung to his eyes, and he turned away from the group. Meanwhile, Tasuki had picked up Jade. The girl lay limp in his arms. Red streaks showed where the tentacles had wrapped around her. The redheaded seishi cradled her gently. "Jade...please..." Myojuan placed Shoka's body down softly and walked over. Putting out his hand, a green light encircled Jade and the marks disappeared. She opened her eyes slowly. "Ta...Tasuki?" she softly whispered. Tasuki hugged her gently. "Thank god! I thought ya were dead!" She placed a hand on his face. "Why did you think that? I can't die...not with everyone counting on me...I'm the Celeste Warrior..." She grinned weakly. Miaka pulled Myojuan over. "Are you a warrior of Suzaku?!?" she demanded. The healer nodded. "I am the warrior Mitsukake." Turning away, he picked up Shoka and walked off to bury her. The sun had just risen above the horizen, signaling the start of a new day.
Phew, another chapter...seeing any hints as to the relationship between Jade and one of the seishi? If not, you'll find out in a few chapters! Oh, and thanks to all who reviewed. Your comments are greatly appriciated!
Chapter 11: Illness
Hotohori burst into Shoka's house, carrying Miaka. Nuriko was close behind with Jade and Tasuki, who had Taran on his shoulder. Shoka looked at the girls strangely. "What's wrong with them?" she asked. She gasped. "Do they have the Shikkonki?!?" The three seishi nodded. "Lay them down! Threre's not much we can do for them." she pointed to two beds along the wall. Jade squirmed slightly in Nuriko's arms. "Let me down! I can walk!" she protested. The surprised seishi let her down. Hotohori looked at Miaka, who had also insisted on walking. "We must find them a doctor, and fast!" the emporer cried. The five quickly went off in search of medical assistance. Shoka watched them leave, smiling thinly.
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Jade stopped, attempting to catch her breath. Tasuki noticed and walked back to her. "Jade? Ya can lean on me if ya want." he said kindly. She nodded thankfully and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. He supported her as the walked forward to the group. Miaka suddenly dove forward onto a fish a merchant had dropped. She wasn't the only one who wanted that fish, as they quickly discovered. An old man also pounced on the fish, resulting in a major scuffle. Everyone sweatdropped. "I thought she was sick!" Tasuki remarked. The man ran off, clutching the fish. Miaka took off after him, yelling. The other four hurried after her, watching as she stopped in front of a small cottage. Taran, who had fluttered over to Nuriko's shoulder, let out a loud screech and dipped his head. Jade looked over at the hawk, then noticed a cat in the window of the house. They went over and looked in the window. Inside, the man was mixing different herbs. "That must be the healer the other doctor told us about!" Nuriko said. Without hesitation, Tasuki stormed over and kicked open the door. "Hey you! Can you cure th' Shikkonki? We have two people who have it!" he shouted. The man gave him an evil look. "I don't treat humans anymore. Get out." he said quietly. The redheaded seishi was not one to give in easily though. "You better heal them, or I'll flame ya!" he growled, drawing his tessan. Nuriko shot him a warning glance, and he regretfully put it back. The man roared "Get out!!! I don't treat people anymore! GO!!!" With that, they were thrown out. Jade muttered curses as she shoved Hotohori off. "What the hell was that guy's problem?!? Dumbass!" she glowered. Nuriko rolled his eyes. "Jade, just get yourself up and we'll go back to Shoka's." Jade attempted to push herself up again, but fell down instantly. "My legs won't move!" she gasped. Nuriko scooped her up worriedly. "We have to get you two back to Shoka's!" The others supported Miaka as they ran back to Shoka's house.
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The healer glanced at Jade and Miaka, who were in bed with extremely high fevers. She shook her head. "I'm afraid there's nothing I can do for them. The only thing left to do is to kill them. I can revive them instantly." The three seishi looked at her, astonished. Tasuki asked worriedly "Ya mean we have to kill 'em?!? We can' do that!" Then, he noticed Jade sweating feverishly. She let out a gasp of pain, and flinched spasmodicly. He sighed. He couldn't bear to see her in so much pain. "Hotohori, you kill Miaka an' Jade." he said quietly. The destressed emporer asked them to go outside. After they left, he drew his sword and held it above Miaka. His arms shaking, he lowered it slowly. Miaka opened her eyes slightly. "Go ahead, Hotohori. I don't mind. Do it quckly, so I don't die slowly." she whispered. Hotohori bit his lip. Dropping the sword, he pulled her into his arms. "I can't kill you! Even if it's small, if there's any chance of you being healed, I'll take it. I'm going to go find a doctor!" he whispered. Laying her back down, he opened the door. Tasuki and Nuriko fell in, muttering softly. The emporer looked down at them. "We have to find them a doctor! We can't kill them!" The other two seishi got up and followed him quickly. Shoka walked in and looked at the two girls. What good hosts! The Priestess and Celeste Warrior of Suzaku...
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Nuriko ran in and grabbed the healer they had visited earlier. "You better heal our friends! Otherwise, I'll bash your head in!" The healer remained stubbornly silent. Tasuki turned away. "I can' believe we left 'em at Shoka's alone! Some warriors we are!" he snorted angrily. The healer quickly whipped around. "Did you say Shoka?!?" The redhead nodded. "Yeah, we're stayin' at her place."
"But...Shoka's been dead for a year!" The seishi gasped. "WHAT?!?" Nuriko yelled. "I was her doctor. She caught the Shikkonki disease a year ago. I wasn't able to heal her, so she died. That person can't be Shoka!" the healer explained. The three seishi took off running.
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Shoka pulled out a dagger. Standing above Jade, she held the weapon high. The girl below her opened one eye slightly. "Stab me with that, and I'll kill you." she growled. The healer backed off, surprised. "You should be thanking me! You'd be rid of the disease, and I could revive you! Why are you so stubborn?!?" Jade chuckled dryly. "I'm the Celeste Warrior, I have to have spunk. To answer your question, I don't want to die because I have people to live for. My friends, Nuriko, Chichiri, and Tasuki, Tara, the other seishi, the country of Konan, and Suzaku. You can't kill me." Shoka stared at her. "Jade-san..." Suddenly, her eyes glowed red. "You're mine now!" she hissed. Red tentacles shot out of her body and wrapped around Jade. Screaming out, the Celeste Warrior tried to transform into a tiger, but found herself too weak. Shoka started crying. "I'm so sorry Jade..." A red demon burst out of her body. "MUAHAHAHAHA!!! I have you now!!!" the demon screeched happily. Taran charged forward, beak open. The monster batted the hawk away easily. Jade could feel her body being slowly devoured by the demon. 'I can't let the others down...' she thought to herself. Using what strength and sheer willpower she still had, she cried out "TASUKI!!! NURIKO!!!"
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Tasuki stopped dead. He turned to Nuriko. "Did ya hear that?" he asked. The purple haired seishi nodded and ran faster, pulling the redhead along with him.
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Miaka watched in horror as the demon sucked Jade's life force out. The auburn haired girl had stopped moving after she had cried out. Suddenly, Tasuki, Nuriko, and a strange young man ran in. The redhead saw Jade wrapped up in the demon's tentacles, horrified. He pulled out his tessan. The demon laughed cruelly. "If you try to kill me, you kill the girl! Do you want that?" Tasuki immediately dropped the tessan and stood helplessly. The man stepped forward. "Shoka! Release her now!" The healer raised her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Myojuan..." she whispered softly. Myojuan glared at her. "Shoka, how could you?!?" The blond woman turned away. "When I was sick a year ago, you were away. I knew you would come back, I never gave up hope. But you never came!!! I died waiting for you! The demon found me weak and angry, so it was able to take over me easily. Now, I seek revenge!" The demon wrapped its tentacles tighter around Jade and snickered evilly. "The Celeste Warrior...she is very strong, but I was still able to sap her of her chi. She will soon be dead, and she will be my new host!" Miaka stepped forward. "Miss Shoka, please don't... mister Myojuan was your love, wasn't he? He may not have been there when you needed him, but I'm sure he wanted to be. Please don't kill Jade because of this, she didn't do anything! Please, miss Shoka..." Shoka looked at the Priestess, then at Myojuan. "Please...kill me...otherwise, this monster will devour Jade! Please, Myojuan!" Myojuan stepped forward. "Shoka...I will release you!" he cried. He held out his left hand, which glowed a brilliant green. In a blinding flash, a beam of green light struck the demon. The monster shreaked and dropped Jade. Shoka smiled weakly. "Myojuan..." The demon disappeared, and Shoka fell, dead. Myojuan picked her up gently. "Shoka..." Tears sprung to his eyes, and he turned away from the group. Meanwhile, Tasuki had picked up Jade. The girl lay limp in his arms. Red streaks showed where the tentacles had wrapped around her. The redheaded seishi cradled her gently. "Jade...please..." Myojuan placed Shoka's body down softly and walked over. Putting out his hand, a green light encircled Jade and the marks disappeared. She opened her eyes slowly. "Ta...Tasuki?" she softly whispered. Tasuki hugged her gently. "Thank god! I thought ya were dead!" She placed a hand on his face. "Why did you think that? I can't die...not with everyone counting on me...I'm the Celeste Warrior..." She grinned weakly. Miaka pulled Myojuan over. "Are you a warrior of Suzaku?!?" she demanded. The healer nodded. "I am the warrior Mitsukake." Turning away, he picked up Shoka and walked off to bury her. The sun had just risen above the horizen, signaling the start of a new day.
Phew, another chapter...seeing any hints as to the relationship between Jade and one of the seishi? If not, you'll find out in a few chapters! Oh, and thanks to all who reviewed. Your comments are greatly appriciated!