Summery; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

Warning: Reason the rating upped! Some hints of rape and LOTS of foul language from Tasuki. Well, more so than usual, anyway.

I'd like to credit Ryuuka Tamara for the name of the valley they're in - I forgot last chapter; and PrussianBlue Cross for later dialogue between Chichiri and Tasuki. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed, and here's the next chapter!

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

"It will be over soon," Keung Xi-Wang informed her, and Kae silently let tears slid down her cheeks. "Once you are no longer pure, the gods will have no use for you, and I shall be able to use you as I see fit."

The spirit prepared to rob Kae of her virginity when something forced him away from her, and Kae felt herself being drawn into a white light.

"What…?" she murmured, and looked up in surprise as white-robed arms enfolded her and drew her further against the figure, whose hair was as white as the light surrounding him.

"Byakko," the evil spirit snarled, and Kae's jaw dropped.

"By…akko? The god?" she realized, but Byakko's gaze was focused in anger on Keung Xi-Wang.

"You shall not be allowed to sully the priestess in my sacred land," he informed the spirit coolly. "Her Warriors shall not permit it – and neither will I. As long as you continue to block her from them, I shall remain here and protect her, who will save the land we rule."

"Damn you!" Keung Xi-Wang howled, and Kae gasped when her kanji began to painfully glow. Byakko's eyes were drawn to it, and his paternal gaze seemed to warm her and ease her pain.

"I shall not let your pain continue, Wei Shen-Jun," he said softly, and a sudden strength seemed to flow into her, calming her power and stopping the pain emitting from the kanji as he weakened the seal the dark spirit had placed around her power to prevent the gods from using it themselves, or Kae from using it against him. Kae relaxed against the god, feeling secure and safe from Keung Xi-Wang in the god's embrace. Byakko continued to gaze calmly at the evil spirit, who faced the god with hatred in his eyes.

"Something's happening!" Chichiri realized. Several hours had passed in reality, with no change in Kae's condition except in the last moment. She lay stiff in Tasuki's grasp, but her pallor returned to normal and her breathing slowly evened out.

"What?"

"I don't know," the monk replied tensely, and reached out with his power to sense Kae's chi. He was able to feel the weakened barriers in her mind, and withdrew with resolve firm in his mind. "I'm going to draw her out from her mind," he announced, and Tasuki looked at him like he was crazy – indeed, the monk wasn't sure that he wasn't crazy.

"Are ya crazy?" the bandit demanded, drawing Kae closer to him protectively. "Ya said it'd destroy her mind if ya went in there!"

"Something weakened the barriers Keung Xi-Wang created to keep me out," Chichiri told him quickly.

"How can ya want ta risk hurting her?" he protested, and the monk crossed his arms stubbornly.

"I have to take this chance – it might be the only chance we get."

"Let me go, then," Tasuki ordered, but Chichiri shook his head regretfully.

"You've never done this before."

"Neither have you!" he argued, but Chichiri remained firm.

"But I have more experience than you in magic to begin with," he pointed out. "And at least I can do something if it goes wrong – you'd be trapped as well, and I wouldn't be able to do anything at all. Now, shut up and let me concentrate," Chichiri ordered, and Tasuki snapped his jaw shut in surprise. Chichiri bent over Kae with his hand on her forehead and frowned in concentration. Tasuki remained still for a while before realizing the monk had withdrawn into his own mind as well, his body remaining as if he was merely frozen.

"Yeah, but what if something happens to you?" the Warrior complained to himself, more worried than he was willing to show, even though no one was around to see. Feeling uneasy at being the only apparent thing moving in the area, he gazed at his two companions in concern, unsure what he would do if something were to go wrong. Unconsciously, his fingers were drawn to the ring his mother had given him, but he quickly tucked it back in his tunic when he realized what he was doing.

"What the hell's wrong with this?" he muttered, deciding to give the monk only a few minutes before trying something.

As the two beings remained locked in a seemingly endless contest of wills, centuries seemed to pass in a matter of seconds to Kae. As Keung Xi-Wang considered what he could do against the god and priestess if Byakko decided to tap in Kae's power to manipulate it, she remained in Byakko's protective grasp. A ripple seemed to appear in the back of Kae's mind, but she was unable to figure out what it was before Keung Xi-Wang broke away from Byakko's gaze and turned his cold eyes on her.

"It seems I'm forced to retreat this time," the evil spirit finally said, sneering at them. "However, don't think you'll get away unscathed."

"Kae!"

"Chichiri?" Kae gasped in shock, and whirled around to see Chichiri – or his figure in her mind, at least – running toward her.

"Stop, Keung Xi-Wang!" Byakko ordered, but was too late as a blast of dark power headed toward the Suzaku Warrior. The monk froze in surprise as the attack surrounded him, and the dark being laughed cruelly as the Suzaku Warrior was enveloped by his destructive miasma.

"No!" Kae shrieked, and was unaware of the pain as her kanji began to glow bright. Her cry seemed to break something inside the prison Keung Xi-Wang had created, and she pulled away from Byakko to reach Chichiri. As the light faded away from the Warrior she expected to see his prone figure before her. Instead, a swirling barrier appeared to have protected him from Keung Xi-Wang's attack.

"Until next time, priestess," the spirit promised, his image fading and releasing her mind. Byakko disappeared without a word, and Kae found herself kneeling alone in a field, barren of any life except the grass beneath her.

"Kae…are you all right?" Chichiri asked urgently, suddenly appearing before her and dropping into a crouch to look into her eyes. At seeing the look of worry in his face, she slowly nodded and realized she was clothed once more. "Thank Suzaku," he breathed, and then blinked. "Well, Byakko in this case, I suppose," he added with a grin, helping her to her feet.

"What are you…?"

"Byakko weakened the wards around your mind and I decided to take a chance, no da," he told her cheerfully, making her nervous at how at ease he was inside her mind. "Tasuki wanted to come, but if something went wrong there'd be nothing I could do. So we should be going, or else who know what he'll do."

"Chichiri…thank you," she said, and he shrugged.

"Byakko did all the work – he helped me get past the wards, no da," he replied, and gripped her arm as a voice reached their ears. "Who's that?"

"Kae! Chichiri!"

"Tasuki?" Kae realized in surprise, and Chichiri grinned.

"I told you he was worried, no da," he nodded, and looked around. "Let's see…I think if I do…yeah, that should get us out."

"You mean you don't even know what you're doing?" she demanded, and the grin he gave her only made her more nervous.

"All right, let's go," he ordered, and pulled her to him abruptly. She gasped as a squeezing sensation enveloped her, and from Chichiri's expression it was even more unpleasant for the one doing the actually work. Within seconds, however, they had disappeared from the field, which also quickly faded away.

"What the fuck was that all about?" Tasuki demanded, as Kae returned to reality with a gasp of someone who had been drowning, and Chichiri promptly fell over on his backside with a 'thunk'.

"Keung Xi-Wang was inside her mind," Chichiri explained tiredly, knowing trying to put it off would only make Tasuki louder. Kae's eyes were eyelids were drooping already, and the exhausted monk didn't feel much better. "Byakko answered my prayer and protected her from him, since we're on blessed land. And they both left when I got there."

"That's it?" the bandit pressed, and jumped when Kae suddenly went limp once more in his arms. "Ack!"

"She's sleeping, Tasuki," his friend told him, a bit cranky. "And so'm I – so try to be quiet."

"Hey!" Tasuki protested, and groaned when Chichiri became oblivious to the world in a matter of three milliseconds. "Damn it…what, are ya fallin' asleep too?" he griped, noticing Tama kneading Chichiri's side comfortably.

"Meow."

"Ah, shut up," he muttered, and shifted to get comfortable himself. "Might as well…" he shrugged, and fell asleep, having tired himself out by worrying about his friend and love interest trapped by the evil spirit hunting them.

Daybreak found Kae still asleep, safely cradled in Tasuki's arms, as Chichiri woke from his slumber to his friend's persistent nagging about the events inside Kae's mind. Knowing he'd have to tell him sooner or later, Chichiri decided to get it over with while Kae wasn't able to inadvertently interrupt them.

"Ya mean he tried ta do what to her?" Tasuki shouted in a rage, when Chichiri finished telling Tasuki his suspicions about what Keung Xi-Wang was trying to do in Kae's mind. "In her own damn mind? That sick bastard! I'll kill him!" Tasuki snarled, glaring protectively down at Kae before suddenly switching her to Chichiri and grabbing his harisen, beginning to stride off.

"Tasuki, wait!" Chichiri called, grabbing the end of his friend's tunic. "That won't get you anywhere, no da!"

"I don't care," he growled. "I'll find that twisted sonovabitch and rip his balls off! And then I'll –"

"Anger won't get you anywhere, no da," the monk informed his friend calmly. "You need to keep a calm head if you're going to help Kae, Tasuki."

"Fuck off, Chichiri," Tasuki ordered, tearing away from his friend's grasp. "I ain't gonna let that sick asshole try to…to rape Kae and get away with it!"

"Neither am I!" Chichiri yelled, becoming frustrated with his vengeful friend and half-wishing he was able to give in to his own urges of revenge. "But staying in a blind rage like this will only get Kae hurt, no da." The words seemed to calm the enraged bandit down a bit – after taking a bit to sink in – and he reluctantly sat back down with a grumble, and eyed Chichiri until the monk laid Kae – who had somehow slept through the entire fight – back into Tasuki's arms with a small grin.

"Ya got a point," the Warrior grumbled after a few moments of silence, and Chichiri sighed in relief. "Jest promise not ta go runnin' off and leavin' me outta all the fun."

"Daa," he agreed with a nod, stretching a bit now that the crisis was over. "But…mind letting go of her for a bit to find something to eat? I'm starving, and I'm sure Kae will be when she wakes up, no da."

"I haven't eaten either," Tasuki realized with a blink, and grinned sheepishly when his stomach agreed loudly with him. "Alright, I won't be gone long," he promised, once more giving Kae to Chichiri, who shifted slightly as Tasuki strode away into the forest, knowing the Suzaku Warrior had enough brains to know not to hunt down anything in the immediate area after Byakko had just protected them.

"Finally, some peace," the monk sighed in relief, not having been able to sleep well with Tasuki's gaze boring holes into the back of his head. Yawning slightly, he relaxed his hold on Kae and allowed his head to droop forward slightly, still able to keep his senses aware for any intruders.

"I guess he's got a point," Tasuki admitted, clearing the trees and looking around the sand with a groan. "How the hell'm I supposed ta hunt somethin' here?" he demanded to the desert, and was almost ready to just go back and live off grass when a desert hare – a particularly fat and juicy-looking one – appeared from a dune in front of him, almost as if mocking him.

"Why, ya damn little…Rekka Shin'en!" the bandit cried, and instantly regretted it when he disintegrated the poor creature instantly. "Whoops…guess my harisen here picked up on my mood," he laughed ruefully, deciding to look around some more, though he doubted he'd find a catch as good as the one he had just incinerated.

To his complete and utter shock, Tasuki watched as three more hares – equally fat and juicy-looking – proceeded to cross his path. Almost unable to believe his luck, and finally deciding that Byakko was deciding to be extra kind to him after much pinching, he smirked and gripped the diamond fan. He then proceeded to tiptoe up to the hares, which had currently paused in the sun. The image of the fire-haired bandit trying to tiptoe like a small child up to them, weapon held aloft, would be forever engraved in the nearest hare's mind.

For about two seconds, when Tasuki clocked it over the head and broke it's neck with one hit, therefore rendering it incapable of memories of any kind, much less of a tiptoeing Tasuki.

The remaining hares quickly rushed off, but Tasuki was satisfied with his victim and decided not to bother with the other two. Grabbing it by it's hind legs, he swung it over his shoulder and headed back toward the trees, thoroughly pleased with his handiwork and not forgetting to say a quick 'thank-you' to the Tiger God.

Meanwhile, as Tasuki was making himself look ridiculous among the sand and desert hares, Chichiri woke from his quick but refreshing nap to find Kae's arm around his neck, as she struggled to sit up on his lap instead of laying down across it.

"Stop that!" he ordered quickly, gripping her by the waist and lifting her up in the air so he could shift around before settling her back down, this time sitting up so she was leaning against his chest.

"Thanks," she said softly, her arm still around the Warrior's neck as if she was too drained to move it. "Where's Tasuki?"

"I made him go find something to eat – he had to blow some steam off," Chichiri told her. "I had to tell him what happened – he wouldn't let me sleep, no da!"

"Poor Chichiri," Kae giggled a little at the monk's playful whine, and closed her eyes as he continued to talk.

"He was determined to go off on his own, so I had to convince him to stay. And then he was pretty possessive, no da," he said. "So I told him to kill something – I think it'll calm him down. Let's hope it does, or else I'll just paralyze him for a bit while I rest."

"He was that worried?" she asked, and surprise was laced through her tone. Chichiri nodded brightly, one hand resting across her knees while the other was looped around her waist to keep her steady.

"Daa. I haven't seen him so mad in a long time – if ever," he added. "But he's coming back, so we should stop talking about him before he gets suspicious, no da."

"Talkin' 'bout who?" Tasuki demanded, appearing from the trees. Kae and Chichiri exchanged a grin while the young woman tried to restrain her weak laughter.

"See?"

"Cut that out!" he ordered, throwing the hare onto the ground. "There – I got the little bastard," he said in satisfaction. "I'll make us a fire so we can eat somethin'. Yer hungry, right?" he asked, directing this last at Kae, who looked surprised and nodded.

"I guess…"

"Good," he nodded sharply and stalked back into the trees. She looked at the amused monk in confusion, and he shrugged.

"Now he's embarrassed about the scene he made, even though you were asleep," he assured her. "You should know how his mind works at this point. Although, it's rather scary…"

"Yeah," she agreed, smiling at Chichiri's face. "Hey, I have a question," she asked, and he heard the drowsiness creeping back into her voice.

"Yes?"

"If you don't mind…why don't you wear that mask-think any more?" she asked. Chichiri paused in surprise for a moment, and she mistook the silence for anger. "I'm sorry – I shouldn't have asked," she said hurriedly, but he silenced her with a shrug.

"I suppose I don't feel the need to wear it any more," he thought, his mind wandering back to the ordeals he and his companions had faced in their past, and Mitsukake's words about his scar. "I don't know if I'll ever let this," he gestured to his eye, "heal with Mitsukake's remedy, but I don't think I need to hide my past around people – especially not with Tasuki or you," he added absently, and Kae snuggled into his collarbone appreciatively.

"Much honored…" she said, her words slipping into a yawn she couldn't suppress. Kae looked a bit annoyed as her eyes drooped closed, and struggled to stay awake. "I don't want to go…to sleep again," she complained. "I want…to talk to…Tasuki…"

"There'll be plenty of time for that later," Chichiri assured her softly, the girl in his arms already having fallen asleep after she finished the Warrior's name. "Don't worry, Kae – I promise."

"She's asleep again?" Tasuki asked in both disbelief and annoyance, and Chichiri looked up with a cheery grin at the glowering Warrior.

"She was awake for a bit, but her body is still drawing chi back," he explained, glancing briefly at the sleeping girl. "She'll wake in a little again, Tasuki. And then you can talk to her, so stop glaring at me! No da!"

"I wasn't," he retorted, dumping the branches on the ground. "I found 'em on the edges on the ground," he grunted, and Chichiri nodded in approval. He watched as Tasuki set about roasting the Byakko-sent meal, and unconsciously began to rock Kae ever so gently in his arms, a pricking in the back of his mind unsure of what was to come next.

A thought a little humor with Tasuki and rabbits would be kinda nice, considering how tense the mood's getting...and it'll only grow from here! This chapter was a marker for the story, so it's important! Well, all of them are, but...whatever. Anyway, please review!