Summary; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.
(cries and bows) I'm so sorry for the long time it's been! I have tendinitis in both arms and it's painful to write for very long, so I haven't been able to get on the computer period for several days, and then I had some personal problems preventing me from writing. I just wanted to apologize, because I hate leaving like this for so long. I'll try to be a little better, but if you don't hear from me, it's because of the tendinitis, most likely. Anyway, please continue and enjoy - it's extra-long to make up!
There's some introspection to their personalities - some action, more mental scenes. Hope that's okay - it's getting more serious, as the tone conveys (hopefully).
Please review if you read. Comments, ideas, suggestions, and helpful suggestions welcome.
"Ow…my head," Kae complained, holding her head as she shuffled into the main room late the next morning, causing Chichiri to look up.
"Are you okay, no da?" he asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Had too much to drink, no da?"
"Oh, shut up," she grumbled, in a bad mood for several reasons that morning. She sat down at the table as well, and looked around briefly. "Where'd everyone go?"
"Subaru had to go get some things at the market, and dragged Tokaki with her," Chichiri told her. "Tasuki disappeared early this morning, no da. I'm not sure where he went. You look a little pale – want something to drink?"
"Thanks," she nodded, gratefully taking the cup he handed her, apparently having anticipated her answer. "This is good," she commented, looking down into it in surprise. "I'm sorry if I've been a bitch lately," she apologized suddenly, and he gazed at her in surprise.
"Hm? You've been fine, no da," he assured her, but she shook her head.
"No – not really. Especially not to Tasuki," she added under her breath, and the monk tactfully pretended he didn't hear her. "It seems all we do is fight, apologize, and fight some more," she complained abruptly, catching him off guard slightly. "Maybe we're not meant for each other after all…I thought love was supposed to be more…agreeable."
"I don't know much about love, no da," Chichiri said candidly. "I haven't had all that much experience. But Suzaku is the god of love – and Tasuki's a Warrior for him, remember? I just think you both have to learn how to get along with each other," he finished cheerfully, and she stared at him.
"That didn't make any sense," she began, and then sighed. "Or maybe I'm just especially dense. Never mind, Chichiri – thanks for trying. I'm going to go for a walk to clear my head. I'll be fine – I won't go far, go off with strangers, or wander around dark alleys," she added with a grin, which he happily returned. "So don't worry. I don't sense anything bad around here, which is…nice. Anyway, I'll be going now," she said hurriedly, and rushed out before he could question her about what she had meant.
"At least she seems to be in a good mood, no da," he said calmly, returning to his early lunch. Suddenly, he paused and frowned, looking around cautiously. "Hm…I thought I sensed something, no da," he said thoughtfully, getting to his feet and striding out the door.
"Nice normal air," Kae sighed in relief, taking a deep breath to clear her mind of the dreams she had been forced to endure the night before. Looking around as she wandered the streets, she was careful to avoid anything that looked odd, but didn't worry too much about what could happen. "It's not like I'm going to die here," she said with a certainty that would have surprised Chichiri had he heard her. A little relieved at having said the words out loud, she began to hum a little to herself, grateful the seasons were changing and the air was a little cooler than usual for the desert city.
Kae jumped as scream suddenly pierced the air, and became acutely aware of a tingling sensation throughout her body.
"Oh damn…not yet, please!" she whispered as if begging unseen forces, and ran through the streets frantically, allowing her senses to guide her through the town. Smelling something harsh in the previously-sweet air, she paused to sniff at it, and her eyes widened when she recognized the scent.
"Fire?" she managed, trying to figure out what to do. Shrugging off her fears with determination, the small voice in her head positive she wasn't going to die here, the young woman sprinted down the alley, catching sight of smoke billowing into the air as the wind caught it. Arriving at the scene, she almost fainted at the sight before her. Several houses were up in flames, as the fire licked the sides of the buildings next to them, and a huge creature was standing among the destruction. Its eyes glowed with a crimson light, and its body seemed to mingle with the scorched land and flames around it, a heat-induced haze surrounding it.
"What is that?" someone demanded in fright, backing away beside Kae.
"A…creature of fire…" she said softly, entranced by the sight. A certain beauty lay in the flames before her, and she remained still as the creature caught sight of her. It's mouth opened in a roar, and Kae created a whirling shield as fire spewed at her.
"Run!" another person screamed, their cries lost in the chaos around them. Screams and swears filled the air, some muffled by the heat as other seemed enhanced by it, and people mobbed each other in an effort to escape with their lives. Kae found herself at the center as she moved closer toward the creature, calmly as if she was unaware of the danger.
At the edge of the scene was a worried Chichiri, who groaned when he saw the thing. "I knew something wasn't right, no da," he sighed, having not bothered to replace his mask in his haste and setting his shoulders in determination.
"What the hell's goin' on?" Tasuki demanded.
"Tasuki?"
"I heard the noise and figgered somethin' was wrong," the bandit shrugged, surveying the scene critically. "This ain't good."
"No, it's not," Chichiri agreed. "Where are Tokaki and Subaru?"
"Subaru's trying to get the people away with some order," Tokaki replied, appearing beside the pair and surprising them. "I thought something felt weird around here," the Byakko Warrior said cryptically, and turned back to them. "Where's the girl, anyway?"
"I came looking for her – she left for a walk not long ago, no da," Chichiri told them, and a frightened look crossed Tasuki's face briefly.
"Ya mean she's out here somewhere alone?" he demanded, and Tokaki grunted.
"Hm – Tasuki, you won't be any good against a fire ghoul, with your harisen, so go look for Kae while we figure a way to take care of this," he ordered firmly. "And for Byakko's sake, don't go attacking the thing! The last thing we need is you to give it more power."
"I'm not that stupid!" Tasuki retorted, and rushed off without another protest.
"Any ideas, monk?" Tokaki asked, turning his attention back to Chichiri, who frowned in concentration.
"Only how to prevent more damage, no da," he admitted, and Tokaki shrugged.
"Better than nothing – let's go."
"So…he sent something even though he knows it's useless," Kae said thoughtfully, a sudden rush of chi keeping her shield active without much effort on her part. She began to sweat, though, and wiped her forehead off with the back of her hand. "Something has to be done, though," she continued, talking to herself as she tried to think of some way to stop the rampaging creature.
"Kae!"
"What?" she gasped, her eyes widening as she spotted a furious-looking Tasuki speeding toward her, and quickly lowered her shield before he ran into it.
"What the hell do ya think yer doin' here?" he demanded, and scooped her up before she could reply. "Chichiri and Tokaki are takin' care of this – yer not gonna stay here any longer."
"Tasuki!" she yelled, unable to push him away as he took off, taking her further and further from the monster. "Tasuki, put me down!" she ordered, and surprised him by suddenly elbowing him hard in the torso. He grunted in pain and stumbled, relaxing his grip on her momentarily. She took the opportunity and jumped from his arms, heading back toward the monster.
"Get the fuck back here!" he hollered, going to retrieve her and promptly walking into a chi barrier. "Ow! Damn this fucking thing!" he shouted, rubbing his nose in aggravation and glaring anxiously after the dimming figure of Kae, as she headed directly into the flames.
"It's up, no da," Chichiri sighed, slightly tired from his exertions as he completed the barrier around the fire. "It can't get out, and the flames won't spread to the rest of the city, no da."
"Good – at least it's contained for now," Tokaki nodded in approval, and their heads turned as a panting Tasuki ran up to them, stopping to catch his breath once he reached their sides.
"Tasuki? Did you find Kae, no da?"
"She's back inside!" he yelled, taking a deep breath to fill his lungs. "And now she's trapped inside that damn barrier of yours!"
"You can't let it down!" Tokaki objected, seeing Chichiri's hands move slightly. "That thing will destroy the entire city!"
"I can't let Kae burn to death!" the monk retorted angrily, preparing to release the seal to allow them access inside. He froze in mid-gesture, and the other two eyed him suspiciously.
"What's wrong?" Tokaki asked, sure he wasn't going to enjoy the answer.
"Something…the chi of the fire ghoul is fading, as if something was absorbing it," Chichiri told them, trying to focus his power on sensing what was going on inside his barrier. "I think it's Kae, no da. She's manipulating and absorbing the monster's chi, no da!"
"How is that possible?" Tasuki demanded, trying to peer into the flames to see anything. He blinked when the flames began to subside, and a faint light began to emerge from the smoke. The black smoke and crimson flames continued to dissipate, as if they were being pulled into a vacuum inside the barrier.
"I'm letting it down," Chichiri announced, and promptly released his hold on the spell before Tokaki could protest. Tasuki rushed in the second it was down, and raced through the rubble in an effort to find the missing young woman.
"I'm going to find Subaru and make sure she's all right," Tokaki told the monk, who nodded as the Warrior also ran down a street. Chichiri silently decided to remain in case of further attack, and readied another barrier spell in case anything happened.
"Damn woman…" he muttered, sweat pouring off him as the heat was still very much present. He caught a glimpse of a light further away, and headed toward it without another thought. As he came closer he realized the light was emitting from Kae, as her kanji glowed through her clothes while she stood amidst the smoldering ruin and what remained of the flames. "Kae!" he yelled, speeding up and reaching her within seconds.
"What the hell's wrong with ya?" he demanded, grabbing her shoulders and whirling her around to face him. To his amazement, tears were mingled with the sweat on her face, and he stared down at her with questions in his eyes. "What's the matter?" he asked uncertainly, and she only shook her head.
"I felt…it's pain," she said quietly, daze-like. "That creature's pain and hatred…it was only being manipulated by Keung Xi-Wang. I could feel it's bonds to him…it was horrible."
"Are ya crazy?" Tasuki asked, pausing a few moments to recover his anger. "What did ya think ya were doin', runnin' in the fire all by yerself? Did ya want to die?"
"I wasn't going to die," she told him firmly, and he glared at her.
"Ya seem pretty certain of that, fer someone who has a demon after them," he retorted, and she glared back at him defiantly.
"I know – !" she began, quickly lowering her voice and turning her back to him. "I know…I'm not going to die here. I wasn't going to die by this thing," she whispered, and Tasuki gazed at her.
"What're ya sayin'?" he pressed, not sure he wanted her to answer.
"I know what I'm going to die," Kae revealed calmly, but he heard desperation in her voice through the ringing that filled his ears at this announcement. "That thing in my head…it showed me," she continued quickly before he could interrupt. "I know what I'm destined for…I didn't want you be hurt when I…I tried to push you away, make you hate me. But I – I don't want to die!" she cried out, pain now overwhelming in her voice. "I don't want to die! Tasuki, I love you – and I want to live and love you for as long as I can, no matter what!" She bowed her head, expecting him to lose his temper or walk away, but to her surprise she felt arms wrap around her torso and enfold her.
"Stupid girl," he muttered, resting his head on top of hers, holding her tightly against him. "Ya think I love ya less than that? Ya obviously don't know nothin' about me, then. I'm tied of fighten' all the time with ya – it's pointless."
"We do always seem to make up," she admitted weakly, and he nodded.
"See? So from now on, yer gonna let me decide my own feelings and how to go about them, deal?" he mumbled, and Kae took a shuddering breath before turning in his arms and embracing him tightly, clutching the fabric of his tunic as if they were a lifesaver.
"Deal," she agreed quietly, and Tasuki barely allowed himself a sigh of relief before noticing a grinning Chichiri nearby. The bandit promptly turned red, but only glared at his friend instead of letting go of Kae, like he might have before.
"Tasuki, you're creeping me out," she laughed nervously the next night, rolled up in her blanket and her back to the bandit, who was stretched out on the floor beside her. It wasn't so much his presence alone that made her nervous – that made her feel a bit more secure, in all honesty. It was his unblinking stare that made her aware of an uncomfortable pressure between her shoulders, keeping her wide awake as well. "Haven't your eyes dried out yet?" she hinted, but her prod elicited no response. "All right, all right," she sighed, pulling the blankets up to her nose and snuggling into the pillow, forcefully trying to rid Tasuki's presence from her mind. After a bit longer, her exhaustion finally won out and Tasuki propped himself on his elbow to see if she was really asleep.
"Yep, sleepin' like a baby," he sighed in relief. Ever since Kae had told him she was going to die, the bandit hadn't left her side for a moment – except for obvious times when she threw him out – and even though he knew he was making her nervous, he was barely able to handle the thought of suddenly losing her in some way. Therefore, he reasoned, if he was always with her nothing would happen, even in her dreams. Getting up into a crouch, he rested his elbows on the edge of the mattress and gazed at her, the fact that her back was facing him not disturbing him in the least.
A thought crossed his mind, and he shook it away before it continued to bother him. Shrugging after a few moments, he removed his boots and crawled as quietly as he could into the bed, laying on his side beside Kae and wrapping one arm around her and pulling her back against his torso.
"Ah, what the hell," he muttered, when the thought came to him that she would be pissed when she woke up, and leaned over to gently kiss her temple before laying back on the pillow with a sigh, his other arm underneath his head.
"Mm…" Kae shifted around as her brain woke her up when the sunlight hit her eyes, feeling warmer than usual. She slowly became aware that she felt heavier than usual, and assumed Tama had decided to sleep with her during the night and left Chichiri alone. Moving her arm to absently pet the thing on her side, she froze when she realized it was fabric, not fur, and turned around slowly to realize that Tasuki had – for whatever reason – gotten into her bed during the night and wrapped both arms around her as if she was a stuffed animal, pulling her to him tightly.
"Tasuki…" she groaned, trying to gently push the bandit's arms off of her. He only shook his head and gripped her tighter, and she narrowed her eyes in suspicion, but several pokes told her he was definitely asleep. Closing her eyes in frustration, Kae knew what was bothering Tasuki and could hardly blame him for acting the way he was. Taking a deep breath, she inhaled his scent and relaxed into his embrace, suddenly feeling more secure than she had in a long time, and remained there for a while with her eyes closed.
"It's nice like this," she thought to herself, regretting that it wasn't able to last. As strange as it may have seemed, something in Kae had matured over the time she had been in China, and the sure knowledge of her death somehow calmed her inside, making her able to face the remaining time with a newfound grasp of life. She felt distant from the others – not superior, but as if a wall was between them, but she had tried to lower that wall for Tasuki after that day, and to her surprise it wasn't as painful as she thought it was going to be. Kae knew she loved Tasuki as much as she had loved anyone, maybe more, and regretted it would have to end. But she knew there was no changing it, and decided not to dwell on regrets, but live in the present while she could.
"If someone comes in…" Kae mumbled after a bit, and she turned bright red at the thought while she resumed her efforts to get out of his grasp. It didn't help she had to go to the bathroom either, and was becoming rather desperate.
"Monin'…" the bandit mumbled sleepily, finally waking up when she jabbed him roughly in the abdomen. "Sleep well?" he asked, still holding a squirming Kae.
"Tasuki – let me go!" she hissed.
"Ya mad?" he checked, his voice husky with sleep. Seeing him rumpled and bleary-eyed, Kae melted and shook her head, but nonetheless jumped away as soon as he pulled his arms away and sat up sleepily.
"No…but I have to go to the bathroom!" she informed quickly, before running out of the room as her life depended on it. Her haste left a slow-minded – slower than usual in the morning – Tasuki blinking in confusion before shrugging and moving around, trying to find his boots.
"Have a nice night?" Tokaki asked with a smirk as they came into the room while Subaru set the breakfast on the table. The other woman smiled brightly at both of them, moreso than usual, while Chichiri only grinned widely and continued to pet Tama, who was sitting beside him on the bench.
"Wh…you came into my room, you perverted old man!" she accused him, pointing a finger angrily. "You – you can't do that!"
"I was just making sure nothing was going on, with that bandit in your room for two nights," he shrugged innocently, as the couple glared darkly at him, Kae turning pink while Tasuki reached for his harisen, which was quickly taken away by Chichiri. "Seems like I got there too late," he sighed dramatically, and Kae squeaked in protest.
"You…you all…you think Tasuki and I slept together?" she demanded, feeling light-headed in her anger. "You perverts! I can't believe you three! What do you think I am, anyway?"
"Calm down, Kae," Subaru said soothingly, trying to calm the hysterical young woman. "It's too early for this – and Tokaki was only teasing," she added.
"So he didn't come into my room?" Kae asked suspiciously.
"Well…" Subaru paused, and Tasuki folded his arms angrily.
"We didn't do nothin'," he informed them stiffly.
"You sound disappointed," Tokaki noticed, while Chichiri wisely kept his mouth shut.
"That's it!" Kae shrieked, getting to her feet so quickly her skirts swirled around her legs violently. "I can't believe you!" she managed, before whirling around and slamming the door behind her, causing the table to shake.
"Wow…" Tokaki said after a pause. "I didn't think she'd get so mad. I mean, you two are…"
"Not like that," Tasuki said through gritted teeth, eying Chichiri accusingly.
"I didn't do anything, no da!" he protested. "I was going to say about time, but since…never mind," he added quickly, seeing his friend move toward him. "I believe you, Tasuki, so calm down! No da! And technically, you two have been sleeping together," he told him innocently, unable to resist the barb.
"Yer all insane," the bandit grunted, getting to his feet and heading out the door, also slamming it loudly.
"They're going to break my house," Subaru sighed, sitting down at the table. "We shouldn't have teased them so much, I suppose. They're just so cute, now that they're not fighting and all. Well, they were cute even when they were fighting, but it's nice to see them get along. I wonder what they said?" she thought, and Chichiri shrugged, having an idea from what Tasuki had told him and putting that together with everything that had happened and the bandit's behavior, but not willing to betray his friend's unspoken trust.
"Well, they better get around to doing it, before it's too late," Tokaki grunted, making Chichiri choke on his food.
"What makes you think she'll go back to her world?" Subaru asked her husband curiously, and Chichiri nodded in agreement.
"Just a hunch," he told them, shrugging his shoulders in defense. "I don't know – but it's happened to every other girl who's come here, so what makes you think it'll be any different now?"
"I think you're wrong," Chichiri objected, and Tokaki blinked in surprise.
"You know something?" he prodded. "You think she's staying here, then?"
"I don't know about that, but I have a feeling she won't be going back, no matter what happens," the monk told them.
"Why so certain?" Subaru wondered.
"For one thing, there's nothing for her to go back to in her world – she's said as much before," Chichiri revealed. "And she loves Tasuki – and he loves her."
"What else?" Tokaki demanded, getting the sense Chichiri had left his sentence unfinished.
"Just some ideas," the monk shrugged, obviously not going to say anything else.
Ah...mystery! But I hope this is good - and I started working on the next one as well, so hopefully I can update a LOT more sooner. Please review and forgive me!