Summary; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

Warning: Just a note, I'm upping the rating. Nothing bad, just somesituations in the next chapter and later to come that I think jack it up a bit. But don't worry - nothing explicit or graphic, so you don't have to shield your eyes.

Ah, an update! And I just want to emphasize: ALL NAMES, SPELLING,AND MEANINGS HAVE BEEN TAKEN FROM THE MANGA ITSELF. There! Just wanted to make that perfectly clear.

Anyway, thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far! I can't believe how far this is going...wow. I honestly didn't think it'd be this long, or this popular! But there it is! Still looking for filler stuff, so if anyone wants to see a scene - funny, serious, anything! - in particular they have in mind, let me know! You all know I give credit and all that...and you guys are brilliant!

Please review if you read. Comments, ideas, suggestions, and helpful cricism welcome.

"What the hell happened last night?" Ai-Tong demanded that morning. "We heard the most bizarre noises!"

"Tasuki, what were ya doin'?" his mother added, and the bandit yelped in indignation.

"It wasn't me!"

"We were attacked," Chichiri put in, before Tasuki could make the situation worse. Kae was sleeping peacefully in the room nearby, and Chichiri was keeping in close contact with her chi. "Kae used her power to defeat the monsters, no da. The noises were probably their screams, no da."

"I…see…" Tasuki's mother managed, appearing a little disconcerted with this news. "Well…I'll go make breakfast," she announced, and headed off to the kitchen in a rush. Ai-Tong remained there, giving them disbelieving looks for a moment before whirling around and stalking after her mother.

"Whew," Tasuki sighed in relief, slumping down in his seat. "Thanks, Chichiri."

"No problem," he replied cheerfully, before turning serious. "But it seems Keung Xi-Wang is making his move. And I promised Kae I'd take us from here if I thought your family would be in danger, no da."

"Ya mean them?" Tasuki snorted. "These women could fight off that damn spirit all by themselves."

"She's worried," the monk countered. "And that's making her weaker, Tasuki – it takes away from her power."

"Well, where would we go?" the bandit pointed out. "There's not anywhere else, if we can't go to Daichi-San and that old hag."

"There's a valley in Xi-Lang that supposedly has Byakko's blessing and protection," Chichiri mused. "It wouldn't be as powerful, involving only one god, but it should be far enough to distort our chi long enough for us to figure something out."

"Ya can transport us all the way there?" Tasuki asked, his eyes wide, and Chichiri nodded.

"Of course, no da."

"So…when do we leave?" he asked, a little too eager to get out of his house.

"As soon as Kae wakes up, no da," Chichiri told him. "She should wake up in a little bit, no da. I'll go keep an eye on her."

"Alright, then," Tasuki nodded, and remained still as his friend left the room. His father remained sitting quietly in his usual seat, and Tasuki blinked when the older man suddenly spoke up.

"Tasuki, if you love her, you'll have to fight for her."

"Huh?"

"It's obvious you two are in love," his father continued calmly. "But it won't be easy for you – just like me. I had to prove to your mother that I loved her. I think that will be the only way to prove to that girl you really love her, after what you did."

"Whaddya mean, after what I – whaddya know 'bout that?" Tasuki demanded suspiciously, but his father only sighed.

"No one ever notices I'm here…"

"Fine, fine, I'll remember that, pops," he agreed, getting to his feet. "Thanks for the advice – it makes sense, kinda. See ya later."

"Just remember," his father nodded, smiling a little as his only son left the house in deep thought.

"Prove I love her, huh? Damn women…gotta be complicated and all this crap," he muttered, pacing back and forth in the front yard. He was scared out of his daze when his mother suddenly grabbed him from behind as was her habit and nearly crushed his heck. "Mother…I can't breath!" he gasped, struggling free from her grasp.

"Tasuki, you listen ta me," she said firmly, and he mentally groaned, prepared for a lecture. He blinked in surprise when she pulled his arm and placed something in his hand. Looking down at his palm, his jaw dropped when he saw a gold ring with a clear pearl inlaid into it.

"What the…mother, what the hell is this?" he demanded, peering at it curiously.

"It's a family heirloom, of course," she huffed, looking a bit put out he didn't know. "I received it from yer father's mother when I decided ta marry him – and since it seems unlikely I'll be unable ta give it ta her when the time's right, I'm givin' it ta you ta give ta her when ya finally get yer act together."

"Wh-what?" he gasped. "What's with all the marriage advice all of a sudden?"

"It's about time ya found a nice girl and quit bein' a good-fer-nothin'!" Ai-Tong snapped, appearing behind their mother and scaring Tasuki once more. "And if ya can repair whatever damage ya did before ya got here, then I think ya maybe got a chance with Kae."

"Has that damn Chichiri been sayin' somethin'?" Tasuki demanded, a bit suspicious of their hints. Ai-Tong only scoffed at him while his mother crossed her arms smugly.

"Ya don't need ta explain things like this ta women, Tasuki," she explained patiently. "And yer father ain't no idiot, or I wouldn't have married him. Ya ever think 'bout that?"

"I always thought ya bullied him into it…" he admitted. "But I couldn't figger out why ya did…ow! Owowowowowowowowowow!"

"Ya apologize fer that, Tasuki!" his mother snapped, grabbing his ear in annoyance, the family bonding moment officially over.

"Alright, alright, I'm sorry!" he yelped, and jumped clear as soon as his mother freed him. "Damn, mother! That hurt!"

"It was supposed ta," she informed him, brushing her hands off. "Now, I'm goin' ta finish breakfast, so get back ta whatever it was ya were doin'."

"And don't go causin' no more trouble," Ai-Tong added firmly, following her mother smugly.

"Damn women, always beatin' on me," he grumbled as they left, and glanced down at the ring in his hand thoughtfully. "Huh," he shrugged and pocketed it calmly before thinking better of it, and strung it on his necklace to make sure it wouldn't fall out anywhere.

"Mm…" Kae murmured quietly, and she opened her eyes groggily. "Chi…chiri?" she managed, seeing the monk's fact hovering above her. "You're all…right?"

"Daa," he nodded, leaning back a little and helping her sit up straighter. "Thanks to you, no da. You used your power again."

"I guess I…did," she laughed weakly, shaking her head. "I didn't mean to – it just seemed to happen."

"Tasuki's fine as well, no da," Chichiri told her, sensing that was her next question. "He's worried, though. Are you hungry?"

"No…I'm just still sleepy," she admitted, stifling a yawn. "I don't know why…how long have I been out?"

"At least ten hours," he thought, and grinned at her. "I think that using so much power drains your energy, especially because you're not used to it, no da. Don't worry, you just need to rest. But I'll be teleporting us farther away soon, like I promised."

"Really?" she blinked, trying to get her bearings. "That's good…thank you, Chichiri."

"Just wait here for a bit while I go find Tasuki," he assured her, getting to his feet. "Once I'm back, we'll leave."

"Uh…where're we going?" she asked, and he paused as he opened the door.

"Xi-Lang – Byakko's country," he added. "There's a valley called Qing-Wan that holds the god's blessings, or so I've heard. I believe that's the safest place for us right now, no da."

"I'll be waiting," she promised, and he nodded before closing the door behind him. Shaking her head again to clear it further, Kae looked around for her clothing and stiffly got up to fetch them, wanting to be ready when the Warriors returned for her.

"Chichiri?" Tasuki noticed, seeing the monk appear out of the corner of his eye. The bandit was staring moodily from the riverbank, appearing lost in his thoughts.

"Daa," he nodded, and joined his friend on the ground. "Kae woke up – she's fine, just drained of energy again," he added, and Tasuki nodded in appreciation.

"Thanks fer watchin' her," he said, and Chichiri grinned.

"I told her I'd get you and we'd go," the monk prodded, and Tasuki hesitated for a moment before rising to his feet with a grunt.

"Fine with me – sooner the better," he muttered, and Tama stretching lazily from Chichiri's shoulder, as if to correct the bandit's complaints. "Can ya tell how the boys are doin'?" he asked suddenly, beginning to walk beside his friend.

"They're fine – I contacted Knei-Gong earlier today," Chichiri told him. "They're away from Ligé-San mountain, and no one died in the attack."

"Good," Tasuki sighed in relief, and shoved his hands in his pockets as he continued to stride back to the house.

"It was good ta have ya here," Tasuki's mother told them, as Kae was carried by an embarrassed Tasuki out the door, followed by a laughing Chichiri, who needed his hands free to teleport the three of them to Xi-Lang.

"We'll be back," Tasuki promised regretfully, staring stubbornly at the sky above him. It didn't go unnoticed by the others, however, how tightly he was holding the young woman or the protective aura he seemed to emanate.

"Daa!" Chichiri agreed cheerfully, taking his hat from his head as he spread his cloak on the ground. "Get into the center, Tasuki – and be sure to hold Kae tightly," he added with a grin, unable to resist teasing the bandit.

"Whatever," he grunted, and Kae obligingly wrapped her arms around his neck in a death-grip. "Not so tight, damn it!"

"Stay safe!" Ai-Tong called, and Chichiri waved calmly as the magic sucked the trio into thin air, followed by the cloak and hat themselves.

"That felt…weird," Kae managed, looking around in shock. "Where are we again?"

"The Qing-Wan Valley, in Xi-Lang," Chichiri told them, gathering his magical possessions from the ground as his two friends looked around in surprise. "It's more of an oasis in the desert than an actual valley – which is probably why the people believe the god Byakko blessed the land here."

"He didn't?" Tasuki asked, but Chichiri nodded.

"He did, no da, so don't worry. We should find a place to camp – it's almost dark here, no da. And I don't know what kind of creatures live in these parts," he told them, and Kae abruptly yawned into Tasuki's shoulder.

"Sorry," she apologized sleepily, "I'm just…tired all of…a sudden…"

"Hey!" Tasuki called, alarmed at the sudden way she fell asleep against him, but Chichiri placed a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Don't worry – her body just needs to regain her energy," he told him. "She's perfectly fine, trust me. No da."

"If ya say so," Tasuki agreed, but looked a bit worried as he glanced at the slumbering young woman in his arms, who appeared lost in peaceful dreams.

"This is a good place," Chichiri announced as the sky grew dark, looking around at the trees. "Nice and shaded from the sun, no da."

"Great," Tasuki sighed, and watched as the monk busied himself creating a ward around them. "I thought ya said this place was protected or whatever," he said nervously, and wasn't the least bit reassured by Chichiri's grin.

"It is, no da," he agreed. "It never hurts to be prepared, though, no da."

"Sure," the bandit shrugged, and carefully lowered himself to the ground, resting Kae on his lap with her head on his shoulder, her arms still around his neck tightly. "I can't breath," he grumbled half-heartedly, shifting around as he tried to get comfortable.

"Want me to take her?" Chichiri offered, quickly finishing the simple barrier and finding himself a spot on the ground nearby.

"Nah," Tasuki said calmly, but Chichiri raised a knowing eyebrow at his friend before nodding and stretching stiffly.

"Well, if anything comes, the ward will wake me up – so I'm going to get some sleep myself, no da," he informed his fellow Warrior, and Tasuki blinked at how quickly the monk fell asleep – right after he finished speaking, as a matter of fact.

"Damn monk," he muttered, and yawned as well before he could help it. Glancing down at Kae once more, reassuring himself she was still all right, he reluctantly allowed himself to fall asleep as well, beginning to snore softly. The light snores broke the stillness of the night surrounding them, and almost seemed to serve as a warning to anything nearby not to intrude on the Warriors' resting ground.

"I am aware of where you are, Yong Tien-Mei," Keung Xi-Wang told her with a cold laugh, having summoned the young woman to him in her dreams, and paralyzing on the ground before him in a posture of submission.

Kae only glared at the ground in front of her eyes, refusing to say anything.

"The power you displayed in defeating my creature was most impressive," he continued calmly, getting to his feet and approaching her. "That is only the tiniest fraction of what you could do with the power you possess, my dark priestess. If you gave yourself to me, I could give you power beyond your wildest imaginings."

"I don't want it," she spat out, flinching at the pain he seemed to be able to inflict in her with a single glance. "And I'm not your dark priestess!"

"Denial will get you nowhere," the spirit chided her mockingly. Grasping underneath her chin with his hand, he dragged her upright and forced her face to look up at him. When her eyes refused to comply, however, a snarl seemed to escape him and he gave her a dark look. Kae winced at the pain as he forced her gaze to meet his, and settled for glaring at him. "Neither will this fighting spirit," he added with disgust. "The gods have abandoned you – as for those Warriors–"

"They'll protect me and not leave me," she interrupted with venom in her voice. "I don't believe you anymore."

"I have tried to reason with you, but humans are the most unreasonable creatures alive," he sighed pityingly, and a cold wave of fear shot through Kae when a new look crossed his face. "I suppose I shall have to use force to make you submit to me." Before Kae could utter a cry, he pulled her up to him and pressed his mouth against hers, forcing his tongue past her lips and invading her mouth.

"Ta…suki…" Kae whimpered, as the spirit released her momentarily. Keung Xi-Wang threw her onto the ground once more and eyed her with disdain.

"You still believe that child will save you?" he asked scornfully. With another small gesture, Kae found herself cold and naked before the evil spirit, and unable to cover herself from his gaze. "You are locked in your own mind, Yong Tien-Mei – no one can save you in here."

"No da?" Chichiri muttered groggily, a prickling in the back of his mind forcing him awake. "Daa…" he groaned, but gasped when his gaze fell upon the young woman held in his friend's arm. She was deathly pale, and was crying out in her sleep as if in severe pain. "Tasuki! Wake up!" the monk ordered with a shout, and the bandit shot awake, ready for action.

"What the hell's the matter?" he demanded, his attention instantly drawn to Kae. "Is that bastard in her mind again?" he yelled, and Chichiri bent over with a worried look on his face.

"I think so…the wards weren't any good inside her mind," he groaned. "And I can't do anything – he's created a barrier inside her mind. If I try to force my way in, I could destroy her mind."

"Damn it!" Tasuki growled, and gazed helplessly at the spasming girl in his arms, holding her tightly to prevent any injuries. "C'mon, Kae…wake up!" he urged. Chichiri got to his feet and pressed his hands together, and Tasuki looked at him curiously for a moment. "What're ya doin'?"

"Praying to Byakko."

"Why?"

"We're in his blessed land – hopefully he will answer my prayer and help Kae," Chichiri replied tersely. "Kae is not a chosen of Suzaku, like we are, but of the very land – something that is older than even the gods." Having finished, Chichiri tuned out the sounds around him and concentrated on calling out to the deity for assistance.

You guys really seem to hate Keung Xi-Wang...this'll make ya mad, then! Does anyone even read my ANs at the beginning? If so, say so in a review so I know whether to even put them! And since the father isn't really in the manga, I didn't think he could be OOC here...Please review.