I don't own Fushigi Yuugi.

Thank you Songwind, Everqueen and Bishiglomper for reviewing.

Sorry for the late update, I've been busy.

Chapter 6

The next day proved to have a vale of depression hovering over it. Tamahome and the others returned and they found out that his family had been mercilessly slaughtered by one of the Seiryuu seven, a boy named Suboshi to be exact.

After hearing the news Keara herself seemed to float into a world of her own, a world that told the others to leave her be.

Farewells were said and the group set out on the boat to Hokkan, leaving Hotohori behind since he was the emperor of Konan and could not leave his duties despite his desire to do so. He gave Miaka his holy sword, which Taiitsukun had given him, and in turn she gave him her old teddy bear that she cherished.

Keara sat out on deck leaning against the siding, watching as the water rippled and turned on itself as the boat cut through it. Her mind was lost, but her reasoning was not. Death was a very touchy subject with her since she had seen and felt too much of it and the pain it carries in its wake.

Despite the fact that she had never met Tamahome's family she could still feel the pain that brewed within him. He may refuse to reveal it, but he was hurting greatly.

"You are to help with whatever problems occur and dullen what pain you can," Taiitsukun's had told her the day before.

'Dullen the pain…' she looked over her shoulder to see Tasuki over Tamahome's shoulder as latter threatened to drop the flailing bandit into the water. 'I think Tasuki can do that better than I could ever hope to,' she thought with a sigh.

"Don't worry about them no da," Chichiri said from beside her. Keara jumped in surprise; she hadn't seen him there a moment ago. "Gomen, didn't mean to startle you no da."

Keara waved the apology off once she gained her bearings once again. She turned her back to the water and watched as Tasuki, who now had his feet on the ground, took out his tessen and cried "Rekka shien!"

To her surprise flame flew out of the metal fan and fried Tamahome. Tasuki smiled triumphantly until an enraged Tamahome started chancing after him as he threatened to really throw the bandit overboard.

"At least Tamahome isn't locking himself up no da," Chichiri said as he looked over to the girl next to him.

Keara didn't look over to him; instead she nodded and stood up strait. She wondered what Miaka was up to and decided to find the Suzaku no miko after giving Chichiri a wave.

The monk gave a nod and when she turned away a perplexed look crossed his masked face. 'She seems to distant,' he thought, 'I suppose being mute doesn't help any.'

Miaka was found in her bed room in the belly of the ship talking to herself. Before Keara could 'ask' what was her problem she heard a male's voice that seemed to have no place of origin. What made the occurrence even more odd was the fact that no one else, besides for Miaka, could hear it.

"I'm sorry big brother, but I can't," Miaka responded to the voice before holding out a few hairs to Tasuki. "Burn these."

"Eh?" Tasuki questioned his miko, but took out his fan. He hesitated a second before carefully burning the hairs, but not her fingers.

There was a sudden loud 'crack' as something like lightning hit the ship, startling everyone. They all ran out to the deck to see the mass on fire. Chichiri and Chiriko were looking out onto the horizon as if trying to find the source of the lightning.

'Just a storm and bad luck,' Keara thought, but how everyone was acting made her want to think otherwise.

"What is it?" Tamahome asked.

"It's a Seiryuu seshi!" Chichiri cried as another bolt of lightning came down on the ship.

Large waves began to form and crash upon the ship mercilessly, rocking it back and forth and rain pelted down on them with great force. 'This is no normal storm,' Keara thought and she realized that whoever this Seiryuu seshi was they could control the weather.

A giant wave came up and washed onto the deck, sweeping Tasuki off into the raging waters. "Tasuki!" Miaka screamed and jumped in after him, only to realize she couldn't swim with such a harsh current.

"Idiot!" Tamahome cried and jumped in after her.

Keara grabbed a rope that wasn't far from her and ran over to Nuriko. "Good idea," he said as he took the rope from her and tossed one end to their friends in the water.

As another wave crashed over the ship Nuriko was sent over board and Keara would have followed had Chichiri not grabbed onto her in time. Unfortunately she now hung over the edge as the monk tried desperately to keep a firm grip on her soaked hand.

"Give me your other hand!" Chichiri yelled over the storm.

Keara brought her hand up against the fierce winds, but it slipped out of Chichiri's. Tasuki appeared at his side and held out his hand, "Grab it!"

The wet deck caused Chichiri's feet to slip and he would have fallen overboard had Tasuki not quickly locked his arm around his shoulders. The jolt of his body forward then the sudden stop however caused his grip on Keara's wet hand to weaken just enough for her to slip through.

"NO!" he cried as he felt her hand leave his. 'Not again!' his mind screamed in anguish.

Keara crashed through the turbulent waters below and fought her way up to the top. When her head came up she could barely see the ship and she was still drifting fast from it. She was not the best of swimmers, but could somehow keep her head above the water enough to hear someone scream her name. When she looked over she saw Nuriko several yards away with his hand outstretched to her.

"Over here Keara!" He screamed.

She thanked what ever was watching over her that she would be swimming with the current as she approached Nuriko. Had the current been against her she doubted that she would have made it before the waters would have claimed her life.

Nuriko grabbed hold of her and heaved her out of the water before a stream of lighting hit the water. "Let's get inside. Miaka and Tamahome are already in there."

Keara nodded and followed Nuriko into the small cave that the 'island' offered as a refuge for them. The found Tamahome laying down with Miaka sitting at his side, a fire burning near them.

"He'll be alright Miaka, don't worry," Nuriko said. He turned to Keara, who looked slightly confused, "Tama got electrocuted is all. It would have killed any normal person, but Tama's strong enough."

Keara nodded and sat at one end of the fire, shivering slightly. She looked at the hand Chichiri hand been holding so tightly and mentally cringed as she knew her ring finger was broken from the force with which he put on it to keep her from falling. There was nothing she could do for it now and put her hand in her lap.

Nuriko took off his tunic and shirt before telling them to do the same so they wouldn't catch a cold.

Time seemed to pass slowly, but eventually Tamahome awoke. Everyone was relieved that he was alright, besides for a headache that is. Miaka clung to him happily telling him how worried she had been.

vvvvvv

Eventually everyone was once again safely on the ship. Chichiri came right up to Keara and wrapped her in a hug, "I'm sorry I let you go. I should have held on."

Keara was first shocked but quickly calmed and patted Chichiri on the back. The monk pulled away slightly confused, but when she patted him on the head and smiled he knew she held no grudge against him, which he was grateful for.

Tasuki put a hand on her head, "Next time grab my hand will ya. You had us worried dropping into the water by yourself like that. Chichiri damn near jumped in after you."

Keara looked at Chichiri but could decipher next to nothing from his face besides for a small frown which she suspected was directed at Tasuki. As a sharp pain began to originate from her ring finger she was reminded that it was broken and wasn't at all pleased with all the movement it was under going. She used her other hand to pull on the pained finger until there was a sharp 'pop' as the bone was put back in its correct location after its slight shift.

Tasuki cringed at the sound, "Don' tell me you just fixed a broken bone."

With a shrug Keara showed that the sound hadn't bothered her in the least. She was, after all, a gymnast and fingers were one of the most commonly broken bones.

"I did that didn't I?" Chichiri asked sadly.

Keara took note of the lack of 'no da's' in his words as she waved the question off. Had her wrist been broken instead of her finger she would have been angry because it would have meant that she would have been of even less use than she already was, but it was just a finger and nothing more."

"I didn't know she had a broken bone," Nuriko said as he watched and listened in on the conversation. "She hadn't acted on it while we were in the cave. I guess it hadn't bothered her."

"It doesn't even look like it bothers her now," Chiriko said. Keara smiled, confirming his words.

At that moment the ship crashed into a cliff and everyone but Miaka became paralyzed before the Seiryuu seshi known as Soi jumped on the ship. She had red hair tied to one side, grayish eyes and wore brown and tan armor.

She seemed all to pleased with herself and tried to make quick work of the Suzaku no miko, but the holy sword the miko possessed would not allow it as it sent the lightning attack right back at its summoned.

Soi took the hit in sheer surprise before darting off, but not before taking a good note of the new girl among the now un-paralyzed Suzaku seshi's.

Uh ho. Soi took note of Keara, what's this going to lead to?

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