Alatáriël: cracks knuckles Okydokie then! Let's comense the OC angst!

Kate: Watches as Tasuki, Tamahome, Nakago, and Tomo drag a medieval torture device onto the set OO Mommy...

Alatáriël: laughs evilly

Kate: WHAT KIND OF FREAK ARE YOU!

Alatáriël:... pretends to look hurt I do it because I love you! sees the Iron Maiden WOW! Pointy!

Kate:...

Chichiri: Stares at torture devices... Daaaa... Kate-chan, I think you should run while you still can...

Tomo and Nakago eye the "toys" with glee

Kate:...uh huh bolts for the door

Alatáriël: laughs You can run, but you can't HIDE! sees readers raise their eyebrows... Oh come on! It'll be funny, I promise. Sadistic grin

Chapter 26: Amiboshi and Suboshi

Yui sighed and sat down across from where Kate lay, though she made no attempt to undo her bindings,
but she wasn't touching her either... That was a plus. "Hi", Kate greeted. 'Let's try this again', she thought, slightly irritated.

"Hi... You'd are Kate Crichton, I take it? The girl whom travels with the Suzaku Warriors?", she asked.
'Hmm... Playing good cop, bad cop, are they?', Kate thought to herself. "That would be me", she replied aloud.

Yui nodded, then bowed slightly, "I'm Yui Hongo, the Priestess of Seiryu." Kate wasn't going to bow.
She wasn't going to nod. She just stared and said, "Yui, your warriors need to learn some manners"
Yui's mouth seemed to get very thin at the name. Kate guessed she wanted a -san or something.

"Nakago is very... serious about his job. He didn't mean any harm, I'm sure", Yui replied. Kate wanted to bite the girl's head off... If only she got a little closer... (LOL. Just kidding) Not wanting to anger the younger girl, she just grunted in reply.

Yui sighed as she looked at the nail marks in Kate's flesh, "I'll get some herbs for that." Kate watched as she left before looking at her side herself. 'Dang, he really out did himself', she thought. She could see a small trail of blood making its way down her bare stomach, but that was all. With her arms and legs tied up movement proved to be very restricted.

She began thinking about rolling to the door, and trying to trip Yui as she came back in, but she decided against it. She had a feeling she'd get scalped if she tried anything funny. Har har. You had to admit,
though, the bad guys could use a few laughs. They all looked like their best friend just kicked the bucket... or failed to do so, in Yui's case.

Speak of the devil! Guess who just walked in! No, unfortunately it wasn't Chichiri. It was Yui... damn.
She bent down again and lay the bowl she had filled with water next to her. She then took some herbs out of her sleeve (Oo;; How the---?) and placed them on Kate's stomach.

Kate's face twisted in discomfort. She really did hate people getting in her bubble uninvited. "You know,
I think I'll live", Kate commented irritably. She really didn't know why she was being so mean to the girl,
after all she had just saved her ass from Nakago (maybe literally). She guessed because here, no one could be trusted... This included the self-absorbed, manipulated, Priestess, and her little poise.

Kate squirmed slightly under her hand as Yui soaked down a rag and put it over the cut. It stung like heck! "It might scar", Yui commented. Kate didn't reply. Yui applied the bandages. Kate contemplated hanging herself with them when no one was looking, glancing at the ceiling she noted the structure would most likely collapse if someone put all their body weight on it...

"There... How's that?", Yui asked as she tied the bandages into place. "Great. Thanks... Say Yui, Why am I here... exactly? Ya know, it's not every day I get kidnapped", Kate commented. Yui suddenly turned very cold, "You know why you are here." Kate rose an eyebrow, "Actually... No, I don't... If I did something to you that I'm forgetting, sorry, but I got my memory erased by one of your goons, so revenge would be kind of useless since I can't recall a thing."

Yui's mouth went very thin again, much to Kate's amusement. "We shall see... In the meantime, make yourself comfortable. I'll be back later", Yui said and got up, collected her bowl and herbs, and left the hut. Kate would have flipped her off if she had a hand free.

Sighing to herself, Kate looked down at her stomach, which was now completely covered and growling slightly. "If it's not one thing it's another", she said to herself and kicked at the sand half-heartedly. She had a feeling things were just going to get even worse.

Yui frowned as she left the tent. She had hoped she could have gotten some answers from the girl by herself, but it seemed it might take some time. Maybe if she tried to gain her trust?... She'd have to see... In the meantime she had to talk to Amiboshi. Something had to be done about that memory loss.

She found the younger of the twins by the oasis they had set camp at. He was playing his flute, no doubt setting up a barrier or something. "Amiboshi", Yui said, getting his attention. "Yes, Miss Yui?", Amiboshi replied. "Is their a cure for the oblivion herb?", Yui asked.

Amiboshi was silent for a moment before answering, "It is possible for her to overcome the herb herself,
but it would only happen under extreme mental strain... If the strain were great enough the herb would get worn out... kind of like a horse. If you kick it too hard, making it run... for too long... It's sure to get tired... Understand?"

Yui began to pace, "And what kind of mental strain would be needed? Surely you aren't saying if I give her a High School Placement Exam she'll break down." Amiboshi sighed, "I'm not sure, exactly,
but I think it should be used for a last resort. After all, she may have lost her memory, but that doesn't mean she lost her powers. She still has them, I'm certain."

Yui nodded, "So all we have to do is get her to talk, is that it?" Amiboshi nodded, "That is it."

Kate stared at the sand under her. This was so boring! What were they trying to do! BORE her to DEATH! 'Let's see... There has to be some way for me to entertain myself...', she thought. She figured she should be planing her grand escape, but the only thing she could think of was kicking Nakago where the sun don't shine and rolling out of the camp as fast as she could. It was a nice mental image, yes, but she didn't think she could make it work.

She really hated to admit it, but she was stuck. She'd either have to buy her freedom or wait for someone to save her. Life can be a bitch sometimes, can't it?

But... Since Kate was a little stubborn when it came to accepting her fate, she did the one thing she could think off... She had no clue how to unbind herself, but she'd seen a lot of action flicks and she'd read plenty of fanfiction... She'd just have to give it a try, or rub her wrists raw trying.

And this was how Yui found her... five hours later. Kate was thrashing around in a repeated circle,
snarling and squirming. Due to her repeated motion she had managed to dig a huge hole around herself.
Yui sweatdroped. This was going to take a while...

Kate noticed she wasn't alone in the tent anymore, and stopped her little game of "let's dig ourselves to Ancient America." She looked up at Yui, who was carrying a tray. "Can I help you?", Kate asked.

"I thought you might be getting hungry", Yui replied, motioning toward the tray in her hands.

Kate smiled at her from her hole, "Na. I'm fine, but thanks anyway." Yui grinned slightly, "Don't worry,
it's not poisoned or anything." Kate rolled her eyes, "Yeah, that would make a lot of since. Kidnap someone just to kill them." Though, truthfully, she was more worried about truth serum than anything else.

Her stomach growled and she made a face, 'Nobody asked for your opinion.' "Well, if you change your mind, it'll be here", Yui Good Cop said as she placed the tray on the ground near her hole. This left Kate to wonder why she didn't have a table in her god-forsaken tent... prison... thing. Oo

"Alrighty then", Kate replied. 'Not that I could even get to it if I wanted to', she thought bitterly. Her hole was at least four feet deep, and with her being immobile at the moment... well... let's just say she wasn't going anywhere without a little boost. 'You really are an idiot, you know that? Digging yourself into a prison inside a prison... Maybe if I dig far enough no one will want to jump in after me', she thought sarcastically and grinned.

It looked like cabin fever was settling in.

Unfortunately for her, Nakago Bad Cop decided to strut in at that moment. He paused for a moment in the doorway, eying the crater in the middle of the tent suspiciously before walking over to it. "So, you're still here", he greeted.

"Uh huh", Kate answered, looking up at him. He regarded her silently, 'Strange woman.' Kate, seeming to read his mind, grinned. "Would you are to answer some questions for me?", Nakago asked.

It was now Kate's turn to regard him silently. After a short pause she shrugged (or tried to) and said, "Sure." Nakago nodded, "Wise girl." He then reached down into the hole and grabbed her by the back of her shirt, haling her to the level ground so he could talk to her properly.

"What do you know?", he asked. She rose an eyebrow, "Not a lot, dude. Straight Cs. Next question"
Nakago also rose an eyebrow, 'Is she playing with me?' "Where are you from?", he asked. "North America", she replied.

"The same world as the miko's?", he asked, regarding her suspiciously. "Nope... I live in a world in which this world is created from that world." Nakago paused, "Why are you traveling with the Suzaku warriors?" Kate smiled, "Why, I'm just your average fan girl groupie, didn't you know?... Though I don't really think I'd be called a Mary-Sue... More like an Original Character." As she spoke she nodded her head and put her right hand up to her chin, in thought.

Nakago's eyes fixed on her. 'She is mocking me', he thought angrily. His face was cool and collected,
but his actions gave him away as the back of his hand made a swift connection with the side of Kate's face. The force of the action sent her back into her hole, where she landed on her knees, doubled over.
She had no time to stop the tears from pouring down her face as she cried.

Her face stung as she stuck it into the wall she had dug. She never noticed Nakago leave as she cried.
Kate didn't consider herself brave, smart, or strong, but she was determined. Nakaho had been so infuriated with her he never noticed when she had grabbed it: a single chopstick.

However, when Nakago hit her... She wanted noting more than to stab him threw the eye with it, and she was sure if her hands hadn't been tied she would have tried. She tasted metal and knew her mouth was bleeding. She could barely breath due to the mucus that decided to clog her nose as she frantically tried to cut threw her bonds... with a stick... of wood... used for eating...

For once the Authoress wishes her character could have been a Mary-Sue... for then Kate could escape easily with the aid of a single piece of wood and kill Nakaho, if needed, then escape and marry Chichiri and have many blue-haired babies... However since this would be completely unrealistic,
and because the Authoress would be APPALLED if her story took this kind of turn...

Kate cursed to herself as she felt the splinter enter her upper arm. She couldn't even HOLD the piece of wood properly to cut the rope. Angry and frustrated, but not defeated, she paused. 'I can't give up,
and I don't want to be helpless', she thought, but a negative thought nagged her... Real life might make her helpless. Real life might make her give in under interrogation, but...

The door opened then. "Miss Kate?", a voice whispered from the doorway. "Yes?", Kate answered.
Her voice was rough and could almost feel it break. Suddenly a face was staring at her from over the side where she was crying. It was Amiboshi. She could tell because his eyes went wide when he saw her. "What have I done?", he whispered to himself as he slowly crawled into the hole.

"Hi", was all he said as he took her face into his hands and frowned as he brought up the edge of his jacket and began to wipe off her face, of what she didn't know. "Hi", she said and laughed slightly. It hurt to laugh, she noted. Amiboshi seemed to notice this, his from deepened. "I didn't know they were going to hit you", Amiboshi said. (AN: All the major violence before his "death" happened when he wasn't around... It's possible he didn't know the extent his fellow warriors were willing to go threw for their goals.)

"Sure you didn't", Kate said bitterly. Amiboshi didn't reply as he suddenly pulled a knife out of this boot. Kate's eyes widened, "Oh come on! Don't I get a break!" Amiboshi didn't reply as he suddenly turned her around so that she was facing the wall again. She could feel her eyes go wide and her body when tense.

Then... an unexpected feeling of relief and pain. Before she could even fathom her action she had was holding her hands to her chest in front of her body protectively. Soon after she felt a much less painful freedom as the bonds on her feet were cut off. She turned to look at him, one question more demanding than all others to be answered, "Why?"

"Because... I've made a mistake, and I've also added the oblivion herb to my brother's drink... We don't have long to get away. Can you stand?", he asked. Suddenly he pulled a long blue cloth out of his shirt that Kate hadn't noticed. It was the cape! "Amiboshi?", she asked. "Can you stand?", he repeated. "I-- I think so", she said, haling herself to her feet.

"Good. Come", he commanded. Kate's spirits soared. She almost wagged her non-existent tail and barked. Amiboshi was out of the hole in the blink of an eye and reached down to her. She gave him her hand, and put his other hand on her back, helping her get out. Her wrists were raw, and looked like they might get infected. The less strain put on them, the better.

Luckily, however, her legs had been protected and weren't as bad as her wrists. As soon as the tent was opened everything happened faster than Kate could keep up with. It felt almost exactly like her kidnapping except she felt this rush to do anything she could to get away, but at the same time a huge doubt and panic assaulted her mind. 'What if we get caught? What will happen to us? Where will we go !', she wondered, chewing on her bottom lip.

Suboshi stood at the door, arms crossed. "Let's go", Amiboshi said with a small smile to his brother.
Suboshi nodded and followed after them. The sand gleamed angrily up at them as they ran. Two horses were tied to a palm tree nearby. Amiboshi untied the horses with ease, and they mounted.
Kate eyed Suboshi as she got on the horse.

Amiboshi mounted the same horse as Kate and they were off. As they rode Kate couldn't help but look back. She could hardly believe that place had been her prison. It looked peaceful. Winds were blowing softly, making the tents flap lightly. "Won't they follow us?", Kate asked. Amiboshi was silent for a moment before answering, "They'd follow anyway. Sometimes... One has to take risks if they want to be free."

Kate didn't reply, trying to understand the meaning behind his words as they raced on.

Two hours later the sun was sinking low in the sky. Kate had Chichiri's cape over her head, blocking the sun, when she saw something to their far left. She squinted then felt her heart leap into her throat.

"Wait!", Kate yelled suddenly. Amiboshi pulled back the rains (sp?), having noticed the figures also.
Suboshi also paused, and they all watched the people nearing them. They had also been spotted and the figures were now moving in their direction. As they neared the three escapee's (though one was kind of forced to come along) dismounted. As Kate noticed the blue hair sticking out of the top of the brown cape the man leading a horse something triggered in her.

Her bruising cheek hurt as she smiled. Suddenly everything was coming back to her as he neared. Her arrival here, their adventures, and before she knew what she was doing she had ran up him. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she laughed, tears running down her face. Chichiri embraced her, feeling her and hearing her laugh. He looked up to Suboshi and Amiboshi, surprised.

Amiboshi just smiled as Suboshi looked uncomfortable as he looked away. Josh, whom was occupying the horse Chichiri had been leading, smiled and dismounted. He soon had joined the happy reunion. "Are you alright, no da?", Chichiri asked after she had calmed down a little.

"I think I'll live", she replied with a happy smile. Chichiri nodded slowly as he looked her over, "We should get back to town, no da." Chichiri unfastened the cape Kate was wearing from around her neck , much to Kate's embarrassment as she blushed.

Chichiri lowered the cloth from her head and pulled it from her shoulders, then placed it on the sand.
Josh lead the horse over to the cloth. Chichiri laid a hand on Kate's shoulder as she smiled up at the twins, "All on board who's going aboard." The elder of the twins shook his head, "No... Suboshi and I will carry on... on foot. We're going to go to Hokkan, and try to start over."

Kate smiled, "Good luck... I hope to see you two again someday... and thank you." Amiboshi smiled back and nodded, "Same to you."

... Then came the sinking feeling. Kate wasn't sure she could ever get used to it. As soon as the sensation had started, however, it ended. And it ended with a bang. Kate found herself laying on top of a pile of hay. "Oof!", Kate exclaimed as she stared up at the sun roof she had made in her fall. Two stable boys stood nearby, looking at her in shock and surprise at just seeing a girl (quite literally) falling from the sky.

Followed soon after were two men and a horse. The third passenger was lowered with the help of magic. Josh landed with a splat a few feet from her, right on the nice solid stable floor. Kate cringed.
Chichiri wiped some sweat off his brow as he landed on his two feet, soon followed by the horse.

For a moment no one moved. Then Chichiri sighed and lowered himself beside her. "I remember", she told him. His eyes traveled her face, but she was unable to read him. He reached up to her cheek and frowned. "Does it hurt?", he asked.

She hadn't noticed the dull ache until he'd said that, but now that she did her body seemed to scream at her for its abuse and she closed her eyes briefly in pain. "My wrists hurt more", she told him. By now Josh was by her side also, and was frowning deeply.

"They hurt you!", Josh asked. Kate tried to smile it off, feeling guilty for worrying him. It was clear in his eyes that he blamed himself for it. Kate placed a hand on his shoulder, "This is nothing compared to the other guys." She grinned at him, trying to cheer him up. Josh just frowned before getting up and leaving the stable.

Chichiri pulled up the sleeve of her shirt, he cringed slightly before lowering his mask. "He felt responsible.
He told me everything... This cut is pretty bad...", he said. Kate blushed, wondering if EVERYTHING applied to the ...er... profane story she had managed to pick up. "Yeah... I was trying to break the rope", Kate replied.

Chichiri nodded and put down the hand, only to pick up the other, "This one's not as bad... Are you hurt anywhere else?" Kate paused. She didn't want to worry Chichiri. "Tell me", Chichiri said. Kate noticed he was looking at her intently. His eyes held emotion that she could have never read threw his mask. He was angry, that much was certain. She never thought she'd see Chichiri angry. It made her nervous.

"Just my ankles and stomach... Plus my face", she answered, looking at his hands. He nodded and let go of her hand, his now heading for her shirt. She blushed, and he paused as he seemed to get lost in thought before looking up at her again, "Let's get back to the room. I have some medicine there."

Kate nodded, at a loss of words, and they stood up. Two shocked and blushing stable boys stood nearby, fumbling with their hats in their hands as they stared holes into the stable floors. Kate laughed nervously at the boys as she was lead out of the barn and into the Inn.

Once inside the familiar room she finally realized how good it felt to be back, but it was even more so with the resent turn of events. Not only had she changed the story line for the better... Suboshi was now going to live along with Amiboshi, his brother. She really didn't see how things could have been any better. Now with her memory back, her hand in Chichiri's, AND getting her injuries treated by the monk... well, she was kind of regretting not getting beaten any more than she had!... or at least that's what she told herself as she tried to get over her nervousness.

She hadn't realized she was actually grinning until Chichiri rose an eyebrow at her when he had motioned for her to sit on the bed. "It's good to be back", she excused with a laugh and Chichiri smiled. "It's good to have you back. We were worried, no da" , Chichiri said as he got some medicine from a shelf nearby along with some bandages.

"I'm sorry", she apologized and pulled up her sleeves. "I should be the one apologizing... I wasn't able to do anything", he said. Kate smiled slightly, but didn't look him in the eye, "There was nothing you could have done."

Chichiri didn't say anything, and focused on her right wrist. Josh entered the room then, looking at them for a moment before walking over to a basin and a water pitcher. He poured some water in the basin and brought it over to them. He didn't say anything as he sat it down then grabbed his jacket, which was sitting on his bed, and leaving again.

Kate sighed before cringing as Chichiri began to wash the wound out with water and a herb that looked strangely like grape vines. For a long time neither one of them said anything, each stuck in their own thoughts and duties. Kate hissed every once in a while, but then came a surprise. After he finished her hands he went for her stomach.

She jumped. "Ah... You don't--", she began, but then she saw the look on his face. He was completely dedicated to his task. Swallowing her embarrassment, she lifted up half of her shirt and held it in place. Now that she could see it completely she really was surprised at Nakago's mark he'd left on her. Sometime during the day it had began to bleed again, but it didn't hurt... until Chichiri began to remove the bandages.

"Ow!", she complained and moved away from the offending hand. Chichiri looked up at her with concern, "I need to check it, Kate... Just hang on a little bit ok, no da?" Kate couldn't help but smile at the no da.

"Sure thing... but... uh... Can I pull it off?", she asked. Chichiri seemed a little surprised by her request,
but allowed it. She grinned slightly, more shy than anything, and gripped the fabric. 'Well, here goes nothing', she thought as her grip tightened.

Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes she pulled. "Ah FUDGE!", she cursed, though she didn't say fudge. Looking down, she noticed angry red marks glaring up at her. Chichiri was about to apply the wash rag as Kate snatched it out of his hand and began to wipe it off herself only to get the rag snatched away herself!

"What an idiotic thing to do... Running off by yourself!", Chichiri complained then paused as he looked at the scratch marks with suspicion, "... What did this?" Kate, surprised by his outburst, hesitated. She wasn't sure now to react to this new side of Chichiri. "Finger nails", she said, deciding to give him a little information and seeing where it took her.

"Finger nails?", he asked, looking at them again. He looked at his own hand, then at the marks again.
He didn't say anything else as Kate nodded and went back to his work. Kate remained perfectly still as her wounds were treated, but her mind was anything but still. 'I don't like this. He's too close.
It's too risky to get close. He doesn't like me... and yet... these butterflies', she thought.

Every single one of his touches were made with the up most care, and every single one made her stomach lunge. It was like having the flu... but she knew that wasn't the case. 'No, you're just being silly... You can't have feelings for him! Just because he's nice to you doesn't mean he's interested in you, ya know?', she scolded herself.

"There. Done, no da", Chichiri proclaimed as he wiped his hands off on the rag. Kate smiled slightly,
pushing her thoughts out of her mind, "Thanks! I owe you one." Chichiri put his mask on and got up,
"Are you hungry, no da?", he asked. She smiled slightly, "Yeah." She got up too, and Chichiri stared at her. He didn't say anything, only looked. She forced her smile to widen at him and left the room,
followed by her companion.

Alatáriël: ARG! I don't wanna leave it here, but I feel like I need to cut it off. You wont believe how Mary-Sueish it seemed in my head when I started to write the end. LOL. I'm sure you can see why. XD PERFECT oppertunity, right?

Kate:... You just like to see the tention...

Chichiri: daa?

(PS:... Are the last two chapter's text messed up? Oo)

Wolfdemon191: Well... It worked out for the better in the end, right? Heh. Yeah, I could just SEE Chichiri jumping into a dog pile. XD

Queen of the Fairys:Heh, yeah. I acually got the idea when I happened across one. What really took me by suprise was that it was with a girl and not Tasuki. LOL. I'm not much of a yaoi fan, but I don't have anything against it, either. I might read one if I think it's written well.

Erailea Evenstar: Thanks! I try. LOL. Thanks for mentioning the cape... I wanted it to not interfere with anything sooo... Ah! It's a kesa (makes note). Heh, yes. Nakaho. Yeah, I'd think with his past he wouldn't turn out to be bad but... shrugs I guess it's like when abused boys became abusive themseleves kind of thing... Quite a shame. Yup, Amiboshi was for my own purposes of saving Suboshi. I'm a big fan of the brothers. LOL. That's why I have them bully Kate. Ha ha.

Neko-ane: Hiya! Heh. Thanks... I was kind of worried about it all. Glad to know it worked out. ;; What can I say? Josh isn't too happy to be in Ancient China and is misplacing his anger. LOL. Yeah, Nakaho needs some serious help.

The Fire Youkai Paige: Yeah... I kind of hurried the whole thing though, didn't I? LOL.
I wanted everything to get moving along. Heh. Glad to know you liked the last chappie, though. Makes my ego blush. Ha ha.

Bishiglomper: Heh... Thanks! LOL. I think you got most of your answeres here, ne?

Vivi scarlett-sedai: Yes, VERY good thing Chichiri can't read English! LOL

Jedi of Oro: Ha ha ha, thanks! Review this chappie too, okyday?

chiri26: Yeah. Ha ha ha. I had fun writing that!

Holly: Ha ha ha! You thought THAT was bad! LOL. You must hate me now. Of course I'll give you Asty's webpage! Here ya go! http// hnf. akry. com/ (You'll need to take out the space marks)

FireStarter911: Heh sorry about that! Hope you liked this chappie! Chow!

Alatáriël: Ok, everyone! That's all I have for now!

Chichiri: She's acually just ploting more horror for us all to go threw, no da! Don't be fooled!

Kate: Why do I see something cheezy in the near future?