I don't own Fushigi Yuugi.

Sorry for another late update. In two weeks the lateness should end... I hope. But hey, it's a thursday update... then again I'm not going to be home this weekend...

Thanks for reviewing Chichiri's Wanderer, Crimson Firefox, mtgranola, Silver Pain and Pil-Z. I'm glad you guys are enjoying it :) I hope you didn't think I was serious when I called Lily a shirt thief. Lol. I was really joking. And it's alright Pil-z. I've done that in the past too.


Chapter 8

"We'll be at Mt. Taikyoku shortly no da," Chichiri told Lily and Tasuki as he glanced over at them.

"Finally," Lily said with a sigh, "I was starting to think I'd be stuck on this horse forever."

Chichiri laughed, "You've done really well no da."

It was true. Lily had complained little about the travel and only made a comment every now and again at how she was either soar or going numb. She couldn't wait to get off the horse for more than the few hours that they slept.

It wasn't long before Chichiri dismounted. "We have to walk the rest of the way no da."

Tasuki dismounted and helped Lily off before untying their bags and setting the horse off to graze. "We'll get 'em when we come back down."

With a nod Lily put Kouji's sword around her waist and pulled her bag over shoulder to rest on her back.

"The path is a bit rocky no da," Chichiri warned as they set off up the mountain.

vvvvv

Lily sighed as she felt the throbbing in her sour legs push on her. She was not used to all this travel and it was really starting to affect her. "How much farther Chichiri?"

"Not much more no da," Chichiri told her without a glance behind him. He could tell the girl was tired and aching, but knew that the quicker they got to Taiitsukun the better. Plus he knew that his old master's hand maidens, if one could call them that, could take away her discomfort quickly and easily.

No sooner had he thought it did Taiitsukun appear suddenly as if right out of thin air. Tasuki stumbled and fell to the ground on his behind and Lily took a giant step back.

Taiitsukun was an old lady with long grey hair, an elegant gold ornament on top of her head, a kimono like green dress and a long pink ribbon like material floated all about her as if magic was holding it up.

Lily looked at Taiitsukun is disbelief. She had heard that she looked like a sand-witch from Tasuki, but he had neglected to say that she could float in the air as if gravity didn't exist. He had even neglected to say how wondrous the mountain on which she dwelled was.

Taiitsukun looked down at Lily with a small smile, "I've been wanting to meet you in person, child from another world."

"'er name's Lily," Tasuki told her with a look as he picked himself up and dusted the dirt of his cloths.

"I am well aware of that," Taiitsukun replied with a glance that sent shivers down the bandit's spine.

Lily took hold of his arms in slight fright, feeling the end of his shiver "You alright?" Tasuki silently nodded in reply.

"Well," Taiitsukun began as a magic carpet appeared under the three of them, "You might as well come in."

As they rode on the carpet Lily looked all around, taking in all the scenery with a look of awe. One arm was still looped around Tasuki's, but she had forgotten about it.

"Taiitsukun no da," Chichiri began, "Have you received any information no da?"

The flying woman nodded, "All will be revealed in due time Chichiri, but for now I must ask you and Tasuki to restrain from using your seshi abilities."

"What do ya mean restrain from usin' 'em?" Tasuki asked. "Weren't we given 'em to use?"

"Yes," Taiitsukun said, "But a new card has been played."

"What do you mean no da?" Chichiri asked, completely confused.

"As I said before all will be explained in due time," Taiitsukun said, "All of you are weary from travel and should rest before then."

By that time they had arrived at Taiitsukun's home, or rather her palace in Lily standards. The other worldly girl was amazed at the beauty of the place and allowed her eyes to dart all around as they drank in everything gleefully.

A high pitched young girl's voice brought Lily from her awed state, "Nyan-Nyan take you to rest and heal your aches."

The little girl named Nyan-Nyan had aqua hair in two buns with small braided ponytails coming out of the center and violet eyes displaying childish glee. She wore a cute pink and red outfit and a large smile.

With a quick glace to her right she saw that two other girl looking identical to the one before her ushering Tasuki and Chichiri down the hall. With a smile at the girl before her she followed the others.

It wasn't long before they reached the rooms, each getting their own. Nyan-Nyan ushered Lily into hers before saying, "We come get you later to eat," before quickly healing her of her aches and exiting, closing the door behind her.

Lily smiled and plopped herself down on the bed with a smile. "Finally," she sighed. After a week of sleeping on the ground the bed seemed like heaven. It didn't take her long to pass into the world of dreams.

vvvvv

Lily awoke to find herself in an area she had never seen before. She wasn't even lying on the bed she remembered falling asleep on, in fact she was laying a very cold, very uncomfortable, stone floor.

She quickly sat up and looked around for something she could recognize, but found nothing of the sort. Instead she found that she looked to be in the middle of a cave somewhere with a light source she couldn't see and a mass of shadow surrounding her but a yard away.

"Wh-Where am I?" No one answered of course.

Feeling extremely nervous she got to her feet. "Genrou? Chichiri?" When no answer came she called, "Taiitsukun? Nyan-Nayn?" Again there was no answer.

"Is anyone here?" this came out in a soft, quavering voice. "Hello?"

There was a sudden low rumble of laughter held a high mass of malice. Lily blanched and looked about for the maker of the laugh, but saw no one, not that she could see far. A moment later a human figure stepped into the light.

Lily was at a loss for words as she saw the rather handsome person. He had long raven colored hair, which had a piece of tan material wrapped around it in a ponytail type fashion at shoulders level, leaving it to be very loose around his fair face. His eyes were of the softest blue she had ever seen one's eyes ever be and his lips were a delicate red color.

The figure came up to her with a soft smile that made all thought of the horrid laugh from before disappear, "Lily, I've been waiting for you."

Lily blinked, realizing she'd been staring at him, "For me?"

He nodded, "Yes. I've been waiting for so long."

"Who are you?" Lily asked as she took a step away.

"Fenrir," he told her as he held out his hand, "I need your help."

"With what?"

"The trouble that is brewing," he told her, "We haven't much time left."

Did he mean what Chichiri had been talking about? "How can I help with any of it."

"You were called here to help the gods," he told her, "Now come."

Lily's eyes narrowed. "I know my mythology. You're not one of the gods." That was a very bold statement to a man she knew nothing about, especially when she was completely defenseless.

Fenrir nodded, "I am one of their helpers, so to speak. They are distressed as of now and could not come to meet you in person, so I came in their place. Now take my hand and we can be off."

Lily slowly put out her hand and was about to place it in his when she quickly pulled it away. Something wasn't right. "Where are Genrou and the others?"

"They are waiting for you," he told her calmly. "They took my hand without question, being very loyal to their god. Why do you now hesitate?"

"I thought you just said you had come for me from the gods, not from my friends…"

"I did," Fenrir said with a nod, "I had to take your friends to the gods before I could come and get you so that the trip will be a safe one. Now come, we are wasting valuable time."

Lily bowed her head, letting her hair fall into her face, covering her eyes. "No."

"What?"

"I said no," her head was still bowed.

"You're willing to sacrifice the gods out of your petty fear!" Fenrir yelled as he began to get angry.

"No," Lily lifter her head and looked strait at the handsome being before her, "I am willing to save them from whatever troubles they have if that is in fact why I am here."

"Then take my hand!"

Her eyes narrowed once more, "No. You are the enemy here aren't you?"

"How dare you!" Fenrir snarled., "Take my hand now or suffer the consequences girl."

Lily boldly smirked and put her hands on her hips, "You're afraid that I'll actually help the gods aren't you?" For some reason she felt like she was strong enough to take on whatever stood in her way. It was an odd, but good, feeling.

"Stay away from him Lily," a masculine voice from somewhere in the shadows told her.

Fenrir seemed to have heard it too, which meant it hadn't been a telepathic message, "Shut up you. You have no right to speak to her!"

"I have plenty more right than you, demon," the voice said and Lily could envision that the speaker was smirking.

Fenrir snarled, "How dare you call me that."

This time it was a female who spoke from the shadows, "But he speaks the truth."

Lily was perplexed into the shadows, "Who and where are you?"

"We will meet soon enough," the masculine voice said.

Fenrir leapt forward and gripped his strong hands around Lily's neck, "Not if I have anything to do with it!"

Lily tried to push the hands away from her neck that were cutting off her air supply. She could feel her face turning colors from the lack of air and could feel her mind starting to go fuzzy, but still struggled to get free.

A voice suddenly pierced through the shadows like a knife, "LILY!"


Uh oh. Is the event just a dream? Or is Lily's life really in danger? Who were the unseen speakers? And who screamed Lily's name?

Find out next time!

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